Fear And Love

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. (Prov 9:10 KJV)

John wrote "Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love." (1 John 4:7-8) Indeed, God is love. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)

This implies strongly that those who do not believe will not inherit eternal life. John further wrote: "He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." (John 3:18) Jesus himself said: "..., I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14:6)

God has given us life and He alone has the authority to decide whether or not we will inherit eternal life in His presence. He will know whether you believe and trust that Jesus died so that you might be reconciled to God for all of eternity. God alone, will know how much you love Him.

The knowledge of how all knowing; all powerful; how holy our creator actually is ought to cause us a little pause in the way we respect Him. The knowledge that He loves us enough to send His only begotten Son to be executed for our sins ought to be enough to stir us to love Him in return. When we live in that kind of loving relationship all fear disappears. 

May the world come to know and love Him who first loved us. (1 John 4:19)

God's Peace - Pr. J

Reverence And Godly Fear

Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: For our God is a consuming fire. (Hebrews 12:28-29 KJV)

With reverence and godly fear; what a concept! God is who He is and He is much more than is often apparent when observing the life of the church. We forget that He gives life and He can take it away. (Job 1:21) He gave us the kingdom through the further gift of His Son. But, do we really want it? Or, is it the world that we desire? So often, the way things are done are done merely for expediency or to please individuals we think might benefit us or even the church. 

No one can benefit us as God has done! God gives us all things. Some of those things we may not appreciate as much as others; at least, not until He takes them away. Then they are missed. We ought not consider any gift from God as a trifling thing. The greatest gift that God has given us is the life of His Son through whom we have received God's grace; through whom we have received the kingdom. There is nothing more important in our lives than that. Will we respect and honor the gifts of God? Or, will we continue to strive after things of this world disrespecting the one true God who has given us so much? 

Saying, I believe, and not worshiping God with reverence and godly fear is no more than the devils do. (James 2:19) We should so fear and love God. What does this mean? It means we should honor him in all that we say and think and do. And, just because no man is capable of doing that perfectly; that does not mean that we should not live our lives striving to honor Him and glorify His name. 

God has given us so much. He can also take it away. He is God. Set aside the false gods. Let your ego die that Christ might live in and through you that our Father in heaven is served with reverence, love, and godly fear.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Fear Nothing

Out of my distress I called on the Lord; the Lord answered me and set me in a broad place. With the Lord on my side I do not fear. What can mortals do to me? (Psalm 118:5-6 NRSV)

Fear is a horrible thing. Fear of failure is one of the most horrible of all. It will stop us in our tracks. It will keep us from trusting our own abilities. It will keep us from reaching out to others for help, for love, for anything. Fear will destroy any chances of happiness; any chances of joy or peace. Fear will keep us from glorifying God.

What can man do to us? Humankind can do nothing to us without the Lord knowing. Often when I faced things that might make me a few powerful enemies, I considered what Jesus told his followers: "Do not fear, those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell." (Matt 10:28) We are to fear no one.  After all, what can humankind do to us that would be worse than being separated from God forever? Throw us in jail? Kill us? There is nothing worse than not knowing the love of God. There is nothing worse than not abiding in Christ and in the Kingdom of God. There is nothing anyone can do because they do not have the authority to take away the inheritance that was purchased for us by the blood of Jesus.

All who love the Lord and abide in Him do not have a thing to fear for God is with them. Things may get rough (they often do); things may cause distress. Call upon Him in your time of trouble and He will be there. Do not fear; but, live the life that God has given to you. Be all that He created you to be and that, my friends, is not someone who is afraid to live or to die in Christ.

Have courage and be who God created you to be for His glory.

God's Peace - Pr. J