Two Bookends : Fear of the Lord & Being Kept in His Love.Sample

What happens when we do not have a holy reverence for God? Something else will take over our hearts and it will dull, sear, or kill our conscience.

Reflect on the point below:

·The fear of man or the need to please is inversely proportional to the fear of God. i.e., the more you want to please others or be seen as a nice guy the less you will fear God.

·The more you want to be right rather than uphold truth the less you will fear God.

·The more you value your thoughts, opinions, self-will, and need for pleasure, the less you will fear God.

Some may argue that we ought to focus on the love of God rather than the fear of God. We need both. Jesus said IF you love me, you will obey my commandments!

One famous evangelist who fell into adultery was asked by another pastor, John Bevere when did he lose his love for Jesus. He replied that he never lost his love for Jesus, he lost his fear of God. Sobering, isn’t it?

Fear of God, therefore, is reverence, honour, and deep respect that results in obedience to His Word.

The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord— and he will delight in the fear of the Lord."

Isaiah11:2-3

Jesus delighted in the fear of the Lord!! How much more do we?

REFLECTION

Symptoms that you have lost the fear of God:

·You can rationalize your mistakes very easily.

·You are more afraid of people than God.

·“What will people say?”, Is it something you are more concerned with?

·You want to be in everybody’s good books.

·You twist scripture to suit your ends.

·You keep the peace rather than make peace.

·You are unable to confess your weakness and admit a fault.

·Self-preservation is more important than repentance and restoration.

Nothing said here is about losing our salvation. This is about finishing well and strong. Let us run in such a way as to win the prize and hear our Saviour saying well done good and faithful servant. I pray that you will walk in the fear of the Lord which is a fountain of life.

Let us look at the next bookend in Part 2, which is “Being Kept in His Love”.