In our current culture, we are bombarded every day with messages encouraging us to take charge of our lives and do whatever seems right to us in order to be successful and find happiness. We are responsible only to ourselves. We call the shots in our lives. We are smart, independent, know how to take care of ourselves, and we don’t want anyone telling us what to do or think. We are “An army of one”, as one recent popular slogan emphatically states. There are no black and whites, no limits, no restrictions. Just do what you want and need to do to be happy. We are ever evolving, learning, changing, getting better and we will not be stopped, or even slowed down, in the pursuit of what we want. The spirit behind these words is nothing less than the spirit of rebellion, which first manifested itself in the arch enemy of God and now manifests itself in the children of disobedience.
How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. Isaiah 14:12-15
Satan is the original champion of “Self”. Notice how many times he emphasized the word, “I”, in the above passage. Is it any wonder that his children do the same today?
What you will not hear today from the media, the politicians, the current best sellers, or the mega-church pastors, is the truth that has already been revealed by the One who created us; the One who cares deeply for us and the One who desires that none would perish. The truth begins with “The fear of the Lord”. What does it mean to fear the Lord? Is it important for us to understand this truth? Why is this so important? Does it really matter at all in our daily lives? Is it relevant to us today in our modern, high tech, fast-paced world?
And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding. Job 28:28
The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant. Psalm 25:14
For who in the heaven can be compared unto the Lord? who among the sons of the mighty can be likened unto the Lord? God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him. Psalm 89:6-8
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. Proverbs 9:10
By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the Lord men depart from evil. Proverbs 16:6
Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. Ecclesiastes 12:13
Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied. Acts 9:31
And as John fulfilled his course, he said, Whom think ye that I am? I am not he. But, behold, there cometh one after me, whose shoes of his feet I am not worthy to loose. Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever among you feareth God, to you is the word of this salvation sent. Acts 13:25-26
And the way of peace have they not known: There is no fear of God before their eyes. Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Romans 3:17-19
Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. 2 Corinthians 7:1
By the fear of the Lord, we gain wisdom and understanding as we learn who God is, what we are supposed to do with that knowledge, and what He promises for those who do. We also receive the grave warning as to what will happen to those who do not. It is of utmost importance that we comprehend the eternal truth that God is Holy and will not excuse sin. He will judge all iniquity and He tells us that we must depart from evil. This is the start of the road to salvation. It is imperative that we understand who we are, and who He is before we can receive the Gospel of Jesus Christ into our hearts. If we do not understand the fear of God, or ignore this essential truth, we will surely be damned to hell and spend eternity in the lake of fire. Please, please take time to consider this. Do NOT listen to the many false teachers who promise salvation for all. Instead, take this warning from the Son of God:
And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him. Luke 12:4-5
The written Word of God tells us plainly that He does not change. He tells us who He is, who we are, what He desires, and what He expects from us.
Do not err, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. James 1:16-18
Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. Hebrews 13:8
He also tells us what we must do and what will happen to us if we don’t. We are to repent, believe, obey.
From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Matthew 4:17
And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day. John 6:40
And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; 2 Thessalonions 1:7-9
If we believe, we will obey. If we do not obey, we do not believe. If we do not produce good fruit, we are lost.
I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. These things I command you, that ye love one another. If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me. If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloak for their sin. He that hateth me hateth my Father also. If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father. But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause. But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning. John 15
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