Posted on 11/29/2020 5:14:20 AM PST by Kaslin
As often happens, when I begin writing this Study, a verse or song suddenly flashes into my brain about the chosen topic. Today I am blessed to report it is a Christian anthem, “Our God is an Awesome God” — usually sung with great passion at large gatherings (pre-COVID) such as this performance by Michael W. Smith.
By design, the lyrics are simple and repetitive until the message is drilled into your mind, heart, and soul:
“Our God is an awesome God He reigns from heaven above with wisdom, power, and love our God is an awesome God.”
While trying to decipher why this song “flashed” for today’s topic — “Fear of God and ‘Fear Not’ ” — I realized the answer is in the lyrics.
Our God is to be feared because he reigns over us with “wisdom, power, and love.” Paradoxically, because He reigns over us with wisdom, power, and love — is why we must “fear not” — and why He is “awesome.”
Let’s dive deeper into the verses that explain both sides of God’s “fear equation.”
We start with the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament), explaining the reasons why you should fear God:
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction (Proverbs 1:7).
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all those who do His commandments. His praise endures forever (Psalm 111:10).
The verses are clear that you should fear God IF you lack the “wisdom” to believe in Him, praise Him, and obey His laws. However, there is good news IF you fear Him:
The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, turning a person from the snares of death (Proverbs 14:27).
The fear of the LORD leads to life; then one rests content, untouched by trouble (Proverbs 19:23).
Paramount to fearing God is a deep, sincere belief that there is a power greater than yourself who reigns over you, commanding respect, obedience, and reverence. This “awesome” eternal power is beyond human comprehension or control — no matter how impressive your title or net worth. Fear of God points to my favorite modern “Proverb”: How do you make God laugh? Tell Him your plans.
But fear of God also means that He is always with you in the best and worst of times since “He reigns from heaven above with wisdom, power, and love.” Again the Hebrew Bible magnificently explains this concept:
Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand (Isaiah 41:10).
And because of that message from God, we can say in confidence:
The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid? (Psalm 27:1)
If you learn one lesson from today’s study, here it is: God does not want us to be fearful. He wants us to trust in Him with the knowledge that God is love. New Testament verses impart the following truths:
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he first loved us (1-John 4:18-19).
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7).
Having a “sound mind” to dispel a “spirit of fear” takes us back to where we began, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” and “knowledge.” Now, we can better understand a question from Scripture:
In God I have put my trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? (Psalm 56:11).
Answer by singing along with another version of “Our God Is an Awesome God!” The video, which has 25 million views, was posted by a 10-year-old who misspelled “heaven” but credit her with heavenly knowledge and wisdom.
Amen! And thanks for reading.
1Cor. contains God's love versus. God's nature IS love. We love, because He first loved us.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
Often times..fear of the Lord is misunderstood. Here on earth, we do good, we get good. So, folks look at God with this same lens rather than through the lens of our Savior.
God is not this big ol white dude with a long white beard, sitting on a white throne holding a big white lightening bolt waiting to punish us if we step outta line. God is love and His word describes Him.
“Keeps no record of wrongs.” In fact, scripture tells us that He does not impute our sins to us. Again, our sins are put away as far as the East is from the West, and yet again, our sins and lawless deeds He will remember no more.
Sounds like a Good Daddy wanting a relationship with His children to me.
If I’m not mistaken, the “fear of the Lord” spoken of in scripture is better translated as respect or humble yourself, or reverence.
You are flying in an airplane and it drops 12,000 feet.
You are driving down the interstate and a semi crosses the hiway and is heading directly toward you.
There are two common factors:
1) your life is on the balance
2) you are not in control of the situation.
Now, we don’t like this concept of fear. Anyone who encounters God or an angel in the bible knows it. the Israelites know it.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Starting here will get you to the proper humbleness and reverence.
Bkmk
>>You are driving down the interstate and a semi crosses the hiway and is heading directly toward you.<<
The type of fear you are describing is Phobeo/ Phobos in Greek and describes this sort of fear, terror. This is where we get the word Phobia.
There is also the word fovos in Greek, Pakhad in Hebrew. Neither describes the “fear of the Lord” as scripture speaks of.
Fear of the Lord (Yir’ah) in Hebrew / Theosebeia in the Greek is translated more closely to “awe or reverence”. This is where many folks delivering messages with “fear of the Lord”, mis-translate to mean terror. It is not.
Fear of the Lord is a healthy emotion of reverence, awe, respect.
Not a bible scholar by any means. I earn my associates in biblical studies. The old saying goes, “if you take the text out of context, you're left with a Con.”
Many folks deliver scriptural messages not knowing what they're talking about. Not being ugly or snarky...it's just true. People will parrot stuff and never take the time to study the true context and or actual translations from the original Hebrew/Greek.
Read your scripture again. FEAR is FEAR, It is trembling. Do not water it down. Imagine what your encounter with God will be like. In His presence, we will shake like leaves.
Until you encounter God on that level, you cannot fully know and understand his mercy and love.
Until one understands who God is and who we are we don’t fully understand what He did.....................
Now please understand, We do not live in that fear because of his mercy and love but we need to visit it once in awhile.
Take text out of context...you’re left with a Con.
Romans 2:4 - it is the goodness of the Lord that leads men to repentance.
God is not mad, nor in a bad mood. When Jesus bow his head and said, “It is finished”. He was talking about the war between God and man was over.
Scripture after scripture tells us that Jesus died once, for all, forever. God is not holding sin against us. When we receive His son, Jesus as our savior and acknowledge the Father’s plan of salvation...your nature is transformed from sinner to righteous. Just as it was before the fall.
Renewing our minds to the fact that we are righteous, holy, set apart, kingdom priest, the head not the tail, we are conquerors..even more, highly favored, deeply loved.
Sin has been dealt with. Focus on who God says that you are rather than what the world says that you are.
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