Able and Worthy

Have you ever spent the better part of a day anticipating bad news? Or in some cases, days or weeks? I don't know about you, but my nerves get on edge. I imagine dozens (sometimes hundreds) of crazy scenarios that go from bad to worse. I'm easily agitated. I get snippy or snappy or crabby.

At times like that I find myself caught between the intense, raw emotional experience and my faith in God. Intellectually, I know that God is good and merciful. I also know that he is righteous and just. I know that a believer is not excused from hardship, and that God often allows us to experience the consequences of our sins.

I find myself caught in the tension of these truths. I want grace, not justice. However, I know that God doesn't bend to my will. I want mercy, not consequences.

I moments like these, I am confident in God's ability. I know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, he can deliver me from them, but I am not always certain he will (or that he should).

A lack of certainty, is not doubt. Take Daniel's three friends: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. When faced with the fiery furnace, they responded, "We don't need to give you an answer to this question. If the God we serves exists, then He can rescue us from the furnace of blazing fire, and and He can rescue us from the power of you, the king. But even if He does not rescue us, we want you as king to know that we will not serve your gods or worship the gold statue you set up" (Dan. 3:16-18, HCSB). It didn't matter what happened, they rested on two important truths: God is able to deliver, and He is worthy of service even if he doesn't deliver.

The problem with worry is so much of it is wasted. We fear things that never actualize. They feel real in our minds, but they never come to pass. To often, we worry about all the wrong things. Things that should concern us, we ignore. Things that don't really matter, we blow out of proportion. Either way, it's wasted time.

When God delivers you from that thing you feared, I encourage you to spend time in praise. Then, reflect on the opportunity he has given you. Seize your moment, make the necessary changes, and slay that fear that drove you to worry. If God has chosen to allow you to face that which you fear, rest in his grace, and he will strengthen you for the days ahead. But never forget, he is able to deliver you, and still worthy of your worship if he doesn't.

A Worthy Thought

The fear of the LORD

is 

the beginning of knowledge; 

fools despise 

wisdom and instruction. 

Proverbs 1:7, ESV

How to Avoid a Deadly Snare.

"The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, that one may turn away from the snares of death" (Prov. 14:27, ESV).

My mind continues to return to the the fear of the Lord.  Maybe I should say the Spirit continues to stir my heart toward fear of the Lord.  The work of the Spirit in convicting of sin, judgment, and righteousness generates within the heart the fear of the Lord.  Although, we shouldn't understand it in terms of being afraid of the Lord.  The fear of the Lord is a response to the holiness of God that generates a hatred of evil, and a strong desire to obey the Lord.

The fear of the Lord is a source of life, because it keeps us from sinning against the Lord.  The wages of sin is death. Thus, pursuing sin is pursuing death.  Rebellion against God is characterized by its lack of fear.  The rebellious spirit cries with Pharaoh, "Who is the Lord that I should obey him?"  The danger that accompanies a rebellious heart is that God may just let our heart stay in its rebellion.  It is dangerous to walk in rebellion of heart, because we might lose the possibility of repentance.  When we fear the Lord repentance becomes the natural course of action.  We are aware that we have sinned against his holy nature, and know that it is by grace that we are saved.  Fear of the Lord encourages us to walk in obedience.

Another Facet of Fearing the Lord

This article was originally published here, on July 28, 2009.
"Blessed is the one who fears the Lord always, but whoever hardens his heart will fall into calamity" (Prov. 28:14, ESV).

The fear of the Lord is a subject I return to frequently. I desire a better understanding. I know that fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge (Prov. 1:7) and wisdom (Prov. 9:10). I also know that it is hatred of evil (Prov. 8:13). It prolongs the life of those who have it (Prov. 10:27). Now this passages examines another facet of the fear of the Lord.  Blessings and calamity are contrasted in this verse. The one who "fears the Lord is blessed". The one who "hardens his heart" will fall into calamity. The implication is that the one who hardens his heart does not fear the Lord. Therefore, fear of the Lord must also include a submissive attitude toward the Lord's leadership.

When we speak of the fear of the Lord, we are speaking of active obedience to the revealed will of God. It is following his commandments and heeding his voice. This proverb warns that calamity is the end result of rebellion to the will of God. The expression "will fall into calamity" depicts one stumbling, unaware, into a trap. It is an event that happens quickly with potentially dangerous outcomes.

To walk without the fear of the Lord is to court trouble. The image that comes to mind is someone standing in a shed full of dynamite with a lit match. Actually, I am picturing Yosemite Sam, striking a match only to find himself surrounded by explosives, and quickly finding one more reason to hate that rabbit (Bugs Bunny). Hardening the heart is trouble with a capital "T." A person never knows what will happen if they harden their heart. Will they have another chance to repent? Who knows. Will the Lord harden their heart like he did Pharaoh's heart?

Actually, Pharaoh is a good case study for a life lived without fear of the Lord. Moses reports Pharaoh's initial response to God's command to free the Israelites. He states, "But Pharaoh said, 'Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, and more over I will not let Israel go'" (Exod. 5:2, ESV). The following chapter reveal the devastation brought upon Pharaoh and Egypt by his hard heart. He loses his son, his slaves, and most of his army.

However, blessing rests on those who fear the Lord. That is not to say that those who fear the Lord never face trouble. Even David, a man after God's own heart, faced trouble and trials. What it means is that the troubles will not ultimately overcome those who fear the Lord. They will be preserved from the greatest trouble facing man, the Day of the Lord. It also means that when we walk in the fear of the Lord we avoid many of the foolish choices that lead to heartache and regret. Fear of the Lord teaches us a sort of sanctified common sense. We become less gullible and more discerning. We think before we act, and pray for the Lord to guide our thinking. Do you want to avoid trouble? Fear the Lord. Do you want to be blessed? Then fear the Lord.

Fear of Man

This article was originally published here, on November 21, 2008.

"The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe" (Prov. 29:25, ESV).

Do you worry about what other people think about you? Do you feel the crushing pressure to think, act or appear a certain way? Are you afraid to relax? Afraid to let people see the real you? Solomon tells us that this way of thinking is a snare. This way of thinking holds us prisoner to others opinions and strips us of safety. When we live in the fear of man we cannot please God. How different would the ministries of Jeremiah and Ezekiel, or any of the prophets for that matter, have been if they had let their fear determine what they would say and do? Instead of yielding to their fear of man, they trusted in the Lord.

Did trusting the Lord keep them safe? Yes and No. It did not keep them safe in the sense that everything was perfect. They faced ridicule, abuse, rejection, hardship, and so on. Trusting in the Lord did not spare them from the wrath of man, but it did keep them safe from the wrath of God. Their obedience was pleasing to the Lord and he preserved them through all of their difficulties and continued to care for them.

Speaking of the fear of man, Jesus said, "And 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, ESV). Jesus stresses the futility of fearing man by expressing the limitations that man has. Man can only kill the body. In one sense, the killing of the body is a temporal thing. It does not determine where a person will exist after death, only that they are no longer alive. However, God not only has the power to terminate life, but the authority to determine where a person exists after that termination. We creatures are finite by nature, and thus our actions against each other have only finite consequences. God is eternal, thus our actions against him have eternal consequences.

The fear of the Lord has to do with hating evil (Prov. 8:13), it is the beginning of wisdom (Prov. 1:7) and the key to insight (Prov. 9:10). The fear of the Lord is not fear in the sense of terror. The Lord is not like some masked gunman breaking into our life or some crazed axe-wielding maniac. The fear of the Lord is a humble submission to his sovereignty that produces a life of trusting obedience and dependency. It is a life that looks to him to see what should be done next, because he alone possesses wisdom. As we follow in his footsteps, he leads us safely in the paths that please him most, draws us to himself, and sustains us by his power. Don't give in to the fear of man; it is a trap that will draw you away from God and away from safety. Look to the Lord who lovingly sustains you, and rest in him.

Don't Harden Your Heart

"Blessed is the one who fears the Lord always, but whoever hardens his heart will fall into calamity" (Prov. 28:14, ESV).

I once overheard someone say that the will of God was like a brick wall. I assume they meant that when we live within the will of God, it protects us, and when we live outside of God's will we keep running into it. God's will is impossible to thwart. What God has decreed will come to pass.

Those who walk in the fear of the Lord continually adjust their lives in response to God's Word. The Lord has revealed much of his will through the Word. Wisdom dictates that we obey what he has revealed, because only then can we know we are in the will of God.

Yet, we must remember that the will of God is not exhaustively revealed to us in the Scriptures. He has not told us all he has decreed. However, the decrees that he has revealed are sufficient to guide us.

Thus, this proverb warns that continually hardening of the heart leads to calamity. If one knows what to do, and fails to do it, the end result will not be pleasant. For example, imagine a man that has knowledge of the range of symptoms that accompany a heart attack. He begins to experience tightness in his chest, sharp pains shooting down his left arm, and feels sick to his stomach. In spite of his knowledge, he ignores the symptoms and dies. His refusal to heed the warning signs brings about dire consequences.

Refusal to heed the teachings of Scripture also has dire consequences. The Word of the Lord instructs us in the way in which we should walk. It gives us the prescription for life, both here and in the hereafter. Therefore, we must decide if we will walk in the fear of the Lord or will we harden our hearts? If we chose foolishly, it will cost us dearly.

Learning to Despise Forbidden Fruit

"Let not your heart envy sinners, but continue in the fear of the Lord all the day. Surely there is a future and your hope will not be cut off" (Prov. 23:17-18).

Often, I find myself trying to imagine Eden in all its pre-Fall glory. I try to envision the splendor of the freshly grown fruit. I can't help but wonder what that lush paradise must have smelled like, what it must have looked like, and what it must have sounded like. It is impossible to truly imagine a world not tainted by sin. But it is fun trying. Everywhere a person turned must have been bursting with life: plants to tend to, animals to name and care for, fruit to be enjoyed, and a kingdom to be explored.

Imagine the tree of knowledge of good and evil. It stands alone, marked off from consumption. Forbidden fruit appears so sweet, but in reality it is a poison. Death comes in the partaking of the fruit. Relationships are broken. Darkness descends.

Now, fast forward to our time. The forbidden still tantalizes us. On the surface it appears delectable. It promises unending pleasure, if only we will take a nibble, but it will turn bitter in our stomach. Sin always kills. Always. The fruit that tantalizes, ends up biting us back. Thus, comes the warning: do not let your heart envy sinners.

The fruit of their life may seem appealing to the eye, but death is waiting in the wings. Don't misunderstand me, I am not trying to suggest that there is no pleasure in sin. Sin's pleasures last their season, but they do not last forever, and they always pay the dividend of death. They are a tantalizing fruit that attracts they eye, but that poisons the body.

Thus, Solomon warns his reader to keep the right perspective. The pleasures of sin have no lasting reward. They grant a temporary reward that is often short lived. The excitement of a forbidden kiss wears off pretty quickly. Shame and guilt often follow shortly. Fear of discovery follows the flood of guilt and shame. Should sin go undetected for awhile, callousness sets in. The sinner begins to feel untouchable (although they may cycle through guilt, shame, and fear). They begin to assume that their sin has gone unnoticed. As believers, we know that no sin goes unnoticed, nor unpunished.

We keep in mind that God has planned for us a glorious future. The paradise lost in Adam's rebellion will be restored through Christ's obedience. We set our heart to walk in the fear of the Lord, and in so doing we know our hope cannot be cut off. We may not get to enjoy some of the "pleasures" this world enjoys, but we have greater pleasures awaiting us in the presence of the Lord.

That is not to say that all our pleasures are otherworldly or heavenly. We enjoy great pleasures here and now, while anticipating greater pleasures to come. When we enjoy the good gifts that the Father has given us, they come without shame, guilt, or fear. As we enjoy them, we are practicing what is good, right, and wholesome. The good gifts, in all the joy they bring, are only a taste of greater joys still to come.

Let us return to the Garden. We are surrounded by trees bursting forth with new fruit, sweet and fresh, unspoiled and unblemished, all ours except one tree. It stands in the center and bears the warning: "eat and die." Would we snatch that fruit from its branch and sink our teeth into it? Not only would we, we have. We have all eaten of the forbidden fruit of sin and have been sentenced to death. The good news is that Christ has come and died in our place. By faith in Christ, we have been made new creatures.

As new creatures in Jesus our Lord, our hearts have been realigned. If we envy sinners, then we are saying that what they have in their sin is of greater value than what we have in our Savior. Solomon points the way: "continue in the fear of the Lord all the day." The simple fact is that what we have in our Savior is infinitely more valuable (and enjoyable), than what sinners have in their sin. For we have a future and a hope (see 1 Pet. 1:3-9).

The Discipline of the Lord

"For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives" (Heb. 12:6).

The author of Hebrews quotes this passage to enable his readers to understand the hardship does not mean that God does not love us or that we are somehow illegitimate. He states, "And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons?" (Heb. 12:4). Thus, the believer should expect to be disciplined when they sin. The discipline means that God is showing his love. Hardship should be endured as discipline (Heb. 12:7). God, through his gracious discipline, is molding us into people he desires us to be.

This passage verse however is very frightening. It warns that disobedience will be met with chastisement. Sin will be confronted with disciplinary action. While the prospect of being disciplined is frightening, it also comes with a pleasant promise. Discipline is an open expression of affection and belonging. By chastening us, God is saying, "You're mine. I love you."

The verse is also frightening for another reason. If a professing believer continues in habitual unrepentant sin, but never experiences conviction or correction, then it means that they are not received by God as his child, and that he doesn't love them. The author states it plainly, "If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons" (Heb. 12:8). To walk in darkness, that is, to live a life of unrepentant habitual sin, is live without the light of eternal life.

If a person says that they know and love God, but have no desire to do his will, they do not know and love God. If a person can shrug their shoulder at the threat of discipline, and press forward in sin, they don't know God. If a person's greatest fear when they sin is that people may find out, they don't know God. A heart touched by the grace of God, through the gospel of Jesus Christ, will fear the displeasure of God. It will fear wounding the heart of God by treating the blood of Christ as a common thing. It will grieve the grief it has caused the Holy Spirit. The saved soul will mourn it's participation in the defilement of the holy. The converted soul, may struggle under the burden of discipline for a season, but will ultimately, and always, yield to the will of the Lord.

If hardship comes your way, endure it as discipline and remind yourself God is showing you his love. If you experience chastisement because you are a backslider, repent quickly and thank God for his gracious kindness. If you loving sin right now and aren't face discipline, tremble in fear.

Another Facet of Fearing the Lord

"Blessed is the one who fears the Lord always, but whoever hardens his heart will fall into calamity" (Prov. 28:14, ESV).

The fear of the Lord is a subject I return to frequently. I just want a better understanding. I know that it is the beginning of knowledge (Prov. 1:7) and wisdom (Prov. 9:10). I also know that the fear of the Lord is hatred of evil (Prov. 8:13). It prolongs the life of those who have it (Prov. 10:27). Now this passages examines another facet of the fear of the Lord.

Blessings and calamity are contrasted in this verse. The one who "fears the Lord is blessed". The one who" hardens his heart" will fall into calamity. The implication is that the one who hardens his heart does not fear the Lord. Therefore, fear of the Lord must also include a submissive attitude toward the Lord's leadership.

When we speak of the fear of the Lord, we are speaking of active obedience to the revealed will of God. We follow his commandments and heed his voice. This proverb warns that calamity is the end result of rebellion to the will of God. The expression "will fall into calamity" depicts one stumbling, unaware, into a trap. It is an event that happens quickly with potentially dangerous outcomes.

To walk without the fear of the Lord is to court trouble. The image that comes to mind is someone standing in a shed full of dynamite with a lit match. Actually, I am picturing Yosemite Sam, striking a match only to find himself surrounded by explosives, and quickly finding one more reason to hate that rabbit (Bugs Bunny). Hardening the heart is trouble with a capital "T." A person never knows what will happen if they harden their heart. Will the have another chance to repent? Who knows. Will the Lord harden their heart like he did Pharaoh's heart?

Actually, Pharaoh is a good case study for a life lived without fear of the Lord. Moses reports Pharaoh's initial response to God's command to free the Israelites. He states, "But Pharaoh said, 'Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, and more over I will not let Israel go'" (Exod. 5:2, ESV). The following chapter reveal the devastation brought upon Pharaoh and Egypt by his hard heart. He loses his son, his slaves, and most of his army.

But blessing rests on those who fear the Lord. That is not to say that those who fear the Lord never face trouble. Even David, a man after God's own heart, faced trouble and trials. What it means is that the troubles will not ultimately overcome those who fear the Lord. They will be preserved from the greatest trouble facing man, the Day of the Lord. It also means that when we walk in the fear of the Lord we avoid many of the foolish choices that lead to heartache and regret. Fear of the Lord teaches us a sort of sanctified common sense. We become less gullible and more discerning. We think before we act, and pray for the Lord to guide our thinking. Do you want to avoid trouble? Fear the Lord. Do you want to be blessed? Then fear the Lord.

Fear of Man

"The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe" (Prov. 29:25, ESV).

Do you worry about what other people think about you? Do you feel the crushing pressure to think, act or appear a certain way? Are you afraid to relax? Afraid to let people see the real you? Solomon tells us that this way of thinking is a snare. This way of thinking holds us prisoner to others opinions and strips us of safety. When we live in the fear of man we cannot please God. How different would the ministries of Jeremiah and Ezekiel, or any of the prophets for that matter, have been if they had let their fear determine what they would say and do? Instead of yielding to their fear of man, they trusted in the Lord.

Did trusting the Lord keep them safe? Yes and No. It did not keep them safe in the sense that everything was perfect. They faced ridicule, abuse, rejection, hardship, and so on. Trusting in the Lord did not spare them from the wrath of man, but it did keep them safe from the wrath of God. Their obedience was pleasing to the Lord and he preserved them through all of their difficulties and continued to care for them.

Speaking of the fear of man, Jesus said, "And 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, ESV). Jesus stresses the futility of fearing man by expressing the limitations that man has. Man can only kill the body. In one sense, the killing of the body is a temporal thing. It does not determine where a person will exist after death, only that they are no longer alive. However, God not only has the power to terminate life, but the authority to determine where a person exists after that termination. We creatures are finite by nature, and thus our actions against each other have only finite consequences. God is eternal, thus our actions against him have eternal consequences.

The fear of the Lord has to do with hating evil (Prov. 8:13), it is the beginning of wisdom (Prov. 1:7) and the key to insight (Prov. 9:10). The fear of the Lord is not fear in the sense of terror. The Lord is not like some masked gunman breaking into our life or some crazed axe-wielding maniac. The fear of the Lord is a humble submission to his sovereignty that produces a life of trusting obedience and dependency. It is a life that looks to him to see what should be done next, because he alone possesses wisdom. As we follow in his footsteps, he leads us safely in the paths that please him most, draws us to himself, and sustains us by his power. Don't give in to the fear of man; it is a trap that will draw you away from God and away from safety. Look to the Lord who lovingly sustains you, and rest in him.