ABRAHAM'S PROMISE FROM GOD:
Abraham had received a promise from the Father of a seed that would bless the nations, ( Read Gen.12:1-3) but up to this point, no son. Abraham prayed, Lord what wilt thou give me"? Genesis 15:1-2 ESV After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.” (2) But Abram said, “O Lord GOD, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” Abraham has been waiting and waiting for years for the fulfillment of the Word of the Lord. How long have you been waiting? Abraham thought that he would help God along by offering his servant Eliezer to God as the fulfillment of the promise of a son. (Read Gen.15:2-3). How many times have we asked God for something, felt like we had received a Word from the Lord and waited and waited, until waiting was not longer an option and we decided on a "plan-B" that would assist the Lord in the fulfillment of His promises? Of course true prayer is the Father speaking and our listening. He informed Abraham that "plan-B" was unacceptable and that the seed was coming from the bowels of Abraham and it will out-number the stars in the sky. Has God ever reaffirmed a promise to you that in doing so it was overwhelming? Think about how Abraham felt. He was asking God "What will You give me?" concerning the fulfillment of ONE promise of ONE son and God assured Him that he would get his son and his seed would be greater than the stars. Okay God, I have having problems with just one. (Read Gen.15:3-5). Here is where faith entered the picture of the prayer. Abraham believed God and it was COUNTED BY GOD. Genesis 15:6 ESV And he believed the LORD, and he counted it to him as righteousness. By the way... The answer to Abraham's prayer is found in Gen.21:1-8. The next time you want to start a prayer "God, what will You give me?" make sure you have heard from Him first about what He wants to bless you with and then in faith...P.U.S.H. (Pray until something happens).
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OUR LOVE AFFAIR WITH THE FATHER
It is exciting when we learn a new or deeper truth. It is exciting seeing it manifested in our lives. However, we would be mistaken if we think that we will always be faithful in that truth no matter what situation we find ourselves. In other words each day we need to die to ourselves and put on the new man lest we find ourselves walking out the symptoms of rejection or rebellion. If you are married you or your spouse might say that a lot of the romance in the marriage has waned over the years or might even be gone completely. There might be some sense of taking one another for granted that when you wake up in the morning you will be there for one another. You might have a disagreement and walk around the house "on egg shells" ignoring one another for a day or a week or longer. There might be a makeup and forgiveness time and your love is rekindled for a season. But before long the danger comes back in. That danger is called "the familiar." The familiar is a place of going back to doing what is easy and comfortable, usually setting the priorities of the day to satisfy your own desires and needs. One of the greatest dangers for the believer is the place of "the familiar." You hear a truth and get excited and revived in your heart. You make promises to God and maybe to other about your walk with the Lord that seem at the time easy to fulfill. But in a matter of days or weeks the fire starts going out and you are right back in the daily place of doing what is easy and the habit of life that is comfortable. And there you stay until the next "revived time" where your heart is stirred to passion again. But even then, the place of the familiar awaits for your return. We need to renew our place of passion every morning as we arise. We need to seek the face of our Father in prayer and Word daily as we die to ourselves and break the place of the familiar. It is learning to stay in a position of worship, praise and a revived heart. One of the truths that we need to renew daily to assist this staying in a position of a revived heart is learning to walk in the fear of God. The opposite of this would be walking outside of the love of God and walking in the fear of man. Fear in itself is a tormenting spirit. Walking in the love of God casts out the fear of man and the fear of rejection and stirs up the passion to stay in an ongoing deep fellowship with our Creator. 1 John 4:18 ESV There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. I will let the rest of the Scriptures speak for themselves without any commentary from me. Isaiah 50:10 ESV Who among you fears the LORD and obeys the voice of his servant? Let him who walks in darkness and has no light trust in the name of the LORD and rely on his God. Isaiah 66:1-2 ESV Thus says the LORD: "Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool; what is the house that you would build for me, and what is the place of my rest? (2) All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the LORD. But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word. An AMISH experience: You Can't Get There From Here!
CHRISTIANS ARE CHRISTIANS BECAUSE THEY ARE BORN AGAIN: DISCIPLES ARE DISCIPLES BECAUSE THEY ARE MADE FROM A LONG JOURNEY: The journey to becoming a disciple: The trip to becoming a disciple is not a quick trip, nor is it a straight trip without detours, stops and many people moving in and out of our lives. The road to salvation is straight and narrow, but the road to becoming a disciple has valleys, mountain tops and wilderness places. When I was living in Pennsylvania, Debby and I would often visit the Amish. Each Amish family specialized in one area of expertise. One family made furniture, another made cheese and butter, another made quilts, one family worked with leather, and so forth. We began to learn the last names of some of the Amish families and what particular article they specialized in. One day I remember being at an Amish family that worked with leather like belts. I asked them how to get to the Toyer family. The Toyer’s built oak and hickory furniture and I wanted an oak and hickory rocking chair. The response to the question I received has remained with me for over 25 years now. The Amish gentleman replied “you can’t get there from here.” The Amish families rode in horse drawn buggies and it took a lot of time going from one place to another. Therefore, they would leave their farm and go to the next family and stop for a while and then head out to the next family and stop there. This was done until they finally arrived at the farmhouse which was their original aim. If they were at the Miller’s farm and wanted to go to the Toyer’s farm, they would travel from the Miller’s to the Yoder’s to the Hochstetler’s and then to the Toyer’s. That is why they answer, “you can’t get there from here.” If they wanted to get to the Toyer’s they had to get there from someplace else. Now let’s bring this into becoming a disciple. I want to say, “we can’t get there from here.” We can get there from somewhere else, but we can’t get there from here. It is a process of moving from one place to another were each move takes time and effort and crossing roads and fellowshipping with numerous people each who teach us something new about the Word and character of God. It is a process of becoming Christ-like in the soulish man whereby we decrease as He increases in and through us. So the next time you meet a believer who is pouring the Word in you with grace and peace and you wonder why God put that person in your life, just remember, you can't get there from here. Another "MUCH MORE" Scripture to ponder on:
Hebrews 12:24-26 KJV And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. 25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, MUCH MORE shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven: 26 Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. Let's read that again in the ESV translation for better clarity. Hebrews 12:24-26 ESV and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. (25) See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven. (26) At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” It is true that God speaks today. He speaks by the blood that was poured out on Calvary's cross. He speaks through the blood of His saints as they die a martyr's death. He speaks by way of His angels. He spoke His words to Moses who relayed them to the people. He spoke through His Son as He walked on earth among men. But now, God mainly speaks from heaven and from His written Word. When God speaks to mankind, especially those who are His children, He expects from them the most strict attention. God, the Father and Creator now speaks from a higher and more glorious seat and throne, not from mount Sinai, which was on this earth, but from heaven. Our heavenly Father also speaks immediately and daily through His inspired Word and by the Person of the Holy Spirit, both of which are His witnesses. He does not speak any new thing to men, but by His Spirit He speaks the same Word, because does not change. His voice once shook the earth, but now, He is shaking the heavens. When God speaks to men the guilt of those who refuse Him is greater and their punishment will be more unavoidable and intolerable because of the two witnesses of His Word and His Spirit. There will be no escaping it or no bearing it. We have a received a kingdom that cannot be moved, shall never be removed, never give way to any new man-made kingdom. SPIRITUAL LEADERS ARE TO BE THOSE WHO FEAR GOD:
Moses' father-in-law gave him counsel concerning how to properly lead people and how to choose the right leaders for the nation. The leaders to be placed over the people had to be men who FEARED GOD! Exodus 18:19-20 ESV Now obey my voice; I will give you advice, and God be with you! You shall represent the people before God and bring their cases to God, (20) and you shall warn them about the statutes and the laws, and make them know the way in which they must walk and what they must do. Exodus 18:21-22 ESV Moreover, look for able men from all the people, men who FEAR GOD, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe, and place such men over the people as chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. (22) And let them judge the people at all times. Every great matter they shall bring to you, but any small matter they shall decide themselves. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you. If we fear anything other than God, we are being deceived from the truth of God's Word. God is the only Person, Deity, or object in the universe worthy of our fear. Of course Satan, the enemy, would disagree and has provoked man to establish a world-wide industry of generating bogus fear. His weapons are horror movies, anxieties, worries, nightmares, phobias, panic attacks, demons, ghosts, drugs, and tragic events. In using these things as weapons of fear, the enemy, along with the world and it's fallen system, has made victims out of many Christians who are trying to survive, instead of them agreeing with the Word of God as being overcomers. Believers are quick to agree that Satan wants the worship and praise that is due to God the Father and this is true. But Satan also wants the fear that is due to God the Father. I have been around believers who do not want me to speak about Satan or demons at all. They believe if we avoid them and don't provoke them, then they will leave us alone. Of course there has been some Pastors who have written books with this incredibly false and foolish doctrine. We must believe as Christians that to be "in Christ" means that we have been purchased from the mastery of Satan and the demons and need not fear them any longer. Whenever it is in our power, we should cut off any access Satan has to our minds or hearts to plant bogus false fear. F.E.A.R.=False Evidence Appearing Real! Isaiah 8:11-13 ESV For the LORD spoke thus to me with his strong hand upon me, and warned me not to walk in the way of this people, saying: (12) “Do not call conspiracy all that this people calls conspiracy, and do not fear what they fear, nor be in dread. (13) But the LORD of hosts, him you shall honor as holy. Let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. A "MUCH MORE" Scripture to ponder on:
1 Peter 1:6-7 KJV Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: 7 That the trial of your faith, being MUCH MORE PRECIOUS than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: "Much More" in the Greek is "polos" (pol-oos'), and it means "many, largely, abundant, far surpassed, and great." "Precious" in the Greek is "tim'-ee-os," and it means "valuable, costly, honored, esteemed, and beloved." By the action of fire gold is separated from all alloy, and is proved to be gold by enduring the action of the fire without losing any thing of its nature, weight, color, or any other property. So genuine faith is proved by adversities and trials. "Though it be tried with fire" gold will bear the action of the fire for any given time, without losing the smallest particle of weight or value. However even gold will wear away by continual use. One day the earth shall be dissolved, but all who did the will of God and remained in the faith shall abide for ever, and his faith shall then be found to the praise of God’s grace and the honor of Christ. God the Father will praise such faith, angels and men will hold it in honor, and Christ will crown it with glory. God's design in trying or testing His people is for their advantage and not their ruin. Someone asked me what is the best meaning of a trail. A trial, as the word signifies, is a search made upon a man by some form of affliction, to prove the value and strength of his faith. Our status in Christianity depends upon our faith. If we have no faith then we are not Christians. Our Lord Jesus Christ prays for the apostles, that their faith might not fail. If faith remains supported and strong through the fire, all the rest of the Christian walk will stand firm. In 1 Pet.1:6-7 we see that a tried faith is much more precious than tried gold. Gold is the most valuable, pure, useful, and durable, of all the metals. Likewise, faith is the same as gold within the Christian's life. In both gold and faith, the fire brings about a purification and a separation of the dross. Gold does not increase and multiply by trial in the fire, it rather grows less. However, faith is established, improved, and multiplied by the fire and trials of oppositions and afflictions that it meets with. THE FEAR OF GOD AND THE HATRED OF SIN STAND TOGETHER!
The Hebrew word "yare" means reverence and awe but is not limited to that. It also means fear, fearful and afraid. If we fear anything other than God, we are being deceived from the truth of God's Word. God is the only Person, Deity, or object in the universe worthy of our fear. We said in the past studies that the fear of God is closely linked to the illumination of His sovereignty. We also said that the fear of God is linked to the wisdom of God. The fear of God also causes us to HATE SIN the way that the Father hates sin. There is too much tolerance for sin within the body of Christ. The body of Christ as a whole has joined the world in tolerating sin, compromising with sin, the renaming of sin to make it sound softer and more acceptable, participating in sin, and in general is still a slave to sin. The true fear of God causes a believer to feel about sin the way the Father feels about it. Someone cannot say that they love God and that they fear God and be in love with sin and the world at the same time. We are not called to give our own definition to sin and pick and choose what we would call right and wrong. If so, sin would be defined as what is right or wrong in our own eyes. In doing so, there would be no measuring tool or standard. God's Word and God's Character is always the final authority and standard as to what is called "SIN." Wherever there is an awe of God there is a dread of sin. Fear of God And hatred of Sin Proverbs 8:6-7 ESV Hear, for I will speak noble things, and from my lips will come what is right, (7) for my mouth will utter truth; wickedness is an abomination to my lips. Proverbs 8:13 ESV The fear of the LORD is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate. Proverbs 16:6 ESV By steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for, and by the fear of the LORD one turns away from evil. Amos 5:14-15 ESV Seek good, and not evil, that you may live; and so the LORD, the God of hosts, will be with you, as you have said. (15) Hate evil, and love good, and establish justice in the gate; it may be that the LORD, the God of hosts, will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph. PICK UP YOUR CROSS AND CARRY IT: What does it mean?
Luke 14:27 ESV Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. In the days of our Lord when a person was condemned to be crucified, a part of the sentence was that he should carry the cross on which he was to die to his place of execution. We find that our Lord carried his own cross through the most populous part of the city until he fainted from fatigue and exhaustion. To carry or bear the cross to the place of execution was an incredible added burden which was also disgraceful, extremely emotional, and an addition to the punishment which had already been inflicted through the trial and beatings. To carry one’s own cross was an act of admission of guilt and a submission to the authority and laws of the one executing judgment. We speak a lot about the sins put on Christ when He hung on the cross. However, when our Lord carried His cross, it was His admission that He was guilty of the sins of the whole world as He chose to carry the weight of guilt for every human being that was ever born on our planet throughout history. In the Gospels when the mandate “to carry the cross” is used we know that it is a figurative expression, showing that we must endure whatever burden, emotional trial, or whatever is disgraceful, in following our Lord Jesus Christ. Part of our duty as Disciples is to let the people of the world think or speak of us as they may and us doing what is required within the Scriptures even if it produces shame, disgrace, or pain. THE FEAR OF GOD AND THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD STAND TOGETHER!
THE FEAR OF GOD AND THE WISDOM OF GOD STAND TOGETHER! The Hebrew word "yare" means reverence and awe but is not limited to that. It also means fear, fearful and afraid. If we fear anything other than God, we are being deceived from the truth of God's Word. God is the only Person, Deity, or object in the universe worthy of our fear. The fear of God is closely linked to the illumination of His sovereignty. The sovereignty of God is the absolute authority, rule, and government of God in the whole of all that exists. But the proper fear of God is also linked to the wisdom of God. If we desire the wisdom of God we must first fear God. Jeremiah 5:21-23 ESV “Hear this, O foolish and senseless people, who have eyes, but see not, who have ears, but hear not. (22) Do you not fear me? declares the LORD. Do you not tremble before me? I placed the sand as the boundary for the sea, a perpetual barrier that it cannot pass; though the waves toss, they cannot prevail; though they roar, they cannot pass over it. (23) But this people has a stubborn and rebellious heart; they have turned aside and gone away. FEAR AND WISDOM: Psalms 111:10 ESV The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever! Proverbs 9:10 ESV The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight. An example of those teachers or pastors who changed their doctrinal stand, yet those who read the books or material of teachers or pastors decided to remain in the old doctrine that was once taught.
This is a story of what happened to Dr. John Deere, Professor of Greek and Theology at Dallas Theological Seminary. He taught against the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, and modern day Apostles and Prophets. However, in his room as he was praying and seeking the Lord he was baptized in the Holy Spirit and began to speak in tongues. This one event moved him from one denominational camp or group of people and thrust him into a total different group of people, which was a group he used to talk about as being wrong. He saw the Word of God differently and had a major theological doctrinal shift. He was removed as Professor at Dallas. He was called by God to walk as a Prophet and has written many books since this event. In reality, many believers don’t really have any true Biblical Doctrine. They only have opinions about someone else’s church or ministry and what they teach or believe. They start doctrinal discussions with, "well, I believe", instead of "well, the Word of God says." In other words they have not looked at the Greek words or the Hebrew words or studied the topic or doctrine for themselves. They believe what they believe because that was their first teaching as a Christian which came from their first church. This means that they are an echo of someone else's truth instead of a voice of God from the truth within Scriptures. This means that it is easier to repeat (echo) someone else's belief system then study for one self and be a voice of what the Word of God says. It is easy for these people to say, “I disagree with so and so doctrine”. This sounds so spiritual yet most can’t sit down with the Word of God and prove with the Word what they say and what they believe. We personally try not to use the phrase “I disagree with you”. We like to use the phrase “I don’t understand, teach me”. This is saying that one of us or both of us might be wrong but let’s sit down together and see what the Word says. This keeps a teachable spirit. We all know the verse in John 14:6
John 14:6 ESV Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. But do we know that our Lord Jesus Christ came to give back what Adam rejected in the Garden? Adam in his decision to rebel and sin lost the WAY, he lost the TRUTH and he lost the LIFE. THE WAY: Adam first lost THE WAY. He lost the way to God's manifested presence each day and he lost the way and opportunity to take and eat from the tree of life, meaning that he lost the way to the eternal presence of the Father. Our Lord Jesus Christ came to allow us to re-enter the life of the WAY. He is the tree of life in which we may eat of and we find ourselves back into the manifested presence of God. And instead of having God walk with us He walks in us. THE TRUTH: Adam secondly lost the TRUTH. He believed a lie and doubted God's Word. He believed a lie and doubted God's love. He believed a lie and doubted God's judgement. The word doubt means, "a mental and emotional status between belief and disbelief." Doubt involves uncertainty or distrust or lack of sureness of an alleged fact, an action, a motive, or a decision. In other words, Adam lost the TRUTH because he did not believe God, and took the word of his wife and of the enemy over the Word of God. Our Lord Jesus Christ came to re-establish TRUTH in us. He is our Truth. The indwelling of the Person of the Holy Person is the indwelling of the Spirit of Truth. God's Word is seen through His life in us as Truth. We no longer need to waiver, distrust, be uncertain, or lack sureness with God, His Word or His love. THE LIFE: Adam thirdly lost the LIFE. He believed and acted wrongly and lost life. He first lost spiritual life and then emotional, mental and physical life. He no longer thought or acted with "God life". He moved from enjoying God's presence to being fearful and he started to die physically. The God he once walked with daily, he now hid from in shame. Our Lord Jesus Christ came to re-establish LIFE with us and in us. We as believers are now spiritually alive. We can now walk with the mind of Christ, and in His life and love be free of all fear and torment. The first Adam brought about a lost of the WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIFE. The LAST ADAM brought about the re-establishment in us of what He is: the WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIFE. Thank you Lord Jesus. Why do so many churches have such a wide difference in doctrine? Although churches and denominations vary in doctrine across the world, the differences are not as extreme as they were 30 years ago or even 10 years ago. This means that each year the church is coming closer and closer to unity, some good and some bad. There are those who continue to read the “old wine skin” teachings of Pastors in the 1800’s and early 1900’s and therefore become the ones who keep the differences circulated. Then there are those who are cultural motivated and keep changing their doctrine to fit the social and cultural changes, especially towards an amoral position of what is sin.
An example of those teachers or pastors who changed their doctrinal stand, yet those who read the books or material of teachers or pastors decided to remain in the old doctrine that was once taught. Many years ago the late Dr. Merrill F. Unger wrote a Bible Dictionary and Bible Handbook were he denied the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and he denied the use of the spiritual gifts of 1 Corinthians 12 and 14. He claimed that these experiences ended in the first century. Although there is no way this could be correctly taught using the Bible, it was the opinion taught by Unger, C.I. Scofield, John MacArthur, and other cessationist. BUT, Dr. Merrill F. Unger, after years of studying, renounced his earlier teaching, got baptized in the Holy Spirit and began to operate in the 1 Corinthians 12 manifestation gifts. He rewrote his Bible Dictionary and Handbook renouncing his first statements of doctrine on the ministry of the Holy Spirit as being incorrect. THE PROBLEM: The people who owned his first book and believed his old teachings refused to purchase his new book and read his new illumination from the Word of God. If our minds are made up about something, we become un-teachable and hostile towards anyone who would teach otherwise. An example of those who change their doctrine as culture changes. Many denominations have face the homosexual issue, and have done so in many different ways. The most alarming are those who have changed their denominational views in accepting homosexual behavior as normal and one that does not violate the Word of God. I certainly don't intend to use this post to express the Scriptures violated in order to accept this lifestyle as acceptable to God, but just wanted to show how doctrine changes in many circles as the wind of society changes. To "Fear God" means to be Morally reverent: afraid, fear or fearful.
The Hebrew word "yare" means reverence and awe but is not limited to that. It also means fear, fearful and afraid. I want to spend time expounding this over the next few weeks. If we fear anything other than God, we are being deceived from the truth of God's Word. God is the only Person, Deity, or object in the universe worthy of our fear. Psalms 76:4-7 ESV Glorious are you, more majestic than the mountains full of prey. (5) The stouthearted were stripped of their spoil; they sank into sleep; all the men of war were unable to use their hands. (6) At your rebuke, O God of Jacob, both rider and horse lay stunned. (7) But you, you are to be feared! Who can stand before you when once your anger is roused? Matthew 10:26-28 ESV “So have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. (27) What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. (28) 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. Luke 12:4-5 ESV “I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. (5) But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him! Biblical Doctrine is that which we is true from the Word of God and should be the foundational teachings that identify us as God's children. Governmental Doctrine is the way our relationship with God, our spiritual leaders and others should relate to one another in the area of authority and submission. It is God's established area of authority.
Our spiritual leadership, when operating in true Biblical spiritual governmental authority should not operate in one that is a "worldly business based" model as seen in many mainline denominational churches. Our spiritual leadership, when operating in true Biblical spiritual governmental authority should not be "congregational majority-rules based," which is used by a number of denominational churches. We, as spiritual leaders should draw our authority structure from the Biblical example making our Governmental Doctrine also a major part of our Biblical Doctrine. We should operate in an Apostolic Team Government which takes its example from Ephesians 4:11-16. What our Lord Jesus gave as spiritual government: Ephesians 4:11 ESV And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, Why our Lord Jesus gave us this spiritual government: Ephesians 4:12 ESV to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, How long our Lord Jesus said we would have this type of spiritual government: Ephesians 4:13 ESV until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, What happens to believers when we don't operate in this spiritual government: Ephesians 4:14 ESV so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. What happens to believers when we do operate in this spiritual government: Ephesians 4:15-16 ESV Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, (16) from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. Genesis 22:12 ESV He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.”
H3373 yârê' yaw-ray' Fearing; Morally reverent: afraid, fear or fearful. The Hebrew word "yare" means reverence and awe but is not limited to that. It also means fear, fearful and afraid. I want to spend time expounding this over the next few weeks. In Hebrew, "yirah", "yare" and "pachad" mean reverent fear, terror, or dread. Many believers see the fear of the Lord simply as respect or reverence. There are other words in Hebrew for mere respect, reverence, or honor, such as "kabad". Reverence, honor and respect for God are great things and are to be embraced, but the true fear of God moves us even beyond this. Jonah 1:16 ESV Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly, and they offered a sacrifice to the LORD and made vows. This Jonah verse reminds me of a lot of unbelievers today who get into a critical life crisis. "Lord get me out of this and I will do this and that and serve you all the days of my life". The fear here is a terror and dread. Psalms 90:11-12 ESV Who considers the power of your anger, and your wrath according to the fear of you? (12) So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom. Psalms 119:120 ESV My flesh trembles for fear of you, and I am afraid of your judgments. |
AuthorCharles Morris. Founder and Senior Pastor of RSI Ministry, RSI School of Ministry, and RSI Publishing L.L.C.. Archives
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