Day 30: The Fear of God

30 Jan, 2016

CityLight Church’s One Year Bible Reading Plan
Saturday, January 30th, 2016
Exodus 10:1-12:13
Matthew 20:1-28
Psalm 25:1-15
Proverbs 6:6-11
For full text click here: http://bit.ly/1gs0jPd

Commentary from Pastor Michael White:

The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him, and He will show them His covenant. – Ps 25:14

David explains the benefits of a healthy, Biblical fear of God: guidance and instruction from heaven (v 12), prosperity that endures for generations (v 13), and covenant intimacy (v 14). Proverbs describes the fear of the Lord as, “The beginning of knowledge” (Prov 1:7). But none of the benefits David describes can be fully inherited before we embrace a healthy fear of God!

So what is a healthy, Biblical fear of God? When the Bible talks of fearing God, it describes a sense of reverence: awe and wonder at everything God has done, and is willing to do, for His people. We are not forced to fear God the way children fear an abusive Father. We are invited to fear God as we contemplate the sacrifice He has made for us on the Cross. A Biblical fear of God will not cause us to run from Him; but to Him!

As Jesus describes the fear of God to His disciples in Matthew 10:27-31, He cautions, “Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell” (v 28). The word He uses for fear is the Greek phobeo (Strong’s #5399): to revere, venerate, and treat with deference and obedience! To fear God means to worship Him with everything we have – even our lives!

Prayer:

Father, teach Me what it means to fear You in a healthy, Biblical way. I know You invite me into Your presence to make my requests and needs known. Help me to never fear Your presence, but to fear what it would be like to be apart from you even for one moment!

View today’s post on our website: http://intelligentcharismatic.com/day-30-the-fear-of-god/

Archives

See commentary from this day in 2014: http://intelligentcharismatic.com/day-30-dont-accept-compromise/

See commentary from this day in 2015: http://intelligentcharismatic.com/day-30-your-eternal-reward/

© Michael D. White, 2016. All rights reserved.