What is it that 'scares you to death"? What sends shivers up your spine, raises the hair on your arm, makes you want to run, lock your doors, jump on a chair, hide under the covers, sit on the closet floor? Do you freak out with the thought of seeing a mouse, public speaking, spiders, falling down, climbing up or just sitting still? Do you fear failure, or success, needles, water, flying, fire or dying? What about dentists, trains or crossing bridges, fear of church (yes, there is a phobia name for that) or standing on ledges. Is it the fear of dogs or frogs that steals your breathe?
FEAR -A powerful emotion that can have a powerful response. Whether the fear comes from reality or our imaginations, response to fear can literally cause us to get physically ill. It can make our spirits go down and our blood pressure go up. It can make us hide in our house for weeks or cause us to "run the roads". The list of fears is very long, just look up 'phobia' and you'll see. And the reactions to those fears are as numerous as the people who have them.
And yet, there is what we call, a 'HEALTHY FEAR". We teach our children to be afraid of certain things such as electrical outlets - "No, don't touch that!" we cry. Healthy fear of heights, healthy fear of moving cars on roads and in parking lots. Healthy fear of strangers. A healthy fear of ....us. Why? All of these 'healthy fears' we teach our children so they will be safe and live long on the earth.
The BIBLE says:
Fear - this is NOT the kind of fear that means 'reverence, great respect'. In my past, it's been explained that way so many times I guess in order to be 'politically correct', or less offensive that it might cause someone to be 'turned off' by the whole idea of God and church. Afraid that God would seem like some bully. All I know is that when I read the Bible, especially the Old Testament, when people had a close encounter with GOD, they were terrified. God showed HIS power and people paid attention. So FEAR IS FEAR- It's real fear,terror, Scared for my life kind of fear because the GOD that created the universe that goes out into the galaxies and the universe that goes down into the deepest oceans and the 'universe' of my body with its TRILLIONS of cells IS POWERFUL, ABOVE ALL ELSE, THERE IS NONE LIKE HIM, THERE IS NO OTHER BEFORE HIM, NO OTHER CAN OUT-DO HIM, JUST HIS WORDS ALONE SPOKE THINGS INTO BEING, HE BROUGHT ME INTO THIS WORLD - HE CAN TAKE ME OUT. Would you want a GOD that's less than that? Would you want a GOD that couldn't 'beat up the other gods"? A weak GOD?
The FEAR of the LORD is the beginning of WISDOM. To NOT fear HIM would be foolish.
Remember the look of fear on your child's face? This look you running to them, to hold them, protect them and hug their fear away. And what ever was causing them to be afraid, now, had to be afraid of YOU.
FEAR -A powerful emotion that can have a powerful response. Whether the fear comes from reality or our imaginations, response to fear can literally cause us to get physically ill. It can make our spirits go down and our blood pressure go up. It can make us hide in our house for weeks or cause us to "run the roads". The list of fears is very long, just look up 'phobia' and you'll see. And the reactions to those fears are as numerous as the people who have them.
And yet, there is what we call, a 'HEALTHY FEAR". We teach our children to be afraid of certain things such as electrical outlets - "No, don't touch that!" we cry. Healthy fear of heights, healthy fear of moving cars on roads and in parking lots. Healthy fear of strangers. A healthy fear of ....us. Why? All of these 'healthy fears' we teach our children so they will be safe and live long on the earth.
The BIBLE says:
"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline" Proverbs 1:7
"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding." Proverbs 9:10
"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding"Psalm 111:10
" Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man." Ecclesiastes 12:13
Should you not fear me?" declares the Lord. "Should you not tremble in my presence?" Jeremiah 5:22
Jesus himself said, recorded in Luke 12:1,
"But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him."
Fear - this is NOT the kind of fear that means 'reverence, great respect'. In my past, it's been explained that way so many times I guess in order to be 'politically correct', or less offensive that it might cause someone to be 'turned off' by the whole idea of God and church. Afraid that God would seem like some bully. All I know is that when I read the Bible, especially the Old Testament, when people had a close encounter with GOD, they were terrified. God showed HIS power and people paid attention. So FEAR IS FEAR- It's real fear,terror, Scared for my life kind of fear because the GOD that created the universe that goes out into the galaxies and the universe that goes down into the deepest oceans and the 'universe' of my body with its TRILLIONS of cells IS POWERFUL, ABOVE ALL ELSE, THERE IS NONE LIKE HIM, THERE IS NO OTHER BEFORE HIM, NO OTHER CAN OUT-DO HIM, JUST HIS WORDS ALONE SPOKE THINGS INTO BEING, HE BROUGHT ME INTO THIS WORLD - HE CAN TAKE ME OUT. Would you want a GOD that's less than that? Would you want a GOD that couldn't 'beat up the other gods"? A weak GOD?
The FEAR of the LORD is the beginning of WISDOM. To NOT fear HIM would be foolish.
Remember the look of fear on your child's face? This look you running to them, to hold them, protect them and hug their fear away. And what ever was causing them to be afraid, now, had to be afraid of YOU.
For if GOD is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31)
There is more to this "story". But that is for later.
Just sit there for a minute and wallow in this concept, soak it up till it fills you.
Let it be a real part of your belief system.
FEAR GOD
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