Fear and Trembling

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Fear and Trembling

Proverbs 28:14 says,  “How blessed is the man  who fears always,  but he who hardens his heart  will fall into calamity.”     A fall into calamity  is the story of the Pharaoh of Egypt  as he hardened his heart ten times  to not let the children of Israel go  to worship the Lord.   (Exodus chapters 5-15)

Pharaoh had a  “jump start”  to learn the fear of the Lord ten times  as each of the plagues hit,  but as soon as the plague was halted,  he hardened his heart again.     His heart,  the engine of his life,  was dead.     There wasn’t anything  that could make the dead arrogance  of his heart change — not even the death  of his son  in the last plague.

We could end up being dead  “little Pharaohs”  if we don’t allow God  to  “jump start”  our sinful hearts.     Do we want  to be that arrogant?

Proverbs 28:14  says,  “How blessed is the man  who fears always.”     Being “blessed” means being ever so happy.     So this proverb is saying  when we fear and respect our Lord’s ways  at all times,  we will be ever so happy.     Why?     Because then we are allowing our hearts  to be taught  by the Lord  and we get to see the Lord’s love for us.     It’s an awesome thing  to see and understand  that He is our loving Savior and Redeemer.

If God allows something bad  to happen to us,  it is all for our good  in the end.     That end might be a long ways off  as far as our  “feelings”  are concerned,  but it is  in God’s loving care.     We can trust our Lord  to use those horrific problems  to build us up  in the true faith  and draw us closer  to Him  in true fellowship.     The Lord’s testing is meant  to draw us closer  to Him in faith,  hope,  love  and trust.

As Psalm 111:10  says,  “The fear  of the LORD  is the beginning of wisdom.     A good understanding have all those  who do His commandments.”     Pharaoh despised and mocked the Lord’s commandments,  refusing  to allow the ten plagues  to teach him wisdom,  fear  and respect  for God Almighty.     Each time a plague stopped,  he felt he had gained the upper hand over God.

God is not someone for us  to conquer,  but someone to humbly submit to  as we learn the great wisdom and holiness  of His ways.     Absolutely everything God wants us  to do  is something  good for us.     When we purposely disobey,  we only hurt ourselves — possibly even for all eternity.

It’s like the love and wisdom  of a parent  who commands their child not  to touch a hot stove.     There is no meanness  in such a command  or in the discipline given  for an attempt to disobey.     Both the command and the discipline are lessons given  in love  for the welfare of the child.

It’s just as Jesus says  in  Revelation 3:19,  “Those whom I love,  I reprove and discipline;  therefore be zealous and repent.”     There is first of all  love.     That love leads the Lord  to reprove His children  when they are naughty.     When that reproval does not give results  and the lesson was not learned,  there is discipline.

The love,  reproof  and discipline are learning experiences,  but many refuse  to see it that way.     They would rather be  “little Pharaohs”  and try to have everything  their way.     But,  their way leads to eternal death  because it is not based on  love,  respect,  decency,  kindness,  or anything else that is good.

The Bible has a number of verses  that show we need  to  “learn”  to fear and respect the LORD.     As born sinners,  fear and respect don’t come naturally,  so we have to learn it.     In Deuteronomy 4:10,  the LORD instructs,  “Assemble the people to Me,  that I may let them hear My words  so they may learn  to fear Me  all the days they live  on the earth,  and that they may teach their children.”

So our first step  in learning  to fear and respect our LORD  is  to listen  to His word.     If we allow God’s word  in the Bible  to teach us  and we take it  to heart,  maybe we won’t need the next steps  of reproval or discipline.

Then,  in a closer relationship  with our heavenly Father,  we say,  “Hallelujah!     Abba, Father,  Your patience and love  for me is amazing.     Thank You,  more than words can say.”

Love,
Margaret

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A Christian devotional to glorify the LORD of lords and God of gods

 

Pray for our country.

 

This is the day which the LORD has made;
Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Psalm 118:24

 

The word of the LORD is tried;
He is a shield  to all  who take refuge  in Him.
Psalm 18:30

 

Sing for joy in the LORD,  O you righteous ones;
Praise is becoming  to the upright.
Psalm 33:1

 

How blessed are those  who dwell in Thy house!
They are ever praising Thee.
Psalm 84:4

 

Just as a father has compassion  on his children,
So the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him.
Psalm 103:13

 

Oh give thanks to the LORD,  for He is good;
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
Psalm 107:1

 

Glory in His holy name;
Let the heart of those who seek the LORD be glad.
Psalm 105:3

 

Not that I have already obtained it, or have already become perfect, but I press on in order that
I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:12

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