Every time you turn around anymore you run into a new fence. Seems like somebody is bound and determined to turn this whole world into one big barbed-wire jail.”
–Elmer Kelton (The Good Old Boys)
“Woe to him who builds a town with bloodshed, who established a city by iniquity!”
“Woe to him who builds a town with bloodshed, who established a city by iniquity!”
–Habakkuk 2:12(NKJV)
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“I know that whatever God does,
It shall be forever.
Nothing can be added to it,
And nothing taken from it.
God does it, that men should fear before Him.”
–Ecclesiastes 3:14 (NKJV)
This “fear” is a term that is often misused. Some say it simply means “to be in awe” and that is only partially right. However, there is fear, a type of fear, when we understand who God is and His power and holiness. We are told in Psalm 2:11, “Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.” (NKJV). Paul tells us that we are to “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” (Philippians 2:12, NKJV). There is definitely more to this aspect of “fear.”
It is not an attitude of terror. We do not live in fear! We have nothing to fear from the Lord, our heavenly Father. We do not want to displease Him. I have likened it to a young boy, just receiving his driver’s license and asked his dad, good old dad, if he can borrow the car. Dad says sure and hands him $20 to put gas in (or should I write in today’s life, $50?) The boy smiles, and heads for the car. His Dad is good. Three hours later he has to call his Dad–he has wrecked the car. He stands with head bowed as his father comes up to him. Notice, it is no longer “Dad”, it has become “Father.” There is some fear and trembling. Living in the fear of God is like that; it is a commitment of the total being to trust and believe the living God–Lordship! The boy realizes that he has displeased his father; he is not afraid of being severely punished, but hates to see the concern and disappointment in his father’s eyes. “The one who fears God dreads nothing more than God’s disfavor. Such a worshiper wants nothing more than to know the living God intimately and submit to His will.” (Walter C. Kaiser, Jr.)
Life with God is trust and there is that wholesome fear. Life comes from without–we are not little “gods” as the Cosmic Humanist and many Postmodernists would proclaim. There is no “Universalism,” only the true believer will see his heavenly Father, others will see their Maker and Judge. It is important that we realize that in this life we have been given power by the indwelling Holy Spirit. This is the power to live now. Look at you, the epitome of power–Ha! Look at the massive cement structure of the Hoover Dam; it is nothing more than stone, but what does it produce–power. Look again at yourself. The Holy Spirit within you produces power to live this life.
One more thought: around you is always the cynic. It comes from the word that means a mongrel dog in the streets. The cynic says that wickedness wins. He shakes his head saying, “woe is me, woe is us.” With terror, death, the virus, shootings, the world situation, drought, heat, and famine along with myriad other things, the cynic says–“see I told you, no use.” I am reminded of the verse written by the American sage, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
“And in despair I bowed my head:
‘There is no peace on earth,’ I said,
‘For hate is strong, and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men.'”
The cynic has cried, the hopeless wails, the devil sneers and laughs. But, wait a minute, Longfellow doesn’t stop there. In the midst of despair. In the midst of a hopeless world he continues to write:
“Then peeled the bells more loud and deep:
‘God is not dead: nor doth He sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to men.'”
“I know that whatever God does,
It shall be forever.
Nothing can be added to it,
And nothing taken from it.
God does it, that men should fear before Him.”
–Ecclesiastes 3:14 (NKJV)
This “fear” is a term that is often misused. Some say it simply means “to be in awe” and that is only partially right. However, there is fear, a type of fear, when we understand who God is and His power and holiness. We are told in Psalm 2:11, “Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.” (NKJV). Paul tells us that we are to “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” (Philippians 2:12, NKJV). There is definitely more to this aspect of “fear.”
It is not an attitude of terror. We do not live in fear! We have nothing to fear from the Lord, our heavenly Father. We do not want to displease Him. I have likened it to a young boy, just receiving his driver’s license and asked his dad, good old dad, if he can borrow the car. Dad says sure and hands him $20 to put gas in (or should I write in today’s life, $50?) The boy smiles, and heads for the car. His Dad is good. Three hours later he has to call his Dad–he has wrecked the car. He stands with head bowed as his father comes up to him. Notice, it is no longer “Dad”, it has become “Father.” There is some fear and trembling. Living in the fear of God is like that; it is a commitment of the total being to trust and believe the living God–Lordship! The boy realizes that he has displeased his father; he is not afraid of being severely punished, but hates to see the concern and disappointment in his father’s eyes. “The one who fears God dreads nothing more than God’s disfavor. Such a worshiper wants nothing more than to know the living God intimately and submit to His will.” (Walter C. Kaiser, Jr.)
Life with God is trust and there is that wholesome fear. Life comes from without–we are not little “gods” as the Cosmic Humanist and many Postmodernists would proclaim. There is no “Universalism,” only the true believer will see his heavenly Father, others will see their Maker and Judge. It is important that we realize that in this life we have been given power by the indwelling Holy Spirit. This is the power to live now. Look at you, the epitome of power–Ha! Look at the massive cement structure of the Hoover Dam; it is nothing more than stone, but what does it produce–power. Look again at yourself. The Holy Spirit within you produces power to live this life.
One more thought: around you is always the cynic. It comes from the word that means a mongrel dog in the streets. The cynic says that wickedness wins. He shakes his head saying, “woe is me, woe is us.” With terror, death, the virus, shootings, the world situation, drought, heat, and famine along with myriad other things, the cynic says–“see I told you, no use.” I am reminded of the verse written by the American sage, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
“And in despair I bowed my head:
‘There is no peace on earth,’ I said,
‘For hate is strong, and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men.'”
The cynic has cried, the hopeless wails, the devil sneers and laughs. But, wait a minute, Longfellow doesn’t stop there. In the midst of despair. In the midst of a hopeless world he continues to write:
“Then peeled the bells more loud and deep:
‘God is not dead: nor doth He sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to men.'”