Deut.10:12,
20-21; Psalm 34:7-11; 96:9; 112:1-4; Prov.9:10-11; Eccl.12:13
I want to
spend a few minutes to exhort you on the fear of the Lord. What is the fear of
the Lord? It is to hold God in high reverence and awe. To fear God is to
acquire the knowledge and the wisdom that leads to life eternal.
1. The Fear Of The Lord Your Primary Pursuit
“The
fear of the Lord is the beginning
of knowledge: But fools despise wisdom and instruction.” (Proverbs 1:7, KJV)
“The
fear of the Lord is the beginning
of wisdom: And the knowledge of the holy is understanding. For by me thy days
shall be multiplied, And the years of thy life shall be increased.”
(Proverbs 9:10–11,) “The angel of the Lord encampeth Round about them that fear him, and delivereth them. O taste and see that the Lord is good: Blessed is the man that trusteth in him. O fear the Lord, ye his saints: For there is no want to them that fear him. The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: But they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing. Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the Lord.” (Psalm 34:7–11)
This is
where to begin your quest for knowledge, quest for maturity, quest for wisdom, quest
for freedom. All the wisdom and knowledge you acquire in this present world
will end here and will not satisfy. But whosoever acquires the fear of the
Lord, has obtained the wisdom and knowledge that lead to everlasting life.
2. The Fear Of The Lord Your Guide In Decision
Making
“Thou
art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; Thou shalt compass me
about with songs of deliverance. Selah. I will instruct thee and teach thee in
the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye. Be ye not as the
horse, Or as the mule, which have no understanding: Whose mouth must be held in
with bit and bridle, Lest they come near unto thee. Many sorrows shall be to
the wicked: But he that trusteth in the Lord,
mercy shall compass him about.” (Psalm 32:7–10, KJV)
“And
thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in
it, When ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.” (Isaiah 30:21, KJV) NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, And a light unto my path.” (Psalm 119:105, KJV)
“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, That I might not sin against thee.” (Psalm 119:11, KJV)
Every day we
make thousands of decision. Life is about decision making – what to eat, what
to wear, where to go, who to befriend, when to study, what to read, what to
watch on the internet, how much to spend and on what, etc. All these legitimate
decisions can be very beneficial if we make them in the fear of the Lord. But
they can become dangerous, even disastrous when made without the fear of the
Lord. The fear of God must guide you in decision making.
3. The Fear Of The Lord In Times Of
Temptation/Tribulation
“And
it came to pass after these things, that his master’s wife cast her eyes upon
Joseph; and she said, Lie with me. But he refused, and said unto his master’s
wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath
committed all that he hath to my hand; There is none greater in this house than
I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his
wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God? And it came
to pass, as she spake to Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto her, to
lie by her, or to be with her. And it came to pass about this time, that Joseph
went into the house to do his business; and there was none of the men of the
house there within. And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me: and
he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out.” (Genesis
39:7–12)
“Flee
also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them
that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” (2 Timothy 2:22)
Joseph in
the house of Potiphar is a great example to all our students. He was faced with
a strong sexual temptation. The wife of his master ordered him to lie with her.
Joseph overcame this temptation through the fear of the Lord. You too will be
tempted to sin in this or in other ways. But through the fear of God, you must
resist as Joseph resisted. When it comes to sexual temptations, you must be prepared
to flee as Joseph fled. Flee pornography and all the lewd images and videos on YouTube.
Flee all appearance of evil.4. The Fear Of The Lord Your Preservation
“The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil:
He shall preserve thy soul.” (Psalm 121:7)
“Blessed
is every one that feareth the Lord;
That walketh in his ways. For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: Happy
shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee.” (Psalm 128:1–2) “The angel of the Lord encampeth Round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.” (Psalm 34:7)
This follows
from number three above. The fear of the Lord will preserve you from evil. The fear
of the Lord will keep you out of danger. It will lead you to your deliverance
from evil and from danger.
5. The Fear Of The Lord The Whole Duty Of Man
“Let us
hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments:
for this is the whole duty of man.” (Ecclesiastes 12:13)
“And
now, Israel, what doth the Lord
thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord
thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with
all thy soul,” (Deuteronomy
10:12) “Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God; him shalt thou serve, and to him shalt thou cleave, and swear by his name. He is thy praise, and he is thy God, that hath done for thee these great and terrible things, which thine eyes have seen. Thy fathers went down into Egypt with threescore and ten persons; and now the Lord thy God hath made thee as the stars of heaven for multitude.” (Deuteronomy 10:20–22)
Your whole reason for existence is God. His fear is your whole duty. If you learn this knowledge and this wisdom called the fear of God, you will spend your life in prosperity and in peace.
So brethren, fear the Lord, walk in His ways, and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is your whole duty.
With courage and firmness arise!
Look well to the course thou art choosing;
Be earnest, be watchful, and wise!
Remember—two paths are before thee,
And both thy attention invite;
But one leadeth on to destruction,
The other to joy and delight.
Refrain
God help you to follow His banner,
And serve Him wherever you go;
And when you are tempted, my brother,
God give you the grace to say
And serve Him wherever you go;
And when you are tempted, my brother,
God give you the grace to say
No!
O brother, yield not to the tempter,
No matter what others may do;
Stand firm in the strength of the Master,
Be loyal, be faithful, and true!
Each trial will make you the stronger,
If you, in the name of the Lord,
Fight manfully under your Leader,
Obeying the voice of His Word.
Refrain
O brother, the Savior is calling!
Beware of the danger of sin;
Resist not the voice of the Spirit,
That whispers so gently within.
God calls you to enter His service—
To live for Him here, day by day;
And share by and by in the glory
That never shall vanish away.
Refrain
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