Fear God, 216

 ~ Results of Fearing God ~

God does not want His children living in fear.  “Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue” (2 Peter 1:2-3).  However, God does want His children to have a proper respect and reverence for Him.  We are told in many places in Scripture to “fear God.”  

Scripture Passage  ~  Proverbs gives us the essence of the “fear of the Lord.”  “The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverse mouth I hate.” (Proverbs 8:13)

Some Results of Fearing God  ~  While there is a long list of benefits that arrive from the fear of God I particularly like this verse:  “This poor man called, and the Lord heard him; He saved him out of all his troubles.  The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and He delivers them.  Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him.  Fear the Lord, you His holy people, for those who fear Him lack nothing” (Psalm 34:6-9).

“Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord listened and heard them; so a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the Lord and who meditate on His name” (Malachi 3:16).

Application To Life  ~  When a person acknowledges the reality of who God is there are many natural results.  Here are a few: 

1.      Repentance (confessing asking forgiveness and turning away from continued sin).  See for example Matthew 9:13.  

2.      Seek to please God and He will give you the proper attitudes and desires.  See for example Psalm 37:4.

3.      New patience will be evident, what is sometimes referred to as “waiting on God.”  See for example see James 1:3-4.

4.      An alertness to temptation and pressures (both external and internal) to conform to this world.  See for example 1 Peter 5:8.

5.      There will be a willingness to persist in prayer.  See for example Luke 21:36.

6.      There will be His peace permeating your life.  See for example Isaiah 26:3 and Colossians 3:15.

7.      As all of the above becomes an increasing reality in your life you will be doing God’s will for your life.  See for example Ephesians 5:17. 

The Bottom Line  ~  “Praise the Lord!  Blessed [happy] is the man who fears the Lord, who delights greatly in His commandments” (Psalm 112:1).

Closing Comment  ~  The Bible tells us that people in the past feared God and people in the future will fear God.

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

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