Fear God, 184

~ Pride Prevents 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.”  

 

This Week’s Passage  ~  “You will say then, ‘Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.’  Well said.  Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith.  Do not be haughty, but fear.  For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either.  Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness.  Otherwise you also will be cut off.  And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.  For if you were cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, who are natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?’” (Romans 11:19-24). 

 

Comment  ~  Over my decades of Christian experience I have come to realize that there is an element of pride in every sin!  That was clearly evident in the Garden of Eden and if you think about it you cannot come up with any sin where human pride is absent.    

 

Fearing God Results in Salvation  ~  “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31).  “A wise person fears and departs from evil, but a fool rages and is self-confident” (Proverbs 14:16).  This does not mean the Christian is to live a fearful life—but a life which reverences God and seeks to do His will. 

 

Fearing God Results in Fearlessness  ~  “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?  The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psalm 27:1).  The answer is: only God.  With the gift of salvation comes responsibility.

 

Fearing God Results in Witnessing  ~  “Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will declare what He has done for my soul” (Psalm 66:16). 

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

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Learn Christ

~ Consider 4 Primary Ways to Learn To Be More Christ-Like ~

 

Prolog: Learn To Be Like Christ  ~  “This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.  But you have not so learned Christ, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus” (Ephesians 4:17-21).  …

 

Put OFF Your Former Lifestyle  ~  …  “That you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts” (Ephesians 4:22).  …

 

Put IN New Thinking and Attitudes  ~  …  “And be renewed in the spirit of your mind”(Ephesians 4:23).  …

 

Put ON The New Person  ~  …  “And that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:24).  …

 

Put AWAY Wrong Emotions  ~  …  “Therefore, putting away lying, ‘Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,’ for we are members of one another.  ‘Be angry, and do not sin:’ do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil.  Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need.  Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.  And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice (Ephesians 4:25-31).  … 

 

Epilog: Be Christ-Like  ~  …  “And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32). 

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

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(1)     The current TOP 10 ALN posts are listed at the very bottom of this home page.

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Fruit of the Spirit, 7of9

~ Faithfulness Will Allow You To Finish The Race Strong ~

 

Overview Scripture  ~  “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.  Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord.  And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them” (Ephesians 5:8-11).   

 

Series Scripture  ~  “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.  Against such there is no law.  And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.  If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit” (Galatians 5:22-25).  It is important to note that while this passage lists nine fruits of the Spirit it is not a complete list—which includes “all goodness, righteousness, and truth” as seen above in Ephesians 5.

 

Comment  ~   Faithfulness in a Christian will result in finishing strong.  The Apostle Paul could say: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.  Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing” (2 Timothy 4:7-8).  Do you long for His return to take you to be with Him forever in heaven?  “And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure” (1 John 3:3). 

 

Natural Man  ~  The natural man puts their faith in another man such as a preacher—not realizing they too have feet of clay.  The only One who is truly faithful and who deserves our faithfulness is Jesus Christ.  On earth, the Word of God and Jesus Christ deserve our faithfulness. 

 

“I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word!  Be ready in season and out of season.  Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.  For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.  But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry” (2 Timothy 4:1-5).  

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

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NOTES:

(1)     The current TOP 10 ALN posts are listed at the very bottom of this home page.

(2)     There is an INDEX of all ALN posts accessed by scrolling down the left column.

(3)     You may LINK to any ALN posts on your own blog or website. 

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