Fear of the Lord

Gary DeLashmutt

Psalms 33

Modern readers of the Bible often have a negative reaction upon first hearing the phrase "the fear of the Lord." They mistakenly think we are called to be afraid of God but we must let the Bible interpret itself. The Bible says to fear the Lord means to stand in awe of Him, which means to ponder his greatness, power, intelligence, beauty, and wisdom as it is revealed through His creation. We can demonstrate we fear the Lord by trusting in His lovingkindness, and following His moral instruction. A synonym for "fear of the Lord" is humility before God.

The One Thing

Mike Sullivan

Psalms 27

From where did David's courage come? It came from being near to God. The one thing he was passionate about was to be near to God all the days of his life. Because David saw God in nature, in the things He had made, and in his Word, he was able to draw courage even in times of great difficulty and ongoing crisis. Because David could see the goodness of God in the land of the living, he could pour out his heart to God and recount what he knew of God and be at peace as he waited on the Lord.

Leading through Uncertainty: Lessons from Nehemiah

Shane Coulter

Nehemiah 8:1-17

Times of crisis, fear, and uncertainty present unique challenges and opportunities for servant leaders. Nehemiah offers us an example of how we too can be bold, faithful and loving in the midst of overwhelming and uncertain times. The effective servant leader will cling to prayer, be bold in the face of opportunities, be creative in the face of setbacks, and will see opportunity in upheaval.

God's Peace

Conrad Hilario

Philippians 4:4-7

Everyone wants to be happy, yet it is so elusive. True happiness is connected to having peace with God. When we ask for and receive forgiveness from God, we have peace with Him. This peace isn't something we are to strive for but it is freely given to us by God. Paul calls us to be anxious about nothing. Prayer with thanksgiving expresses our trust in God and assumes a posture of humility. Gratitude is not the result of peace but the cause of peace. It reminds us who really is in charge.

The Peace of God

Scott Risley

Philippians 4:1-7

How does God enable us to have peace with one another? He does this by calling on each one of us to initiate resolution of conflict. He calls on the rest of the church to assist those stuck in conflict. He also has given us a mission that is bigger than our egos and he meets our deepest needs. How does God want us to deal with anxiety? He calls us to pray and pray with thanksgiving. Instead of fighting our anxiety, we can use it as a springboard to bending our hearts to God and give our anxiety to God. We will find we are continuously praying because in reality, we are always completely dependent upon God.

Death and Its Discontents

James Rochford

Philippians 3:17-21

Without eternity, earthly things are all we have in this life. There is no hope, no point to life, no way to face death. With all the knowledge and advances in technology, we still do not know how to prolong life. In a universe without God, this is the end of the story. Thank God this is not the end of the story! Thanks to Jesus, out citizenship is in heaven, provided, that is, that you are a believer.

The Fear of the Lord

Gary DeLashmutt

Psalms 33-34

Most Christians know the fear of the Lord is not being afraid of God, but few know what it is. The fear of the Lord is to stand in awe of God's greatness and express your awe by praising Him. It is waiting on and hoping in God's lovingkindness. It is following and obeying His moral instructions. In other words, fear of the Lord is to be humble before God.

Working Out What God Worked in Us

Conrad Hilario

Philippians 2:12-16

When Paul says, "Work out your salvation with fear and trembling," he was not saying to work for your salvation, fearing it won't be enough. Instead, he is saying to work to make evident the salvation God has already bestowed upon us as believers in Christ. And to do so with awe and reverence for it is God who is giving us the desire and power to live a changed life.

Working Out What God Has Put In

Dennis McCallum

Philippians 2:12-16

To work out your salvation with fear and trembling may at first glance sound like we must work for our salvation with fear and doubt, but that is not at all what Paul is saying here. As believers, our salvation from the penalty of sin is eternally secure. Paul is encouraging us to live out the reality of the forgiveness that God has put into us at the moment we received his forgiveness. As we live in light of that truth, we will shine like stars to a watching world.