a thank you letter

And all Lebanon’s [forests] cannot supply sufficient fuel, nor all its wild beasts furnish victims enough to burn sacrifices [worthy of the Lord]. (Isaiah 40:16)

Dear Heavenly Father,

I really just would like to thank You so much today for all your faithfulness, goodness, grace and mercy that You have shown towards me throughout the year 2014.

From the bottom of my heart I appreciate who You are in my life.

I acknowledge that unless You sent Your help to me, I would have been overwhelmed by the enemy. I would have fainted for lack of strength. I would have dwelt in silence like the many that lie in the grave, were it not for Your divine intervention. You were the tower away from the enemy. You were my shield and my life. How many battles did You fight on my behalf even without my knowledge or the slightest hint? (They must be many!).  Nevertheless as the captain of the hosts of heaven, You still gave me great victory.

That day that I felt sick in my body, You sent your word and healed me. I give you Glory. You have given me favor in my workplace and though studying and working is a difficult thing, You carried my burdens. Your grace was so sufficient for me.  

My heart overflows with a joyous song of thanks giving for You have not dealt with me according to my sin and short comings but according to Your great mercy and steadfast love. You have forgiven me all my sins and blotted out my transgression.

And dear God, I am also amazed at the good and precious thought You had for me this year. You surprised me a lot! Just when I thought the year is ending and there is not much to talk about; behold, You gave me a turn around. You are the miracle working God. I am so honored and privileged to have this association of fellowship with You.  My boundaries have fallen in pleasant places. Thank You for ***. I know You hear the whispers of Your people. I knew that it only takes  one moment of favor with You and everything is so different and special. I am trusting You that the years the locust have eaten, You will repay.

Thank You also for my spiritual growth. This was a great opportunity for me to learn Your word. I thank You for helping me by the power of the Holy Spirit to keep to the end of the course. I have increased in knowing You.

Although I could not be there with constantly in fellowship as You would have needed me, I am grateful that you listened to my prayers and answered them. You are the God of all flesh who answers prayers.

Even in my family, you have been our source of provision. We have not lacked. Your Word has been true to us. You are the Father to the fatherless. You have been sufficient to us in all things. Oh God, it was You who have helped my mother complete that project. I would not have imagined all this. Your ways are not our ways. Your ways are higher than our ways. I honor You.

I thank You so much for the church. Thank you for providing me with a place where I am renewed and refreshed. Where together with those that loves You and pursues glory, honor and immortality, I have the right hand of fellowship. Thank You God for Nairobi Gospel Assembly Church.

Surely you have done great things. (Joel 2:20)

He who brings an offering of praise and thanksgiving honors and glorifies Me; and he who orders his way aright [who prepares the way that I may show him], to him I will demonstrate the salvation of God. ( Psalms 50:23)

May our hearts remember to give thanks to You always!

Your Loving Son,

George

 

Yonder

The year is almost full. Most of us are taking stock of the year 2014. There is always a general feeling that you would have done better.

In my own reflection of the year, I have realized that most of the times we miss out on God’s will for our lives because we fail to go yonder. I cannot imagine the milestones we would accomplish in our purpose, if only we were people who went the extra mile.

Sadly, we prefer our comfort zones and status quo. Most of the times we are ignorant of the immense opportunity we have to get the intentions of Heaven established in the earth. We are lazy in pursuing the only thing that is needful: our Father’s business.

Jesus Christ knowing very well that the defining hour was near, went together with His disciples to the garden of Gethsemane. He left some of his disciples to go yonder and pray. He took Peter, John and James a distance away from the rest. His heart at this moment was sorrowful unto death. He still left the three to go yonder to pray. His prayer was that the will of His Father may be done. Yonder was a place of utmost surrender and sacrifice. (He fell on His face and prayed).

The disciples however seized that moment to sleep! He came to them three times and lamented that they could not watch at least one hour and pray that they may not fall into temptation.

Yonder is a place of prayer.

Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, "Sit here, while I go yonder and pray." (Mathew 26:36, RSV)

Yonder is a place for the deeply distressed. Yonder is a place for them that are waiting on God to do something. Yonder is a place for those that are weak and need strength. It is the place for them that know greatness is knocking at the door but it takes God to go through it. Luke actually recorded that an angel appeared to strengthen Him. At yonder, you will always see things in a new different perspective than the rest.

It is the place of letting the will of God be and none of our will.

"Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? 'Father, save me from this hour'? No, for this purpose I have come to this hour. (John 12:27, RSV)

Yonder is a place for those who know their purpose. Those who have little understanding of their purpose see no need of going yonder.

Yonder is a place of separation. You have to bid good bye to your acquaintances. It is about you and God. You are determined to see the will of God established. A significant reason why we never make it to yonder, are the people of association. Our friends and even those in church may be a great barrier. We have to leave them behind if we are to encounter that divine moment. They may not realize the intensity and urgency of our purpose as much as we do. They may yield to the natural rather than seek for the supernatural. Yet, our place is yonder. Our divine provision can only be ours if we go yonder; that extra mile.

And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. (Luke 22:44, NKJV)

A good question to ask at this point is: how many times have you fasted this year?

It was the same script for Abraham when God called him to sacrifice his only son, Isaac. After three days journey to the place God had appointed (Mount Moriah), Abraham had to separate with his servants and the ass to go yonder and worship God.

Then Abraham said to his young men, "Stay here with the ass; I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you." (Genesis 22:5, RSV)

It was the encounter that happened yonder that God revealed Himself as a provider, Jehovah Jireh. God pronounced His blessing upon Abraham again. The blessing that we partake to date.

Balaam said to Balak, "Stand here beside your burnt offering, while I meet the LORD yonder." (Numbers 23:15, RSV)

In the scripture above, Balaam had to separate from Balak to hear the voice of God. It was when he was yonder, that God met Him and put a word in his mouth.

Are you going through difficult situations? Do you want to hear God? Are you desperate for a divine visitation? Are you desiring to stand in your moment of purpose?

Then you must get out of the crowds. You have to go yonder!

Merry Christmas and a Prosperous Happy New Year.

Please feel free to comment below.

Tried & Tested

Dear brothers, is your life full of difficulties and temptations? Then be happy, for when the way is rough, your patience has a chance to grow.  So let it grow, and don’t try to squirm out of your problems. For when your patience is finally in full bloom, then you will be ready for anything, strong in character, full and complete. (James 1:2-4, Living Bible)

This is one of the Scriptures that is hard to accept. Brother James was not sarcastic or ironical when stating it. It ought to be all joy when we fall into various trials. This testing produces patience which works to make us perfect and complete. In fact, James went ahead to tell us that this was the manner of life for the prophets and the saints before us.

My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience. Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord—that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful. (James 5:10-11)

Apostle Peter too while writing to the elect pilgrims who were dispersed because of persecution emphasized the same even more. 

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love. (1 Peter 1:6-8)

So far you can see the main purpose of trials is to unite you more to God. The most popular method God has appointed for our preparation to mature in Him is suffering and affliction. Those of us who endure and persevere through, graduate to new heights of knowing and walking with Jesus Christ. How else would you learn of His comfort, His sufficient grace, His mercies that are always new, His provision, unless you were in a position to experience them?

I have heard many people talk about the predicaments of Job. Perhaps you are one of them! Did you know when the three friends came to comfort him, they sat with him on the ground seven days and nights without saying a word because they saw how great his suffering was! Job's troubles were grave than you can imagine. But this man endured the fire and the heat. In the end the righteous and upright Job who had been more transformed said, "My ears had heard about You (God), but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes." He had a more elevated knowledge, understanding and experience of God. He had a better off latter life than the former.

This space may not allow me to write about the sufferings of Apostle Paul on account of the Gospel. He was in prison often, beaten, accused falsely, in dangerous journeys, in hunger and thirst, in cold and naked but all for the joy of having Christ.

Peter and the apostles too were beaten and put in prison. One time when they were released it is thus written:

So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His Name. (Acts 5:41)

In conclusion, I pray to God that He will help you and me to endure and persevere through troubles and to go through them with the right attitude of joy. To see it as a privilege especially when the main reason you are suffering is because of  Christ and the Gospel. May be, modernization may have altered the the meaning of suffering for the sake of the Gospel. There are many causes of suffering. One may suffer because of their boyfriends and girlfriends, spouses etc. But the suffering we are emphasizing here is the suffering because of your Christian Faith. We have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood or death!

For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake. (Philippians 1:29)

We must be tried and tested. Shalom.

An appointed time of favor

Talking about times and seasons, we of course know that God does not follow our own calendar. But has it struck you how time is so unique. Men had to devise methods to ensure that they observe certain important social or religious activities. 

God ordained seasons and times. Solomon in Ecclesiastes 3 says that to everything there is a season, and a time for every matter or purpose under heaven. It was God who commissioned time before even there was a beginning! I have this favorite mantra which I share a lot with people: "God is not waiting for tomorrow, tomorrow is actually waiting for God to usher it in". God is outside the boundaries of time!

Doesn't it tempt you to think that God may be having His own calendar which He uses to mark important heavenly activities. He is the ruler of Heaven and also rules in the affairs of men. But of course His calendar is special and divine and not that He needed it to function as God!

In His calendar, has He marked appointed times to perform certain things? Before you write me off as being over board, see what God told Abraham and Sarah:

Is anything too hard or too wonderful for the Lord? At the appointed time, when the season [for her delivery] comes around, I will return to you and Sarah shall have borne a son. (Genesis 18:14, Amplified)

Just to elaborate, God was able to cause the desire of Abraham to be fulfilled immediately. Didn't you listen to the first part, "there is nothing too hard or too wonderful for the Lord"? Yet He talks of an appointed time when Sarah will bore a son. There is the fulfillment of an action but at a set time that God had determined in sovereignty. 

Even the coming of Christ was timed and orchestrated by God to be in a specific favorable time. God had an agenda to bring salvation to mankind. But He did not do it during Isaiah's time or Daniel's time. But the plan was there, the place where the birth of Christ was to be, was also known in advance, only waiting for the fullness of time.

But when the proper time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born subject to [the regulations of] the Law, (Galatians 4:4, Amplified )

Is these therefore sufficient evidence that God has great and good plans for us but we have to wait until an appointed time for their fulfillment? I strongly believe so, and even more specifically hold the belief that God has appointed times to show favor!

Favor at an appointed time? Yes. Just look at this scripture,

You will arise and have mercy on Zion; For the time to favor her, Yes, the set time, has come. (Psalms 102:13, NKJV)

It doesn't mean that God was incapable of showing mercy to Jerusalem, only the set time ( a time of favor) had not yet come. It is so with your life. God is a God of divine order. He has certain things He will accomplish in your  life when the proper time comes. In that specific season, its the favorable time or a time of favor. Hallelujah.

In Isaiah 49:8 the Lord says, 

"In an acceptable and favorable time I have heard and answered you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you; and I will preserve you and give you for a covenant to the people, to raise up and establish the land [from its present state of ruin] and to apportion and cause them to inherit the desolate [moral wastes of heathenism, their] heritages,

The question by now may have shifted from, "will He do it?" to "when?". We must understand the importance of time in God's calendar. He alone is wise in determining the most appropriate time for every purpose He has in our lives. Our position is that of surrender and waiting on Him. Waiting in the sense of having an attitude of joy and thanks giving knowing its only a matter of time but it shall be done. Most of us believers do not struggle with the question of "can He do it?" but we are often stressed by the question of "when will He do it?" because if we were consulted we would wish it was done right now. 

God's calendar has the right time, the fullness of time, the proper time, a time of favor! And it is not for you to know when, but we can trust in His unfailing steadfast love. Jesus Christ just before departing to the Father said to His disciples,

It is not for you to become acquainted with and know what time brings [the things and events of time and their definite periods] or fixed years and seasons (their critical niche in time), which the Father has appointed (fixed and reserved) by His own choice and authority and personal power.
(Acts 1:7, Amplified)

There is a season appointed that God will show you favor. 

And let us not lose heart and grow weary and faint in acting nobly and doing right, for in due time and at the appointed season we shall reap, if we do not loosen and relax our courage and faint. (Galatians 6:9, Amplified)

Shalom.

Where is God?

My tears have been my food day and night, while they continually say to me, "Where is your God?" (Psalms 42:3, NKJV)

Have you ever been at that point in your life where this question, “Where is your God?”, hang around your life like that dark cloud that neither pours rain nor drifts away in the wind. It’s just there. By now I know I am asking a rhetoric question with an obvious answer. Mark you, the question is different from “Where is my God?” The former is inspired by external factors while the latter is fueled from within self. For this blog post’s purpose, I wish to dwell on the question that is often asked by people and even circumstances that are opposed to our progress as Christians. They ask “where is your God?”

Even when you do not doubt for once that the good LORD is there continually with you acting on your behalf behind the scenes, there will often appear persons who will question it all: is He really with you? Even difficult situations will arise that silently ask you, “where is your God?”

David in psalms 42 was in such a state. His tears wetting his pillow in the night because his enemies were continually saying to him, “Where is your God?” He explains it further in versus 10, how it felt like;

As with a deadly wound in my body, my adversaries taunt me, while they say to me continually, "Where is your God?" (Psalms 42:10, RSV)

It’s a terrible feeling this question can bring in your life. This question potentially can afflict your soul, bring anxious uneasiness or grief. Reading through the whole psalm 42 shows you that David was so aware of the goodness of God and His ability to help Him. Only this question had wearied his soul?

Sometimes the people asking this question do so by purely observing the occurrences in our lives. They see you weighed down by a disease, they see you lose that job, they see you remain in that same place for a long time, nothing is changing and they ask, “Where is your God?” They see your father or mother or child die because of cancer or that other disease, they look around and you are still not marrying and there are no signs for it, and they repeat the same question like a hymn stanza. And almost this questions win you over to be doubtful!

At a time when Israel had been brought very low (going to captivity and suffering much in the sight of the heathen nations), a psalm by Asaph was written and in Psalms 79:10, he says;

Why should the nations say, "Where is their God?" Let there be known among the nations in our sight the avenging of the blood of your servants which has been shed. (NKJV)

Similarly in Psalms 115:2,

Why should the nations say, "Where is their God?" (RSV)

Let the priests, who minister to the LORD, Weep between the porch and the altar; Let them say, "Spare your people, O LORD, and do not give your heritage to reproach, that the nations should rule over them. Why should they say among the peoples, 'Where is their God?'" (Joel 2:17, NKJV)

Yet still even when the people ask or when those difficult circumstances conspire together to say, “Where is your God?”, still we know,

But our God is in heaven; He does whatever He pleases. (Psalms 115:3, NKJV)

For I know that my Redeemer lives, And He shall stand at last on the earth; And after my skin is destroyed, this I know, That in my flesh I shall see God. Whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. How my heart yearns within me! (Job 19:25-27, NKJV)

David's Mighty Men

We rarely hear of battles and war. It was not so from the beginning. The bible says during Spring time Kings used to go out for war (2 Samuel 11:1). So it was in David's time. Battle and war was something usual. If we were born then, we would be enrolled in the military without our consent, as long as you are a man!

As bible stories have been passed along, we have this perception that David may have been the only mighty man of war who lived during his time. I mean, the story about David and goliath is known almost by every one born in this world. It is an amazing story of a youth who faced a giant and defeated it by trusting upon the name of the LORD.

So great was King David that most often if not surely, we fail to recognize some key characters who were part of his kingdom: the mighty men of David. David lived at a critical time in the history of God's people, Israel. There were enemies both near and far beyond the borders. Persistent enemies like the philistines, some with huge armies like the assyrians, others with enormous military power and hardware like the Egyptians.

While reading 2 Samuel 23:8 - 39, The bible mentions David's mighty warriors. They were 37 in total. Let me take you through some who stood out for me and why.

1. Josheb-Basshebeth: he raised his spear against eight hundred men, whom he killed in one encounter.

2. Eleazar: he was with David when they taunted the Philistines gathered at Pas Dammim for battle. Then the Israelites retreated, but Eleazar stood his ground and struck down the Philistines till his hand grew tired and froze to the sword. The Lord brought about a great victory that day.

3. Shammah: When the Philistines banded together at a place where there was a field full of lentils, Israel’s troops fled from them. But Shammah took his stand in the middle of the field. He defended it and struck the Philistines down, and the Lord brought about a great victory.

4. Abishai the brother of Joab: He raised his spear against three hundred men, whom he killed, and so he became as famous as the Three. He also killed Ishbi-Benob, one of the giants whose spear weighed 300 shekels (about 60kgs) and was armed with a new sword. The giant intended to kill David after he got weary in battle.

5. Benaiah: in charge of David's bodyguard. A valiant fighter who performed great exploits. He struck down Moab’s two mightiest warriors. He also went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion.  And he struck down a huge Egyptian. Although the Egyptian had a spear in his hand, Benaiah went against him with a club. He snatched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear.

6. Uriah the Hittite: when King David tried to fix his mess with Bathsheba, he called Uriah from a military campaign that he may go home to his wife and somehow the pregnancy of Bathsheba may never be confuted. But Uriah answered, "“The ark and Israel and Judah are staying in tents, and my commander Joab and my lord’s men are camped in the open country. How could I go to my house to eat and drink and make love to my wife? As surely as you live, I will not do such a thing!”

8. Elhanan: killed the brother of Goliath the Gittite, who had a spear with a shaft like a weaver’s rod.

9. Jonathan: killed a huge man (giant) with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot—twenty-four in all.

I hope the picture is becoming clearer now. David was not the only man who did valiant things in Israel. There were other men with famous records. David slew goliath, but there were other men who slew giants as well. Joab was a mighty man of war as well and was in charge of the entire army of Israel.

Lessons:

1. The greatest difference between David and all his mighty men was that David was the annointed. God had annointed him to be King. Even these men knew so. None of them counted himself equal to David. After King David was almost killed in battle they swore to him, saying, “Never again will you go out with us to battle, so that the lamp of Israel will not be extinguished.” (2 Samuel 21:17). They knew that their role was to support and serve King David.

May be its time you changed the perception you have over those God has appointed, annointed and given authority. Your pastor or bishop or mother or father or presidents.

2. Even though surrounded by all these men, David did not see them as the source of his success. He recognized God only.

He is the God who avenges me,
who puts the nations under me,
who sets me free from my enemies.
You exalted me above my foes;
from a violent man you rescued me.
Therefore I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;
I will sing the praises of your name.

 “He gives his king great victories;
he shows unfailing kindness to his anointed,
to David and his descendants forever.”

 

2 Samuel 22: 48 -51

 

The title "a man after my own heart" did not come just like that. David's trust was all in the LORD. Before going for battle, his first consultation was not with Joab or the valiant warriors but with God. And God proved His word true "none who trusts in Him can be put to shame".

 

What other lessons can you draw from King David. I would be glad to hear your comments. Shalom.

Maranatha – Even So, Come, Lord Jesus Christ

 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. (1 John 3:2 NKJV)

The completeness of what we shall be is not yet disclosed directly. It is a hidden Glory! While in the flesh we could not endure the sight of what we shall be. But we (children of God) know at His second coming, we shall be like Christ! We shall actually be like Him in immortality, in happiness, in holiness, in perfection, in purity. We shall be where He is. We shall be everything desirable, that ever so many words can express. Like him in a perfect freedom from sin, like him in the ardor and intense fervency of their love; like him in the perfection of grace, and the unspotted purity of his holy nature.

We are now the sons of God; this is the happiness of our present condition, we are as children in their minority; we are not grown up for the inheritance, but we are growing; we are not what we would be, we are not what we should be; we are not what we shall be; but blessed be God we are what we are; now are we the sons of God.

When we see Him as He is, we shall have “a clear and perfect knowledge of God, wherein consists our intellectual happiness; and shall be admitted into his immediate presence, where is all other happiness and glory, of which we are capable.” Dr. Wells

There are certain things about Christ and God that we may never fully understand or know while we are yet in the flesh even though full of the Holy Ghost. John had seen Jesus Christ transfigured on the mount but this too was partially obscured. The splendor of His infinite majesty reserved till Christ comes again. Paul knew this too well and wrote to the Corinthians;

For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. (1 Corinthians 13:12, NKJV)

There is one thing which is clear, that we shall be like the Son of God; but what is fully involved in this is not made known. We see dimly, and that is why we have to apply our faith (remember we walk by faith and not by sight). But then (when He is revealed – at His second coming), it shall be face to face and I shall know Him fully. Hallelujah! On that day when He appears, it doesn’t matter where you the child of God shall be: in the grave, in a comma, asleep, in a theater being operated, in a wedding being married, in church, in a ma3, at work, in a plane, in America or Africa, when He appears we shall also appear with Him in Glory.

When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. (Colossians 3:4 NKJV)

Who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself. (Philippians 3:21 NKJV)

Our bodies shall be transformed that we may be clothed in an immortal and glorious body. No more can we be subject to disease or pain or suffering. We shall attain the highest form of peace and bliss.

And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man. (1Corinthians 15:49, NKJV)

So what my friends, can anything separate us from this hope? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. (Romans 8:18, NKJV)

Neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Brother Job is a perfect example of a man who endured it all for the joy of seeing Him face to face. His hope was so alive in him when he said,

“And after my skin is destroyed, this I know, That in my flesh I shall see God” (Job 19:26, NKJV)

King David in his desire for God had this yearning that He will see Him. David said,

“As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness.” (Psalms 17:15, NKJV)

That is, his glory, with a clear and immediate sight, with a full and comprehensive sight, with an assimilating and transforming sight, with an appropriating and possessive sight, with a satisfying and everlasting sight.

There is one thing that is needful for you and me to do, if we so have this hope in us. The desire to see Him face to face and to be in His immediate presence: purify ourselves.

And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. (1 John 3:3 NKJV)

Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God. (Matthew 5:8, NKJV)

None but the pure can see the infinitely Pure One.

Maranatha. Even so, come, Lord Jesus Christ!

To those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; (Romans 2:7, RSV)

The fear of the Lord

Today I accomplish something I have been longing to do: share on this mysterious and often thought difficult subject concerning our faith as Christians. This subject is no longer the talk of our generation. Yet profoundly, I think it is one subject that will revolutionize your walk with God once you understand it. The fear of the Lord is one thing that Christian babes fear to talk about and in my realization, even church going Christians fable about not knowing exactly what it is.

By googling it, you would realize that the phrase is used more than 300 times in the bible and it is not just a subject of the Old Testament. So what is the fear of the Lord? Is it different from being born again?

Well, before I rashly say what it is, I find it prudent to take you through some of these scriptures.

The first instance in the bible we come across the fear of the LORD is when Abraham had to lie concerning his wife to King Abimelech. Abraham responded, 

"Because I thought, surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will kill me on account of my wife.” (Genesis 20:11)

On the New Testament, we encounter it in Acts 9: 31, 

“Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.”

The thief on the cross asked his fellow thief, “Dost not thou fear God?” (Luke 23:40).

The most wise man to ever live made reiterations on this matter while writing the book of proverbs. Indeed, this was the characteristic of those who went before us. Joseph told his brothers, “I fear God” Genesis 42:18. He knew it. It was in him. Nehemiah also cites the fear of the LORD as the reason he would not extort charges from people. Nehemiah 5:15. Job was a man who feared God. Job 1:1. Cornelius in the New Testament was also a man who feared God even before he was born again (Acts 10:2).

The dictionary defines ‘the fear of God’ as a feeling of profound respect for God. I actually agree with this definition but hope we can take it further. I know certainly that there are those of you reading this blog who do not even believe there is a God anyway. Unfortunately, I will have to come after you later in another blog post (this one is meant for them that believe there is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob who alone is eternal and wise).

The only extension I would wish we realize in our understanding is that, this reverence and devotion towards God is practiced when we continually recognize that we are in the presence of a Holy and Righteous God. Think about it for a moment: what made Joseph run away from Potiphar’s wife even after she wooed her continually to lie with her? Joseph knew he was constantly present before a Holy and Righteous God. He explained to her, “How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” Genesis 39:9.

The reason why adulterous pastors are preaching on the pulpit every other Sunday is because they do not fear God (they have total disregard for the presence of a Holy God). It is for the same reason wonderful voices are singing in the Church choir with scandalous lifestyles and disgraceful “men of God” have turned the House of God to an economic hub. 

The fear of the Lord is the main motivation for us to flee sin. You may ask, where is salvation in all of these?

Salvation is the free gift obtained by grace that makes us a new creation. Through salvation the power of sin is defeated in our lives. Yet continually we find ourselves in situations where we have to choose whether to yield to temptations and therefore fall into sin or say no to all ungodliness therefore overcoming temptations. Remember that sin has no power over us since we are born again. The blood of Jesus Christ has given us victory over sin. But choices have to be made still! The knowledge and awareness that you are in the presence of a Holy God even when faced with that situation and that your choice should be one that glorifies God by reflecting that you greatly respect Him is what we are referring to as the fear of God.

Is it situational then? No at all. We ought to realize that right now as we live we are always in the presence of a Holy God. He knows your thought as well as my intentions. The question is are you honoring Him right now. This is the question I ask myself all the time, “am I honoring God right now?” It does not matter the environment or the happenings, is God still honored! Job would not curse God though he had lost everything. He feared God. He knew he was in the presence of a Holy God who does righteous acts.

Through the Scriptures we understand that the fear of the Lord is learnt. Psalms 34:11 says, “Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD.” Further Deuteronomy 17:19 says, 

“And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them:”

2Kings 17:28 Then one of the priests whom they had carried away from Samaria came and dwelt in Bethel, and taught them how they should fear the LORD.

From this narration my brother and sister, it is possible for you to have received salvation but never to have learnt to live in the fear of God. It is lamenting that most of us have been ignorant of this! We actually learn to fear God. Learning who God is and understanding His ways takes place when we invest our effort in studying the Scriptures and fellow-shipping with God through prayer. The Holy Spirit reveals to us the Father and reminds us of his presence. What you do when all of us are not there is a clear indication whether you are a God fearing man or woman. 

Many church goers are born again but no fear of God!

May you grow in the fear of the Lord. Shalom.

Selected Additional Scriptures:

Proverbs

Proverbs 2:5 Then (when you receive God’s word) shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.

Proverbs 8:13 The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.

Proverbs 9:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

Proverbs 10:27 The fear of the LORD prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened.

Proverbs 14:26  In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge.

Proverbs 14:27 The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.

Proverbs 15:16  Better is little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure and trouble therewith.

Proverbs 15:33 The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility.

Proverbs 16:6 By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil.

Proverbs 19:23 The fear of the LORD tendeth to life: and he that hath it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil.

Proverbs 22:4 By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life.

Proverbs 23:17 Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long.

New Testament

2Corinthians 7:1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

1Peter 2:17 Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.

Other Old Testament

Exodus 18:21 Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens:

Deuteronomy 6:24 And the LORD commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the LORD our God, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive, as it is at this day.

Joshua 24:14 Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD.

1Samuel 12:24 Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things he hath done for you.

Psalms 15:4 In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the LORD. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.

Psalms 34:9 O fear the LORD, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him.

Psalms 111:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments:

Psalms 115:11 Ye that fear the LORD, trust in the LORD: he is their help and their shield.

Psalms 115:13 He will bless them that fear the LORD, both small and great.

Malachi 3:16 Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.