David

The Fear Of The Lord - Psalm 111

10:00 AM


Psalm 111, 1 Peter 3:18-22

Author John Bevere wrote, “We cannot truly love God until we fear Him, nor can we properly fear Him until we love Him.” Love seems counterintuitive to fear. Especially when it comes to loving God. After all aren’t we told in 1 John 4:18 that perfect love casts out fear? And there’s no more perfect love than God’s. But far from meaning terror or dread, when the Bible speaks of the fear of the Lord it’s referring to a deep reverence and awe for who God is and all that He does. And a respect for the Ruler and Creator of all things due Him and no other.


When David tells us that the fear of the Lord is wisdom, he has good reason. For he knew firsthand the foolishness that comes from ignoring God's guidance. And he experienced the consequences brought on by the mistake of going his own way. But more than that just sparing us heartache and regret, here a few other reasons why fearing the Lord is wise.


  1. It acknowledges God's sovereignty - When we fear the Lord we recognize that God is in control of all things and we submit to His authority. This helps us to avoid pride and an ego that tells us we know better than God. Both of which can lead to sinning against the Lord. 


  1. It leads to obedience - When we fear the Lord, we are mindful of His presence with us at all times. We recognize that God sees and knows all things, and that we are accountable to Him for our actions. This gives us an awareness that He is always watching whether we choose to do right or wrong.


  1. It brings blessings - When we fear the Lord, we have the blessing of His protection and safety, and we are shielded from the dangers and troubles of life. For as Proverbs 14:26 reminds us, “In the fear of the Lord one has strong confidence, and His children will have a refuge."


God tells that all we do we are to do in love. Including fearing the Lord. For it reflects our deep and abiding devotion for God's character, commands, presence, and people. And by honoring Him we lovingly show our faith that His ways are higher than ours, and His love for us is beyond measure.


Pause and Reflect -

Are you fearing the Lord out of awe and respect, or do you fear the Lord as a child awaiting punishment? How does this affect your relationship with God? 


How might the fear of the Lord impact your own wisdom and understanding? Does this encourage you to seek after and obey God’s commands? 


Finally, lets pray together, 

Our dearest Father in heaven above, Hallowed be Thy name. Father help us to recognize Your holiness, power, and majesty with reverence and awe. Grant us the wisdom to know Your will and the courage to obey Your commands. Father give us a heart that desires to please You above all else, and a mind that is set on things above. And Father may the fear of the Lord be the foundation of our lives, leading us to greater wisdom, understanding, and obedience. And may it be a source of blessing and protection, drawing us ever closer to You. In Jesus' precious name we pray, Amen.


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I can’t wait to hear your thoughts, and I pray your day overflows with love and blessings.


💖 Lisa


Becky Austin

What God Desires (Matthew 11-12)

10:53 PM




While reading the New Testament, an important question arises. 
How could the religious leaders of Israel, who had the privilege of access to Scripture and even access to God’s presence in the inner temple not know the Son of God who was standing right before them?  These were the chosen of the 12 tribes to have the special duty of offering sacrifices and interceding on behalf of the people. They had the most intimate and privileged opportunity to know God and yet they didn’t know Him at all. 

In fact, they not only didn’t recognize Jesus as the promised one but they despised, hated and plotted against him. They found fault in everything Jesus did, including the wonderful miracles that brought hope and healing to those in need. When the hungry disciples gathered food on the Sabbath, they passed harsh judgment against them for breaking the Sabbath and showed no concern or compassion for their need for nourishment. They also showed no compassion for a man needing healing of a withered hand. 

Jesus responds by reminding them of 2 examples in the OT where the Sabbath laws were broken and yet no judgment passed by God. He then challenges their understanding of Hosea 6:6 “For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.”  
Jesus called them out on the motives of their hearts. 
“And if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless.”(Matt 12:7) The Pharisees were worshipping the Law itself and forgetting that the Law was meant to serve the people. 

”The Pharisees’ motive was not love for people, but love for themselves. They loved the law because they used the law to feel valuable...
Pharisees don’t see themselves as God’s Masterpiece mercifully being restored. 
They see themselves as muddied people who cleaned themselves up (or didn’t need restoring). (John Burke)

This is an important concept to grasp. If we can humble ourselves and see ourselves as “God’s Masterpiece mercifully being restored”, then we can extend that same mercy and compassion to others. When we realize our desperate need for God’s grace then we can put away our judgments and condemnation of others who need His grace too. How easy it can be to get caught up in what we know or religious acts we carry out and lose sight of God’s heart and God’s will. 

God doesn’t want our “religious offerings”. He wants our devoted, love extending hearts. 
“And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” (Ephesians 5:2)