The phrase “the fear of the Lord” involves:

• Trusting in God’s commands and goodness.
• A willingness to accept His higher understanding.
• Surrendering to His will.
• It is underscored by a genuine love and affection.
• Tempered by awe and reverence.

Sometimes there are sermons that I didn’t know my heart needed. Today was one of those days. Gary Thomas brought THE NOISE this morning with a wonderful  word on what exactly “fearing” the Lord means. While I had some understanding of the word, as always, there is more to know. It was such a great reminder of the incredible God I live to know.

Now, most of us attribute the word fear to being frightened, or scared. This is NOT the case when we see it used in reference to the Lord. Pretty awesome! Check the scriptures below.

Psalm 33:18: God protects those who fear Him. We all have desires that can be destructive to our lives. Sometimes we act on those desires. However, when we grow in our fear of the Lord, we better understand how these decisions hurt and hinder us. We can’t trust ourselves. CONTRARY TO WHAT OUR CULTURE WILL TELL YOU. “Just follow your heart! Just do what makes you happy!” (Insert eye rolling emoji here.) We need the Bible, the wisdom it brings, and God’s guidance to protect us.

Psalm 25:12: He directs those who fear Him.

Psalm 25:12-13: Those who fear the Lord and their children will live in prosperity. THIS IS NOT A PLUG FOR THE PROSPERITY GOSPEL, THAT’S TRASH. This is real, Biblical truth on how trusting Lord establishes our paths for His glory. Not only for what we can get from Him.

Psalm 25:14: He calls those who fear him friends.

Psalm 103:17-18: God shows mercy to those who fear Him.

Psalm 145:19: God grants the desires of those who fear Him.

Psalm 115:13: No matter your social status, He will  bless those that fear Him.

 

Now look at these fresh flowers and be happy.