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Fear of The Lord
Introduction: A. The Main Emphasis of the entire Bible is: "The Fear Of The Lord!" 1. In our lesson text, Two Classes of People are mentioned: a. Those who Fear The Lord, b. The Fools who do not. 2. In the N. T. the Contrast is between the Believer and the Unbeliever --- the Saved and the Lost. B. God Longs that we should fear Him. Deuteronomy 5:29, "O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever!" C. Obedience is the Proof of fearing the Lord. Genesis 22:12, "And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only [son] from me." D. When Church Members fear the Lord --- the Church Grows. 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." E. To fear God will Always be For Our Advantage --- We will be Rewarded. Proverbs 13:13, "Whoso ..... feareth the commandment shall be rewarded." Deuteronomy 6:24, "And the LORD commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the LORD our God, for our good always, ..." F. Fearing the Lord is the Secret of Blessing. Psalms 112:1, "Praise ye the LORD. Blessed [is] the man [that] feareth the LORD, [that] delighteth greatly in his commandments." G. Just, What Does It Mean to Fear the Lord? 1. Is it to be Afraid of God --- a Slavish Fear or Foreboding --- Apprehension --- fear that hath Torment? --- NO! 2. II Timothy 1:7, "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." H. Even at The Judgment --- we as Christians Should Have No Fear: 1 John 4:16-18, "And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. {17} Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have Boldness In The Day of Judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. {18} There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love." I. The fear of the Lord is Not associated with Terror or Suspicion --- the kind of fear that makes a man wamt to Run And Hide From God as a cringing slave. 1. The fear of the Lord is the fear of a Loving Child for a Loving Father. 2. It is such a Reverence for God that the one who fears Him is Gripped by a Holy Desire To Please Him. 3. We stand in Awe of Him. 4. The Best Way To Understand what it means to fear the Lord is to discover What People Who Fear The Lord Are Like: I. When A Man Fears The Lord, It Implies That He Has Started To Know The Lord. A. Proverbs 1:7, "The fear of the LORD [is] the beginning of knowledge: [but] fools despise wisdom and instruction." B. Proverbs 9:10, "The fear of the LORD [is] the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy [is] understanding." C. Proverbs 15:33, "The fear of the LORD [is] the instruction of wisdom; and before honour [is] humility." D. Psalms 111:10, "The fear of the LORD [is] the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do [his commandments]: his praise endureth for ever." E. Knowing The Lord (not just about Him), is a matter of Degree. 1. A man only begins to fear God when he starts to know Him. 2. When a man Realizes Who God Is and what His attitude is towards all people --- then he begins to fear the Lord. F. This Fear Has To Be: 1. CHOSEN --- Proverbs 1:29-30, "For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD: They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof." 2. LEARNED --- Deuteronomy 4:10, "[Specially] the day that thou stoodest before the LORD thy God in Horeb, when the LORD said unto me, Gather me the people together, and I will make them hear my words, that they may learn to fear me all the days that they shall live upon the earth, and [that] they may teach their children." Psalms 34:11, "Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD." 3. There must be a DESIRE --- Nehemiah 1:11, "O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear thy name: and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was the king's cupbearer." 4. It requires OBEDIENCE --- Ecclesiastes 12:13, "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this [is] the whole [duty] of man." 5. There are DEGREES OF FEAR --- Nehemiah 7:2, "That I gave my brother Hanani, and Hananiah the ruler of the palace, charge over Jerusalem: for he [was] a faithful man, and feared God above many." II. When A Man Fears The Lord, He Will Turn From Sin And Seek To Live A Holy Life. A. Proverbs 3:7, "Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil." B. 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." C. Proverbs 14:2, "He that walketh in his uprightness feareth the LORD: but [he that is] perverse in his ways despiseth him." --- V. 16, "A wise [man] feareth, and departeth from evil: but the fool rageth, and is confident." D. Proverbs 16:6, "By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD [men] depart from evil." E. Psalms 19:9, "The fear of the LORD [is] clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD [are] true [and] righteous altogether." F. When anyone really learns the fear of the Lord his Whole Manner of Life Is Affected. 1. This includes the way he Dresses --- Talks --- spends his Money --- his Time --- what he Hears --- the Places he goes --- the Pleasures he seeks --- and the Books he reads. 2. Even his Friends are different. 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." III. When A Man Fears The Lord, He Is Filled With Deep Assurance. A. Proverbs 14:26, "In the fear of the LORD [is] strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge." B. 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." C. Ecclesiastes 8:12-13, "Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his [days] be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him: But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong [his] days, [which are] as a shadow; because he feareth not before God." D. Confidence is gained by fearing the Lord because the one who fears Him Lives On Very Intimate And Personal Terms --- and in Close Communion with the Lord Himself. Psalms 25:14, "The secret of the LORD [is] with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant." E. This makes him Sure of God's: 1. PROTECTION --- Psalms 34:7, "The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them." 2. PROVISION --- Psalms 34:9-10, "O fear the LORD, ye his saints: for [there is] no want to them that fear him. The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good [thing]." Psalms 33:18, "Behold, the eye of the LORD [is] upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy;" IV. When A Man Fears The Lord, He Experiences True Joy And Satisfaction. A. Proverbs 22:4, "By humility [and] the fear of the LORD [are] riches, and honour, and life." B. Proverbs 28:14, "Happy [is] the man that feareth alway: but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief." C. Psalms 145:19, "He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them." D. Even though a man is poor in a worldly sense --- if he fears the Lord --- he will be Wonderfully Rich and Truly Satisfied. Proverbs 15:16, "Better [is] little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure and trouble therewith." 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." E. The man who fears God has Immense Satisfaction and Joy in knowing that All Is Well --- not only for Time --- but for Eternity. Psalms 31:19, "[Oh] how great [is] thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; [which] thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men!" Psalms 61:5, "For thou, O God, hast heard my vows: thou hast given [me] the heritage of those that fear thy name." V. When A Man Fears The Lord, He Will Serve Him Faithfully And Wholeheartedly. A. Psalms 2:11, "Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling." B. II Chronicles 19:7, "Wherefore now let the fear of the LORD be upon you; take heed and do [it]: for [there is] no iniquity with the LORD our God, nor respect of persons, nor taking of gifts." --- V. 9, "And he charged them, saying, Thus shall ye do in the fear of the LORD, faithfully, and with a perfect heart." C. Hebrews 11:7, "By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith." D. Hebrews 12:28, "Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:" E. It is a Glorious thing to be in the Service of God. Psalms 2:11, "Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling." Conclusion: A. If we would Really Be Like Him, we will always seek to live and work and do everything "in the fear of the Lord all the day long." B. Does it Pay to fear God? Job 1:9-10, "Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought? Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land." Psalms 86:11-12, "Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name. I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore."
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