Devotional Guide
For the week of January 11, 2004
PROPER FEAR OF GOD
How fear causes prosperity
To Read: Romans 7-9
To Know:
"Abraham said, 'I did it because I thought, There is no fear of God at all
in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife'" (Gen 20:11)
The Second Continental Congress published the Declaration of Independence on
July 4th, 1776. The declaration demonstrated that a unity existed in the
thirteen colonies strong enough to unite them into thirteen states.
Underlying the union of states was a shared fear of God. The middle years of
the 18th century were times of spiritual awakening. The gospel of Christ
that was preached from Georgia to New Hampshire had the effect of turning
the colonists away from London and toward each other. It was the fear of God
that, in part, made the Americans zealous for personal liberty in conscience
and conduct.
The fear of God prospers human life. When Abraham entered the territory
ruled by Abimelech, he perceived himself to be in mortal danger since there
was no fear of God in the place. Where there is no fear of God human life
has no value. There was no fear of God in Adolph Hitler and the Jew paid a
hellish price. The Soviet Union outlawed the fear of God and millions of
Russians paid with their lives. Our Supreme Court manifests no fear of God
and the price is being paid by our own unborn.
To Do:
The fear of God is the antidote to the fear of men. Pontius Pilate meant to
cower Christ by the fear of Rome. The empire had invested the governor of
Judea with the authority to crucify the Savior. The prospect of hanging on a
tree was intended to turn Jesus away from the will of God to do the bidding
of the emperor. Jesus was fearless before Pilate because he reverenced his
Father. Godly fear is reverence and awe. At its heart, the fear of God is
the dread that we might displease him.
To Ask:
Father, thank you that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
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