Fear

What ever happened to repentance and the fear of the Lord and godly sorrow?   People have lost these attributes in their lives and this is also happening in the church.   

Read what Proverbs 16:5-6 has to say about this, “Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished. By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the Lord men depart from evil.”

Now read Proverbs 3:5-7, “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.”

Now read Proverbs 14:6-7, “A scorner seeketh wisdom, and findeth it not: but knowledge is easy unto him that understandeth. Go from the presence of a foolish man, when thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledge.”

Now read Proverbs 15:10-12, “Correction is grievous unto him that forsaketh the way: and he that hateth reproof shall die. Hell and destruction are before the Lord: how much more then the hearts of the children of men? A scorner loveth not one that reproveth him: neither will he go unto the wise.”

Fear can only be accomplished through the Holy Spirit, we cannot work it up on our own but if we only sit under preachers or teachers that only stir our emotions by making us feel good then we may never truly fear the Lord and we may never deal with our sins.

Be careful of anyone that makes you feel good in your sins!!  Think about what God thinks of sin.  I can say this, that He hates sin in any form and so should we.  

Now read Romans chapter 6:1-23, “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

My Pastor used to say, “shall we sin that grace shall abound, of course not stupid.”  If you think of your old sinful life as dead and buried with Christ then you are set free of the bondage of sin and its sinful practices.  Believers should never be practicing sin, but if we do sin we have an advocate who is Jesus Christ, our Savior, who prays for us and if we repent and confess our sin we will be forgiven and cleansed and washed clean through the blood of Jesus.  But, if we insist on continuing in our sins, God will correct us.  The Bible says He chastises those He loves and we don’t want that to happen.   

I have given you something to think about and I hope you will, and if you are in this situation, I hope you will repent and get right with the Lord.  God bless you and yours and have a super day!!