Feb 11
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“And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him. And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.” –Matthew 8:23-26
The Lord gently rebuked His disciples for having ‘little faith.’ They needed the rebuke and so do we. After all they heard and saw from the Lord, and yet they still did not believe Him and trust Him as they should. How often did they hear His powerful voice, full of wisdom and wonder, and how often did they see everything He said come to pass? And what about all the miracles they saw? Every day they saw the Lord perform miracle after miracle, yet they still had many of the same fears and worries. And what about us? How many years has the Lord provided for us and protected us? How often have we heard His Word, seen His glory, experienced His grace, yet have so little faith? By little faith is meant, so many doubts, fears and worries. Since faith cometh by hearing the Word of God, then little faith means we are not hearing what He says.
Why are we so quick to believe what we hear from man and not to believe our God? Why are we so fretful over what we see going on around us when He said not to look at the things that are seen, but the unseen? Why do we call upon, look to, and lean upon other poor creatures like us, rather than the all-wise and powerful Heavenly Father? O we of little faith!!
Lord, we believe … please forgive and help us with our unbelief (Mark 9:23-24). Paul Mahan
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Fear Him! (John MacDuff, “The Precepts of Jesus”
A guide through life to immortality!)
“Who would not fear You, O King of nations?” Jeremiah 10:7
How reasonable it is, that this glorious Being, whose greatness is unsearchable—should be regarded with feelings of the profoundest reverence. It is, indeed, His due, and as such He claims it from all His creatures. “Concerning the sinfulness of the wicked: There
is no fear of God before his eyes.” Psalm 36:1 To have no fear of God before their eyes—is at once the greatest injustice, and the most unutterable folly!
All who have the impudence to lift up their puny arms in rebellion against Him, are engaged in a conflict, which, if persisted in, is sure to terminate
in their utter destruction!
Reader, think of His incomprehensible greatness
and majesty. Think of Him as the High and Lofty One who inhabits eternity—
the heavens His throne,
the earth His footstool,
the light His garment,
the clouds His chariot,
the thunder His voice!
Viewing Him thus—it will be impossible for you to treat Him with indifference, far less with scornful disdain. If you are only brought in some measure, to realize the fact of God’s greatness and majesty,
you cannot fail to acknowledge that He is greatly to be feared, and to be held in reverence by all His creatures. Just so, with all the other attributes of His nature. Who can think of His power so mighty, so irresistible
—a power which is able to crush us into atoms with infinitely greater ease than we can tread the crawling worm beneath our feet—and not fear Him?
Who can think of His knowledge, nothing being hidden from His omniscient glance, the darkness of midnight and the splendor of noon, being altogetheralike to Him—and not fear Him? Who can think of the terrors of His avenging justice, and not fear Him—especially, as when He proclaims from His exalted throne, “There is no God other than Me! I am the one who kills and gives life; I am the one who wounds and heals; no one delivers from My power! As surely as I live, when I sharpen My
flashing sword and begin to carry out justice, I will bring vengeance on My enemies and repay those who hate Me!” Deuteronomy 32:39-41
Our God is, truly, a consuming fire! It is most befitting for us, to regard Him with reverence and godly fear! It is not those who can deprive us of our present life, whom we should so much dread. Limited, and of brief
duration—is the power of all mortal foes at best. “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after the killing of the body, has
power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, Fear Him!” Luke 12:4-5
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“WALKING IN THE FEAR OF THE LORD”
Acts 9:31
Believers are men and women who walk in the fear of the Lord. God’s people do not have a slavish dread of God. We are not afraid to speak to him and about him. We are not afraid that he will become angry with us, disinherit us, or punish us for sin. Faith in Christ removes that kind of terrifying fear. Yet, the believer does not think, talk about, or speak to God carelessly, flippantly, without reverence for his infinite, glorious, righteous Being. A true, heart knowledge of the Triune God will produce godly fear in a man’s heart.
The fear of the Lord is simply REVERENCE for him. It is much like the reverence a son has for his father, involving both love and respect. God has won the admiration of his children’s hearts, causing us to reverence him. We reverence his name, his Being, his Word, and his works. All that God is, all that has to do with him, all that he says, and all that he does is held in high esteem by those who know him. This fear of the Lord shows itself in many ways. To fear God is to HATE EVIL. The man who knows God hates the evil of his own heart and life, hates the evil performed by others, hates the evil of false doctrine, which robs God of his glory, and hates those who perpetrate such evil. “Do not I hate them, O Lord, that hate thee?…I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies” (Ps. 139:21-22). Those who fear the Lord are CAREFUL NOT TO OFFEND HIM. We cherish our fellowship with the eternal God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. And we take care not to grieve and offend him, because we want nothing to hinder the fellowship we enjoy. The heart that fears the Lord WITHHOLDS NOTHING FROM HIM, no matter how dear and valuable, when he calls for it. To fear the Lord is to WORSHIP HIM. It is to worship God, as he is revealed in Scripture, in our hearts. Such fear of the Lord is PROGRESSIVE. Believers walk in the fear of the Lord. The more a man knows him, the more he fears him. God, grant that I may be found “walking in the fear of the Lord.” Amen. Don Fortner
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Psa. 107:23 Those who go down to the sea in ships,
Who do business on great waters;
Psa. 107:24 They have seen the works of the LORD,
And His wonders in the deep.
Psa. 107:25 For He spoke and raised up a stormy wind,
Which lifted up the waves of the sea.
Psa. 107:26 They rose up to the heavens, they went down to the depths;
Their soul melted away in their misery.
Psa. 107:27 They reeled and staggered like a drunken man,
And were at their wits’ end.
Psa. 107:28 Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble,
And He brought them out of their distresses.
Psa. 107:29 He caused the storm to be still,
So that the waves of the sea were hushed.
Psa. 107:30 Then they were glad because they were quiet,
So He guided them to their desired haven.
Psa. 107:31 Let them give thanks to the LORD for His lovingkindness,
And for His wonders to the sons of men!
Psa. 65:4 How blessed is the one whom You choose and bring near to You
To dwell in Your courts.
We will be satisfied with the goodness of Your house,
Your holy temple.
Psa. 65:5 By awesome deeds You answer us in righteousness, O God of our salvation,
You who are the trust of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest sea;
Psa. 65:6 Who establishes the mountains by His strength,
Being girded with might;
Psa. 65:7 Who stills the roaring of the seas,
The roaring of their waves,
And the tumult of the peoples.
Psa. 65:8 They who dwell in the ends of the earth stand in awe of Your signs;
You make the dawn and the sunset shout for joy.
Psa. 89:6 For who in the skies is comparable to the LORD?
Who among the sons of the mighty is like the LORD,
Psa. 89:7 A God greatly feared in the council of the holy ones,
And awesome above all those who are around Him?
Psa. 89:8 O LORD God of hosts, who is like You, O mighty 1LORD?
Your faithfulness also surrounds You.
Psa. 89:9 You rule the swelling of the sea;
When its waves rise, You still them.
Psa. 93:1 The LORD reigns, He is clothed with majesty;
The LORD has clothed and girded Himself with strength;
Indeed, the world is firmly established, it will not be moved.
Psa. 93:2 Your throne is established from of old;
You are from everlasting.
Psa. 93:3 The floods have lifted up, O LORD,
The floods have lifted up their voice,
The floods lift up their pounding waves.
Psa. 93:4 More than the sounds of many waters,
Than the mighty breakers of the sea,
The LORD on high is mighty.
Psa. 93:5 Your testimonies are fully confirmed;
Holiness befits Your house,
O LORD, forevermore.
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