A Matter of Perspective

A MATTER OF PERSPECTIVE

“Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.” - John 4:35

The comedian Flip Wilson was noted for saying, “What you see is what you get.” There is some truth to his statement. What we see can easily distract us, even consume our attention. We can get focused on a minor issue and neglect major problems.

I once saw a Youtube video about a true story. The pilots of a commercial airline noticed a minor problem on a gauge. All the men in the cockpit got involved in resolving the problem. The pilot got so consumed with this minor issue that he neglected to pay attention when his co-pilot warned him that they were running out of fuel. They had circled the airport more than once while addressing the gauge problem. When the pilot finally realized they were out of fuel, they couldn't get back to the air field and the plane crashed.

That is a sad story, but proves the point that what we focus on can easily distract us from critical matters. With eternity in the balance, we can be consumed with lesser matters and never accomplish what matters most.

The disciples struggled with this, too. In John chapter 4, they were coming back from purchasing food. When they arrived, they were amazed to find Jesus talking with a Samaritan woman. When the woman went back to town, she told others about Jesus. The people came from town to meet Jesus and hear His teaching. The disciples, seeing all of this, tried to persuade Jesus to take a break and eat. Instead, Jesus said, “Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.” The disciples had food on their mind. Jesus had souls on His heart.

Sadly, I've had times when I've been like the disciples. It is easy to be distracted with the events of the day instead of caring deeply about the people nearest to us.

Many probably saw the encounter with the woman as scandalous. After all, Jesus was a Jew and she was a Samaritan. Jews had no dealings with Samaritans. Secondly, in that day, men did not treat women as equals. Men did not talk with strange women. Women were often avoided. Worst of all, this woman was a sinner. She was living an immoral lifestyle. She was probably scorned by most in her community, even the women probably avoided her. But Jesus cared for the soul of this woman. He cared enough to share the truth with her. While He spoke of living water, He also was very blunt about her sinful situation. She had a great spiritual need that only He could meet. This may have been her only opportunity to experience grace.

Look around. God brings people in our lives from different backgrounds. We meet them from day to day. We have family members, friends and co-workers that we encounter on a regular basis. But like the story of the woman at the well, there are times we meet some just one time. It could be at a gas station, at the grocery store or the doctor's office. Each encounter is an opportunity. Each person has an eternal soul. Every individual is either saved or lost. They are either heaven-bound or headed to hell. Furthermore, each person has specific needs. The person you meet today may be going through the deepest, darkest valley. They may not show it outwardly, but they may need an encouraging word, a helpful hand or show of support.

I must confess that I have often looked over such opportunities. What about you? I have often been consumed with daily tasks or some project I am working on, yet failed to notice those near me at the moment. I need a daily reminder that this life is not about me. It is about God and His kingdom. It is about people that God brings my way. Daily I must choose whether to invest in others or selfishly pursue my own goals. You have the same choice.

We need to see things as our Lord does. We need our focus shifted so we can see the hurting people so close to us. While I may not be able to solve the problems others have, I can choose to love, encourage, help and pray for the people divinely placed in my path.

Yes, the harvest is plenty. There are no shortage of needy people. We are not running out of sinners to win. Although the harvest is plenty, we are running short on workers. We need men and women who have a heart for God and compassion for people.

Time is running out. The human need has never been greater. Souls are perishing daily. People are hurting greatly. Many need a friend today.

Look to the harvest field today. With the harvest coming to an end very soon, let's get busy for the Lord. God is calling us to work in the harvest field. While we are told to pray for more workers, let's make sure we are working ourselves.

Let's work while there is time.

Passionate Praying

PASSIONATE PRAYERS

“And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore.” - 1 Samuel 1:10

In 1 Timothy 1:2, the Apostle Paul referred to Timothy as, “my own son in the faith.” Timothy was a young man who was being mentored by the apostle. Paul felt like he had a special bond with the young man, like a spiritual father-son relationship. When you lead a person to Jesus and help them grow in their faith, a similar relationship occurs with the new believer. Do you have such a person that you are leading? Have you actively brought a person to the Lord? Are you involved in their spiritual growth? If not, you can relate with a woman named Hannah.

As the book of 1 Samuel opens, we learn that Hannah is a woman who is barren. She has been childless. This fact has weighed heavily on her. The one thing she yearns for is a son. She wants to provide her husband a child.

As Christians, we should have a desire to introduce people to Jesus Christ. We should yearn to have a son or daughter in the faith, one we have personally led to Christ. We should want to help this new believer thrive in the faith. If you have never led a person to Jesus, spiritually you are very much like Hannah.

As I post this message, our nation is celebrating Mother's Day this weekend. We can learn much from this unusual mother. Hannah went from being barren to having a son who would positively impact the spiritual direction of Israel. It could be that the person we lead to Jesus or mentor in the faith may eventually become a great pastor, evangelist or spiritual leader. When Edward Kimball led a young Dwight Moody to Jesus, he had no idea that the young convert would become to the greatest evangelist in America during that century.

What did Hannah do that was so special? What made her case so unique? Obviously, the Lord was involved in the matter. Without the Lord, our efforts are in vain. So many write books, blogs and articles about evangelism yet omit this unmistakable truth. How can we accomplish anything of eternal significance without God's intervention?

Hannah went to God with her problem. She sought the Lord and appealed to Him for a miracle. If we are wise, we'd do the same. Do you long to win souls yourself? Do you wish to see your church grow numerically? Do you have a zeal to see the Gospel impact your family, your work and your community? Look to the Lord. Cry out to Him. Make your petition known with the Master.

In contrast to Hannah, the Bible says in Genesis 30:1, “And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister; and said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die.” Rachel was childless, yet she complained to her husband rather than crying out to God. How often do we look to the arm of flesh instead of leaning on the arm of God? What good is it to buy books, listen to podcasts and attend seminars to learn church-growth and soul-winning techniques, and yet fail to get on our knees and seek God?

Unlike Rachel's childish complaints to her husband, Hannah went to the Lord. When she and her husband went to Shiloh to offer a sacrifice, the Bible says this of Hannah: “And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore.” Notice three things about Hannah.

First of all, she had passion. The Bible says, “... she was in bitterness of soul.” She had an earnest desire for a child. She yearned to be a mother. Yes, she had a good husband, yet she had an internal passion to have a child. She did not want to live and die childless. Are we willing to live and die without winning souls or mentoring new believers? Do you simply want to live selfishly and fail to be used of God to make a difference in someone's life?

Secondly, there was prayer. Hannah, “... prayed unto the Lord.” I have found that most people would rather sing about prayer than to actually pray. It can be edifying to hear how God answered someone else's prayers, but wouldn't it be more thrilling for Him to answer yours? Don't expect answers to prayers you're not praying.

Finally, there was pain. Hannah, “... wept sore.” Few people are heartbroken over the spiritual need around them. I once wrote that the reason most baptistries remain dry is because of our dry eyes. Psalm 126:5-6 says, “They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.” When was the last time you actually wept when you prayed? Can you recall the last time you wept as you considered the plight of lost people? Perhaps there should be more tear stains on the floor where we kneel to pray. Our prayer closets should become weeping chambers.

Soon after her tearful prayer at Shiloh, Hannah become a mother. Her son, Samuel, became an outstanding man of God.

I'm sure that Hannah never regretted one tear.

Orders From Headquarters

ORDERS FROM HEADQUARTERS

“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” - Matthew 28:19-20

Jesus is Lord. I think most Christians would agree with this statement, but do our lives reflect this? When a person joins the military, he is immediately instructed about the importance of saluting and obeying those of higher rank. A man will not have a successful military career if he only picks and chooses the commands he obeys.

At work, you are accountable to your boss or supervisor. You are responsible to carry out the commands and directives that he gives.

On a greater scale, Jesus Christ is Lord of all. Yet our perception of His commands are drastically different from the commands our boss gives. We treat the commands of Jesus like they are options.

Jesus said, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” This command, that we refer to as the Great Commission, is known by most believers. Yet very few people treat His command seriously. How many believers are actively sharing their faith? How many Christians are known as fishers of men? Our Lord has given us a command, yet we act as if this command is for someone else. Many think it is the pastor's job to evangelize. Some think that a select few are called to share the Good News.

It is amazing that we are not selective when it comes to receiving the positive promises of God, but we are very select in obeying the commands of God. Yet in John 14:15, Jesus said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” Obedience should be the natural response of a loving heart to a gracious God.

In the Great Commission, what are we commanded to do?

First of all, we are taught to evangelize. Jesus said, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations...” We are taught to go and share the message of the Gospel. We are called to be proactive rather than reactive. We are not told to wait for an evangelistic opportunity. We are called to go. We are to be active in this work. Far too many are waiting for someone to come out of nowhere and ask them how to be saved. While this could happen, that is not the normal way evangelism works. Rather than waiting for sinners to come to us, we are commanded to go to them.

Secondly, we are called to enlist. Those who hear and believe the Gospel need to follow the Lord. Jesus taught us “... baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” When someone professes faith in Jesus, they should be baptized in water. This is a command from our Lord. We are not greater than our Lord Jesus. He was baptized by John. We are to follow in His steps. In baptism, the water is a symbolic grave where the old sinful life is buried and the believer rises to a new life in Christ. We celebrate the beauty and meaning of this ceremony. Baptism is an outward expression of an inward change. Evangelism is not the end of the Great Commission. When a person repents and believes, we continue obeying the Great Commission by baptizing the new believer. I realize that baptism is not considered highly important by many churches, but it needs to be. Baptism is a step of obedience for the new believer … and for the Christian worker who desires to keep the Great Commission.

Finally, we are commanded to educate. A new believer that has been baptized needs to be taught. Jesus said, “... teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.” Discipleship is a vital part of the Great Commission. We haven't obeyed the Great Commission fully if we fall short of teaching discipleship to new believers. Ultimately, we want to teach new believers to obey the Great Commission themselves. Properly implemented, the Great Commission results in multiplied growth that continues for generations to come.

Here's the big question. Are YOU a Great Commission Christian? Are you actively obeying the Great Commission? Are you seeking to win souls to Christ? Are you leading them to be baptized into a local body of believers? Do you seek to instruct the new believer to be a fully devoted follower of Christ? Are you a Great Commission Christian who leads others to be Great Commission Christians?

The disciples were Great Commission Christians. They evangelized. They baptized those who believed. They emphasized discipleship and Christian doctrine.

The early church took Jesus' command seriously. So should we.

Worshiping God

 WORSHIPING GOD

“O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker.” - Psalm 95:6

Humans were created to worship. Since the Garden of Eden until now, men and women have been worshipers. Since Adam's fall, mankind has shifted the focus of his worship from God to other things. In the Old Testament, men worshiped idols that they created and formed in their own hands. In the New Testament, people worshiped religious and human traditions. Even today, worship continues here in America. Some worship a favorite sports team. Others worship a politician or political party. A few are enamored with power and wealth.

Probably the most common idol in America is the worship of self. We are consumed with the person we see in the mirror. We think highly of ourselves and seek to please ourselves at all cost. If you trace every sin to the root, you will probably find selfishness as the key ingredient of every sin man commits.

But mankind was not created to worship this way. We were created to worship God alone. Sin has diverted our attention to lesser matters. Rather than worshiping the God who created us, we have settled for far lower things. We worship the creation rather than the Creator. We worship the gifts rather than the Giver. We adore possessions instead of the One who possesses all things.

Worship stirs us mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Worship is never boring.

Watch a boy when he meets his sports hero. When this boy sees his “hero,” he gets excited. He is stirred. He can't wait to have this athlete sign a picture or memento. He is thrilled to his picture made with this athlete. It is a moment he treasures the rest of his life. We call it, “hero worship.” The boy has high regard for this athlete. He keeps a poster in his bedroom. When this athlete is competing, the boy will sit and watch the event on his television, cheering for his hero throughout the event. Yes, this is worship. The boy is engaged mentally and emotionally just to see this athlete.

Do we have such high regard for God? Isn't He far more worthy of such devotion as an athlete? Do we long to meet with Him? Are we exciting to read about Him in the Bible? Are we looking forward to seeing Him face to face?

If we claim to be followers of Jesus, it should be understood that we are worshipers of God. Yet how can we worship? What is required of us to worship God?

First of all, we must give Him our attention. We give our time and attention to things we value. It is easy to identify what a person treasures because he will devote attention to the object of his devotion. Do we give God our attention? Is He the focus of our mind each day?

Secondly, we must give God our affection. We must put our heart and soul into the experience of worship. Our worship of Him should be an act of love. Worship and love go hand-in-hand. We worship what we love and we love what we worship. For instance, many worship their favorite sports team. They will travel long distances to see them play. They love their team. They worship their team. They show up for their “worship service” hours in advance and actively engage in verbal praise for their idol. Why do we see pagans worship with such zeal and devotion while Christians are very lukewarm and loveless in our worship of the real God? In genuine worship, we give our affection to God.

Finally, we give Him our adoration. Worship is more than hearing a sermon or singing a hymn. Worship is the act of knowing and loving our glorious Lord. As we hear sermons that reveal Him to us and hear songs that draw us close to Him, we adore Him more and more. Our reading of the Scriptures can be an act of worship as we learn about Him. When we pray with faith, we see Him in His majesty and are encouraged to know that this mighty God hears our feeble pleas. When we fellowship with other believers, our faith in Him is strengthened as we hear others share what the Lord is doing in their lives. God should be adored. As we ponder His attributes, we are overwhelmed that this loving God is perfect in all His ways.

In Psalm 95:6, we are invited to worship: “O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker.” Worship humbles us, but exalts our Lord. As we meditate on His holiness, greatness and glory, we are brought to our knees before Him. The proud never worship anyone but themselves. The wise recognize their unworthiness and approach the Lord with fear and faith.

While most of humanity worships their little idols, we should look above to the only true God and worship Him.

He is worthy of such worship.

Delighting In God

DELIGHTING IN GOD

“Delight thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.” - Psalm 37:4

When I was growing up, certain things brought me delight. I enjoyed special days like Christmas Day, our annual 4^th of July family reunion and the first day of summer vacation. I looked forward to such events with great expectation.

As an adult, I tend to find delight in the times I spend with family, friends and church. Relationships bring me great enjoyment. Yes, I still look forward to special days and events, but it's the people that bring delight to me.

In Psalm 37, we are told to delight ourselves in the Lord. Based on the facial expression I see among professing Christians, I'd predict that most church members struggle in this area. While they believe in God, they don't really cherish Him. They don't enjoy His presence. They don't seek His face. They don't find much delight in Him. That is tragic.

One of the reasons that Christians struggle to delight themselves in God is because there are so many things that distract them. The enemy has strategically placed many items along the way to lure our attention away from the Lord.

Have you ever driven the freeway at night? For many miles you have only the freeway lights and other cars providing you light. However, when you approach a large city, the entire landscape is illuminated with many buildings, signs and exits. For miles, you've traveled in the darkness of night, but now the bright lights of the city have your attention. You can't help but look at some of the sites. When you see signs advertising a restaurant, you suddenly have an appetite. It takes effort to keep your eyes on the road.

This happens in life. Our eyes need to be focused on Jesus, but there are many bright lights, flashy signs and impressive scenes to capture our attention. We have social media, television, streaming music and the responsibilities of life to keep us occupied. Time that should be dedicated to the Lord and His work is quickly drained by entertainment, social events and hobbies. We find ourselves saying, “no,” to the things we should be doing, while saying, “yes,” to the things we should avoid.

How can we delight ourselves in the Lord?

First of all, we must value Him for who He is. We tend to delight in the things we value most. Sadly, many believers have undervalued the Lord. They would refuse to admit it, but their actions say otherwise. We value money, time and family relationships. I am not critical of this, since each one does have certain value. However, when you realize that these things are gifts from God, it should heighten our value of the Lord. He created money, time and relationships. He gave them to us, simply out of His goodness and love. Furthermore, His gifts are reflections of His grace. Money, time and relationships have limitations. Our Lord is inexhaustible. He is eternal. We need to value Him for who He is. When we value Him as we should, our hearts will gravitate towards Him. We will find our delight in Him.

Secondly, we must give of our time to Him. We need to set aside time to meditate on Him. We should concentrate on the cross and His resurrection. We should consider all the blessings that we have because He has saved us. We need to express our affection through worship and praise. We should regularly give Him thanks for the blessings we receive. We should learn more of Him as we read the Scriptures and hear sound Biblical teaching. We should share in our devotion with other believers at a local church.

As we spend time with the Lord, our delight in Him increases. Psalm 16:11 says, “Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” Notice that we experience joy when we are in His presence. Obviously, the more time we spend with Him, the more this joy abounds. Let us be like Mary, who sat at His feet and heard His word. Our Lord said of her, “Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her,” (Luke 10:42).

The psalmist wrote, “Delight thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.” Most people jump to the end of this verse and then try to manipulate God into giving them what they want. However, the promise of the last part of the verse is contingent upon us keeping the first part of the verse. He gives us the desires of our heart WHEN we delight ourselves in Him. You see, when you delight in the Lord, the desires of your heart begin to change. Rather than desiring worldly possessions, fame or selfish goals, your heart yearns for more and more of Him.

It was said of David that he was a man after God's own heart. Where are the people with a heart for God today? Where are the individuals who refuse to accept anything less than the Lord Himself?

Why can't that person be you?

Loving God

LOVING GOD

“Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment.” - Matthew 22:37-38

After His resurrection, Jesus asked Simon Peter three identical questions, “Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me?” What if the Lord asked you the same question. How would you respond?

I think most believers would like to give a positive answer to the Lord's question. No doubt about it, we love the Lord. But do we really?

It is one thing to know the Lord, it is another thing to love Him. While it is good to cultivate a greater knowledge of the Lord, it is even better to have a deepening love for Him.

For many believers, their love for Jesus began with great intensity, but slowly the love has declined. The church at Ephesus had this problem. The Lord said to them, “Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.” Notice that the Ephesian church didn't lose their first love. They left it.

What about you? Perhaps you can talk about the love you once had for Jesus, but what about right now? Do you love Jesus with all your heart?

Jesus taught us, “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment.” Notice that this is more than a suggestion, it is a command.

Let's be honest about it. Most American Christians struggle with the idea of obeying commands. We don't like being told what to do. We tolerate this on the job, but resist it elsewhere. Even at church, we enjoy hearing about God's love, but we tend to get uncomfortable when challenged to repent of sin, surrender to the Lordship of Christ and obey His commands. Our lack of obedience to God demonstrates our lack of faith and devotion. It is a serious matter. Somehow, we've turned the commands of God into options.

Jesus said that the greatest commandment of all is to love God. Thus, if we fail to keep this commandment, it is a serious matter. If we fail to love God, it is because we love something or someone else more. We are guilty of idolatry and spiritual adultery when we exalt something or someone above God Himself. Only God is worthy of our ultimate love and devotion.

When Jesus commanded us to love God, He said we should love God,”... with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.” We should love Him from the heart. Loving God is more than an intellectual exercise. It is an emotional experience. Love should come from the very core of our being. It is more than “going through the motions.” It is the engagement of our heart.

Secondly, we are to love with all of our soul. It is a spiritual experience. Only a born-again believer can love God properly. A lost person is spiritually dead and unable to love God fully. A follower of Jesus can love God because he has had a life-changing experience of grace. He has been given a new heart … a heart that loves God.

Third, we are to love with all our mind. It is a mental experience. Loving God is not an “out-of-body” experience. As our minds are renewed by the power of the Word, we learn more about our Lord, causing us to love Him more and more. Worship is more than an emotional event. Genuine worship includes the involvement of our minds as we meditate on God. Our love for Him grows day by day.

If you feel that your love for Jesus has weakened, let me suggest that you block off all distractions and read Isaiah 53. Slowly meditate on the chapter. Think about the cross and its implications for your life. Mentally picture the Lord dying on the cross for your sins. Think seriously about the love that motivated Him to sacrifice everything for your sake. Consider the fact that you were the reason He willingly endured such agony. Consider how He rescued you from sin. Think about how He saved you and changed your life. You owe Him everything. Such a long session of meditation will cause love to grow in your heart for Him.

Let your love grow even deeper by expressing your love to Him. When it comes to loving God, speak it. Verbally tell the Lord that you love Him. Secondly, show it. Obey His commands. Jesus said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” Finally, share it. Tell others that you love the Lord. Share with them why you have genuine affection for the Lord Jesus. These three things will cause your love to reach new levels of intensity.

God loved us so much that He sent His Son to die for us. Through Him, we have eternal salvation.

Do you love Him?

Fear Factor

 FEAR FACTOR

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.” - Proverbs 9:10

I am not a huge fan of “reality” shows. Part of the reason for my opinion is that such shows don't really reflect reality. They would be better categorized as “unscripted dramas.” In an effort to provide inexpensive programming, TV executives schedule these shows. The cost of producing a TV series is getting too expensive and viewership has shrunk. “Reality” shows and game shows may be produced for a fraction of the cost and still produce a viewing audience.

In the early 2000's a “reality” TV show aired that was entitled, “Fear Factor.” I truly disliked this show. The whole premise of the show was to put ordinary people in terrifying situations. Who wants to see people eat bugs or lie down in a container with snakes? Some must have liked it. The show aired for about five seasons.

While these unnerving situations make for a TV show, we don't like to face fear in real life. Whether it is the prospect of making a public speech or facing our own mortality, fear is something we'd rather avoid. Fear is like a red light on the dash of your car, warning you that a potentially harmful situation is near. Like other emotions, fear can be based more on fantasy than reality. Much of the things we fear never come into fruition.

Yet there are things we should fear. These fears are healthy fears that should not be dismissed. For example, it is healthy to fear a venomous snake. This fear prompts us to treat a poisonous reptile with respect. We shouldn't take a copperhead or rattlesnake in our hands and treat it like a pet. Fear keeps us from such a foolish act. Furthermore, fear keeps us from driving recklessly on a snow covered road. It is a healthy fear that keeps us from touching a live power line. No, we're not “scared” of a venomous snake, a snow covered road or electricity, but we have a healthy fear that keeps us from danger.

Proverbs 9:10 tell us, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.” Sadly, these days we don't hear many sermons about fearing God. Pastors would rather preach about positive subjects while neglecting negative topics. Yet is important for us to fear God.

When I was growing up, my father was someone I looked up to. He was my hero. I thought he was invincible. He was smart. He had a sense of humor. He was skillful. He was talented. I loved my father. Yet I also feared my father.

Such a confession may rattle some who read this, but it is true. I loved and respected my father, but I also feared him because he practiced discipline. Why did my parents enforce strong discipline? They didn't want me to grow up to be a disrespectful, dishonest and despicable person. They didn't want their son to bring shame to the family because of a criminal act. They didn't want their son to be known as a crook or habitual liar. Discipline is a means of correction, but it is also means of teaching. I was taught that there were things to avoid … and other things I needed to do. Yes, I feared discipline. But I also feared disappointing my father. This fear kept my life from getting out of control.

I feared my earthly father. But I also fear my heavenly Father. Why should we fear God? First of all, because He is God. The fact that He is God should render a degree of fear within us. Far too many people treat Him like a gentle grandfather or a butler. He is the sovereign God of the universe.

Secondly, we should fear God because of His power. He has awesome power. He is the One who brought judgment on Sodom. We do not want to live in open hostility against One who can destroy us forever. Who can stand before the One who has the power to destroy everything? Some teach that Christians should not fear God in this manner. Yet in Matthew 10:28, Jesus said, “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”

Third, we should fear God because of His affection for us. We should fear doing anything that hurts that One who loves us the most.

Fearing God is just the beginning of wisdom. We are wise to fear Him, knowing that we must stand before Him very soon. We must give an account of our lives. This same fear prompts us to warn others of impending judgment. In Psalm 34:11-14, the Bible says, “Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the Lord. What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good? Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile. Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.” Fearing God keeps us from evil. Fearing God also prompts us to do right.

We need a revival of godly fear in America. In an age where education is emphasized to the neglect of wisdom, we need wise men and women. This begins with us fearing God once more. It must begin with you and me.

Be wise. Fear God.