Embracing the Transformative Fear of the Lord

Devotional

Day 1: Reverent Awe Leads to Wisdom

The fear of the Lord is not about being afraid of God but is a profound reverence and awe that draws us closer to Him. This fear is a New Covenant blessing that transforms our hearts and minds, leading to wisdom and a deeper relationship with God. It is essential to distinguish between the fear that drives us away from God, rooted in sin and misunderstanding, and the fear that draws us closer, characterized by love, awe, and reverence. This reverent awe is the antidote to the anxieties that plague our modern world, offering a path to peace and understanding. [03:09]

Proverbs 9:10 (ESV): "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight."

Reflection: In what areas of your life do you need to cultivate a deeper reverence for God, and how might this lead to greater wisdom and understanding?

Day 2: Cultural Loss of Godly Fear

The loss of the fear of God in modern culture has led to increased anxiety and fear of man. Without the fear of God, society becomes self-centered and anxious, lacking the peace that comes from knowing a loving, sovereign Father. This cultural shift has resulted in a society that is more focused on self and less on the divine, leading to a lack of true peace and understanding. The fear of the Lord, as revealed in Scripture, guides us to live wisely and humbly, aligning our lives with God's will. [12:37]

Isaiah 33:6 (ESV): "And he will be the stability of your times, abundance of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is Zion's treasure."

Reflection: How can you counteract the cultural loss of the fear of God in your own life and community, and what steps can you take to cultivate a deeper sense of His presence?

Day 3: Scripture Reveals God's Gracious Nature

The fear of the Lord is cultivated through Scripture, particularly through the gospel, which reveals God's gracious nature and leads us to adore Him. It is the only fear that imparts strength and drives out other fears. By immersing ourselves in the Word, we gain a deeper understanding of God's character and His love for us, which transforms our hearts and minds. This understanding leads to a trembling, wonder-filled love that draws us closer to Him. [21:53]

Psalm 19:9 (ESV): "The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether."

Reflection: What specific passages of Scripture have helped you understand God's gracious nature, and how can you incorporate these into your daily life to cultivate a healthy fear of the Lord?

Day 4: Pastoral Ministry and the Fear of the Lord

For pastors, cultivating a personal fear of the Lord is essential. It shapes their ministry, ensuring that their preaching leads others to a deeper understanding and love for God. This fear should be reflected in their humility and desire to glorify God above all else. By embodying this reverent awe, pastors can guide their congregations toward a more profound relationship with God, leading by example in their own lives and ministries. [40:37]

1 Peter 5:2-3 (ESV): "Shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock."

Reflection: If you are in a leadership position, how can you cultivate a personal fear of the Lord that shapes your ministry and influences those you lead?

Day 5: Delight in God's Presence

The fear of the Lord leads to delighting in God, finding joy in His presence, and living in a way that reflects His glory. It is a fear that leads to worship, gratitude, and a life transformed by the gospel. By embracing this fear, believers can experience a deeper sense of joy and fulfillment, as they align their lives with God's will and purpose. This delight in God's presence is a source of strength and peace, guiding us through life's challenges. [34:35]

Psalm 16:11 (ESV): "You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore."

Reflection: How can you intentionally seek to delight in God's presence today, and what practices can you incorporate into your life to maintain this joy and gratitude?

Sermon Summary

The discussion today centered on the profound and often misunderstood concept of the fear of the Lord. This fear is not about being terrified of God but rather a deep, reverent awe that leads to wisdom and a closer relationship with Him. The fear of the Lord is the antidote to the anxieties that plague our modern world, offering a path to peace and understanding. It is crucial to distinguish between the fear that drives us away from God, rooted in sin and misunderstanding, and the fear that draws us closer to Him, characterized by love, awe, and reverence.

Dr. Michael Reeves and Dr. Burk Parsons emphasized that the fear of the Lord is a New Covenant blessing, a gift from God that transforms our hearts and minds. This fear is not about punishment but about recognizing God's goodness and majesty, which leads to a trembling, wonder-filled love. It is a fear that Christ Himself delighted in, and it is this filial trembling that believers are called to share.

The conversation also touched on the cultural loss of the fear of God, which has led to increased anxiety and fear of man. Without the fear of God, society becomes self-centered and anxious, lacking the peace that comes from knowing a loving, sovereign Father. The fear of the Lord, as revealed in Scripture, is what guides us to live wisely and humbly, aligning our lives with God's will.

For pastors and church leaders, cultivating a personal fear of the Lord is essential. It shapes their ministry, ensuring that their preaching is not just about conveying information but about leading others to a deeper understanding and love for God. This fear should be reflected in their humility and desire to glorify God above all else.

Ultimately, the fear of the Lord is about delighting in God, finding joy in His presence, and living in a way that reflects His glory. It is a fear that leads to worship, gratitude, and a life transformed by the gospel.

Key Takeaways

1. The fear of the Lord is a profound reverence and awe that draws us closer to God, not a fear that drives us away. It is a New Covenant blessing that transforms our hearts and minds, leading to wisdom and a deeper relationship with God. [03:09]
2. The loss of the fear of God in modern culture has led to increased anxiety and fear of man. Without the fear of God, society becomes self-centered and anxious, lacking the peace that comes from knowing a loving, sovereign Father. [12:37]
3. The fear of the Lord is cultivated through Scripture, particularly through the gospel, which reveals God's gracious nature and leads us to adore Him. It is the only fear that imparts strength and drives out other fears. [21:53]
4. For pastors, cultivating a personal fear of the Lord is essential. It shapes their ministry, ensuring that their preaching leads others to a deeper understanding and love for God. This fear should be reflected in their humility and desire to glorify God. [40:37]
5. The fear of the Lord leads to delighting in God, finding joy in His presence, and living in a way that reflects His glory. It is a fear that leads to worship, gratitude, and a life transformed by the gospel. [34:35]
** [34:35]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:25] - Introduction of Guests
[00:59] - Understanding Fear in Modern Times
[02:33] - Defining the Fear of the Lord
[03:09] - Two Types of Fear
[04:35] - The Right Fear of the Lord
[06:17] - Christ's Delight in the Fear of the Lord
[07:02] - Misunderstandings of Fear
[08:40] - Trembling Before God
[10:15] - Fear and Enjoyment of God
[12:37] - Cultural Loss of Fear of God
[15:15] - Anxiety in the Church
[18:06] - Fear in Human Relationships
[19:34] - Fear of God as Strength
[21:53] - Scripture and the Fear of the Lord
[24:18] - Gospel and Fear of God
[27:39] - Encountering God
[30:50] - Delight in God
[33:06] - Union with Christ
[35:34] - Heavenly Fear
[37:04] - Misunderstandings in Preaching
[39:56] - Pastoral Ministry and Fear of the Lord
[44:04] - Humility and Fear of the Lord
[48:12] - Growing in Humility
[49:31] - Conclusion and Resources

Sermon Clips

The fear of the Lord is actually the antidote to all the anxieties that we are facing. The fear of the Lord is what enables us to cope with our culture of anxiety. But it is so misunderstood. And we need to be clear that scripture actually talks about two basic sorts of fear of the Lord. [00:03:03]

The right fear of the Lord, that the Holy Spirit works in believers, is a love for God as God. It is-- you see, when we say we love God, we can confuse that love with a love for other things-- I love coffee, I love my dog, I love my God-- and think that my love for each thing is different. [00:04:58]

The fear of God is what steers us to live wisely. The fear of God makes us Christlike. The fear of God makes us humble and loving and zealous. And therefore, to depart from the fear of God will mean we become, as a society, increasingly full of proud, selfish, lazy individuals, the opposite of Christlikeness. [00:12:53]

The fear of God is the only fear that imparts strength, that that fear of man that we have can only be driven out by the fear of God. So Isaiah 8, the Lord says, do not fear what they fear nor be in dread, but the Lord of hosts, Him you shall fear. Let Him be your fear. [00:19:47]

It is specifically-- it is the gospel revealed in the Word of God that brings us most to fear Him. It is-- Psalm 130, verse 4 says, but with You, there is forgiveness-- and it reads very strangely-- that You may be feared, which is not what we'd expect at all. [00:22:23]

The gospel is really the difference between being afraid of God and fearing God. And you referenced the passage from Jeremiah earlier. And I think that's really significant, because people come to God with all sorts of preconceived notions-- from what they've heard, from what they have conceived within their own hearts and minds about who God is. [00:24:09]

When you come to God, the God of history, the God of scripture, you're left, on your face, in joy, trembling, grateful, delighted, undone, thankful beyond words. You have no speech. You don't know what to say, because you've just been rescued from yourself and from all of your fears. [00:27:21]

The fear of the Lord-- I think it should affect both the content and the goal of the preaching. It should affect the content because he should know it is scripture. It is-- specifically, it is the gospel revealed in scripture that is what will change hearts so that people don't merely mimic reverent, righteous behavior, but actually in their hearts love and adore and tremble before God. [00:41:57]

The most necessary requirement for a man who would be a shepherd, who would be a pastor, who would be a minister is humility-- because without humility, he will fail. And what you were talking about, Mike, is the character of the man, the character of the minister. If he is not characterized by humility-- I don't mean false modesty. [00:44:04]

The way humility is grown is precisely what you're getting at there. It's by the glory of God. It is by seeing the majesty and beauty and glory of God that we find ourselves knowing ourselves better. We start-- in the light of His glory, we start to see I am but a little creature. [00:48:12]

The fear of the Lord is not something that's just about changing our behavior to look more respectful. It is a deep matter of the heart that causes us to find a pleasure, a delight in God and, rightly, when we're most heavenly, an intense, weak-kneed adoration of God. [00:35:34]

The fear of the Lord is cultivated through Scripture, particularly through the gospel, which reveals God's gracious nature and leads us to adore Him. It is the only fear that imparts strength and drives out other fears. [00:21:53]

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