Fear God’s eternal authority with awe, confidence, obedience, and bold trust.

The three most important attributes of God are Holy, Creator, Lord. He is distinct from everything (Holy), has beginning authority (Creator) and ending authority (Lord). The biblical teaching on the fear of the Lord establishes a foundational distinction between improper fear of temporal human threats and proper reverential awe of God's eternal authority. These passages reveal that while humans can only harm the physical body, God alone possesses authority over eternal destinies, both soul and body. Yet this "fear" is not servile terror but rather a healthy recognition of God's holiness and justice that exists within the security of His loving providence.

Servile terror means being afraid of God like a slave who's terrified of a cruel master.

It's the kind of fear where you:

• Cower and tremble, just trying not to get punished
• Obey only to avoid getting hurt, not out of love or respect
• Want to run and hide rather than draw close
• See God as an angry tyrant ready to strike you down
• Have no trust, no relationship, just dread

In contrast, the biblical "fear of the Lord" is more like:

• Deep respect mixed with love (like healthy respect for a loving but just parent)
• Awe at His greatness and holiness
• Awareness that He's incredibly powerful and judges sin, but also trustworthy and loving
• Reverence that draws you closer, not pushes you away

Think of it this way: servile terror makes you want to avoid God; proper fear of the Lord makes you want to worship God and live in a way that honors Him. One is the fear of a beaten slave; the other is the respectful awe of a beloved child toward a good but holy Father.

The same God who can cast into hell also numbers the hairs on our heads and notices every sparrow that falls. This dual reality (sovereign Judge and tender Father) produces transformative results: believers gain eternal perspective that prioritizes soul over body, develop boldness against human opposition, pursue obedience rooted in reverence rather than manipulation, and worship God with appropriate awe. 

Ultimately, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10) and encompasses the whole duty of humanity (Ecclesiastes 12:13). It redirects our anxieties from horizontal human threats to vertical divine accountability, while paradoxically providing confident assurance that nothing can separate us from God's love in Christ (Romans 8:38-39). This "perfect love" doesn't eliminate fear but rather perfects it, transforming dread into devoted reverence and producing lives marked by courageous faithfulness in the face of opposition.

These passages redirect fear. They warn against fearing people with temporary power and call us to fear God who holds eternal authority. This fear is not panic. It is reverent awe before the One who judges, protects, and rules forever.

1. Proper vs. Improper Fear
Jesus draws a sharp line. Do not fear those who can kill the body. Fear the One who determines eternal destiny (Matthew 10:28. Luke 12:4-5). True fear shifts our attention upward, not outward.

Additional references: Proverbs 29:25. Isaiah 51:7-8. Ezekiel 2:6. Jeremiah 1:8.

2. God the Judge and Protector
Scripture holds both truths. He judges sin with final authority (Hebrews 10:31. Revelation 20:11-15). Yet He guards His people with intimate care (Luke 12:6-7. Psalm 139:13-16). Fear and trust coexist in proper proportion.

Additional references: Psalm 103:11-17. Malachi 3:16-17. Romans 8:28.

3. Eternal Over Temporal
Physical death is not the final threat. Eternal judgment is (2 Corinthians 5:10. Ecclesiastes 12:14). The Bible reframes fear by lifting our sight to the age to come. Present pressure becomes small in comparison (Romans 8:18. Revelation 14:7).

Additional references: Matthew 16:26. Luke 16:19-31. Acts 17:31.

4. Fear Produces Wisdom
Fearing God leads to knowledge, wisdom, and obedience (Proverbs 1:7. Proverbs 9:10. Deuteronomy 10:12). It is the starting point of a life aligned with His will.

Additional references: Proverbs 14:26-27. Ecclesiastes 12:13. Revelation 14:7.

5. Love Perfects Fear
Believers do not fear punishment. God’s perfect love removes dread (1 John 4:18). His love holds us so securely that nothing can separate us from Him (Romans 8:38-39). The fear that remains is reverent awe, not terror.

---

Practical Implications

Persecution: Do not compromise truth because of pressure or threats.
Evangelism: Eternal stakes outweigh temporary discomfort.
Priorities: Align values with what lasts forever, not what fades.
Worship: Approach God with awe, not casual indifference.
Obedience: Respond to the God who commands with holy authority.
Confidence: Trust His care for every detail of life even as He rules with justice.

---

Summary
The fear of the Lord is reverent awe rooted in His holiness, authority, justice, and love. It produces obedience, courage, and trust. It frees us from fearing man and fixes our eyes on eternal reality.

Read More ->>

Faith includes ownership, what you ask for, you agree to carry.

Enjoying The Mystery of Restored Strength - Bill Johnson as I approach starting our 3rd Prayer Course at MNTC Portland House, I'm encouraged to carry what I've asked for in prayer.

Bill says God restores strength not only through waiting, but through sanctified desire. Desire is not a flaw to suppress. It is a God-designed capacity meant to be shaped by intimacy with Him. When we abide in Christ, our desires are refined to reflect His nature, and answered prayer becomes a means by which God reveals Himself in the world. Fulfilled desire is not indulgence. It is partnership. Prayer, then, is not passive asking but responsible co-laboring with God to see His will made visible, producing joy, renewal, and life.

Three Applications

1. Desire What God Desires

• Practice: Abide before you ask. Let Scripture and presence shape your longings.
• Posture: Desire flows from relationship, not impulse.
• Outcome: Your desires become trustworthy because they mirror God’s heart.
• But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! John 15:7
• Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a dream fulfilled is a tree of life. Proverbs 13:12
• Application: Regularly ask, “Is this desire drawing me deeper into Christ and revealing His nature?”

2. Pray With Responsibility, Not Passivity

• Practice: Pray believing you are a steward, not a spectator.
• Posture: Faith includes ownership. What you ask for, you agree to carry.
• Outcome: Prayer becomes alignment with God’s will, not outsourcing it.
•  I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours. Mark 11:24 
• You haven’t done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy. John 16:24.
• Application: Write down what emerges in prayer and ask, “What obedience does this require of me?”

3. Expect Renewal Through God’s Goodness

• Practice: Refuse to forget God’s benefits, including personal kindness.
• Posture: Gratitude sharpens spiritual vision.
• Outcome: Strength is renewed as joy is restored, like youth renewed as the eagle’s.
• Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me. He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies. He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle’s! Psalm 103:2–5
• Application: Track answered prayers and moments of God’s attention to your desires. Let testimony fuel expectation.

Bottom Line

Desire is not the enemy of holiness. Disconnected desire is.

When desire is anchored in Christ and prayer is carried with responsibility, God’s will moves from heaven into lived reality, and joy becomes full.

Read More ->>

Addressing people with compassion and truth

God's Word affirms our feeling of discontent within our selves. A fallen world.
Jesus lived in a human body and yet trusted God in all things.

Ask God who am I, rather than "what" am I. 

Read More ->>

Is it possible to make progress without error?

I'm always intrigued when in my daily readings I encounter opposite advice. I'm listening to "A Blessed Church" by Robert Moris and this morning read Pastoral visitation.

Robert Morris sites the life of Moses and his need to get help, adding NT context of apostles dedicating time in the Word, Prayer - leaving waiting tables to others. Robert also adds his experience that good organizations empower the lay people to do ministry.

The article on Pastoral visitation seems to have recognized that this can go too far. While the article seems to encourage the pastor getting to know their people more intimately can offer better "shepherding", citing “Shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain but with eagerness...” (1 Peter 5:2).

Curious, I checked the statement of faith of the article producer and had an epiphany. Their focus is on correcting error and I looked at myself, "I've hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you" Psalm 119:19.

The big idea: Doing the right thing involves not doing the wrong things and that's only possible with listening to and following God.
Prayer is intimacy with God that leads to the fulfillment of His purpose
Knee work cultivates and bears fruit
Your view of God is the benchmark of your spiritual maturity

Read More ->>

God works through Abigail, David, Saul, and Philistine home (1 Samuel 25-27, Psalm 37)

“Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me.” – Psalm 54:4

“The Lord makes firm the steps of those who delight in him; though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand.” – Psalm 37:23-24

The best part of BSF is the first question every week: "how you have seen God’s activity during the week. (How has He provided, answered, comforted, reconciled, guided, etc.?)"
 - It helps us to notice HOW God is at work in our lives. Through people, through circumstances, that prayer is all we have, in ourselves that in spite of circumstance we have joy and peace. In relationships that seemed irreconcilable and in decisions/commitments that put us on the right path he's showing us. What a wonderful year we've had in fellowship with one another.

Big Idea: God’s mercy is greater than all our weakness, weariness and sin.

1 Samuel 25-27; Psalm 37
A) Abigail intervenes between Nabal and David saving many lives
25:1) Samuel died, all Israel gathered mourned, buried at his house Ramah, David arose to wilderness of Paran
2-3) Nabal (harsh/evil/Calebite) in Maon, 3,000 sheep, 1,000 goats in Carmel, Abigail wife intelligent/beautiful
4-8) David sends 10 men to bless him with peace, give an account of blessings bestowed and ask a favor, give
9-17) Nabal didn't know David/Jesse, David/400 come to visit, a worker tells Abigail truth of David's protection
 - 11) Nabal SCORN: "Shall I then take my bread and my water and my meat that I have slaughtered for my shearers, and give it to men whose origin I do not know?”
 - 17) Nabal workers: "he is such a worthless man that no one can speak to him
 - Principle: Respect those whom God has placed in charge
 - Application: I'm like Nabal, Arrogance, stupidity, "unearned wealth", unknown protection from government/police - assuming that my position is and knowledge gives me the right to treat other/unknown people in need poorly. Certainly should know better but go on towards foolish ends.
- Application 2: I'm like David, quick tempter, going to extremes when I feel mistreated. Both sides suffer when the greater more mature person goes to the extreme. Thank God for godly women at home and in the workplace - cooler heads prevail, love covers a multitude of sins.

 - Proverbs 17:27 tells us: “He who has knowledge spares his words.” This means keeping in check a multitude of opinions that could ignite further anger in others. Someone who displays wisdom will think before speaking, and then will share only insights likely to be helpful.

18-22) Abigail 200 loaves, wine, 5 sheep prepared.. loaded on donkeys, workers, David intends to slaughter all Nabal has
 - 21) “Surely in vain I have guarded all that this man has in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that belonged to him; and he has returned me evil for good."
23-25) Abigail takes blame for not intervening sooner, Nabal name = folly
26-31) Abigail blesses David in the name of the LORD with gifts, asks forgiveness, acknowledges David as lord
32-35) David acknowledges LORD who sent Abigail, grants her request.
 - 35) David received from her hand what she had brought him and said to her, “Go up to your house in peace. See, I have listened to you and granted your request.”
Application: Be like Abigail: wise, takes responsibility to save many at great personal risk, leadership - gets others to help her make things right, intervenes between two opposing forces helps them make peace.
36-38) Nabal eating/drinking like a king, Abigal tells what happened, his heart died, 10 days later LORD struck Nabal, he died
39-42) David, "Blessed be the LORD", heard David, brought Nabal's evildoing on himself - took Abigail to be his wife
 - 41) She arose and bowed with her face to the ground and said, “Behold, your maidservant is a maid to wash the feet of my lord’s servants.”
 - Application: be like Abigail, follow the LORD wholeheartedly and help others do the same Lord, wash my feet, Godly relationship enhance spiritual growth (Romans 16), Everyone's choice: sacrilege or coram Deo
43-44) Meanwhile David also marries Ahinoam of Jezreel and Saul regifts Michal to Palti son of Laish, from Gallim.
Psalm 37:1-6) don't worry/envy wrongdoers, trust God and do good, cultivate faithfulness, delight in the LORD, commit your way to HIM - trust in HIM, he will bring forth righteousness/judgment as the light of noonday
7-11) rest in the LORD, wait patiently for Him, stewing over others wicked schemes only leads to evildoing
12-15) wicked plot againt righteous, LORD laughs, He sees, their sword enters their heart
16-20) better little + righteous, than abundance + wicked, LORD sustains, knows = evidence not ashamed in the time of evil
21-22) wicked borrows, doesn't pay back, righteous graciously gives, blessed inherit land, cursed cut off
23-26) STEPS of man established by the LORD, He delights in his way, fails but God has his hand, gracious/lending, descendants are a blessing (footprints in the sand)
27-34) depart from evil and do good, LORD loves justice, righteous speak wisdom/justice, law of God in his heart (Psalm 119:11), his steps don't slip wait for the LORD you will see
35-40) wicked men like big tree gone, man of peace has posterity - salvation of righteous is from the LORD, strength, help, delivers - because they take refuge in HIM.
Application: better to rest in the LORD, trust him as I obey and see his day approaching.

B) David trust LORD, sparing Saul's life a second time
26:1-5) Ziphites tells Saul David hiding, 3,000 searches for him. David, spies where Saul lays
6-12) While Saul and army slept, David and Abishai walk up to Saul and converse about killing him or letting LORD deal with him, steal spear and jug of water.
13-16) David calls the army out for not protecting LORDs annointed
17-20) Saul recognized David's voice, David asks why he pursues him, evil he's done, LORDs will?
21-25) Saul repents, David gives back spear, they make peace blessing eachother
 - 23) The Lord will repay each man for his righteousness and his faithfulness

C) David lives with Philistines under false pretense
27:1-7) David lives with Philistines, Achish at Gath with 600 men and their families, Saul no longer searched for him, 1 year, 4 months in Ziklag, Judah
8-12) David robs and kills Geshurites, Girzites, Amalekites - lies to Achish - says Negev of Judah, Jerahmeelites, Kenites - Achish, believed David is his servant

Read More ->>

Guidance controls the path, giving counseling while guiding

When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.- John 16:13

People have always worked within God's creation to navigate the world. On the fourth day of Creation, God set the stars in the sky with the sun and moon to mark times and seasons. This was done to remind everyone of all times who He is, the seventh day was made holy in the beginning and restated in the Ten Commandments. Since then we've discovered magnetic north and created compasses, created maps and built signs along paths that instruct people in the way they need to go. God's word is a lamp to our feet, lighting the path and his word is the sword of the Spirit, who is our guide.

I like the illustration of the Holy Spirit being our GPS and life being a journey like "Pilgrims Progress" to the Celestial City. When we get off track, that still small voice and the display says, "recalculating" yet all too often we miss the turn the new "fastest route" takes a lot longer.

The Global Positioning System, originally Navstar GPS, is a satellite-based radio navigation system owned by the United States government and operated by the United States Air Force.

• Satellites in orbit: 31
• Total satellites: 33
• Orbital height: 20,180 km (12,540 mi)
• Accuracy: 5 meters
• First launch: February 1978; 40 years ago
• Operator(s): AFSPC

I've been looking at Bible verses about Guidance which is defined as:
1. The act or process of guiding.
2. Advice or counseling on some topic.
3. Any process or system to control the path of a vehicle, missile etc.

Here are the concepts that stuck out to me that really show how hope and faith are required.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart (Proverbs 3:5)
 - My understanding is unstable, acknowledging him - He makes the path straight (Proverbs 3:5,6), how do we acknowledge him?   see Matt 5:3-11.
 - He give counsel seeing everything around us and what's ahead (Psalm 32:8), yet we must ask and seek (Matt 7:7-11), lack wisdom - ask God in faith without doubting (James 1:5-6)
 - He guides INTO all the truth (John 16:13), His word is a lamp to MY feet, light to MY path (Personal best journey possible Psalm 119:105)

Faith comes through hearing the word about Christ (Romans 10)
 - Ears shall hear: This is the way, walk in it (Isaiah 30:21)
 - Whoever has ears that hear, let them hear (Matt 13:16)
 - Desire to know the Way (Psalm 25:4-5, John 14:7,26), Lord establishes my steps (Psalm 37:23-24, Proverbs 16:9), in the worst conditions - continually satisfied desires, like a watered garden (Isaiah 58:11), delight yourself in the Lord, he will grant the desire of your heart (Psalm 37:4)

Faith give us eyes to see
 - Revealed by Father in heaven (Matt 16:17)
 - "Blessed are the eyes that see what you see" Luke 10:23, 24
 - "Blessed are those who have not seen, yet have believed John 20:29
 - Dispersing the Light of the Gospel Corrects Spiritual Blindness

Hope is established in the humble, faithful heart
 - He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way. All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies. (Psalm 25:9-10)
 - To give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. - Luke 1:79
 - And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. Isaiah 11:2
 - Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. John 6:35

Read More ->>

God is the refuge for those who put his word into practice (Psalm 7, Matthew 7)

Psalm 7 is a courageous prayer affirming God is our refuge (1-2), yet offers self-examination - in a sense "if I have done wrong, let my enemy overtake me (3-5), overtake my enemies and vindicate me according to my righteousness and integrity (6-8)"
Verses 9 -11 jumps out at me;

Bring to an end the violence of the wicked

    and make the righteous secure

you, the righteous God

    who probes minds and hearts.

My shield is God Most High,

    who saves the upright in heart.

God is a righteous judge,

    a God who displays his wrath every day.

While God is not showing wrath against the wicked he is preparing to (12-13), therefore those planning evil will bring trouble and ultimate disillusionment (14-16). Thank God for his righteousness, praise the name of the Lord Most High (see also Genesis 14:18; Melchizedek).

Matthew 7, Jesus instructs us about Judging people in love, according to the faith, he teaches the simplicity of prayer and focus (7-14). He teaches about truth and falsehood and how to know the difference (15-29)

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

Read More ->>