April 13, 2020
 |
| In loving memory of my father Robert Louis (Bob) Padgett July 28, 1931-May 22, 2023 |
In our previous message last Monday I shared my understanding of the significance of the coronavirus pandemic. I specifically stated: (1) This coronavirus came from the Lord Himself, (2) It is the love of God in action to help us Christians at all levels to repent and turn back to Him and His ways; and (3) We must fulfill
2 Chronicles 7:14: If My people which are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and heal their land.
In this message we want to clarify and amplify a few things from that message this past Monday.
Now it is true that whether the coronavirus came from the Lord, from man, or from the devil is relatively minor. But why it came is more important and what we as Christians should do about it is crucial. A number of evangelical pastors have said that nothing "bad" can touch us if we are Christians, except by the permissive will of God. They usually quote Job as the example. I believe that is totally misleading and actually represents a humanistic or me-centered perspective of Christianity, which goes back almost 200 years. First there are literally dozens of scriptures which specifically say that the Lord Himself brings plagues, famines, earthquakes, etc. To the best of my knowledge there is only ONE example in the Bible when the devil had to get permission from God to do "bad" things to one of God's chosen people. Secondly, the LORD Himself said (Job 1:8) that Job was perfect, upright, feared God, eschewed evil (or deliberately abstained from evil), AND that "there is none like him in the earth." Furthermore, Job himself said,
Now it is true that whether the coronavirus came from the Lord, from man, or from the devil is relatively minor. But why it came is more important and what we as Christians should do about it is crucial. A number of evangelical pastors have said that nothing "bad" can touch us if we are Christians, except by the permissive will of God. They usually quote Job as the example. I believe that is totally misleading and actually represents a humanistic or me-centered perspective of Christianity, which goes back almost 200 years. First there are literally dozens of scriptures which specifically say that the Lord Himself brings plagues, famines, earthquakes, etc. To the best of my knowledge there is only ONE example in the Bible when the devil had to get permission from God to do "bad" things to one of God's chosen people. Secondly, the LORD Himself said (Job 1:8) that Job was perfect, upright, feared God, eschewed evil (or deliberately abstained from evil), AND that "there is none like him in the earth." Furthermore, Job himself said,
"Shall we receive good at the hand of God; and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips" (Job 2:10).
In other words there is a CONDITION associated with us Christians before the devil has to get permission from the LORD to do "bad things" to us. If we Christians are perfect, upright, hate evil, fear God, and there is none like us in the earth, then YES, the devil must get permission from the Lord to touch us. AFTER we are born again, everything in our Christian journey on earth is CONDITIONAL, based on our decisions. That is part of the TRUE God-centered Christianity. The fact that the LORD called Job "perfect" means, I believe, that Job was walking in all of the light that he had received up to that point in time. But the LORD had something more important in mind for Job, which we read about in
Job 42:5-6, "I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes."
When, like Isaiah in Isaiah 6, we are allowed to see by revelation the magnitude of the holiness of God, we likewise must repent.
I mentioned Monday that I would give some scriptural support that the evangelical doctrine of "once saved, always saved" is a false doctrine; but as I recall I never got around to that on Monday. So consider these verses, all of which are definitely related to the scriptural fear of God, which is very much related to the coronavirus pandemic over most of the earth and our response to it.
I mentioned Monday that I would give some scriptural support that the evangelical doctrine of "once saved, always saved" is a false doctrine; but as I recall I never got around to that on Monday. So consider these verses, all of which are definitely related to the scriptural fear of God, which is very much related to the coronavirus pandemic over most of the earth and our response to it.
Hebrews 6:4-6
4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put Him to an open shame.
Matthew 5:13,
"Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men."
From Hebrews 6:6 and Matthew 5:13, the word 'IF' clearly implies that it is possible for Christians to fall away from Christ. That is because we still have free will AFTER we are born again. Some more verses ...
Looking diligently lest any man fail of [or fall from] the grace of God.Hebrews 12:15Matthew 24:12-13, "And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall waxcold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved."
Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day [the day of Christ] shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition. 2 Thessalonians 2:3
No one can fall away from something they never had. The false doctrine of "once saved, always saved" also tends to lead us away from the fear of God by giving us a false sense of security. It is true that Jesus said that He would never leave us nor forsake us. But because we have free will, it is still possible that we could leave Him. From Revelation 2:4-5 the Church at Ephesus had left their first love and were in danger of having their candlestick removed unless they repented.
Also last Monday I mentioned somewhat briefly the scriptural fear of God. Today I want to amplify what that means. As an introduction to the fear of God, love is a word that is very commonly talked about in Christian circles. We like to hear and preach about love. Jesus said, in
John 13:34, "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another."
No serious Christian would ever doubt the genuine love of God for us and that we should also love one another as Christ loves us. Indeed, God is love (1 John 4:8 and 4:16). By His nature God loves absolutely and unconditionally. He has revealed the depth of His love by the fact that
"God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16).
Jesus asked forgiveness for His murderers while they were still nailing Him to the Cross. If our goal is to love mankind any less than this, we are liars, have never known Him, and the truth is not in us (1 John 4:20). Again, it is the love of God that sent the coronavirus to help all of us Christians to repent and turn back to Him.
Many years ago a good brother who has ministered for more than 50 years in perhaps every Spanish-speaking country in the world shared something privately with me. He said that from his experience every time a local church started talking a lot about "love," it was a sure sign that church was about to split up.
The apostle John said,
Many years ago a good brother who has ministered for more than 50 years in perhaps every Spanish-speaking country in the world shared something privately with me. He said that from his experience every time a local church started talking a lot about "love," it was a sure sign that church was about to split up.
The apostle John said,
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. 1 John 4:18
However, we need to be careful here. Fear and love, in the above verse, appear to be opposites. But we need to examine ALL of scripture. The Lord ALSO says,
A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is Mine honour? And if I be a master, where is My fear? saith the Lord of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise My name, And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name? Malachi 1:6
So it is today in the church. Some ministers (all genuine Christians are priests and ministers) likewise despise His name. Those ministers may be sincere and well intentioned. But they have allowed the enemy, or their own flesh, to put a veil over the Truth of God. Solomon, in Ecclesiastes 1:9 said, "There is no new thing under the sun." Human nature has never changed. The same off-center doctrines that surfaced in the time of Paul periodically keep resurfacing from time to time. The only thing different is that they pop up periodically in a new dress.
One of the very last words that the Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy (or to us) is recorded in 2 Timothy 3:1-7.
1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent [lacking self-control], fierce, despisers of those that are good,4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
It is an absolute certainty that we are living in the last days. It is also a certainty that perilous times have come with the coronavirus pandemic. One of the 20 characteristics of our day (as listed in those verses) is found in Verse 3 ... despisers of those that are good. Who are "those that are good'? Jesus said, in Matthew 19:17,
"Why callest thou Me good? There is none good but one, that is, God."
Only Christ and those in Christ are good. Again, the phrase "in Christ" means far more than being born again.
The verse in Malachi 1:6 says that the priests no longer had a fear of the Lord. The reason was because they had become apostate ... everything had been reduced to a form, a ritual, a tradition. These two events go together ... apostasy and a lack of a fear of the Lord. Just in case someone should say that verse in Malachi is in the Old Testament and no longer applies to us, consider what Peter said by the Holy Ghost,
Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.1 Peter 2:1718 Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.19 Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in.20 Well; because of unbelief they [the Israelites] were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:21 For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest He also not spare thee.22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, IF thou continue in His goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. Romans 11:18-22
NO ONE is going to mature in Christ without the proper fear of the Lord made real within him. The enemy knows this; therefore the enemy distorts many scriptures to try to dispel the fear of the Lord. We should NOT fear anything or anyone EXCEPT the Lord Himself.
Also consider what 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. Matthew 10:28
Who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell? Only the Lord Himself! MANY verses in the New Testament talk about the fear of the Lord. Here again, we need to be very careful. The fear of the Lord does NOT invoke a picture of someone who has a big stick and is ready to pounce on us if we make a mistake. Moreover, just because something that we call "bad" happens does NOT necessarily mean that we have done something wrong. Losses and sufferings happen to good people. Job is a prime example of that truth. We must always ask the Lord what we need to hear from Him regarding our difficulty. Then, we must journey on in Christ. What God takes away from us is not important; what is important is WHAT WE DO WITH WHAT IS LEFT!
A very familiar verse is:
The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever. Psalm 19:9
This "clean" fear is the awe and reverence which a man senses in the presence of God. It includes a determination in our spirit NOT to grieve the Lord through our thoughts or actions. It is demonstrated by what Paul said in 1 Corinthians 9:16,
"For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!"
Each one of us was created for a specific purpose. Woe unto me if I do not fulfill the purpose for which I was created.
Moreover, when there is no fear of the Lord, the door is opened to all manner of sin, off-center doctrines, and worse. That is what happened to the Church at Corinth. That is what we see TODAY in His church ... sin, off-center doctrines, and worse. Could it be that we have lost the understanding of the fear of the Lord?
The fear of the Lord is closely related to obedience.
Moreover, when there is no fear of the Lord, the door is opened to all manner of sin, off-center doctrines, and worse. That is what happened to the Church at Corinth. That is what we see TODAY in His church ... sin, off-center doctrines, and worse. Could it be that we have lost the understanding of the fear of the Lord?
The fear of the Lord is closely related to obedience.
And he [the angel of the Lord] said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me. Genesis 22:12
Certainly one big aspect of the fear of the Lord is:
The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogance, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate. Proverbs 8:13Let all the earth fear the Lord: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him. Psalm 33:8
So the fear of the Lord means we hate that which the Lord hates, desiring to walk only in His ways, and we stand in awe of the holiness of God. God is love, life, and light. The Light of God represents His holiness, which includes His judgment of sin.
Let not thy heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long. Proverbs 23:17
Hating that which the Lord hates should govern our thoughts, our actions, and our lives. We should hate anything that is not God's truth. The REASON we should hate sin is because the fear of God has gripped our lives. No one readily does what they hate. We will stop sinning when we hate it.
Immorality runs rampant in the world today. People in the world do not have the fear of God within them. Therefore it is now an accepted way of life for a man and a woman to live together and even have children together outside of marriage. Americans today sing "God Bless America" at many events. Can God really bless America when there is so much sin in this country?
The November, 2001, issue of Maoz Israel, a magazine published by Messianic Jews, states:
Is America aware that one of the things that gives fuel to extremist fanatical Islamic sects is the loose sexual and materialistic lifestyle of the American people as exported by movies, videos, TV, music, magazines and books? And now Internet! America has introduced the world to hi-tech sin. Many Muslim regimes do not allow Western television in their country. They explain that they do not want their people exposed to the West's degrading morality.
Unfortunately this same immorality has invaded even charismatic circles. I remember a young woman and a young man kissing and almost fondling each other during a formal house church meeting many years ago. Christians also need to be very careful of how they dress. Some young Christian women dress very provocatively. The fear of the Lord is the answer to all problems with respect to the opposite sex.
11 Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the Lord.12 What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good?13 Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.14 Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace and pursue it. Psalm 34:11-14
When the fear of God grips us, we will be supernaturally natural, godly, and walk in holiness.
3 Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;4 If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God. Proverbs 2:3-5
The Lord promises a multitude of blessings if we walk in the fear of the Lord. The following are only a few of those blessings. There are MANY more!
1. Salvation
Surely His salvation is nigh them that fear Him; that glory may dwell in our land. Psalm 85:9
2. Mercy
For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward them who fear Him. Psalm 103:11
3. Companionship of God
I am a companion of all them that fear Thee, and of them that keep Thy precepts. Psalm 119:63
4. Prolonged days
The fear of the Lord prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened. Proverbs 10:27
5. Provision for all our needs
O fear the Lord, ye His saints: for there is no want to them that fear Him.Psalm 34:9
6. Guidance
Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord; that walketh in His ways.Psalm 128:1
That verse clearly shows a relationship between fearing the Lord and understanding His ways, for until we understand His ways we cannot walk in His ways.
7. Protection
The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear Him, and delivereth them. Psalm 34:7
8. Revelation
The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him; and He will shew them His covenant. Psalm 25:14
9. Riches, honor, and life
By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches, and honour, and life.Proverbs 22:4
10. Blessed
Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, that delighteth greatly in His commandments. Psalm 112:1
11. Fulfilled desires
He will fulfill the desire of them that fear Him: He will also hear their cry, and will save them. Psalm 145:19
12. Acceptable to God
But in every nation he that feareth Him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with Him. Acts 10:35
13. God takes pleasure in us
The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear Him, in those that trust in His mercy. Psalm 147:11
14. Know the goodness of God
Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee. Psalm 31:19
15. Taught of the Lord
What man is he that feareth the Lord? Him shall He teach in the way that He shall choose. Psalm 25:12
16. Healing
But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in His wings. Malachi 4:2
There is a need for healing in the body of Christ. That verse gives the prerequisite for healing ... the fear of the Lord. May His Son arise upon us!
17. Place of refuge
In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence: and His children shall have a place of refuge. Proverbs 14:25
18. A fountain of life
The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.Proverbs 14:26
19. Wisdom
The fear of the Lord is also intimately related to wisdom. How the body of Christ today needs the wisdom of God!
And unto man He said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding. Job 28:28
Let us consider Solomon, whose heart was so "right" when he first became king. The Lord appeared unto Solomon in a dream and said, "Ask, what I shall give thee" (1 Kings 3:5). Solomon's response was:
9 Give therefore Thy servant an understanding heart to judge Thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this Thy so great a people?10 And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.11 And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment;12 Behold I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.13 And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honour: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days.14 And if thou wilt walk in My ways, to keep My statutes and My commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days. 1 Kings 3:9-14
Note that a wise and understanding heart is intimately related to the ability to discern between good and bad or to discern righteous judgment.
20. Discernment and salvation
16 Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for them that thought upon His name.17 And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.18 Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth Him not.Malachi 3:16-18
Those last verses, concerning discernment and salvation, are what our fellowship in the 1970's used to read together every Sunday night, as a group. When we walk in the fear of the Lord, when the fear of the Lord is real in our hearts, Malachi 3:16 says that the Lord hearkens and hears us. The Lord hearkens to us! Note also that they who fear the Lord speak OFTEN one to another. This is not talking about a formal meeting. This is talking about lifting up the Lord in our conversations within day-to-day activities.
There is a clear relationship between the fear of the Lord and discernment, as stated in Malachi 3:18. Discernment is sadly lacking in the body of Christ today. All you have to do to prove that is look around at all of the tens of thousands of charismatic believers who have been pulled into one off-center doctrine after another. Many genuine believers have been sorely wounded because of their participation in so many off-center doctrines and "movements."
We CANNOT progress in Christ unless the fear of the Lord is real within our hearts.
Lord, open our eyes, our hearts, and our understanding that we might fear You! that we might discern between the righteous and the wicked, and between him that serveth God and him that serveth Him not. Lord, we stand in your presence with awe and reverence.
There is a clear relationship between the fear of the Lord and discernment, as stated in Malachi 3:18. Discernment is sadly lacking in the body of Christ today. All you have to do to prove that is look around at all of the tens of thousands of charismatic believers who have been pulled into one off-center doctrine after another. Many genuine believers have been sorely wounded because of their participation in so many off-center doctrines and "movements."
We CANNOT progress in Christ unless the fear of the Lord is real within our hearts.
Lord, open our eyes, our hearts, and our understanding that we might fear You! that we might discern between the righteous and the wicked, and between him that serveth God and him that serveth Him not. Lord, we stand in your presence with awe and reverence.
4 For every house is builded by some man; but He that built all things is God.5 And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after;6 But Christ as a son over His own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end7 Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear His voice,8 Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness:9 When your fathers tempted Me, proved Me, and saw My works forty years.10 Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known My ways.11 So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into My rest.)12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called to day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;15 While it is said, To day if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation. Hebrews 3:4-15
The prophets warn us that when we see God shaking the nations, and perilous times befall us, our natural man will fear greatly. The Lord said to Ezekiel,
"Can thine heart endure, or can thine hands be strong, in the days that I shall deal with thee? I the LORD have spoken it, and will do it." Ezekiel 22:14.
When God warned Noah of His coming judgments and told him to build an ark, Noah was "moved with fear" (Hebrews 11:7). Even bold, courageous David said,
"My flesh trembleth for fear of thee; and I am afraid of thy judgments"
(Psalm 119:120).
And when the prophet Habakkuk saw disastrous days ahead, he cried out,
"When I heard, my belly trembled; my lips quivered at the voice: rottenness entered into my bones, and I trembled in myself, that I might rest in the day of trouble" (Habakkuk 3:16).
Please note that the fear that came upon these godly men wasn't a fleshly fear, but a reverential awe of the Lord. Those saints were not afraid of the enemy of their souls but they did fear God's righteous judgments. And that's because they understood the awesome power behind the approaching calamities. They didn't fear the outcome of the storm, but rather God's holiness!
Likewise, each of us may experience overwhelming fear in the coming times of destruction and disaster. But our fear must come from a holy reverence for the Lord, and never from a fleshly anxiety about our fate. God despises all sinful fear in us, the fear of losing material things, wealth, or our standard of living.
All over the world, people are filled with this kind of fear, as they see their nations' economies deteriorating. They're afraid an economic flood will sweep away everything they've labored for throughout their lifetime. Such is the cry of unbelievers who have no hope. It ought not to be the cry of the godly. Indeed, if we are a child of God, our heavenly Father will not endure such unbelief in us. Isaiah warned:
"Who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass; and forgettest the Lord thy maker- and hast feared continually every day because of the fury of the oppressor"
(Isaiah 51:12-13).Sanctify the Lord of hosts Himself; and let Him be your fear, and let Him be your dread [awe]" (Isaiah 8:13).
Let God be our fear and awe. That kind of fear leads not to death, but to life!
In perilous times like these, is the church powerless to do anything? Are we to sit and wait for Christ to return? Or, are we called to take drastic action of some kind? When all around us the world is trembling, with men's hearts failing them for fear, what are we called to do?
The prophet Joel saw the day approaching us, one of "thick darkness and gloom." According to Joel, the day of darkness that is approaching would be one such as never seen in history. The prophet cried,
"Alas for the day! For the day of the Lord is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come" (Joel 1:15).
What was Joel's counsel to us in that dark hour? He brought this word:
"Therefore, saith the Lord, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping and with mourning: and rend your heart and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth Him of the evil. Who knoweth if He will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind Him" (Joel 2:12-14).
What was the blessing that Joel referred to? more money? more prosperity? release from all suffering? Never! The blessing that Joel prophesied about is those priests, the ministers of the Lord, that God is preparing to unveil ... those overcomers who have become a meal offering and a drink offering (Joel 1:9) ... the manifestation of the sons of God who will one day soon walk the face of the earth in the same manner that Jesus walked the face of the earth and who will manifest the same results. I believe that is what Jesus meant when He said, in John 14:12,
"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto My Father."
As gross darkness falls over the world, God appeals to His people. A number of years ago a solid man of God on the west coast said he was gripped by the words "even now." He spoke this word of prophecy:
"Even now, at the hour of My vengeance, when you have pushed Me out of your society, when mercy seems impossible, when humankind has mocked My warnings, when fear and gloom are covering the land, even now, I urge you to come back to Me. I am slow to anger, and I have been known to hold back My judgments for a season, as I did for Josiah. My people can pray and petition for My mercy."
Do you see God's message to us in this? If we are rightly related to the Lord, we can plead in prayer and He will hear us. We can make requests of Him and know He will answer the sincere, effectual, fervent prayers of His saints. James 5:16 says
"The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much."
The phrase "effectual fervent" is one word in the Greek, energeo, from which we get our English word energy or energize. It means to be operative, be at work, or to put forth power. In other words, it is the power of the Holy Ghost. It is the Spirit of God within a righteous man that prays intensely.
Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. Ecclesiastes 12:13
Let us go on. We CANNOT go on unless the fear of the Lord is real within our hearts.
Lord, open our eyes, our hearts, and our understanding that we might fear You! that we might discern between the righteous and the wicked, and between him that serveth God and him that serveth Him not. Lord, we stand in Your presence with awe and reverence and with holy fear. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment