The Fear of the Lord is not a crippling fear, but an empowering fear.

The Awe of God. 1 Samuel 6:19-20.

Israel disobeyed God by bringing the Ark of the Covenant to the battlefield. Israel lost the battle to the Philistines, and they lost the Ark of the Covenant too. The idol-worshipping enemies of God then brought the Ark to their own temple. The next morning their idol, Dagon, had fallen down. They stood him up.Continue reading “The Awe of God. 1 Samuel 6:19-20.”

The Fear of the Lord. 2 Chronicles 28:15.

Image: the famous “Earthrise” photo captured by the crew of Apollo 8 on Christmas Eve, 1968. Part One: a Challenge to Put Some Effort into Your Bible Reading. Most of us believe we ought to read the Bible. Many of us start. But finishing is a real challenge and a significant accomplishment. The Good Book,Continue reading “The Fear of the Lord. 2 Chronicles 28:15.”

“In Spirit and in Truth”–Worship With Enthusiasm and the Fear of the Lord. 1 Chronicles 13:7-12.

The Ark of the Covenant was the most sacred object of the Hebrew faith. It was a national treasure to be kept in the tabernacle or the temple. But when David became king, the ark had been sitting in the home of Abinadab for twenty years (and God had blessed Abinadab greatly as a result).Continue reading ““In Spirit and in Truth”–Worship With Enthusiasm and the Fear of the Lord. 1 Chronicles 13:7-12.”

IS FEAR A SIN? Numbers 14:2,4; 7,9.

Does fear make you guilty? Can fear be a sin? If so, is fear a sin—a) always, b) sometimes, or c) never? When God sent ten miracles and delivered the Israelites from slavery in Egypt to freedom in the wilderness, the former slaves kept wanting to go back to Egypt. Their ingratitude and lack ofContinue reading “IS FEAR A SIN? Numbers 14:2,4; 7,9.”

A Gift from the Ancient of Days. Revelation 6-7.

God often allows things we do not understand: poverty, illnesses, suffering, death. He welcomes your questions. Questions are allowed. But we are not called to ask questions. We are called to worship God, to fall on our faces in awe and reverence and fear. And such fear is not crippling, it is empowering. The FearContinue reading “A Gift from the Ancient of Days. Revelation 6-7.”