The Awe of God-Part One

The next few weeks we will be doing podcasts and blog articles on the Awe of God-Holy Fear. They will be based upon concepts found in the book “Awe of God” by John Bevere and in Scripture.

What if we treasured and delighted in the awe, godly fear of God?

Treasure

Isaiah 33:5-6 (NKJV)⁵ The Lord is exalted, for He dwells on high;
He has filled Zion with justice and righteousness.
⁶ And He will be the ^[c]stability of your times,
A wealth of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge;
The fear of the Lord is his treasure.

Jesus’s Delight

(Prophecy about Jesus)
Isaiah 11:3 (NASB)
And He will delight in the fear of the Lord,
And He will not judge by what His eyes see,
Nor make a decision by what His ears hear;

Solomon did not treasure or delight in the fear of the Lord. Look what happen to Him, let’s be different. Solomon did come to His senses:

Ecclesiastes 12:13 (NASB)
The conclusion, when everything has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person.

Awe of God

Awe
a. an emotion variously combining dread, veneration, and wonder that is inspired by overwhelming greatness (as in beauty, power, or size)

b. profound respect

c. worship, revere

d. dread, terror

Knowing the definitions of the word awe, do you believe our American culture, the American Church, has an awe of God? Or to a large extent is God looked at lightly?

Fear of God

a. an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain, or a threat:

b. the likelihood of something unwelcome happening

c. mixed feeling of dread and reverence

d. profound reverence and awe especially toward God

Knowing the definitions of the word fear, do you believe our American culture, the American Church, has a holy fear of God? Or to a large extent is God looked at lightly?

Awe of God and the Holy Fear of God or Legalism?

The truth is overall the America, the American Church, has abandoned the concepts of an Awe of God and a Holy Fear of God. The truth is overall much of what churches called an awe of God and a holy fear of God was more about legalism than a biblical concept of having an awe of God and a holy fear of God.

It was more about outward appearance than the condition of the heart. A person could have a wretched heart, no relationship with Christ but jump through the hoops to appear holy, a form of godliness.

2 Timothy 3:5 (CEB)
They will look like they are religious but deny God’s power. Avoid people like this.

Abandonment of an Awe of God and Holy Fear of God.

Our culture, and sadly the Church overall, has swung the pendulum from right living and legalism to abandoning an Awe of God, abandoning a Holy Fear of God, TO a total disrespect for the Sovereign Lord, living a lifestyle as if there is no God, thus nothing to fear. 2 Timothy 3:1-4 (NASB) is being fulfilled before our eyes.

2 Timothy 3:1-4 (NASB)
But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. ² For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, ³ unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal,haters of good, ⁴ treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 

Church Scandals

Think of allthe American Church scandals back in the Jim Bakker/PTL Club, Jimmy Swaggert times to the last few years. If there is no Awe of God, no Fear of God you will see the behavior described in 2 Timothy 3:1-4. It will be common place, not just in our culture, but among Christian leaders, also among the body of Christ. There will be Christians controlled more by sin than by the Holy Spirit. There will be no victory over sin.

No Awe, No Fear, No Benefits Received

There are multitudes of benefits that come to the Follower of Christ that has a sincere Awe of God and a Holy Fear of God. In the Bible you can find over 20 benefits/promises. Later we will explore all of these benefits, but here are two:
Favor of God
Ecclesiastes 12:13 (NASB)
The conclusion, when everything has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person.

If God’s ultimate will is to fear Him, and keep His commandments, and we do this to the best of our ability by His grace, we will see the favor of God in our lives because we are in His will.

Direction
Psalm 25:12
Who is the person who fears the Lord?
He will instruct him in the way he should choose.

Are you confused about God’s will or your life? Are you confused of what to do in certain situations? Do you need direction? Have a Holy Fear of the Lord and He will guide and direction.

The Awe of God Podcasts
Thoughts on The Awe of God by John Bevere Podcast
Awe of God-Part One Podcast

Awe of God Blog Articles
Thoughts on the Awe of God by John Bevere
Awe of God-Part One

The Awe of God Audiobook
The Awe of God Kindle
The Awe of Good Book

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