Do You Ever Shudder? 

     There are unexpected events that give us a scare. But nothing compares to the fright fallen angels have.  

     About 15 years after the resurrection, James, half-brother of Jesus, wrote to the 12 tribes scattered among the nations (James 1:1): You believe there is one God? Good. Even the demons believe that - and shudder (v. 2:19). 

     These demons know their Creator better than we do, and they know their horrible destiny. As with other books of the Bible, God himself provided James with "wisdom" in heavenly matters. 

     A.W. Tozer, a 20th century pastor, wrote:

     "The self-assurance of modern Christians, the levity in many of our gatherings, the disrespect shown for the Person of God...are evidence of blindness of heart. Many talk about God, and pray to Him sometimes, but evidently do not know who He is. 'The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life,' (Proverbs 14:27) but this healing fear is hardly found among men." 

     Every breath we take is a precious gift of God's grace. God deserves our fear - our never-ending devotion. 

Tomorrow: what about "perfect love casts out fear?"

1 John 4:18

Why Fear God? 

     We should fear God for three reasons: because of who He is, because of what He has done, and because of what He continues to do. 

     1. There is no one like him. His majesty, magnificence and glory should cause us to fear Him. 

     Psalm 89: Who in the heavens can be compared to the Lord? No one. God is to be held in reverence by all.

      2. When the Israelites were liberated from Egypt, they saw the great work the Lord had done; the people feared the Lord and believed the Lord and His servant Moses. Exodus 14:31. 

     Who is like you, O Lord? ...glorious in holiness. Fearful in praises, doing wonders. Exodus 15:11.      

     Most spectacular: Creation itself. By the word of the Lord the heavens were made. Let all the earth fear the Lord. Psalm 33:6-9. 

     We're only grains of sand on the shore of His infinity, fleeting seconds in His eternity. 

     3. He is awesome in His doing toward the sons of men. Psalm 66:5.

     Just one of many "works" - forgiveness - should move us to fear Him. He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness. Joel 2:13. He has every reason to harm us in anger. 

     Forgiveness is a work God is doing now, putting our sins away and remaking us into His own image. 

The above, from our book

We Are Dust 

     Those are not my words. King David wrote this in what later became Psalm 103. 

     Before we continue, in the post (Korean) war 1950s, our algebra teacher, Miss Christy, ruled her classroom. She made girls cry, and guys nervous. She did her job, teaching. But, woe to the student who answered her question in error. We suffered her for two years: algebra 1 and algebra 2. 

     Fear. It worked for her. 

     In Psalm 103, David wrote, For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him.

     We all want God to love us. Which He does. 

      David continues, As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him, for he knows how we are formed; he remembers that we are dust. 

     So, there's a caveat.

     David pours it on, But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord's love is with those who fear him... 

     We can fear many things - tornados, earthquakes, snakes, burglars, heights, cancer, death - but only death is guaranteed. Regardless of the cause, God determines where our souls will spend eternity. 

     About the time we were taking algebra, theological discussion of the fear of God began to decline. Is our world ascending, or descending? 

Continued tomorrow

  

Secret of Living a Good Life

     And more.

     We're beginning a new series Friday evening on Views. Of all we have written over our 11 years here, this must be the most challenging, the most helpful, and the most serious. 

     Moses used this four-letter word. Early kings of Israel were required to live it. It was among King David's last words. And his son Solomon, after a lifetime of experimentation, called this word his "conclusion" about life.

     Living this word leads God to provide: 

provision, protection, purity, prosperity, prolonged days, 

privilege and perpetuity (the state of lasting forever). 

Yes, every promise begins with p.

     What we do with this word is most important in our relationship with God. Understanding protects us from falsehood. It appears in both testaments of the Bible, about 65 times. 

     If you are a Christian, you may wonder why you haven't heard this before. Why isn't it emphasized in most churches as in former days? 

     If you are not a believer, we invite you to read along. This is so instructive your heart and mind just might be curious. 

        Jimmy

 

Four Charges Against Donald Trump

     Here's what we know...........? 

Four Life Lessons

1. I can't convince anyone to receive Jesus. That's God's job. 

    I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom...I resolved to know nothing except Jesus Christ and him crucified...I came to you in weakness and fear...My message was not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom but on God's power. (1 Cor. 2:1-5)

2. Do before you can say. Earn the right to be heard.

     Show respect...

     Meet needs; minister to them; serve.

     I am sending you out like lambs among wolves.......say, "Peace to his house." Tell them, "The kingdom of God is near you." (Luke 10:2, 3, 5, 9)  

3. I don't have to have all the answers.

     All I know is, I was blind, and Jesus gave me sight. (John 9:1-27)

4. Love the Lord (1st commandment)

    Love others (2nd commandment)

         - compassion

         - forgiveness

         - remember where I once was 

Coming soon on Views: an extremely important four-letter word

Things to Do, Not Just Feel  

     Repentance. In the Bible, when tax collectors asked the prophet what to do about money they stole, he simply tells them to stop it. 

     When Jesus healed an invalid by the pool, He said, "Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you."

     When a lawyer tries to get Jesus bogged down in follow-up questions, He answers: "You already know your duty; do it and you will live." 

     The risen Christ, through John the disciple, sent letters to seven churches. In each case He wrote, here is what you are doing right; here is what you are doing wrong and what you must desist...immediately. 

     Maybe we pray that God changes our ways. He must do everything. We do nothing.

     No. He simply commands us to stop sinning. In John chapter 8: 

     Teachers and Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery to Jesus, hoping to trap him, to have a basis for accusing him. "In the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women." Jesus said, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." 

     One by one they began to go away. None condemned her. Jesus told her, "Neither do I condemn you. Go now and leave your life of sin." 

     We are called to "fight the good fight of the faith" (I Timothy 6:12). Paul doesn't mean do battle with our enemies. Instead, we fight off our inclinations to fall into temptation, follow harmful desires, or love money for the sake of riches. 

     We don't just set aside our old nature. We "Put to death what is earthly" (Colossians 3:5). 

     

 Seeking Justice  

 Sharing what we read.

     In the book of Deuteronomy - all God's ways are justice.    

     In Job, that God has established His throne for justice. 

     Jeremiah: He would execute justice and righteousness in the land.

     Isaiah prophesied the Messiah would proclaim justice to the Gentiles and that His very throne would be upheld by justice - forever. 

     The Bible includes the words "just" or "justice" 131 times. Is our system of justice following the heart of God?

A Hymn

I heard the voice of Jesus say,

"I am this dark world's Light;

look unto Me, thy morn shall rise,

and all thy day be bright."

I looked to Jesus, and I found

in Him my Star, my Sun;

and in that Light of life I'll walk,

till trav'ling days are done.

               -Horatius Bonar, 1846