Three Fear-Exterminating Promises to Meditate On

by Kyle Green

Did you know that termites cause billions of dollars worth of property damage each year? I’ll never forget what a colony of those silent destroyers did to a corner of my childhood home. As it turns out, my favorite room of the house was also the favorite room of a wood-munching army. Thankfully, I knew someone I could rely on to exterminate our unwelcome guests.

Fear is a lot like these termites. Without invitation it can creep in and do severe damage to our spiritual condition. The tribulation and circumstances around us can be intimidating, especially when they are beyond our control. Fear can be paralyzing, especially if we don’t know who to call on for deliverance and provision of hope. These words from Proverbs 13:12 ring loud and true: “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life.”

The Bible clearly teaches us who we can rely on to exterminate sinful fear. God’s Word gives us three promises to exterminate fear in Psalm 46:1-3.

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah”‬

Fear-Exterminating Promise #1: God Is Our Refuge

The promise to believe here is you have supernatural protection; this is divine defense.

In the Old Testament a city of refuge was a safe place for a person who accidentally killed someone to flee to. The city provided asylum to the fugitive by sheltering and protecting them until a trial could be held to determine their guilt or innocence. If, in the judgment of the city elders, the death had occurred accidentally and without intent, the person was allowed to stay there without fear of harm or revenge by the dead person’s relatives (Joshua 20:2-6).

The innocent one who fled to such a city would be well defended by man. In contrast, O Christian, you are supernaturally defended by God himself. Wow! The immovable, invisible God is our Refuge!

This is good news for those who are in Christ. No matter how intense the turbulence gets in our lives, our divine shelter will stand firm. A billion launched nuclear missiles are like peanuts up against our Refuge. The Fortress of Jesus Christ, where God’s children have permanent asylum, cannot be collapsed! Therefore, there is always hope for you!

Fear Exterminating Promise #2: God Is Our Strength

The promise to believe here is your Protector has supernatural power; this is divine offense.

King David’s faith-filled declaration that “God is our strength” is an affirmation that those belonging to him have the benefit of having God’s unmatched fire-power with them. King David was a mere man, but with God behind him he was like an Israeli wrecking ball at war; he won military battle after battle after battle (1 Chronicles 18:1-13). To defend his sheep he even killed bears and lions, with his hands! Not to mention, he is the man responsible for slaying the Philistine giant Goliath (1 Samuel 17). I think King David knows what he is talking about.

Think about how large and powerful the seas of our world are. As intimidating as it can be when the earth’s waters “roar and foam,” they are no match for the God who is our strength.

Compared to God, the mighty forces of earth are like teething infants. For example:

1. When the Israelites were trapped between the Red Sea and Pharaoh’s army God parted the waters and saved them easier than you can blink an eye (Exodus 14:21-31, Jude 1:5).

2. By God’s Almighty hand, the sea “ceased from its raging” after fear-stricken sailors hurled Jonah overboard (Jonah 1:4, 15).

3. While Christ and his disciples were on the Sea of Galilea a great windstorm arose. Then Jesus arose from his power nap and showed his power! Mark 4:39 says, “And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, ‘Peace! Be still!’ And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.”

It’s comforting to remember that the very things we often find ourselves fearing actually have reason to fear our God; they are no match for his omnipotence. Therefore, when we believe and fill our hearts with the promise that “God is our strength,” fear has no room to remain.

What are you afraid of? Everything we fear is cub-sized compared to our Strength, Jesus, the Lion of Judah.

Fear Exterminating Promise #3: God Is A Very Present Help in Trouble

The promise to believe here is our Omnipotent Protector is always with us in times of trouble; this is divine presence.

It would matter little if we had a supernatural protector with unlimited power, if he had a tendency to flee when danger arose. We have the guarantee that he is not only present in our midst, but able and willing to help in times of trouble. This is good news because it highlights God’s unwavering commitment to those He loves (Psalm 117). Look what our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ said about himself:

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.” —John 10:11‭-‬15 ESV

Fill in the what’s missing here from Psalm 23:4: “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, _________________________; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”

Believe the Good News

Jesus Christ has already defeated the most feared of foes! God himself declared the gospel first saying, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel” (Genesis 3:15). The excruciating death of our Lord Jesus Christ on the cross was skull obliterating for Satan. He is a defeated foe! Then, God more than aced the stress test of his power when he performed Jesus Christ’s death-defeating resurrection.

If Jesus has already defeated our greatest enemies, surely He has enough power to deliver us from all the remaining, present, lesser foes. Not only that, the Lord Jesus Christ is soon to return and will permanently exterminate sin and evil. Until then, believe and rely on this:

Jesus Christ is our refuge and strength. Through the Holy Spirit he is a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah‬

Posted at: https://unlockingthebible.org/2020/04/three-fear-exterminating-promises/

Resources for Anxiety, Fear, and Worry

by Paul Tautges

Since requests for resource recommendations are received regularly, these Resource Lists will hopefully make it easier for you to find what you are looking for. If you are aware of additional resources that would be helpful in the ministry of counseling one another in the truth of God’s Word, please do not hesitate to recommend them.

BOOKS/MINI-BOOKS

• Anger, Anxiety, and Fear (Stuart Scott)

• Anxiety: Anatomy and Cure (Bob Kellemen)

• Anxious for Nothing (John MacArthur)

• ANXIETY: Knowing God’s Peace 31-day devotional (Paul Tautges)

• Breaking the Worry Habit (Elizabeth George)

• Courage: Fighting Fear with Fear (Wayne & Joshua Mack)

• Fear: Breaking Its Grip (Lou Priolo)

• HELP! I Can’t Handle All These Trials (Joel James)

• HELP! I Get Panic Attacks (Lucy Ann Moll)

• HELP! I Want to Change (Jim Newheiser)

• HELP! I’m Anxious (Philip De Courcy)

• Overcoming Fear, Worry, and Anxiety (Elyse Fitzpatrick)

• Running Scared (Ed Welch)

• Social Anxiety (Amy Baker)

• Stress (David Powlison)

• Trust: The Godly Woman’s Adornment (Lydia Brownback)

• What to Do When Worry Overcomes You (Jay Adams)

• Worry (David Powlison)

• Why Worry? (Robert Jones)

AUDIO

• A Divine Remedy for Anxiety (Paul Tautges)

• Anxiety Attacked CD (Philip De Courcy)

• Far End of Fear audio workshop (Elyse Fitzpatrick)

• IBCD Podcast: Hope + Help for Anxious Hearts

Posted at: https://counselingoneanother.com/2020/03/27/resources-anxiety-fear-panic/

When You Fear Not Being in Control

BY KRISTEN WETHERELL

Households across the world are aglow from screens delivering coronavirus updates. They’re also replete with fear. 

Leslie worries about her aging husband, whose health has been in slow decline since he turned 65. Tom knows he has no control over his pregnant wife’s health (or their baby’s) and goes to sleep nervous every night. Jessica is scared about her kids’ safety when they have to run to the grocery store, and Ron fears contracting the disease when he goes to work at the nursing home. Brittany can’t seem to control her anxiety over the virus, but it comes on full force at random moments, and she fears the next unexpected attack.

Then there are fears surrounding policies and quarantines, as people anxiously await the choices their leaders will make, choices that are out of their hands. And there’s the fear of tragedy, the worst-case scenario coming to pass, as sudden harm visits our family members—even us.

As finite creatures living in a world affected by sin, we fear anything out of our control.

Why We Fear Being Out of Control

To get to the root of this universal fear, we must start at the beginning. In the garden, sin corrupted our fear of the Lord, turning awe of God into terror before him; worship of God into idolatry of created things; and reverence into rebellion against him. Now, our human predicament is dire: We’ve rebelled against the only One who’s in control, crowned ourselves as little sovereigns, and discovered we’re terribly inadequate for the task. 

As finite creatures living in a world affected by sin, we fear anything out of our control.

We fear what we can’t control because we’ve tried to control it, but can’t because we aren’t God.

In the Old Testament, we read of the Israelites repeatedly falling prey to this uneasy attempt at self-sovereignty as they take refuge from their enemies in other nations and in idols. In Isaiah 46, Israel has been exiled to Babylon, and God rebukes the Israelites for their worship of false deities: 

To whom will you liken me and make me equal,

and compare me, that we may be alike?

Those who lavish gold from the purse,

and weigh out silver in the scales,

hire a goldsmith, and he makes it into a god;

then they fall down and worship! . . . 

If one cries to it, it does not answer

or save him from his trouble. (Isa. 46:5–7, italics added)

God describes Babylon’s idols as dead and worthless substitutes for him, mere inanimate objects that are unable to save the Israelites. We may think, Who in their right mind would think a statue could help them? But we’re more like Babylon than we’d like to admit.

We may not craft gold and silver into gods, but we do try to control our money for stability and power. We tremble in fear when the stock market crashes.

We may not fall down and worship statues, but we do worship ourselves and other people, as preserving our health—even our very lives—becomes an ultimate pursuit.

We reason that we would never cry out to an immovable object to save us from our troubles––but then we look to medicine, doctors, news media, political leaders, right habits, and anything else we think will give us some semblance of reassurance, of peace––of salvation from our circumstances.

Trying to take control of what can’t be ultimately controlled, we set ourselves up for fearfulness in times of inevitable trouble.

But in making idols of these things, and trying to take control of what can’t be ultimately controlled, we set ourselves up for fearfulness in times of inevitable trouble.

What Sovereignty Means for Fear

We see God’s remedy for fearful and rebellious self-sovereigns in what he says next:

I am God, and there is no other;

I am God, and there is none like me,

declaring the end from the beginning

and from ancient times things not yet done,

saying, “My counsel shall stand,

and I will accomplish all my purpose.” (Isa. 46:9–10, italics added)

Throughout the book of Isaiah, God’s boundless wisdom and endless power are displayed, as he unveils to his people his sovereign plan to save them, both historically from Babylonian captivity and also eternally from the captivity of sin. He announces the coming of a Savior, One who would give up his heavenly crown to wear a crown of thorns, fulfilling God’s sovereign plan of salvation for his people (Isa. 53:10; Acts 2:23).

Since Jesus is Lord, we don’t have to be. Because Christ is on his throne, ruling all things with perfect wisdom and power, we are freed from the crushing pressure and fearfulness of trying to rule ourselves, other people, and the circumstances that expose how out of control we are: our health and safety, the welfare of family and friends, the salvation of loved ones, the future, money and possessions, political powers, and nature. Even the mysteries of evil and suffering submit to the lordship of Christ and are no mystery to him.  

When we feel out of control, we choose to rest in his perfect control.

Ultimately our sovereign God calls us to trust him. Trusting him means we walk by faith, not by sight. It means we seek him for wisdom to steward the resources and responsibilities he has given us. It means we believe his sovereign wisdom is right and best, even when we can’t make sense of it. It means that when we feel out of control, we choose to rest in his perfect control: 

Clap your hands, all peoples!

Shout to God with loud songs of joy!

For the LORD, the Most High, is to be feared,

a great king over all the earth. (Ps. 47:1–2, italics added)

Editors’ note: 

This article is adapted from Fight Your Fears: Trusting God’s Character and Promises When You Are Afraid by Kristen Wetherell (Bethany House, 2020).

Kristen Wetherell is a wife, mother, and writer. She is the author of Fight Your Fears and co-author of the award-winning book Hope When It Hurts. She writes regularly for digital publications and enjoys teaching the Bible to women at conferences and retreats. Read Kristen’s writing on her website and connect with her on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Posted at: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/fear-not-being-control/

CHRISTIANS LIVE TO PLEASE GOD ALONE

by Katie Faris 

Do you ever read a verse in the Bible and associate it with a particular time in your life? I read certain verses, and I immediately picture myself among a circle of teenagers memorizing Scripture for Sunday school under the encouragement of godly teachers. Or I remember a crisis with my children and how God used a Bible passage to illuminate truth and provide comfort in a specific and personal way. God used a friend and Galatians 1:10 to unpack a spiritual principle for me in my teen years that has been so helpful.

We were walking uphill as my friend recited, “For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ” (Gal 1:10). My friend struggled with an eating disorder, and one of her high school sports coaches recognized its impacts on her health. He happened to be a Christian, and in a compassionate way, he sought not only to care for her physical health, but he also brought this verse to speak to her heart. It was in this season of struggle that God placed her on a path of both physical and spiritual healing.

My friend’s coach helped diagnose the root issue of her battle as a heart tendency that is common to many of us. My friend cared about the “approval of man.” She cared so much about what others thought about her—or she perceived them as thinking—, that it impacted how she treated her own body.

God used this friend’s story to help me see what the ESV Study Bible note says about this verse: “Paul poses two absolutely incompatible goals: pleasing man, or pleasing God. There is no possibility of combining the two.”[1] The very act of conversion opposes “pleasing man.” When we become servants of Christ, it’s impossible to please man any longer. If our goal is to please man, we would never become Christians in the first place.

Jesus said something similar, “You cannot serve God and money.”[2] It’s impossible to serve two masters. “Either [you] will hate the one and love the other, or [you] will be devoted to the one and despise the other” (Matt. 6:24). It’s never “serve God plus something else.”

Perhaps this is the first time you’ve considered this, and you’re not sure whether or not man-pleasing is a struggle for you. Then ask yourself the same question that Paul asks, “Or am I trying to please man?” Maybe some of these questions will help you:

• Do you get upset because you feel like your spouse doesn’t appreciate you?

• Are you concerned what other people will think if your child misbehaves in public?

• Are you worried about your performance and what it reflects about you?

• How do you handle negative criticism?

Our answers to these questions may reveal whether or not we’re man-pleasers. Paul’s words about work in Colossians are especially helpful in diagnosing this issue. He tells slaves—think labor force, in our day—not to work by “…way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ” (Col 3:22b-24).

Christians live to serve Jesus. With sincere hearts, they fear the Lord. Regardless of their occupation, if they work to him, he will reward them.

The phrase “fear the Lord” reminds me of something my husband Scott used to tell our sons when they were younger. Before bed, he would say, “Fear God, not man.” We do well to speak these words to our own hearts: “Fear God, not man.”

Proverbs tell us that “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight” (Prov 9:10). If we begin with God’s holiness, majesty, and power, then other things—and people—in our lives take their proper place. If we truly fear the Lord, the thoughts and opinions of others won’t matter nearly as much as what God thinks of us and our actions. If we live to please God, we no longer primarily live to please other people.

So my question is, why do we still try to please both God and man? What’s functioning inside of us when this happens? Hopefully drawing attention to it will help us recognize this temptation when it comes and better equip us to resist it.

The story of Israel throughout the Old Testament tells of a people who were called, chosen, and redeemed by God. Nevertheless, they repeatedly wandered from him and exchanged worship of the true God for the worship of idols.

Our hearts are also prone to wander and quick to worship idols, including the idol of approval. When we care more about pleasing others than we do about pleasing God, we’re actually worshiping a false god; in the context of the book of Galatians, a false gospel is at work.

The enemy of our souls knows our tendency to worship what is false, and more than once, Paul tells us to be aware of our enemy’s tactics:

• “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith…” (1 Pet 5:8-9a).

• Again, “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil” (Eph 6:11).

When we recognize and acknowledge that living for the approval of others is actually a form of sin, we’re better equipped to resist it with biblical truth. The truth about living to please others is that we’ll always fall short. We’ll eventually fail. We’ll never be good enough. Living this way is unsatisfying and leaves us always questioning ourselves and concerned about what others think. It’s elusive, a chasing after the wind.

On the other hand, if we as believers embrace the fact that we’ll never fundamentally be able to please others, it frees us to live completely for Jesus. As Paul says later in Galatians, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Gal 2:20).

There’s good news when we’re tempted to live for man’s approval. Here, too, the gospel meets our everyday lives. Yes, all sin is serious, but God’s grace is always greater. In a different letter, Paul reminds us that:

“No temptation has seized [us] that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry” (1 Cor. 10:13-14).

God is faithful to provide a way of escape. We flee the idol of man-pleasing by turning our eyes and gazing on Christ. Our beautiful Savior gave his life on the cross to rescue and redeem us from all of our sins. He is patient with us, and his kindness leads us to repentance.[3] When we confess our people-pleasing tendencies to him, he is faithful to forgive and cleanse us.[4]

We need to stop pretending that we can live for the approval of both God and man. If we think we can please both, we’re deceived. It’s Christ and Christ alone.

[1] ESV Study Bible, p. 2246

[2] Matt. 6:24

[3] Rom 2:4

[4] 1 Jn 1:9

Knowing God Through His Name

Meredith Hodge

God, Father, Lord—These names typify our communication with and about him. We know His name is to be honored, not said in vain (Exodus 20:7). It is to be “hallowed,” revered in our prayers (Matthew 6:9). Yet, God’s name signifies so much more.

God invites us through Scripture to see how His name declares who He is. And as we faithfully ponder His majestic, holy, and awesome name (Psalm 8:1; 111:9), we see how He not only reveals His character, but also His promises to us. Here are four names that embody the Lord’s attributes and assurances:

1.) He is Jehovah-Raah: The LORD My Shepherd

God’s Word illustrates the desperate need of sheep for a shepherd. Because sheep are prone to stray and become lost, they will fall into destruction without a tending shepherd. It’s no surprise that the Bible compares humanity to sheep:

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way. (Isaiah 53:6)

Thankfully, we have Jehovah-Raah, “who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture” (Psalm 100:3). The Lord our Shepherd cares for, guides, protects, and leads His wandering sheep.

Isaiah says of Him:

He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young. (40:11)

Jesus is our Good Shepherd—he knows His sheep, and we know Him (John 10:1-16). He has compassion on us in our propensity to wander and in our helplessness (Matthew 9:36). Our Shepherd willingly laid down His life for His sheep (John 10:11), carrying our iniquities to reconcile us to a holy God (Isaiah 53:6).

He now awaits us in the middle of heaven’s throne, where He will guide us to streams of living water (Revelation 7:17) and give us the unfading crown of glory (1 Peter 5:8).

Therefore, like King David, we echo in praise: “The LORD is my Shepherd. I shall not want” (Psalm 23:1).

2.) He is Jehovah-Jireh: The LORD Will Provide

Abraham saw God’s gracious provision in sparing Isaac’s life with a sacrificial ram, naming the location, “The Lord Will Provide” (Genesis 22:14). Notice, Jehovah-Jireh does not mean, “The Lord did provide,” but rather, “The Lord will provide.” Abraham was not looking solely to past and present provisions; he was anticipating a future action from his Almighty Provider—and we can too.

Jehovah-Jireh provides earthly life and breath (Genesis 2:7) and eternal life (Romans 6:23). He gives abounding grace (2 Corinthians 9:8); the ability to escape temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13); heavenly rewards (Matthew 6:1-4); good and perfect gifts (James 1:17); and every need according to the riches of His glory in Christ (Philippians 4:19).

God’s ultimate provision points to Calvary, where He provided Jesus to pay the penalty of mankind’s sin, giving salvation by death on a cross (John 3:16; Romans 8:32). Yet, Jehovah-Jireh did not stop there: As Jesus ascended to the right hand of the Father, so did He provide His Holy Spirit to dwell in the hearts of His people (John 16:7). 

3.) He is Jehovah-Shalom: The LORD Is Peace

Jehovah-Shalom occurs once in Scripture in Judges 6, where Gideon realized that he saw an angel of the Lord. Gideon was fearful, but God responded to him assuredly: “Peace! Do not be afraid. You are not going to die” (Judges 6:23). Responding in praise, Gideon built an altar to the Lord, calling it “The Lord Is Peace” (6:24).

With “peace,” the word “shalom” also means “to be complete or sound” and “absence from strife.” Therefore, Shalom, according to the Bible is: found in Him (John 16:33); a blessing reserved for His people (Psalm 29:11); promised to His faithful servants (Psalm 85:8); for those who love His law (Psalm 119:165); for those who trust (Isaiah 26:3); a secured covenant (Isaiah 54:10); a spiritual gift (Romans 8:6); an effect of righteousness (Isaiah 32:17); and a result of a mind set on the Spirit (Romans 8:6).

Peace also comes after godly discipline (Hebrews 12:11) and guards our hearts and minds (Philippians 4:7).

Believers have the utmost shalom: peace with God through Christ (Romans 5:1). The prophesied Prince of Peace has come, and His chastisement brought us peace with God (Isaiah 9:6; Isaiah 53:5). We can rejoice that, not only has He given and continues giving peace, but He himself is our peace (Ephesians 2:14)!

4.) He is Jehovah-Shammah: The LORD Is There

In Ezekiel 48:35, Jehovah-Shammah is a symbolic name for God’s presence in the earthly Jerusalem: “And the name of the city from that time on shall be, The LORD Is There” (italics added).

In this context, the Israelites’ shameless rebellion and detestable idolatry caused God to withdraw His presence from them. Yet, in abounding mercy, Jehovah-Shammah did not fully abandon Jerusalem. Through the prophet Ezekiel, God promised to restore and return to Jerusalem. In that day, the city would be called “Jehovah-Shammah.” That very prophecy was fulfilled when the exiles returned to Jerusalem and rebuilt the walls.

The Lord’s once-departed glory (Ezekiel 8-11) had returned (Ezekiel 44:1-4)—and His presence returned with fulfillment in the form of Jesus Christ. And though Jesus physically departed from the earth after his death, He ascended into heaven with assurance for us:

“I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20)

In his place, the Holy Spirit was provided to dwell in the Church and His people forever (John 14:15-17). He is there within us, teaching, helping, convicting, and interceding for us.

We eagerly await God’s restoration of the New Jerusalem, where we will dwell glorified in His presence forever. And as we apply this promise to our present lives, we are fueled by the Spirit’s power (Acts 1:8).

Matthew Henry says of our divine union with Jehovah-Shammah:

“It is true of every good Christian; he dwells in God, and God in him; whatever soul has in it a living principle of grace, it may be truly said, The Lord is There.”

The Name That is Above Every Name

When life’s hardships often tempt us to forget that God is our Shepherd, Provider, Peace, and that He is There, gaze upon the name of Jesus Christ. Paul says of him:

Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:9-11)

This name of incomparable power, authority, and deity humbled Himself to be made lower than the angels, to suffer death, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone (Hebrews 2:9). This name poured out His life unto death, numbered among the transgressors, bearing the sins of many, making intercession for the transgressors (Isaiah 53:12).

Yet, this name brought salvation (Acts 4:12), and was given dominion, glory, and kingship, so that every people, nation, and language should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and His kingdom is one that will never be destroyed (Daniel 7:14).

So in faith, we respond in praise:

Blessed be the name of the LORD from this time forth and forevermore! (Psalm 113:2)

THE AUTHOR

Meredith Hodge

Meredith Hodge lives in the Chicago suburbs with her husband Matt. She is a freelance writer and editor who loves coffee, spending time in nature, cooking, reading, and serving others in ministry. Meredith blogs about living for Christ in faith-led freedom and grace-filled growth. Follow her blog at It's Positive!.

Posted at: https://unlockingthebible.org/2019/09/knowing-god-name/

Have a Healthy Fear of God

The coexistence of fear with joy and human flourishing seems to be difficult for many people to understand. Yet the psalmist says, “Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling” (Psalm 2:11). Fear and joy not only can exist at the same time, but must.

The combination of fear with joy is not limited to the Old Testament; the New Testament is full of warning passages directed at Christians (or at least those who have every outward indication of being saved) which draw their motivational force from the production of fear. These warning passages exist alongside assurance passages which stress the confidence, hope, security, and joy we have in our faith.

The Fear of Fear

Nonbelievers have long mocked and rejected the role of fear in Christian teaching and proclamation. Bertrand Russell famously focused on fear in his critique of Christianity in the early 20th century. He argued that, “Religion is based, I think, primarily and mainly upon fear. . . . Fear is the parent of cruelty, and therefore it is no wonder if cruelty and religion has gone hand-in-hand. It is because fear is at the basis of those two things.”

Christians likewise seem terribly afraid of fear. We want to stress motivation from positive emotions such as love and gratitude, and tend to be very uncomfortable with any use of fear appeals to motivate conversion or growth in holiness. Such fear of fear, however, comes at a cost, and the warning passages throughout Scripture suffer neglect or interpretive abuse as a result.

Many Christian leaders seem determined to convince their hearers that they should never experience any emotional discomfort when contemplating God’s holiness, justice, and judgment; “the fear of the Lord” is always understood to mean respect or awe and never, we are told, indicates that we should actually be afraid of God.

Divine Threats

This avoidance of fearful exhortation directed towards believers and unbelievers based on the reality of God’s holy and just judgment was not shared by the authors of the Bible. There is no space to explore the many warning passages, but we can briefly consider several direct threats from Jesus through John to his church in the book of Revelation.

Ephesus: “Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent” (Revelation 2:5).

Pergamum: “Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth” (Revelation 2:16).

Thyatira: “Behold, I will throw her onto a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her I will throw into great tribulation, unless they repent of her works” (Revelation 2:22).

Sardis: “Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you (Revelation 3:3).

Laodicea: “I will spit you out of my mouth. . . . So be zealous and repent” (Revelation 3:16, 19).

John did not follow up on these threats by assuring his hearers that they didn’t really apply, weren’t really severe, or didn’t mean what they seemed to mean. He doesn’t seem worried about potential emotional discomfort; fear producing threats were necessary to wake up and shake up the Christians and motivate them to repentance, perseverance, and faithfulness.

So how do we reconcile the biblical use of fear appeals and threats with our widespread cultural conviction that such rhetoric should be rejected? Recent research by argumentation theorists on the evaluation of threats in argumentation points to several points for evaluation.

Legitimate Threats

The context is key for determining whether a threat is appropriate. For example, if a salesman concludes his sales pitch by threatening to punch you in the face if you don’t buy his vacuum cleaner, the context would suggest the threat is inappropriate. Likewise, you would not want to conclude a marriage proposal with a threat. But threats are appropriate in other contexts. An academic dean can threaten a student with expulsion for plagiarism and a judge can threaten to take away your license for drunk driving. The legitimacy of a threat depends upon the context and whether the threatener has legitimate authority.

The Bible reveals a God who is sovereign and powerful, the ultimate legitimate authority. Since he is our Creator, we belong to him and he has every right to command, threaten, and judge. This reality is, of course, offensive and contrary to ideas of ultimate human autonomy and self-determination. We want to be in charge, and we want to determine for ourselves what we should and shouldn’t do, but such aspirations don’t align with reality or human capacity. We will always fail when trying to play God; our frail human bodies weren’t built for that.

Threatened by Love

A legitimate authority can still be critiqued for the inappropriate, overbearing, or cruel use of threats, but at this point the character and intentions of the threatener become very important. Is the threatener cruel, vindictive, arbitrary, and reckless or loving, caring, and kind? What does the threatener intend by the threat? Does he intend to humiliate, manipulate, and harm or does he intend the threat to lead to well-being, wholeness, and flourishing?

God’s love for us in our brokenness and sin is a major theme throughout the Bible. While we were still weak, unrighteous sinners, God demonstrated his love for us through Jesus’s death on our behalf (Romans 5:8). God’s love for rebellious and broken humanity motivated him to send his Son to rescue us (John 3:16). God intends his warnings and threats to motivate us to repentance, perseverance, and growth in holiness — this is the way to shalom, wholeness, and human flourishing. Rejection of sin and pursuit of holiness leads to a life increasingly free from debilitating addictions and the sin that dehumanizes and destroys.

Living with Fear and Joy

Healthy fear and joy in the God of our salvation not only can go together, but must. We will never find joy in God while willingly and habitually living in unconfessed sin.

I don’t find the motivation to flee temptation and sin by assuring myself that sin isn’t dangerous or that my choices don’t matter; motivation comes, in part, by recognizing the terrible danger that sin poses, even for Christians. This fear, however, is not debilitating or destructive; it motivates us to cling closer to Christ in desperate and persevering faith and trust. Such constant dependence through faith produces an unspeakable and glorious joy (1 Peter 1:8).

Alexander Stewart is academic dean and associate professor of New Testament language and literature at Tyndale Theological Seminary in Badhoevedorp, the Netherlands.

Posted at: https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/have-a-healthy-fear-of-god?fbclid=IwAR3M2poRJoVDI97dYSeRznCaE_PN81ec5IEWvOCT7P5SKiyMX4fIdY9XR4M

What Does It Mean To Fear God

Article by Mark Altrogge

What does it mean to fear God? And is the fear of the Lord a good or bad thing?

It depends what you mean. Depending on your background, the fear of the Lord can sound incredibly distasteful. If you grew up in a church that portrayed God as always waiting to strike you down for the slightest fault, then fearing God probably sounds pretty terrible.

In my pre-Christian, Roman Catholic days, my fear of the Lord (at least this is what I grew up believing) was essentially a fear of going to hell. I was taught that if I missed Mass on Sunday that was a mortal sin that needed to be confessed if I were to escape hell. As you can imagine, I feared God, but it wasn’t a good or healthy fear. I had no assurance of salvation.

I had no sense that God loved me. I felt like I could never please him, that he was always unhappy with me and waiting to punish me. I carried that unhealthy fear of the Lord into my early days as a Christian. If you asked me, “What does it mean to fear God?”, I couldn’t have given you a good answer.

A Healthy View of The Fear of the Lord

Gradually I came to understand the gospel that God so loved me he sent Jesus to die for me, and that when he saved me, he adopted me as his son and that nothing could ever separate me from his love.

But scripture talks about the fear of the Lord in a very positive manner.

Consider the words of Psalm 147:10-11:

His delight is not in the strength of the horse, nor his pleasure in the legs of a man, but the LORD takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love.

Or consider Proverbs 1:7, which says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.”

I have a friend who describes his grandfather as a cantankerous old man who would sit in his chair all day and thwack him and his cousins with his cane anytime they walked in front of him. Is this what God is like?

Sitting in his chair, trying to keep people from having fun? A cosmic grouch?

Does fearing God mean that we are scared to death of him, assuming that he’s just waiting to lash out at us?

God commands us to fear him and says that he takes pleasure in us when have the fear of the Lord. Why? Does he enjoy it when we have a fear of God? I know I don’t want my children to be afraid of me. I want them to love me and enjoy being with me, not to be afraid of me.

In order to answer this question, we need to understand what it means to have a proper fear of God.

What Does It Mean To Fear God? Humility

So what does it mean to fear God?

Here’s a simple definition of the fear of the Lord:

The “fear of God” that brings God pleasure is not our being afraid of him, but our having a high and exalted, reverential view of him.

To “fear him” means to stand in awe of him:

Let all the earth FEAR the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world STAND IN AWE OF HIM! (Psalm 33:8).

You who fear the Lord, praise him! All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him and stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel! (Psalm 22:23)

To fear the Lord is to stand in awe of his majesty, power, wisdom, justice, and mercy, especially in Christ – in his life, death and resurrection – that is, to have an exalted view of God.

To fear God means to dwell upon his beautiful, glorious holiness which is the very opposite of sin and evil, and to revere God and know that he loves us so much that he desires us to hate and turn away from sin.

To see God in all his glory and then respond to him appropriately. To humble ourselves before him.

To adore him.

What does it mean to fear God? It means to revere and glorify and love him above all else.

We tend to be in awe of worldly power, talent, intelligence, and beauty. But these things don’t impress God because “His delight is not in the strength of the horse (mighty armies, worldly power) nor his pleasure in the legs of a man (human strength).” After all, we are simply frail, earthen vesselswhom God uses for his pleasure.

But God delights in those who fear him – those who stand in awe of him – and instead of trusting in their own human abilities or resources, “hope in his steadfast love.”

This is why we must be quick to listen and slow to speak. We know that we are creatures who desperately need God, and so we don’t always voice our opinions immediately.

What Does It Mean To Fear God? Childlike Reverence

There is also a sense of “childlike” fear of the Lord. R.C. Sproul, speaking of Martin Luther, said this:

Luther is thinking of a child who has tremendous respect and love for his father or mother and who dearly wants to please them. He has a fear or an anxiety of offending the one he loves, not because he’s afraid of torture or even of punishment, but rather because he’s afraid of displeasing the one who is, in that child’s world, the source of security and love.

To fear God is to relate to him as a child relates to his strong, respectful father. We respect and honor the Lord, and we are afraid of displeasing him. Therefore we obey him.

We know that he loves us and delights in us, and we are simultaneously aware that he is holy, righteous, and above all else. We fear him in the sense that we have a deep respect for him and reverence of him.

Charles Spurgeon helpfully put is this way:

There is the natural fear that the creature has of its Creator, because of its own insignificance and its Maker’s greatness. From that we shall never be altogether delivered. We holy awe we shall bow before the divine majesty, even when we come to be in perfect glory.

The Wicked Do Not Fear God

By way of contrast, the wicked person doesn’t fear God. He doesn’t stand in awe of God. The wicked don’t honor or revere or love God.

The wicked have a low view of God:

Transgression speaks to the wicked
deep in his heart;
there is no fear of God
before his eyes.
For he flatters himself in his own eyes
that his iniquity cannot be found out and hated.
The words of his mouth are trouble and deceit;
he has ceased to act wisely and do good.
He plots trouble while on his bed;
he sets himself in a way that is not good;
he does not reject evil.” (Psalm 36:1-4)

The wicked person has such a low view of God and such a lack of awe for God that he doesn’t think God can find out his sin or hate it.

He doesn’t act wisely or do good because he doesn’t view God as holy and just and serious about punishing sin. He trusts in his own wits and strength. Obviously, the Lord doesn’t find any pleasure in the wicked.

The wicked refuses to fear God.

The Fear Of The Lord Brings Great Reward

In his book The Joy of Fearing God, Jerry Bridges says:

We cannot separate trust of God from the fear of God. We trust Him only to the extent that we genuinely stand in awe of Him.

It’s odd how little we talk about the fear of the Lord. The fear of the Lord is a wonderful gift from God that has brought joy and gladness into my life and has spared me from unimaginable pain and suffering.

Yet I’ve never heard a message preached on it. I don’t hear Christians talking about it. It doesn’t seem to be in the forefront of many people’s minds. It may be, but I don’t hear much about it. What is this wonderful gift from God, this incredible blessing? It is the fear of the Lord.

God tells us that to fear him will lead to all kinds of wonderful blessings in our lives. For example, the fear of the Lord leads us to an abundant life.

The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, that one may turn away from the snares of death.
(Proverbs 14:27)

Sin leads to death. God wants us to experience an abundant life – a fountain of life. God doesn’t tell us to fear him to squelch our fun, but to give us overflowing joy.

The fear of the Lord gives us great confidence in life and blessing for our children:

In the fear of the Lord one has strong confidence, and his children will have a refuge.
(Proverbs 14:26)

The fear of the Lord causes us to experience God’s friendship and to know his covenant promises to us:

The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him, and he makes known to them his covenant.
(Proverbs 25:14)

Let Us Have A Healthy Fear of The Lord

So let us fear God – stand in awe of him, take refuge in him, and hope in his steadfast love. For it brings the Lord pleasure when we trust in him for strength and help, not our own wits and resources.

It also serves as a protection for us. When we fear God appropriately, we stay far from sin. We don’t want to displease our good and loving father. We want to delight him.

The fear of the Lord is not a bad thing. Rather, when understood rightly, it motivates us to worship God and follow hard after him.

We know he’s our father. We know he’s good. But we also agree with Mr. Beaver in the book The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe. Speaking of the lion Aslan (who represents the Lord), he says:

Safe? Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.

Posted at: https://theblazingcenter.com/2017/03/what-does-it-mean-to-fear-god.html

God of the Besieged

Article by Todd Stryd

Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about “helplessness.” Or, you might say I’ve been pondering the different ways in which we find ourselves “helpless” in this life. For example, I am acutely aware of my helplessness as I watch my son learn the subtleties of playing defense in basketball. For myself, I notice how helpless I am to stop my hairline from receding. On a more global scale, I feel helpless as I watch all manner of ecological or political foolishness. But though I notice things like these from time to time, as a counselor, helplessness is something that I see and feel on a daily basis.

In a way, I’ve resigned myself to it. Helplessness is continually present in the counseling room because we are often powerless to determine the outcome of our problems. Whether it’s the loss of a job, a wayward child, the death of a loved one, chronic pain, being marginalized, receiving a diagnosis of schizophrenia, or attempting to reconcile with an estranged family member—our ability to accomplish our ends, alleviate our suffering, or change our situations can be extremely limited.

Scripture speaks to this. It validates our lack of control and even admonishes us to not assume the certainty of our plans or abilities (see Psalm 103:14, James 4:13-17, and Proverbs 19:21). In light of this, we could be tempted to adopt a posture of fatalism and hopelessness. But in the wisdom of God, helplessness does not lead to hopelessness, and powerlessness does not lead to fatalism. Though Scripture speaks of our limitations and utter dependence as creatures, it simultaneously proclaims God’s power and love. It is God’s power to act and his love for his people within their helplessness that mingles hope with helplessness.

Psalm 31:21 wonderfully captures this relationship:

Blessed be the Lord, for he has wondrously shown his steadfast love to me
when I was in a besieged city.

The imagery used by the psalmist in this verse is that of an extremely dire circumstance: the besieging of a city. It is the perfect illustration of helplessness because a besieged city is surrounded by an attacking enemy and cut off from all resources. There is no escape and no control—the only thing to do is wait. But note that while the setting is ominous, the focal point of the verse is positive, even uplifting. It speaks of God as the one who wondrously shows his “steadfast love” to his people when they are in a place of utter helplessness. So though besieged and helpless, the psalmist was not hopeless. Paul proposes the same thing in 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 and then again in Romans 8:35-39: Because of the love of God we do not lose heart, for nothing can separate us from the love of Christ.

In counseling ministry, this reality plays out every day. Sometimes the helplessness that I feel is due to a situation that I know is impossible to fix or change. Other times, the helplessness I feel is due to the complexity of the problem in front of me and I’m not actually sure how to help. Or, I experience helplessness when I know exactly what needs to happen, but I am powerless to bring it about for the person.

While the helplessness I feel may be more or less pronounced, more or less devastating, more or less urgent, in all cases, my hope as a helper, and the hope of those I am helping rests in the God who shows his steadfast love while we are helpless. Psalm 31:21 teaches me to humbly accept my limitations in ministry to suffering, struggling people. In light of this I do not lose hope, for our God is the God of the besieged, the God who is a hope for the helpless.

Posted at: https://www.ccef.org/resources/blog/god-of-the-besieged?fbclid=IwAR33_u8T237McT8Da-OvwDb5sWjJWRquuxf3xCByn1NYUeiuZxA7v9NFOFc

Lay Aside the Weight of "Not Feeling Like It"

Article by Jon Bloom

What do you not feel like doing today?

You know what I mean. It’s that thing that’s weighing on you, which you know would honor God because it obeys his law of love (John 15:12), or is a work of faith (2 Thessalonians 1:11), or puts “to death the deeds of the body” (Romans 8:13). You know it would be good for your soul or body or family or vocation or neighbor or church.

But you don’t feel like doing it. You know that God promises you more blessing if you do it than if you don’t. But you’re struggling to believe it because it feels difficult. It’s like you have weights on your ankles. You don’t want to muster the energy, and every distraction glows with attraction.

The Strange Pattern of Progress

While it’s true that this is our indwelling sin of which we must repent and fight to lay aside (Hebrews 12:1), the experience of “not feeling like it” can become a reminder of a gospel truth and give us hope and encouragement in this battle.

“If we want true joy, we must walk by faith in a promised future and not by the sight of immediate gratification.”

Think about this strange pattern that occurs over and over in just about every area of life:

• Healthy, nutritious food often requires discipline to prepare and eat while junk food is convenient, tasty, and addictive.

• Keeping the body healthy and strong requires frequent deliberate discomfort while it only takes constant comfort to go to pot.

• You have to make yourself pick up that nourishing but intellectually challenging book while popping in a DVD is as easy and inviting as coasting downhill.

• You frequently have to force yourself to get to devotions and prayer while sleeping in or reading the sports or checking Facebook is almost effortless.

• Learning to skillfully play beautiful music requires thousands of hours of tedious practice.

• Excelling in sports requires monotonous drills ad nauseum.

• Learning to write well requires writing, writing, writing, and rewriting, rewriting, rewriting. And usually voluminous reading.

• It takes years and years of schooling just to make certain vocational opportunities possible.

You get the idea. The pattern is this: the greater joys are obtained through struggle and difficulty and pain, while brief, unsatisfying, and often destructive joys are right at our fingertips. Why?

Why the Struggle and Difficulty and Pain?

Because God, in great mercy, is showing us everywhere, in things that are just shadows of heavenly realities, that there is a great reward for those who struggle through and persevere (Hebrews 10:32–35). He is reminding us almost everywhere to walk by faith in a promised future and not by the sight of immediate gratification (2 Corinthians 5:7).

“Greater joys come through struggle and difficulty, while brief and often destructive joys sit at our fingertips.”

Each struggle becomes an invitation by God to follow in the faithful footsteps of his Son, “who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2).

Those who are spiritually blind only see futility in these struggles. But for those who have eyes to see, God has woven hope — faith in his future grace — right into the futility of creation (Romans 8:20–21). Each struggle becomes a pointer saying, “Look ahead, past the struggle itself, past the temptation of the puny, vapor joys to the great, sustained, substantial Joy set before you!”

Endurance, Not Indulgence

So today, don’t let “not feeling like it” reign as lord (Romans 6:12). Rather, through it see your Father pointing you to the reward he has planned for all who endure to the end (Matthew 24:13). Let it remind you that his call is not to indulgence but endurance.

Then lay this weight aside and run with faith the race he has set before you.

This light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:17–18)

Jon Bloom (@Bloom_Jon) serves as author, board chair, and co-founder of Desiring God. He is author of three books, Not by Sight, Things Not Seen, and Don’t Follow Your Heart. He and his wife live in the Twin Cities with their five children.

Article posted at:  https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/lay-aside-the-weight-of-not-feeling-like-it

Don't Worry, Worship!

This column, written by Dr. Heath Lambert, originally appeared in the print edition of the Florida Baptist Witness.  Taken from ACBC website.

Worry is a sin. That statement is one of the most controversial I have ever made. I would not know how to describe the number of people I have angry with me over making such an observation. That is too bad for a couple of reasons. The first reason is that I do not like to say things that are controversial. I have never been joyful about saying things that are upsetting to anybody—much less many people. In fact, I have something of a rule: and that is that I only make controversial statements if they are explicitly warranted from Scripture.

That gets to the second sad reality about the negative reaction I get when I say that worry is a sin. The Bible is clear that worry is a sin. We run from this reality in our culture. We prefer to medicalize worry, saying that it is a biological issue requiring medical treatment, or we minimize it saying that it is not a big deal—God, I’ve heard many say, understands when we worry a little bit. The problem here is that when we speak that way, we speak in a way that is not informed by Scripture. In fact, the most common command to appear in the pages of Scripture is God’s demand to “fear not.”   God thinks worry is a massive issue and he commands us to avoid it more than any other thing.

One place where we see God’s command to avoid worry is from the lips of Jesus Christ in the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus commands his disciples three times to avoid the sin of worry (Matt 6:25, 31, 34). More than giving the command to avoid worry, Jesus also explains in his sermon why worry is such a big deal. Worry, Jesus says, is at odds with faith (Matt 6:30). We know that without faith it is impossible to please God (Heb 11:6). Fear explicitly undermines this faith in God by doubting his good care for us. That is why Jesus can say that people who engage in the sin of worry are guilty of having “little faith.”

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus does not merely remind that worry is a sin, and he does not only explain why it is a sin. He also shows how we can fight worry. Jesus encourages us to fight worry with worship. Let me explain.

Jesus does not merely issue the command to avoid worry, he explains some very tangible truths about God that work to undermine worry. First, Jesus talks about the sovereignty of God in making provision for the natural world. He points out that the birds of the air and flowers of the field are more than adequately provided for by the sovereign God of the universe (Matt 6:26, 28-29). Second, Jesus makes it clear that God’s love for his people is much greater than his love for any bird or flower (Matt 6:26, 30).

Jesus is fueling our worship. He knows that worriers characterized by small faith need to turn their eyes on the sovereign God of the universe who has complete control over his creation, and who is determined to direct that control towards his people that he loves so much. Jesus is saying, in effect, “Don’t worry, worship.”