Fear God And You’ll Have Nothing Else To Fear.

Fear God and you’ll have nothing else to fear, because there is no one and nothing greater to fear than Him. Many people are afraid a multitude of things, but they may not fear God. To fear God means we acknowledge and respect His Holiness and power. In addition, it means to recognize our need for His wisdom and forgiveness. Also, those who fear Him are promised many blessings contained in the Bible.

This is a guest post by Beth Harris. She is a wife, mother, Bible study leader and volunteer editor for markalanwilliams.net.     

It was the fear of God’s punishment because of my sins that kept me from coming to Him, and it was the same concern that led me to Jesus, when I understood the message of the cross. And after accepting Christ, I begin to see the fear of God as desirable. While I’m still a work in progress, I can see evidence of His grace and work in my life through the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit teaches me to fear God and helps me to apologize when I am unkind. In addition, I am able to heed correction, obey God’s Word, and strive for honesty. Through my respect and fear of God I confess sins and break bad habits. Since becoming a Christian, I now want to fear God and I pray that He will help me to do so even more.

There are many things that people fear; for example, some common ones are: public speaking, flying, heights, insects, and death. Fear can be harmful if it causes us to lose sleep at night and it can be good when it protects us from harm.

But, there is one fear that we should all desire and that is the fear of God. To fear God means that we realize the scope of His majesty and holiness. It means that we honor Him in how we live because we recognize that He is always watching. To fear God is to acknowledge His Sovereignty and power to give and take life; to extend grace and administer judgment.

Psalm 33:8 says, “Let the whole world fear the LORD, and let everyone stand in awe of him.”  (NLT)

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise.Psalm (111:10 NIV)

God is the source of all wisdom, and if we fear Him and obey His Word, we will have a solid foundation to build our lives on.

To not fear God is to live carelessly and jeopardize our eternal welfare, but to fear Him is to realize that we need His wisdom and forgiveness; which is only available through Jesus Christ, if we surrender our lives to Him based on God’s terms.

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

• Luke 1:50 says, “And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.”(ESV)

• Proverbs 19:23 says, “The fear of the Lord leads to life and whoever has it rests satisfied;he will not be visited by harm.” (ESV)

When we fear God and accept Christ, we will love and want to reverence Him even more, because we will appreciate His sacrifice and love for us.

In addition, there are many promises and blessings in the Bible for those fear Him. He teaches and confides in those who fear Him. He will provide for our needs and remain with us. If we fear God, we don’t need to fear anything else.

• Palm 34:11 says, “Come,my children, and listen to me, and I will teach you to fear the LORD.”(NLT)

• Psalm 25:14 says, “The Lord confides in those who fear Him; He makes His covenant known to them.” (NIV)

• Psalm 86:11 say’s, “Teach me your way, O Lord that I may walk in your truth; united my heart to fear your name.” (ESV)

• Psalm 34:9 says, “Fear the Lord, you his holy people, for those who fear him lack nothing.”(NIV)

Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. (Psalm 23:4 NIV)

We should be concerned when we or others don’t fear God, and we should pray that all would fear Him, because to not reverence God is disrespectful and dangerous.

There is a day coming when all people will bend their knee and acknowledge Him.

Romans 14:11 says, “It is written: “‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God.’”(NIV)

If we fear God and accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior now, we won’t need to fear God’s wrath and judgment. We can honor and praise Him for His awesome plan of salvation.

Do you fear God and have you accepted Christ?                              

Please click here if you would like to accept Christ as your personal Lord and Savior now and read more about the next steps that you can take to grow spiritually in your new faith.

Your thoughts are welcome! You can leave a comment below.

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“Fear God and you’ll have nothing else to fear.” –Woodrow Kroll -CLICK TO TWEET

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4 Ways Pride Brings Destruction

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The Bible is clear that “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” (Proverbs 16:18 ESV) But how does that work? Sometimes it seems that prideful people are the ones who win elections, receive awards, conquer opponents and become rich & famous. Our culture is often attracted to the loud, brash, and braggadocios. This makes us doubt that indeed pride brings destruction.

For example, who can forget heavyweight boxer Muhammad Ali promoting his career with statements like this:

When will they ever have another fighter who writes poems, predicts rounds, beats everybody, makes people laugh, makes people cry, and is as tall and extra pretty as me? In the history of the world and from the beginning of time, there’s never been another fighter like me. Eat your words! Eat your words! I am the greatest.

Bradley Feller

Or radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh bloviating:

• This is Rush Limbaugh, the most dangerous man in America, with the largest hypothalamus in North America, serving humanity simply by opening my mouth, destined for my own wing in the Museum of Broadcasting, executing everything I do flawlessly with zero mistakes, doing this show with half my brain tied behind my back just to make it fair because I have talent on loan from . . . God. Rush Limbaugh. A man. A legend. A way of life.

Conversely, the humble are often mocked and rejected—they’re called Casper Milquetoast, wimps, sissies and “98 pound weaklings.” Former US President George H. W. Bush, had to fight accusations of timidity which, for example, were proclaimed in the cover article of Newsweek magazine on October 19, 1987. The cover titled “George Bush: Fighting the ‘Wimp Factor.’” The allegation was that Bush was too timid to be elected president.

In his eulogy at the state funeral for Bush on December 5, 2018, former US Senator Alan Simpson said this; “Those who travel the high road of humility in Washington DC are not bothered by heavy traffic.”

So, what’s the problem with pride?

Here are 4 reasons why pride brings destruction:

1. Pride causes over-confidence, which blinds us to our weaknesses and can lead to destruction.

A measure of confidence is very important. Over-confidence however is a problem, and it often comes from pride.

When we’re prideful and over-confident, we can overlook potential weaknesses, dangers and pitfalls. We think past success guarantees future success. Over-confidence has led people to take risks that have sometimes resulted in death, in business failure, and in financial ruin.

Yes, pride brings destruction!

2. Pride causes self-focus and repels others.

One of the great lessons I learned reading Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People is that the most beautiful word people hear is their own name. Along with this comes the fact that people love to talk about themselves: their experiences, opinions, concerns, emotions, etc.

Thus, the person who takes a genuine interest in people will win friends and influence people. It’s true. But the opposite is true also: prideful people are self-focused and thus they overlook others in their eagerness to be heard, to share their own thoughts, and make an impression.

Great conversations are like a ping pong or tennis match. The ball goes back and forth. If the ball stays on one side, the game can’t make progress. But many people, after talking about themselves, overlook asking about the other person/s.

One of my favorite comedians, Brian Reagan, has a wonderful routine on the “Me Monster.” I highly recommend you take a few minutes and watch, for laughs and a great illustration of this point.

The Bible tells us; “Don’t act out of selfish ambition or be conceited. Instead, humbly think of others as being better than yourselves. Don’t be concerned only about your own interests, but also be concerned about the interests of others.” (Philippians 2:3-4 GW)

3. Pride causes people to reject help they need from others.

Prideful people refuse to listen and learn. There are many things we cannot do for ourselves. But pride brings destruction by deluding us into thinking that we don’t need any help, we can do it ourselves.

The greatest example of this is salvation. Jesus died on the cross for our sins, so we wouldn’t have to save ourselves. Yet many think they can “save themselves” by being “good enough” to go to heaven. It’s one of the most ridiculous thoughts imaginable, yet people believe it. Scripture says clearly; “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23 KJV)

If you’re not sure you are indeed a Christian, please go HERE to learn how to be saved now.

Other people are so pride-filled they think they can write their own Bible. Instead of believing in God’s Holy Bible, they try to make up the rules for themselves. Once again, the result is delusion and tragedy.

4. Pride is a blinder that keeps people from realizing they are prideful.

Pride brings destruction because it deludes us.

A few years ago, I had surgery to repair my broken finger. I was knocked out by a wonderful anesthetic, but when I started to wake up, according to my wife, I kept trying to say the same funny thing over and over. I simply could not remember that I had said it just moments before.

The very thing that caused me to act foolishly, also blinded me to my foolishness.

It’s the same way with pride: pride brings destruction because it blinds us to our pride. It’s almost impossible to know when we’re prideful. Usually it takes an outsider to point out our pride, but often we are so prideful we reject their assistance.

Conclusion:

It’s no wonder that John R. W. Stott said, “Pride is your greatest enemy, humility is your greatest friend.” This was the teaching of great theologians throughout the centuries: that pride is the root of all other sin and therefore the worst sin.

C.S. Lewis called pride, “The great sin” and wrote;

According to Christian teachers, the utmost evil, is Pride. Unchastity, anger, greed, drunkenness, and all that, are mere flea bites in comparison: it was through pride that the devil became the devil: Pride leads to every other vice; it is the complete anti-God state of mind…it is pride which has been the chief cause of misery in every nation and every family since the world began.

Yet both humility and pride are often neglected topics in Christian teaching, articles, devotionals and sermons.

So how can we combat this terrible potential downfall? Here’s what I do: I pray daily that God would help me to avoid pride. I review this verse:

“For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.” (Romans 12:3 NIV)

After reviewing the verse, and my own temptations to pride, I pray this “Humility Prayer” from Andrew Murray’s book titled Humility:

Out of your great goodness Lord please make known to me and take away from my heart, every kind and form and degree of pride, whether it be from evil spirits, or my own corrupt nature; and please awaken in me the deepest depth and truth of that humility which can make me capable of Your light and Holy Spirit.

Over the years I’ve recited that prayer and verse hundreds of times. Hopefully remembering these points, reciting this verse and praying this prayer is helping me avoid pride and be humble! Otherwise I’m in trouble, and you will be as well since pride brings destruction!

If you’re not sure you are indeed a Christian, please go HERE to learn how to be saved now.

Help Spread the Word! If you found this article helpful, we’d love for you to share it with others on social media or otherwise. This will help get the Word in front of more people who need biblical guidance. Thanks for your help!

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Yes, Give Thanks For “All Things” For, As It Has Been Well Said…

We can give thanks for “all things,” including disappointments, because they are appointments; pre-destined by God in His providential care; as He controls and directs our destiny.

This is a guest post by Beth Harris. She is a wife, mother, Bible study leader and volunteer editor for markalanwilliams.net.

Early, in our 30-year marriage, my husband was hired many times by different companies only to be laid off after each tax season. One time, he was unemployed for 6 months and we faced difficult financial consequences; including the loss of a home.

We were so disappointed, but now we can give thanks; because, if he hadn’t been unemployed; He wouldn’t have found the job where he’s been for the past 23 years.

Things don’t always work out this happily, and some disappointments remain painful and perplexing. But even those can teach us to focus on God and not circumstances.

Yes, give thanks for “all things,” even when we experience disappointment. This is especially difficult, when people or things we’ve trusted in fall short of our expectations.

It’s easy to give thanks for “all things” when we’re feeling blessed; however, it’s hard to give thanks for “all things,” when we’re dealing with setbacks, failures and defeats.

But, the Bible tells us to give thanks for “all things.”

• 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, “Give thanks in everything, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (HCSB)

• Colossians 3:17 says, “Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.” (NASB)

And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”(Ephesians 5:20 NLT)

It’s okay to communicate our disappointment to God and be honest about our feelings. But even though it’s challenging to give thanks for “all things,” it’s important to do so for a few reasons.

The first reason to give thanks for “all things” is because we have God’s promise that He is working in “all things for our good;” and for that alone, He is worthy of our gratitude. Our disappointments guide us to His appointments.

Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (NIV)

In addition, our gratitude during times of disappointment is a powerful witness to others that our faith is genuine, and by giving thanks for “all things;” we’re demonstrating that our hope in Him is well-placed.

Lastly, giving thanks for “all things” to God during disappointment reminds us of His past and present faithfulness; and it gives us hope for His future grace as well. Misplaced hope in people and things will disappoint us, but if we hope in God, we will not be disappointed.

• Psalm 25:3 says, “No one who hopes in you will ever be put to shame.” (NIV)

• Psalm 42:11 says, “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.” (NIV)

Then you will know that I am the LORD; those who hope in me will not be disappointed.”(Isaiah 49:23 NIV)

Our hope in God helps us to accept our disappointments as His appointments for us. As we surrender our will and expectations to Him, we find true contentment; because His will for us is perfect and leaves no regrets.

One day, after this life has passed we will be able to understand the reason for every disappointment and thank Him as we see His face.

This quote says it well: “In all the setbacks of your life as a believer, God is plotting for your joy.” John Piper

Do you give thanks to God for ‘all things’?

Please click here if you would like to accept Christ as your personal Lord and Savior now and read more about the next steps that you can take to grow spiritually in your new faith.

Your thoughts are welcome! You can leave a comment below.

Help Spread the Word! If you found this article helpful, we’d love for you to share it with others on social media or otherwise. This will help get the Word in front of more people who need biblical guidance. Thanks for your help!

“Yes, give thanks for ‘all things’ for, as it has been well said ‘Our disappointments are but His appointments.’” –A. W. Pink -CLICK TO TWEET

For more FREE Inspirational Quote Cards you can use and share click HERE

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NOTE: Facebook is random. Email is reliable. Subscribe via email and you won’t miss any of my articles, podcasts or videos. You’ll also get my eBook: 10 Prayers to Unlock Heaven on Earth