Monday 28 November 2011

The Fear of the Word

Glory to God!

This year the Lord has been speaking to us about what it means to fear Him. We have learned that God created man for three essential purposes - to be like Him (godliness); to know Him (fellowship) and to do His will (co-labour). After the fall of man, man became ungodly, separated from God and unable to produce lasting fruit. Consequently Christ came to both model restored humanity as well as restore man to God's original purposes for man.  Jesus modelled perfect godliness by revealing the Father (John 14:9); perfect fellowship,  being in the Father and He in Jesus (John 14:10) and perfect co-labouring as Jesus only did the will of the Father (John 14:31). Through faith in Christ the believer is born again and restored to God's original purposes for him in Christ. Therefore those who are in Christ, are empowered to be godly (Eph. 4:24; 1 Pet.1:16; 2 Pet. 1:3), are made one with God in true fellowship (1 John 4:15) and are able to co-labour with God to produce lasting fruit (Eph. 2:10; John 15:4,5). These three purposes for man can only be fulfilled as the believer fears God by relying on Him, responding to Him and revering Him. 

Yesterday the Lord showed us that those who fear Him will also fear His Word. This is what God says in Isaiah 66:2,

"This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word." 

Those who truly fear God will tremble at His Word. That means that those who fear God will fear His Word by relying on God's Word, responding to God's Word and revering God's Word

The believer fears God's Word when he relies on it as his source for life rather than as a solution for his problems. The Word of God must be the believer's daily bread (Matt. 4:4) and source for godliness (2 Tim. 3:16; Heb. 4:12); victory over the enemy (1 John 2:14; Eph. 6:17) and for life as he meets with the Author (1 John 2:27; John 5:39,40).

The believer fears God's Word when he responds to it in obedience. True humility is dependence on God rather than on self. Those who obey God's Word are relying on God's Word rather than on self. It is these whom God esteems and blesses and whose worship is acceptable to Him (Isaiah 66:3-5). Obedience is the fruit of our fellowship with God (John 15:10; 1 John 2:3-6).

The believer fears God's Word when he reveres it and honours it. Just as the power of God could not be manifested when the Living Word, Jesus was not honoured in His home town, so the Word of God cannot do its work in those who don't revere it as the very words of the Lord (Mark 6:4-6). Those who revere the Word receive it with a humble attitude as the God-breathed communication that has creative power to transform lives (1 Thess. 1:5; 2:13).

We praise God for His awesome revelation to us and for showing us that to fear God is to also fear His Word!

Next month there are quite a few changes to our events, locations and meeting times so please make a note of the following:

18 December @ 15:00 - Family Christmas Service at CZF
24 December @ 16:00 - Christmas Eve Service at IBTC (Kurhessenstr.14)
25 December - NO meeting!
1 January @ 15:00 - KLF meeting
1 January @ 18:30 - Soup kitchen (Gutleutstr.121)

Quote of the week:

"This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and who trembles at my word." Isaiah 66:2

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