To Fear The Lord

Recently I have found myself contemplating what it really means to fear the Lord. This is not the first time I've pondered this concept and I'm sure it won't be the last.

 Psalm 147:10-11 says

 He does not delight in the strength of the horse; He does not take pleasure in the legs of a man. The Lord favors those who fear Him, those who wait for His lovingkindness.

I want to be favored by God, I want to receive the blessings of his lovingkindness. I love how He lays out very plainly how we receive these blessings.

Simply by fearing Him.

But what does that mean? How do we truly fear the Lord? The current culture has a very different definition of fear.

 The word fear defined means an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain or a threat.

Fearing the Lord is much more than just being scared of His wrath, it means that we stand in reverent awe and great respect of Him. We acknowledge that He is the Creator and we are His creatures, He is the Master and we are the servants, and that He is the Father and we are His children. It also means that we know that God does not compromise His standard of righteousness and expects that we won't either. It means that we love what He loves and hate what He hates. It's fear joined with love and hope not slavish dread.

In a study I have been working on in recent week the author lays out the blessings God gives to those who fear Him. God is gracious and merciful to those who fear Him, but those who do not are vulnerable to every sort of evil because they walk away from His protection. I would encourage you to look up and read the Scriptures below.



Deuteronomy 10:20-21
*They see God do great things in their lives and the glory and praise go to Him.
Psalm 15:1-2; Proverbs 16:6; II Corinthians 7:1
*They abide with God, resulting in righteous living that keeps them from evil.
Psalm 25:12
*They experience God's guidance in making wise decisions.
Psalm 25:13
*They experience the abundant life in Christ and are rich in the things of God.
Psalms 25:14
*They are able to have true fellowship with Him.
Psalm 31:19
*They receive God's goodness, which He actually stores up for them.
Psalm 34:7
* They are rescued by Him and receive His assurance that He is always near.
Psalm 67:7
*They are blessed for the purpose of becoming His witnesses to the world.
Psalm 103:11-13, 17
They receive his forgiveness for their sins and His compassion extends even to their children's children.
Psalm 111:5
*They receive the promise of God that He will always provide for their needs.
Psalm 112:1-2
*They receive the multiplied blessing of their obedience to future generations.
Psalm 112:5-8
*They are released from all other fears through their obedience to God.
Psalm 115:11
*They receive intervention and protection from God.
Psalm 128:1-4
*They truly cherish their families, and the Lord blesses their relationships.
Psalm 145:19
*They call out to God and He answers their prayers.
Psalm 147:11
*They are favored by God for their patience and hope in Him.
Proverbs 3:7-8
*They have their health preserved as they keep away from evil.
Proverbs 9:10
*They receive wisdom and understanding from God Himself.
Proverbs 14:26
*They are confident and secure in Him.
Proverbs 15:16; Provers 19:23
*They experience satisfaction, contentment and peace from knowing that God is sovereign.
Isaiah 33:6
*They experience stability, meaning and purpose in life through knowing Him.
Jeremiah 32:39
*They are unified as families and assured that He watches out for their good.
Acts 10:35
*They humble themselves before God and are unified in the body of Christ, the church, the world over.
II Corinthians 5:11
*They live life with an eternal perspective and a compassion for the lost.
This is just a list of 24 blessings and we can add and add and add to it! Psalm 68:19 says Blessed be the Lord, Who daily loads us with benefits, the God of our salvation! We put Him first and He daily loads us with benefits, first and foremost being salvation. The fact that God helps us and gives us peace as we make major life decisions is a huge blessing.
The list of blessings was taken from the Entrusted With A Child's Heart study.God's Blessings To Those Who Fear Him

Forever learning in Christ,

Penny

Provoking to anger?- A list to remember

Our guest post today is from Penny Ferreri.  As a mom to 4 children under the age of 7, Penny's biggest passion is everything about her kids, from spiritual and physical needs, to education, to diet, and everything in between!   If she had a whole day to herself, Penny would knit, eat hot food, nap, and go to the bathroom by herself.  She and several other moms who share the same cravings for private bathroom moments are currently meeting together and looking into God's Word using the curriculum "Entrusted with a Child's Heart." 


Ever provoked someone to anger?

Ever see that exasperated look come across someone's face and realize you're the cause of it?

The things that we say and do can sometimes be the cause of anger or exasperation to those around us.

What about when that someone is under 4 feet tall? 

What if that someone is that sweet bundle of joy you happily carried home from the hospital 5 years ago? 


I am the proud owner of my very own midget army. They are sweet and terrible all at the same time.  At times the little darlings can bring joy, fear, heartache, love, happiness and vein busting anger out in me all within a 90 second time frame. 

What I've been learning in recent weeks is that my reaction to their adorable antics is more crucial than I realized. They are children, I am an adult who has to have some semblance of control over myself, right? 

Ephesians 6:1-4 says

"Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your Father and Mother (which is the first commandment with a promise), so that it may be well with you, and that you may live long on the earth. Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord." 

Colossians 3:20-21 says

"Children, be obedient to your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing to the Lord. Fathers, do not exasperate your children, so that they will not lose heart."

Exasperation means to incite or inflame the anger of; to enrage; to cause irritation or annoyance to the point of injudicious action. 

OUCH!! 

I have had the privilege of working through the study "Entrusted With A Child's Heart" with a wonderful group of ladies. The author Betsy Corning gives a list of 16 Things that Provoke Children to Anger or Exasperate Them. This list has opened my eyes to changes that need to happen under my roof so I thought I would pass it along.

1. Unrealistic Expectations - I Corinthians 13:11 Remember they are children.

2. Being too Strict or Excessively Involved - James 3:17 Remember to be reasonable.

3. Comparing Them to Others - II Corinthians 10:12, Proverbs 15:4 Remember, it is unwise to make comparisons; what matters is what Christ thinks of us.

4. Neglect or Lack of Attention - Proverbs 3:27 Remember, they are a blessing from God to you and they are worth your time.

5. Overly Harsh in Discipline or Consequences - Proverbs 14:17, Proverbs 10:19 Remember do not discipline in anger.

6. Disciplining Without Admonition or Explanation - Colossians 1:28
Remember, admonishing our children helps make them complete in Christ.

7. Unpredictability of Home Life - I Corinthians 14:40 Remember, God's ways are orderly and stable.

8. Lack of Affection - I Thessalonians 2:7-8 Remember, a mother's touch is important in a child's life.

9. Lack of Boundaries or Giving Them Too Much Freedom - Proverbs 19:19-20, Proverbs 25:28 Remember the purpose in setting boundaries.

10. Modeling Anger - Proverbs 22:24-25 Remember, children can learn our sinful habits.

11. Discord Between Parents - Malachi 2:13-14 Remember, God wants families of unity.

12. Not Admitting When You Are Wrong - Hebrews 12:15 Remember, don't let bitterness build up in your family. Admit when you are wrong and ask forgiveness.

13. Double Standards or Hypocrisy - Matthew 23:27-28 Remember to live a pure and righteous life before your children; they know the real you.

14. Physical and Verbal Abuse - Colossians 3:8-9 Remember, hostility toward your children is sin.

15. Not Listening to Them or Giving Them an Opportunity to Explain Themselves        Proverbs 18:13, 17 Remember to live in understanding with your children.

16. Not Doing What You Said You Would Do - Proverbs 13:1, Matthew 5:37 Remember, do what you say you will do.

After re-reading this list yet again, I realize that there are still more things I need to work on. I encourage all of my favorite Mother's out there to ask God what He would have you work on. 

Whether your children are 2 or 20 this list covers it.  

Forever learning in Christ,
 Penny




   


 

New Session -Morning CAFE

                                                  

 Look Familiar?

Then help is on the way........

  Pastor Dan will be starting a New Sermon Series this Sunday

Lessons from the Life of Moses

6 week session on STRESS

Our Rabbit Trails Cafe once again offers this 6 week session to go along with Pastor Dan's Sunday message.

All you need is a Bible !!

We meet at the

 Boomerang Bakery

 off the square

9:30-11:00

Wednesday Mornings

No registration, just drop by for a cup of tea and some time to examine the scriptures

1. April 11- Exodus 2:11-15 (Sermon Date April 14)
2. April 18 - Exodus Chapter 3 and 4 (Sermon Date April 22)
3. April 25 Exodus chapter 5-11 (Sermon Date April 29)
4. May 2 - Exodus chapter 14 (Sermon Date May 6)
5. May 9 - Exodus 18 (Sermon Date May 13)
6. May 16 -Exodus 32 (Sermon Date May 20)

Here's a challenge: Read each of the scriptures listed at least 6 times...once a day between our Cafe meetings, maybe!  Or perhaps once each day during the week between the Sunday Sermons. Let God's word permeate your brain.  Let your brain soak it in like a sponge.  I can't wait to hear how God reveals himself to each of us.

Laura Roth -Cafe leader

lroth09@gmail.com