139. THE FEAR OF THE LORD. Proverbs 14:26.

Yes, you might say, But what is it? How do I get it? And when I do, What do I do with it? Well I will try,... with God’s help... to explain and answer these question as much for my own clarification as yours. In the book of Proverbs (1:7. it tells us,”The fear of The Lord is the foundation of true knowledge”. So that’s what it is, and that’s where we’ll start. We all know, that God is the perfection of all things, there is nothing in all creation that He doesn’t fully know and fully understand, from lightness to darkness, from hot to cold, from the height to the depth of any sea, river or ocean. He knows the answer to all questions and mysteries. He is perfection itself in every area and aspect of creation; physical, natural, mental, emotional, and spiritual. Why? Because He existed eternally; That is before creation, and in fact He is The Only Creator, maker and sustainer of all that exists and and ever has existed. And He will not tolerate any revels. As we can see by looking at Biblical history which is daily becoming more and more the only true source of history which we can trust. We need to understand, this world is God’s story “HIS STORY,” not ours and it will work out HIS WAY. We all have to play our part, as William Shakespeare says,”All the world’s a stage...” and hold our creator in awe and reverence. Not in fear as we know it, but in the knowledge of who He is, how much He loves us and the power of His mercy, grace and justice which is His alone to distribute to whom and where he chooses. No one else can get you to heaven or condemn you to hell. He has done His part by giving His Son to pay our debt, now it’s up to us to accept or reject that offer of payment (Salvation) for our sins. Don’t allow Satan to convince you otherwise, you know he is a liar, in fact the father of lies. Now is the time to turn your back on him and face our Creator, Our Loving Father of Truth an integrity. This is done by a simple act of Faith and submission to Jesus Christ the Son of God. `When you submit to God you don’t have to be afraid of anything. In (Psalm 46:1) we read He becomes your ‘refuge and strength’ Fearing God doesn’t mean being afraid that He is going to hurt or be angry or reprimand you in any way. No He is a good God who will gently show and guide you along the right path as you yield to His leading. The fear of The Lord just means that you follow His directions and recognise His authority in all things. You have probably noticed, there is not a lot of respect for authority these days. We have developed the kind of mentality that says ’Nobody’s going to tell me what to do.” But the Bible says in (Proverbs 14;26) “In the fear of The Lord there is strong confidence “ Why does it say that? Because a reverent and worshipful fear means to be respectful and obedient, It means you will do what God says to do... Only when you do that; will your confidence and trust in Him begin to grow. Remember this... every time you put you own Mind, Ideas and Will aside to do what God asks you to do, you are growing and moving one step closer and deeper towards your confidence and trust in Him. Think about it.!! And you will notice something else that will happen. The more reverential fear and awe you have for God, the more careful, courteous and thankful you will be in your dealings with others,That is because you know that you are accountable to God for your actions and you recognise that other people are just as valuable to Him as you are. Solomon writes in (Ecclesiastes 12;13) Fear God and keep His commandments for this is the duty of all mankind.” also, in (Deuteronomy 10:12) Moses told the children of Israel “What does the Lord your God require of you but to fear the Lord your God. To walk in obedience to Him. Love Him. serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.” It’s not complicated unless we make it that way by trying to split straws and manipulate God’s Word. That’s what some people do. Don’t let that be you. God says exactly what He means and means exactly what He says. There are no shortcuts or loopholes in God’s Word. There’s only one way to get to Our Father in Heaven and that is through Jesus.”Nobody comes to The Father except through Me “ said Jesus He has made a way narrow though the gate might be, it’s well lit by the Holy Spirit who also directs and straightens it for us. So, “taste and see that The Lord is Good.” Thank you for reading my thoughts on the “Fear of the Lord” I truly hope you accept and understand what I have attempted to bring to you this week. The full significance of this mystery is in the hands of our Creator, no one here on earth has all the answers, but God will give you more enlightment as you grow in faith trust and obedience to Him. God bless us all in Jesus name. Phaline. ------------------------

138. THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX. Matthew 9-13

Author Nicole Unice says the suspicions some people have about Christians are: “they judge me. They portray that they are better than I am. They don’t approve or accept me for who I am. They don’t appear to think I would fit into their religion. They are too serious and no fun to be with..” Jesus hung around enough parties for the Pharisees to accuse him of being a drunkard. He befriended forbidden women. He interacted with people so that He could introduce them to His Father. He broke through stereotypes and communicated God as He truly is – Approachable, Merciful and Graceful. The people who were most upset with Him… were the ones who preferred...the rules of the religion. .. The concept of a free and joyful life with Jesus may sound basic for you, but is that what your neighbours think? It feels as comfortable as sweatpants to hang out with people who believe and feel as we do, But there’s a job to be done! Fellowship among believers is a wonderful gift. But if we are truly to follow Jesus’ example, we need to look for opportunities to engage those around us. In the above Scripture Jesus said, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor, but sick people do...Instead of offering sacrifices to me… be merciful to others.” Some Christians are so insulated from non believers that they have no meaningful interaction with them. And the more time passes, the more comfortable they become in that nice, cosy place where everyone thinks, acts and speaks the same way; Until eventually they lose touch with the very people Jesus came to save. So find common ground with (non believers) Gardening, fishing, running, keep fit classes etc. Look for an opportunity to tell them about Christ and what He has done for you. You don’t have to push it, just tell them, and allow God to do the rest. If they come back to you about your relationship with Jesus, that’s an indication that God is asking you to talk more about Him to them. Don’t rush it, be soft and gentle; pray privately for their conversation asking the Holy Spirit for more opportunities and guidance. You won’t have all the answers, but, with a gentle spirit, you can put them in touch with someone who can explain things more fully. To them. It’s called “Thinking outside the religious box.” There is a difference in loving non-believers and loving their ways. Paul says, in (1 Corinthians 9-22) “Find common ground with everyone, doing everything you can to save some.” So (1) be courteous Everything (you) say should be kind and well thought out. (Colossians 4-6) (2) Be genuine. Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them.” (Romans 12-9) Jesus found common ground (water) with the women at the well, and she made peace with God, See (John 4) Then she brought her family and friends to meet Jesus You have to spend time around Non-believers to tell them about Jesus. When Levi invited Jesus and His Disciples to his home as dinner guests along with Tax Collectors and other disreputable sinners, the Pharisees asked why. And Jesus said to them in (Mark 2-16-17) ”Healthy people don’t need a doctor, but those who are sick do. I have come to call sinners, not those who think they have God’s approval.” Author Mark Robertson observes; At that time and even today in that part of the world, table fellowship signifies deep intimacy. To eat with someone is to share in their life and to allow them to share in yours. The Pharisees who were committed to the highest standards of ritual purity… expected Jesus to do as they did, keeping plenty of distance between themselves and these questionable types who might compromise Jesus’ holiness. But, Jesus never saw people as ‘less than’ He always treated people with dignity, regardless of how they treated Him. And He was never concerned with maintaining a religious facade. He ate with sinners, because they needed His help and were open to ask for and receive it How about you? Are you more concerned about what people think about you than you are about those who need Jesus. Think about this question, and ask the Holy Spirit to give you not just the ability, but the eagerness of spirit to talk about Jesus in your normal conversation. I do it this way, when I’m talking to a non-believer, I tell them about my very good friend who picks me up for church because I don’t drive. Then I drop into the conversation one of my aspects of faith, starting with something like “Oh my faith has helped so much when making decisions about my children’s education, or financial options, or with my teenagers. Look for opportunities, God will send them, and help you if you are sincere. Thank you for reading these few words on thinking outside the box. God bless, Phaline ​