29

Jump Start # 825

Posted on March 29, 2013 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

 

Jump Start # 825

1 Corinthians 15:56-57 “The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; but thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

This weekend is the time of the year that the world pauses and tips it’s hat to the resurrection of Jesus. For too many, the resurrection of Jesus is a once a year pause in the rapid pace of life. Followers of the Bible see the resurrection differently. The early Christians remembered it weekly and lived according to it daily. The resurrection of Jesus is THE event of the Bible. Without the resurrection, Jesus is just another religious leader who died.

As a hymn we sing, “Up from the grave He arose,” and so He did. The resurrection of Jesus became God’s explanation point. It was the crushing blow to the serpent’s head. It defeated what all of us lived in fear of, death. Because of Jesus, death is not the end of the story. Because of Jesus, death is just a doorway to a wonderful world where the righteous want to be. Death is not feared any longer because of Jesus. Death becomes an inconvenience, and nothing more. Our attitude about death changes because of Jesus. Instead of being fixated upon death, we see the what awaits beyond death. There is an old story of a mother who passed away. At her visitation, her daughter placed a fork in mom’s hand. That was odd. Some one asked, “Why is there a fork in your mom’s hand?” The daughter commented that mom loved to cook and she always said, “Save your folk, the best is yet to come!” How true that is for those who walk with God. The best is yet to come!

In our passage today, Paul speaks of a victory as if it has already occurred. And, in many ways it had. Jesus was victorious Himself. The grave could not hold Him. He was the first resurrected to never die again. There would be others. Death is Satan’s greatest tool. Jesus destroyed it. There is nothing else Satan can do. He is dead in the water!

Victory is sweet. Victory in war, means the soldiers will soon be coming home and the threat and rebellion has been overcome. Victory in sports means you are the champion! I live in Indiana. Watching the number # 1 Hoosiers lose last night was hard. They didn’t look like # 1 after the game. (They didn’t play like # 1 during the game). The winning team jumps up and down. Their fans shout and high five each other. They are excited. They are the champions. Victory over cancer is a huge statement that patients long to hear from their doctor. Victory.

 

Victory belongs to those who walk with the Lord. Our personal struggle continues. We have daily battles, but the outcome of the war is known. God wins. That is the simple theme of Revelation. Opposition can not destroy God’s cause. He will not allow it.

Imagine that day, when all of this is over. Imagine that time when all those who have walked by faith are in Heaven! What a joyous time that will be. It won’t be a weekend get-a-way. It won’t be for a short time and then we have to hurry on to some other place. There is no other place to go. We won’t want to be any other place. Imagine seeing angels. Imagine seeing the righteous ones who left our presence long ago. Imagine seeing the heroes of the Bible. Imagine seeing Jesus. Revelation 22:4 states, “We shall see His face…” Imagine!

The resurrection makes all of this possible. As you take the Lord’s Supper this Sunday, think about this wonderful victory that God has made possible for you. On our own, we are losers. Without Jesus, even the best among us, are sunk. But with Jesus and because of Jesus, there is a wonderful victory. Doesn’t that just make you want to kick Satan to the curb and toss out all his idiotic trinklets that he dangles before our eyes. Satan is a loser.

 

Thanks, Paul said. Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Did you catch a word in that last statement from our verse? The victory is through Jesus. Certainly. But, it’s through OUR Lord Jesus Christ. Not HIS Lord Jesus Christ, but OUR Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus came for us. Jesus died and rose for us. We belong to Him and He is ours.

Honor His name and His ways. Defend His cause. Respect His wishes. Obey His commands. Share His story. And look forward to that sweet, sweet Victory.

 

Roger

 

28

Jump Start # 824

Posted on March 28, 2013 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

 

Jump Start # 824

Psalms 2:6 “But as for Me, I have installed My King upon Zion, My holy mountain.”

 

A college student asked me if I would write a Jump Start about the same-sex marriage debate that seems to be the talk of the town these days. It is being looked at by the Supreme Court and is being pushed heavily by social medias and the liberal press.

You may have seen the symbol on Facebook: a red square with pink equal sign, the symbol for equality in marriage. Across college campuses many young students are rushing to support equality in marriage. Arguments that this issue is an equal rights issue are being made. Some have been duped into shallow arguments, such as everyone ought to love each other and just accept each other. Singer Beyonce made a statement this week that said, “If you love it, you ought to be able to put a ring on it.” Well, Beyonce, I love chocolate! Should I get a tax write off for my stash of chocolate I keep in my desk? Miss Beyonce, what about a 50 year old man who claims that he is in love with a 12 year old girl? And what if that mistaken 12 year old believes that she loves that man? Put a ring on it? What if a man declared that he loved two women? Instead of having an affair and breaking up his home, put a ring on both women? Once the door is opened, it will swing very wide and never be shut again. “Put a ring on it” is a shallow statement that hasn’t been thought out.

Oprah has declared that her god does not condemn homosexuality. I believe she is right. I don’t know who her god is, but I’m certain her god allows her to do whatever makes her happy. That’s the god most folks want. A god that will just let me be. A god that comes when I call him and a god that will get me out of the messes I make. As amazing as that god seems to be, that god can’t save you, nor will that god take you to Heaven. He is only make believe.

The Hollywood crowd and the music industry have never been poster children for morals. Drugs, sex and rock ‘n roll has been their theme song long before most of us were born.

The same-sex marriage movement wants this debate to be solely based upon equality, rights and fairness. They don’t want God discussed in this issue. Bringing up God immediately angers the same-sex crowd. They view conservative thinkers as bigots, narrow, and against the civil rights of others. The same-sex crowd is growing. They are loud and they dominate the media.

Their arguments fail on three points. First, same-sex marriages are not equal to a man and woman. If it were not for modern science, a whole generation of same-sex couples would end the population. Same-sex cannot reproduce. It is biologically impossible.  Modern science has found ways using test tubes to skirt around that, but still a male sperm and a female egg are necessary. I got that in biology 101 many years ago. Same-sex is not equal. The wiring of a male is different than a female. My wife and I are not equal. She does not look like me, act like me, or think like me. If she did, I probably wouldn’t have married her. I don’t want another me. She is different than me. When the kids call, I ask them what’s up, get to the point, what do you need and I’m done. Short phone calls is the way I operate. When they talk to my wife, they talk and talk and talk. She’s different. When they want advice about fixing stuff, they talk to me. When they need that TLC, they talk to her. It has always been that way. When they skinned their knees, they ran crying to Mom. I would have said, “walk it off.” When they broke something, they came to me. Men and women are wired differently. They function differently. They act differently. My wife likes movies that have a lot of drama. We’ll see a movie and she will ask me what I thought about it. I generally say, “there was too much talking.” I like bullets, bombs and car chases. She doesn’t like those things. We are different. God made us that way. We compliment and complete each other. We are not the same. Two men or two women are not equal to a man and a woman. The equality thing is a bunch of smoke!

Secondly, this discussion is beginning at a major assumption that has not been proven. We assume, as humans, that we are in the position and that we have the right to define life, marriage and death. We assume since we are in that position, that whatever society decides, is the way it is going to be. We assume that our happiness is the sole purpose of life. I do not accept those assumptions. Those assumptions have not been proven in the academic world. What right do we have to define marriage? Who gave us this right? Just because we exist? Just because we want it? It seems like we are acting like three year olds who do not want to go to bed when the parents tell them and declare that they are old enough to make the rules. Really? That’s where I see this. Life has been defined by the one who gave it – God. Death has been defined by the one who introduced it, God. Marriage is defined by the one who established it, God. Some have the idea that cave man many years ago evolved into marriage and later on invited God in on it. So wrong. God came up with marriage and invited us into it. Any discussion about marriage that does not include God misses the point. The conclusion will be wrong. The very purpose of marriage is not happiness, it is Holiness. A marriage that ignores God is destined to be troubled and miss the main intention and focus of that relationship. Why is it that God used marriage, or all relationships to describe the role and love between Jesus and His church? Why is marriage an illustration of Heaven? God understood and defined that role of leadership and love and service. Those relationships are His. They are holy and they are right. Man is not equal to God. People will scream, and shout, and pout and blow a gasket when one mentions God in this discussion, but until they do, there is no room for discussion. Can two basketball players in the midst of a game stop and declare that they have decided new rules for the game? Would that work in the college tournaments or the NBA? No. Why? They are not in position to make that call. They are players not the rule makers. Until we see our roles, this discussion, this debate starts off on the wrong point. Same-sex marriage is not equal because God has defined marriage as between a man and a woman. The first problem in the human history was that man was alone. God created a woman. She was suitable to him. She complimented him. She was fit for him. Adam didn’t have a Steve, he had an Eve. God knew. God made. God then defined the marriage. Until God is introduced into this discussion, it is a flawed waste of time.

Finally, our passage today is a starting point. It is a Messianic passage about the role of the Christ. God was declaring His Son to be the King. Read Psalms 2. It’s awesome. The kings of the earth reject God. He laughs. How futile are their words and their efforts. God will bring them down. God sets up His King. His Son rules. Later, in Matthew, Jesus declares, “ALL authority in Heaven and on earth has been given to Me” (28:18). Where did Jesus get this authority? It was given to Him. Who gave it? Jehovah did. God installed His King! Jesus was given all authority by God. All means all. We do not have the right, position nor the power to change, redefine, or undo what God has done. Sure the courts will declare something on this. And red squares with pink equal signs will become the symbol of this generation and states will declare you can marry your dog if you want, but none of this changes what God says. Do we get that. God is who we will see when we die. There won’t be any courts, social media or protesters declaring what is fair, right and equal then, not when you are alone with God. God has installed His king. His king may not be Oprah’s king. His king may not be Beyonce’s king. His king may not even be your king. Our democracy has ruined our thinking with God. There is not free speech with God. There is no equal rights with God. There is no “my say” with God. There is no “I have my rights” with God. Get over it. It’s not that way with God. It’s not a democracy, which means the rule of the people. It is a Theocracy, which is the rule of God. HE rules. HE is supreme ruler. HE has all authority. HE alone has the right, the position, and the power to declare and define. We are players on the field.

This same-sex movement is blasphemous to the God of Heaven and Earth. It defies Him and denies Him. It denounces the Holy word of God and assumes that all are equal to God. We are not and never will be.

The same-sex marriage movement is WRONG. It is not of God. It is not holy. It offends righteous people. It shames and degrades what is good. There is no way a wrong can be made right. It is not equal to man-woman marriage. Stuff the red squares and pink equal signs in the trash and open the Bible. Start with who God is and His holiness. Grasp His authority. Until this is done, there is no discussion. It is time for righteous people to speak out. It is time for us to come to the defense of the Gospel. It is time to take a stand. You cannot have same-sex marriage and the God of Heaven and Earth. You have to make a choice. Your choice comes with consequences.

More to come…

Roger

27

Jump Start # 823

Posted on March 27, 2013 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

 

Jump Start # 823

Revelation 14:13 “And I heard a voice from Heaven saying, ‘Write, ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on!’ ‘Yes,’ says the Spirit, ‘so  that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them.’”

This Jump Start is dedicated to my friend and fellow preacher Marty Pickup

Yesterday morning I was teaching our passage to a group. It was a good study. About the same time I was teaching, my friend, Marty, was playing tennis in Florida. He loved to play tennis. He collapsed during a game and passed away. His death shocked and stunned so many of us. Marty was only 53. He was a brilliant gospel preacher. His studies in ancient Judaism and the formation of the Bible was incredible. Marty was so smart. But more than that, he was so kind and so helpful. I have many fond memories of him. He called a while back about something that was very important to him and we had nearly an hour conversation. He sent me one of his articles that he was working on and wanted my advice. I was flattered that he wanted my thoughts.

Marty’s sudden death brought back a flood of memories of his sister’s sudden death several years ago. She was a member of the congregation I was preaching at then in Kansas City. I remember Marty speaking so kindly to me before I preached her funeral. That was difficult. She was a dear friend.

The suddenness of Marty’s death takes one’s breath away but that itself is not all that uncommon. Car accidents, disasters, and other mishaps takes a life nearly every day. I think what has shaken me so much was that Marty was so good. He was so needed. He was a major influence in God’s kingdom. His articles, his preaching and his love for the Lord gave us a depth and a freshness that was helpful to so many of us. Just last night I read a series of Marty’s articles about the formation of the books of the Bible. It was thorough, researched and very readable to a common mind like mine. Why is it that the good ones go? We could use decades more of Marty’s love and teaching. Why is it that those who don’t care remain? My good wife reminded me of what I knew. Marty was ready. The Lord is being patient with the others, giving them opportunity to change.

My mind was unsettled last night. I kept thinking of Marty’s dear family. I remember what it was like for his sister’s family. I was there. It was hard, tearful, but thankful for a life well lived. I kept thinking about Marty. I wonder what he was seeing. I wonder if he and his sister met. I thought about our passage today. Although written specifically to encourage those who daily were facing execution because of their faith, there is a lasting and broader truth to what is said. There is a blessing for those who die in the Lord.

First, they are finished with all the troubles of this life. Our country is quickly throwing God overboard. Same sex marriage will be a reality before long. Folks don’t see that there is a line connecting evolution, atheism, violence, homosexuality and a selfish spirit that is dominating our times. People want to do what they want. There are consequences to such arrogance. The worst is a life without God leads to an eternity without God. My friend, Marty is finished with this fight. He leaves this mess. He finished what God wanted. He is home safe. Never to be tempted again. Never to sin again. Never to hear bad news again. There is a tug on the hearts of the righteous to want to join him. He is so blessed.

 

Second, they are experiencing the reality of their faith. How many sermons, how many songs, how many prayers do the righteous experience before they see with their own eyes the beauty and splendor of the Lord. The Bible is true. God is right. God is upon the throne. Those noble truths come to a reality when those in the Lord die.

 

Third, even though they leave us, their footprints remain. Our passage tells us that “their deeds follow them.” Much like Abel, in Hebrews 11, that though he is dead, he still speaks. All of us leave footprints in the sands of time as the great poet once wrote. Our children’s first impression of marriage comes from what they see at home. The greatest sermons our families witness are the ones lived out day after day at home. Some day you will leave this place. Your family and friends will remember your attitudes, choices, spirit, devotion and love. Some talk a good game, others live it. The articles, sermons, spirit and devotion of my friend Marty, will long help others, including me. All of us connect and influence others. You leave an impression upon others. People see you for what you do and how you conduct yourself. Some of us carry sorry and negative attitudes all our lives. We feel that we are victims. Others, such as my friend, Marty, grasped the heart of a servant. Helping others. Being there for others. Mentoring others. Teaching others. Giving. Sharing. What a legacy. What footprints. What are you leaving for others to follow?

Finally, the death of God’s children puts a seriousness upon us. Life is short. Time is precious. Although I have a deep sense of wanting to be on the other side, I remain here. There is a work that continues on. There is a fight and a struggle for God that we must be engaged in. It is so easy to be caught up in the shallow, superficial things that do not matter. The death of the righteous reminds us that God is good to us. It reminds us that we must be about God’s work. It reminds us that we are on a destination.

How thankful we are that the story of our lives does not end with the cemetery. How thankful we are that Jesus conquered death and Satan. How thankful we are that God has made us in His image. How thankful we are that God wants us to spend forever with Him.

Do you know someone who doesn’t know Jesus? It’s time to tell them. Do you know someone who is stuck in the shallowness and sinfulness of this world? It’s time to tell them. How about us? How serious are we? How dedicated are we? How faithful are we?

Someday will be our last day…are you ready?

Thanks, Marty. Rest sweet, brother. I already miss you. God will take care of you!

Roger

 

26

Jump Start # 822

Posted on March 26, 2013 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

 

Jump Start # 822

Acts 16:25 “But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them”

Our verse today sets the stage for a remarkable chain of events that leads to the teaching and conversion of a jailer in Philippi. I thought about this verse the other day. I was driving home from Indy, about a two hour drive. My beloved had a long day and was sleeping, which meant no radio. So I started silently singing hymns to myself. I’m not a good singer. Others in my family got that talent. I try. I thought about Paul and Silas singing at midnight.

There are a few thoughts for us to think about:

  • Paul and Silas did not play the victim. A few verses before reveal that they had been beaten with rods. They had received “many blows.” They were taken to the inner prison, the most secure place, and their feet were shackled. It was midnight. It had been a long day. Long physically. Long emotionally. It had been a day in which they nearly died. Now, they were in the inner prison. I expect conditions back then were very harsh. Did they get any medical attention for their wounds? Did they even get a drink of water? They had done nothing wrong. They preached Jesus, the best news that anyone can hear. Yet, in this prison, they are praising God. Amazing. What about them? What about the improper treatment? What about the unfair things that had happened? What about them? Paul and Silas had a deep sense and understanding that they were servants of Christ and they were glad to do anything for the Lord. That’s been lost in today’s world.

 

  • Paul and Silas did not lose focus with God. They are praising God, not complaining to God. They are worshipping, not asking questions. They are demonstrating faith, not a pity party. They are humble, not demanding. They are connecting to God, not distancing themselves from Him.

 

  • Paul and Silas sang loud enough for the prisoners to hear. That thought is remarkable. It’s late, midnight. They are singing. I expect that as they started, some jeered and mocked them. Some may have shouted for them to be quiet. But they kept singing. They kept praising. The impression from the context was not that the prisoners were receiving a free concert, but that the message of the hymns connected with them. We teach through songs. Words mean things. Paul and Silas, bloodied, beaten were not despondent, depressed nor shaken in their faith. They didn’t sing silently. They didn’t sing quietly. Others heard them. Paul told the Romans that he was not ashamed of the Gospel. More than that, Paul was not ashamed of God. He would sing out loud. I expect others saw him praying. His faith wasn’t hidden. Two guys singing. I think many of us would feel uncomfortable about singing with another person even in our cars. This makes us wonder, do others hear us praising God? They may hear us complaining about the weather, the high price of gas, or the cost of college, but do they hear us praising God? How about, do they hear us praising God when things haven’t gone well for us? We see athletes praising God or pointing a finger up to Heaven after a home run or a touch down. How about after a fumble? After a loss? After being eliminated from a tournament? After being laid off from work? After a car accident? After news that you have cancer? After the journey home from the cemetery? Singing praises to God so all can hear…even after being beaten and thrown into the inner prison.

 

  • Their singing influenced others. God caused an earthquake. The prison doors opened. Most times, the prisoners rush to freedom. This time, they remained. Paul stayed. Silas stayed. The prisoners stayed. Why? Was the singing so good, that they’d rather stay and hear some more than rush to their freedom? Like the dying Jesus upon the cross, those that witnessed it were influenced. The thief on the cross had a change of heart. A Roman soldier had a change of heart. Now, years later, men who were imprisoned for crimes, refuse to escape to their freedom. They stay. How we conduct ourselves, especially during trying times, has as great of an impact upon others as a dozen Sunday sermons. How you handle the emergency room. How you handle the job layoff. How you handle the death of a family member. How you handle abuse, whispers, being avoided. People notice. Peter mentioned the hope that they see in you. This is when hope is shown the most. After the beatings. After the prison. After the hard times. It’s easy to be a Christian on Sunday in a church building full of other Christians. It’s hard when you are sitting in a prison cell and it’s dark and late and those around you are pagans.

 

  • They were not defeated. They had not given up. They were not finished. They would continue on. More sermons. More songs. More people. More places. If it was not a congregation, then it would be fellow prisoners. They used the opportunities God gave them. They understood the concept of blooming where you are planted. Often in life we have grand plans of what we will do and be. Those plans don’t always work out. Our Plan A is often not God’s. With that, some give up. They sing the sad song of what could have been. Have you ever noticed, driving along the highway, a tree growing out of a cliff? Often the highway was cut through rock. And there is a flower or a tree growing out of that rock. How did it get there? Did the highway workers plant it there? No. The winds of adversity or the birds dropped the seed. There was just enough soil and sunlight for it to grow. And there it grows—out of a rock. It blooms where it was planted.

The hospital room, the boss’s office, the principal’s office, at the scene of a fender bender, or even in a prison in Philippi, these may be the places where you will bloom the best. Don’t wait for the grand opportunities. Look for them everyday. A  conversation with a store clerk, the guy sitting next to you in the airplane may be God’s Plan A for you. Bloom where ever you are. Your pulpit may not be in a church building. It may be singing hymns at midnight.

Paul and Silas understood this. It helps when we do as well

Roger

 

 

 

25

Jump Start # 821

Posted on March 25, 2013 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

 

Jump Start # 821

Luke 12:4 “I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that have no more that they can do, but I will warn you whom to fear; fear the One who, after He has killed, has authority to cast into hell; yes, I tell you, fear Him!”

In this section of Scripture, Jesus is stressing the power, authority and realm of God. God is the one to be obeyed and feared. I have heard some say that ‘we shouldn’t fear God because He loves us.’ God does love us. In Hebrews it reminds us that “it is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”

Let’s consider two thoughts:

1. “after that have no more that they can do” – there is a limit to what man can do. Recently, in a neighborhood not far from where I live, a man was shot and killed by a couple of teenagers who were trying to burglarize the place in the middle of the day. They thought no one was home. They killed the home owner. That was shocking and tragic to the community. Yet, there was no more that they could do. The enemies of this country continue to try to harm us. They have killed some. Yet after that, there is no more that they can do.

A person does not become “deader” than what they are. Once the soul has left the body, death takes place. The body can be honored in a funeral or disgraced by mutilation yet “there is no more that they can do.” Death is the end of the road to what harm one person can do to another. There is a limit to what damage can be done. No one can send you to Hell. They can end your life, but only God can do that.

 

Expanding that thought, there is a limit to what people can do. There is a limit in our knowledge. There is a limit in our ability. Doctors are limited. Once death happens, they can do no more. There is a limit to what people can do spiritually. They can show us, teach us, remind us, encourage us, but only God can save. When someone has hurt me, I can forgive him for that, but my forgiveness does not mean God has forgiven him. Nor, does my forgiveness, take care of all of their sins. There is a limit. There is a point where I can do no more. Some things only God can do.

 

2. God is capable, able and in the position to do much more than we can. God, according to this passage, can do more harm than we can. We can take life and that’s it. God can do more. God can take life and then God can send to Hell. God’s authority is not limited. It is not limited to life, nor this world, nor this time.

This passage reminds us that death is not the worst thing that can happen to us. Beyond death, there is God. Beyond death, there is a comfort or there this a pain that we can not fully understand nor grasp. Beyond death, there is God. In desperation or in sadness, some take their own lives. Suicide. The thought is that the suffering will end. The pain will end. The misery of the soul will end. Take your life and end the suffering. However, it won’t end. Death is not the end of the journey. Beyond death, is God.

 

In a similar way, when a person suffers with cancer and finally passes away, someone will say, “at least they are no longer suffering.” Is that true? It is for the faithful of God. It is for those who have chosen to walk with God. Is it true for all people? For those who denied that God exists? For those who lived in open rebellion to God all of their lives? What about the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16? After the rich man died, he was in torment. So miserable was he that he begged for Lazarus to bring one drop of water to him. At the rich man’s funeral, some may have said, “At least he is no longer suffering?” That wasn’t true. He was still suffering. His suffering was worse. Death is not the end. Death is not the worst thing that can happen to us.

 

There is no limit to what God can do to forgive us. Jesus told Peter to forgive up to seventy times. God does that. God does more than that. He forgave Paul when he was abusing and harassing the early church. God forgave Peter when he was a hypocrite. God forgave Peter after he denied Jesus. This is important to know. Sometimes our sins have done a lot of damage. Sometimes we have torn our families apart. Sometimes there is lasting reminders of our poor choices. A marriage ends…the kids only see dad every other weekend. A constant reminder to a sin. A job ends…fired for cheating. At the next job interview, it surfaces again. A reminder of poor choices. Failing health caused by long habits of drinking or drugs…a reminder of sin. The reminders of our sin can be with us for a lifetime. Our sins can be so great that we think no one will ever forgive us. God can. God can do what man cannot. God can do what man will not. God is greater than we are. There is a limit to what we can do.

Should we fear God? Yes. That’s what this passage says. Fear in such a way that we tremble, don’t want to talk to Him and try to hide from Him? No. Fear in such a way that we realize that He is upon the throne and has the power and the right to throw us into Hell. That fear will make us reverent. That fear will help us close our mouths and not say dumb nor arrogant things. That fear will lead us to obedience.

Some have had the opportunity to visit the White House. I have. I did not get to the second floor where the Oval Office is. That’s off limits. Even if I did, I would not be allowed to sit at the President’s desk. That’s off limits. Even if I could do that, I would not be allowed to put my feet up on his desk. I do that to my desk. Not the President’s desk. That’s disrespectful. That’s acting like a big shot. That’s implying that I am bigger and better than the President.

How do I act toward God? His word? His will? His ways? Do I obey if I want? Do I play the game of picking out what I want to believe and do and leaving the things that I don’t? Do I say, ‘I like it,’ therefore that must mean that ‘God likes it.’ Those attitudes do not reflect the respect, honor nor fear toward God.

 

Fear God. Love God. Obey God. Praise God. Follow God. Know God. Tell God’s story. Those all flow together. Those are all connected to each other. It’s not one without the others. It’s not picking out the nice ones and leaving the others. It’s all of them. Awesome is our God!

Roger