The Lord strikes the Nations with Terror

“Put them in fear, O Lord: that the nations may know themselves to be but men. Selah.”

Psalms 9:20 KJV

 

      The Lord strikes men with terror. Wicked nations have always been afraid of the Lord’s righteous ones. When Israel was following the Lord and living righteously, fear was in the hearts of her enemies. God will show His greatness through His power, and when He does, the nations will tremble in righteous fear that they are but men, clay in the hands of an Awesome Potter. May we trust in the Lord; our Master, strikes terror in the wicked men and demons which march around this earth; our God is yet stronger than they!       

Lessons from the Life of Joseph--The Fear of God

Lessons from the Life of Joseph

THE FEAR OF GOD

 

     Joseph feared God. We have no record that he responded in hate, disdain, contempt or any other negative character trait. Instead, we see Joseph remain amazing faithful even in slavery and false imprisonment. And everywhere Joseph went God prospered him: when he was in prison God raised him up to be put in charge of all the other prisoners because he was so trustworthy!

    Joseph was at one of the lowest points in life—in slavery and with the temptation of a woman who wanted only fornication, but look at what Joesph said and did

And it came to pass after these things, that his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me. 8 But he refused, and said unto his master's wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand; 9 There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God? 10 And it came to pass, as she spake to Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, or to be with her. 11 And it came to pass about this time, that Joseph went into the house to do his business; and there was none of the men of the house there within. 12 And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me: and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out. Gen 39:7-12 (KJV)

 

    Joseph was only able to flee the temptation and respond as He did because he feared God. It is true that you serve who or what you fear. If you fear getting hit by a car, you’ll take precautions to look both ways before crossing the street. If you fear God, transgressing His Law and will will be horrifying to you because you want to please Him, your Heavenly Master.

 

Do you fear God?

 

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Thought 298: Humility from Ryan's devotional book series Thoughts

Thought 298

Humility

“The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way. All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies. For thy name's sake, O Lord, pardon mine iniquity; for it is great. What man is he that feareth the Lord? him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose. His soul shall dwell at ease; and his seed shall inherit the earth. The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant. Mine eyes are ever toward the Lord; for he shall pluck my feet out of the net.”

Psalms 25:9-15 KJV

Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary defines Meek as: …humble, in an evangelical sense ; submissive to the divine will ; not proud, self-sufficient or refractory ; not peevish and apt to complain of divine dispensations. Christ says, “Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and he shall find rest for your souls.” Matt. xi

    A mentor of mine has said, “humility is the key.” In life, being humble is an important key to everything: right standing with God, proper relationships with people, and most importantly, being in the right place and season that God has for you. A few years later, the same man told me that humility and the fear of the Lord when you study them out are synomomous.

     From our text, we learn that the Lord guides the humble, instructs them, and teaches them His way. As we go on we see the characteristics of the humble: keeping the demands of covenant of the Lord; and repentance, crying out: forgive my iniquity, Lord! By the Spirit, we can also see the Lord reveal through this Scripture that the fear of the Lord and humility are synonymous because the man that fears the Lord is instructed in the way chosen for him, in the path that God has anointed him for; and that the Lord guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way.

     Fearing the Lord brings prosperity and inheritance, but more than all that, the Lord confides in those who fear him! He makes his covenant known to them! Like David wrote, may we cry out and proclaim, my eyes are ever on the LORD, for only he will release my feet from the snare! Let’s be humble, let’s Fear the Lord!