Fearing God (20 of 40)
Series: Book You Can Trust
John Barnett
The fear of the Lord may best be described in the lives of two shepherd boys. Both knew only nomadic life. Following the pasture. Feeding the sheep. Leading the flock, and protecting the weak.
It was a quiet and demanding sort of life. Cold and damp nights on the ground; long and hot days in the sun. Then came the big change. For one it was the pit, and then the test. For the other it was the palace and then the test. Both were tested on the fear of the Lord. One passed with flying colors. The other crashed and burned. The first met Mrs. Potiphar and said no. The second met Mrs. Uriah the Hittite and said yes.
What was the difference between Joseph and David? Joseph feared the Lord anywhere, anytime and in anything. Startled by the rapid culture shock of being sped (actually walking about 30 days from Dothan to Egypt) to the most advanced civilization of the day. He is confronted with new rules, new dress, new language, new responsibilities. But it was the old habits he took with him. They proved to be good ones. He cultivated the awareness of God's presence. He saw God looking at him. He had been aware of that in Palestine. He was equally aware in Egypt.
A crisis does not make a man or woman, it only reveals what they have all the time been becoming. Joseph was becoming a young man who feared God. What did that mean? Well Psalm 19:9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever; the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. (KJV) HIS CLEAN FEAR ENDURES (v. 9a) = The Word of God is THE DIVINE CONDITION: The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever. This is fearing God, lovingly acknowledging by my actions God sees me. The fear of the Lord kept Joseph pure even in the days of his youth when it can be so hard. God had big plans for him. He might have forfeited it all for a moment of fun. But the fear of the Lord kept him.
What is this fear of the Lord about for us ...
Series: Book You Can Trust
John Barnett
The fear of the Lord may best be described in the lives of two shepherd boys. Both knew only nomadic life. Following the pasture. Feeding the sheep. Leading the flock, and protecting the weak.
It was a quiet and demanding sort of life. Cold and damp nights on the ground; long and hot days in the sun. Then came the big change. For one it was the pit, and then the test. For the other it was the palace and then the test. Both were tested on the fear of the Lord. One passed with flying colors. The other crashed and burned. The first met Mrs. Potiphar and said no. The second met Mrs. Uriah the Hittite and said yes.
What was the difference between Joseph and David? Joseph feared the Lord anywhere, anytime and in anything. Startled by the rapid culture shock of being sped (actually walking about 30 days from Dothan to Egypt) to the most advanced civilization of the day. He is confronted with new rules, new dress, new language, new responsibilities. But it was the old habits he took with him. They proved to be good ones. He cultivated the awareness of God's presence. He saw God looking at him. He had been aware of that in Palestine. He was equally aware in Egypt.
A crisis does not make a man or woman, it only reveals what they have all the time been becoming. Joseph was becoming a young man who feared God. What did that mean? Well Psalm 19:9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever; the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. (KJV) HIS CLEAN FEAR ENDURES (v. 9a) = The Word of God is THE DIVINE CONDITION: The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever. This is fearing God, lovingly acknowledging by my actions God sees me. The fear of the Lord kept Joseph pure even in the days of his youth when it can be so hard. God had big plans for him. He might have forfeited it all for a moment of fun. But the fear of the Lord kept him.
What is this fear of the Lord about for us ...
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