– A NEGLECTED TRUTH

By Rev Colin Hurt

SSMCSUNGAI WAY-SUBANGMETHODISTC H U R C H

19 APRIL 2015

2 Chronicles 26:5 (HCSB) 5 He sought God throughout the lifetime of Zechariah, the teacher of the fear

of God. During the time that he sought the LORD, God gave him success.

2 Chronicles 26:5 (NLT) 5 Uzziah sought God during the days of Zechariah, who taught him to fear God.

And as long as the king sought guidance from the LORD, God gave him success.

2 Chronicles 26:5 (GW) 5 He dedicated his life to serving God in the days of Zechariah, who taught him

to fear God. As long as he dedicated his life to serving the LORD, the LORD gave

him success.

2 Ch 26:5 (NIV )

He sought God during the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the fear of

God. As long as he sought the LORD, God gave him success.

This was king Uzziah. He was a successful king.

His kingdom was built on the fear of God

Matthew 4:10 (NASB) 10 Then Jesus *said to him, "Go, Satan! For it is written, 'YOU SHALL

WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD, AND SERVE HIM ONLY.'"

Deuteronomy 6:13 (NKJV) 13 You shall fear the LORD your God and serve Him, and shall take

oaths in His name.

Worship and the fear of the

Lord are synonymous.

INTRODUCTION

Jacob

Gen 28:17 NIV He was afraid and said, "How awesome is this place! This is

none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven."

Moses

Heb 12:21 NIV The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, "I am trembling

with fear."

Isaiah

Isa 6:5 NIV "Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean

lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the

King, the LORD Almighty."

Revelation 1:17 (NASB) 17 When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. And He placed His right

hand on me, saying, "Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last,

HOW TO OBTAIN THE FEAR OF GOD -

ENCOUNTER WITH GOD

NEGATIVE EVENTS

Act 5:11 NIV Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about

these events.

Act 19:17 NIV When this became known to the Jews and Greeks living in

Ephesus, they were all seized with fear, and the name of the Lord Jesus was

held in high honor.

POSITIVE EVENTS

Act 9:31 NIV Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria

enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the

Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.

HOW TO OBTAIN THE FEAR OF GOD -

CIRCUMSTANCES

SOLOMON THE TEACHER OF THE FEAR OF GOD

THE FEAR OF THE LORD IS A CHOICE

Pro 1:28-29 NIV "Then they will call to me but I will not answer; they will

look for me but will not find me, 29 since they hated knowledge and did

not choose to fear the LORD.

Pro 2:1-5 NIV My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands

within you, 2 turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to

understanding-- 3 indeed, if you call out for insight and cry aloud for

understanding, 4 and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for

hidden treasure, 5 then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find

the knowledge of God.

Pro 23:17 NIV Do not let your heart envy sinners, but always be zealous for

the fear of the LORD.

OLD TESTAMENT TEACHING

ON THE FEAR OF GOD

Pro 1:7 NIV The fear of the LORD is the beginning of

knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Pro 9:10 NIV The fear of the LORD is the beginning of

wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

The most common definition of wisdom is, that it is the

choice of the best end and the selection of the most

appropriate means for the accomplishment of that end.

(Charles Finney)

THE FEAR OF THE LORD IS THE FIRST

EDUCATIONAL PRINCIPLE

THE FEAR OF THE LORD IS CHARACTERISED BY RIGHT CHOICES

• Pro 3:7-8 NIV Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil. 8 This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.

• Pro 8:13 NIV To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech.

• Pro 16:6 NIV Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for; through the fear of the LORD evil is avoided.

THE FEAR OF THE LORD HAS BENEFITS• Pro 10:27 NIV The fear of the LORD adds length to life, but

the years of the wicked are cut short.

• Pro 14:26 NIV Whoever fears the LORD has a secure fortress, and for their children it will be a refuge.

• Pro 14:27 NIV The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, turning a person from the snares of death.

• Pro 15:16 NIV Better a little with the fear of the LORD than great wealth with turmoil.

• Pro 19:23 NIV The fear of the LORD leads to life; then one rests content, untouched by trouble.

• Pro 22:4 NIV Humility is the fear of the LORD; its wages are riches and honor and life.

NEW TESTAMENT TEACHING ON THE FEAR OF GODPAUL THE TEACHER OF THE FEAR OF GOD

FEAR IS OUR MOTIVATION TO GROWTH

Php 2:12-13 NIV Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed--

not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence--continue to

work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who

works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

The power to will and the power to act must necessarily come from God… but

the act of volition and the act of working come from the man. God gives power to

will, man wills through that power; God gives power to act, and man acts through

that power. Without the power to will, man can will nothing; without the power

to work, man can do nothing. God neither wills for man, nor works in man's

stead, but he furnishes him with power to do both; he is therefore accountable to

God for these powers.

Adam Clarke's Commentary.

FEAR IS OUR MOTIVATION TO MINISTRY2Co 5:10-11 NIV For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ,

so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in

the body, whether good or bad. 11 Since, then, we know what it is to fear

the Lord, we try to persuade others. What we are is plain to God, and I

hope it is also plain to your conscience.

This is ministry in evangelism.

Act 26:28 NIV Then Agrippa said to Paul, "Do you think that in such a short

time you can persuade me to be a Christian?"

It is also ministry in discipling.

Act 13:43 NIV When the congregation was dismissed, many of the Jews

and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who talked

with them and urged them to continue in the grace of God.

This was at Antioch in Pisidia.

THE CONCLUSION

Ecc 3:14 NIV I know that everything God does will endure forever;

nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so

that people will fear him.

Ecc 5:7 NIV Much dreaming and many words are meaningless.

Therefore fear God.

Ecc 8:12 NIV Although a wicked person who commits a hundred

crimes may live a long time, I know that it will go better with those

who fear God, who are reverent before him.

Ecc 12:13 NIV Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the

matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of

all mankind.