Real Insight

Do you fear the Lord? Are you genuinely afraid of Him? You sure? Then why do you sin? For many years, ministers have interpreted this as a fear as to be respectful. They’re only partially right. You see, when you sin (whether intentionally or accidentally) you don’t think about God. And if you do, it is not a very good thought. Sometimes, it is a licentious thought. It might go something like this, “Oh, I’ll pray and ask for forgiveness later.” Other times, it is a self-righteous response, “Well, it’s not as bad as what some other people are doing.” And in some cases, it is a simple, “Oh no, now God doesn’t love me anymore.” The fear of the Lord is something we cannot toy with.

Jesus says, “And when He has come, he will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment…of righteousness, because I go to the Father and you see me no more.” (John 16:8,10). You see sometimes we live as though God does not either see nor acknowledge the present. The reason we forget is merely because we do not see Him.

I remember many years ago when everybody had a very familiar bracelet. It came in a variety of colors, but written in white was the following, “W.W.J.D?” It stood for, what would Jesus do? It was meant to coax us into a sense of living righteously. Its intention was noble, yet we forget one important detail; He lives in us. You see, having the fear of the Lord is not something we should take lightly because we take Him wherever we go. Beloved, it is not a fear as though He will send lightning from the sky. And it is definitely not a fear that takes advantage of His compassion.

Instead it is a fear of a fathers instruction. Example: I tell people that for many years that the reason I didn’t speak to my dad was because I always knew what he was going to say. He was the voice in the back of my head. If I ever made a decision, I merely asked myself the question, “Would dad approve this?” Beloved the one time in my life that I did not ask myself that question, it lead to my greatest downfall. Heeding my fathers instruction was and still is the most important part of my life (after all he is a man who loves the Lord).

However, as the days progress, there are things that my dad can’t answer; and after all he is just a man. But how amazing is it that we have the God Man (Jesus Christ) to guide us. Beloved, the fear of the Lord is having that voice (The Holy Spirit) in the forefront of your mind. Knowing that steering away from it only leads to destruction. Do you want real insight about the life you live, then ask Him, “Do You approve?”