NO FEAR?
Chad Sloan
Today’s Scripture: “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” James 4:8, ESV
Theme: God wants us to really know Him, so that we don’t miss out on His best for us: love, joy, peace, and every fruit of the Spirit which comes from walking intimately with Him.
SLOW FADE
I came to faith in Jesus at the age of 9 years old. I will never forget being saved and baptized at Surfside Baptist Church in SC. However, in high school I began a slow fade away from intimacy with God which turned into all out rebellion for well over a decade.
During those years I lived a wild life and sought only my own selfish desires. I did not walk with God and rarely prayed or attended church. Surprisingly, even when I was far from God, I never doubted my salvation. Even then, I would often recognize God quietly calling me back to a closer relationship with Him.
Finally, after being invited several times to The Cove Church I began to attend regularly. Shortly after, I started attending and hosting a Life Group. It was then that I began to restore my relationship with Jesus and learned again how to walk with Him.
WHERE’S THE FEAR
Looking back over my life I believe that I was truly saved when I was 9 years old. I believe all my wild living and sinfulness was covered by Jesus’ grace and blood then, even though I spent over a decade living outside of God’s will and plan for my life. During that season, I believe what I was missing was having a Holy Fear of God or a desire to prioritize God, seek to please Him and long for intimacy with Him.
When studying the Fear of God I realize more and more that to truly have intimacy with God I must have a healthy Fear of God. I’m not scared of God because His forgiveness means I do not stand in shame and condemnation before Him. Instead, Fear of the Lord means that my greatest fear is to be outside His will and to miss out on Him and His best for my life.
I do not live with a spirit of fear that the Bible warns against. In fact, scripture reassures us that God gives us a “spirit of power, love and sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7, NKJV). God provides for us better than he does for the sparrows and all of nature (Luke 12:7). So, we have no reason to fear Him if we are saved by His grace! What we should fear is being distant from Him and living outside of His will for our lives.
JUST ASK
The more I Fear God, the nearer to Him I will be. David says, “The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him…” (Psalm 25:14, ESV). The Bible is very clear about how to grow our Fear of the Lord and in turn our friendship and intimacy with God.
King Solomon, considered one of the wisest men, said: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” One step to gain wisdom is to simply pray and ask God for it (see James 1:5 and Ephesians 1:17-18). Your prayers for wisdom will lead you to a closer and deeper intimacy with God!
Make It Personal: If you aren’t as close to God as you would like to be, what in your life is keeping you away from God? Have you surrendered all areas of your life over to Him? How can you live today with a healthy, holy Fear of God? Not wanting to be out of step with God or missing out on His best for your day is a good start! Ask God to show you what changes you need to make.
Pray: Lord, how great and powerful is your name! I ask that you give me the wisdom to walk in step with you today. I ask to be filled with a holy fear of You so that I long to be like you, to please you, and to know you better. Search me, oh God, and show me where I have sinned. Help me to step back into your will. I want to walk intimately with you today.
Read: Psalm 31:19; James 1:5; Ephesians 1:17-18
Weekly Memory Verse: “No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him.” 1 John 3:6, ESV