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Ps 145:6 And men shall speak of the power of Thine awesome acts; And I will tell of Thy greatness.

extremely impressive or daunting; inspiring great admiration, apprehension, or fear:

"the awesome power of the atomic bomb"

synonyms: breathtaking · awe-inspiring · magnificent · wonderful · amazing · stunning · staggering · imposing · stirring · impressive · formidable · fearsome · dreaded · mind-boggling · mind-blowing · jaw-dropping · excellent · marvelous · wondrous · awful

antonyms: unimpressive

Coming into this world before the age of computers makes it difficult for the older generation. When it comes to a new software program, they may be using just enough to get by for their needs. Therefore missing out on the full potential of the program that could make their life easier and more productive.

In a similar fashion we were created with a lot of potential:

Gen 1:26 (NAS unless indicated) Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness;…"

God has a program, a way for our lives that can make us productive as His sons. Yeshua (Jesus) said:

John 14:6 … "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me.

John 17:3 "And this is eternal life, that they may know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ …

So do we learn only enough to get along and miss the huge potential available to us? Do we miss an awesome relationship? Do we lack the connection with the source of all authority? Are we powerless to act as ambassadors for the Kingdom of God? Are we failing to represent our Master by doing as He did and as He said? Are we being fully yielded and fully trained to be graciously empowered and equipped to use the full potential of His calling, His program, His way?

Matt 28:18 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

Acts 1:8 but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses … even to the remotest part of the earth."

Mark 16:19 So then, when the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. 20 And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them, and confirmed the word by the signs that followed …

John 14:12 "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do shall he do also…

Eph 3:14 For this reason, I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, 16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man; 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.

Eph 3:20 Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, 21 to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.

Acts 10:34 And opening his mouth, Peter said: "I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality, 35 but in every nation the man who fears Him and does what is right, is welcome to Him.

Acts 10:36 The word which He sent to the sons of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ (He is Lord of all) -- 37 you yourselves know the thing which took place throughout all Judea, starting from Galilee, after the baptism which John proclaimed. 38 You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good, and healing all who were oppressed by the devil; for God was with Him. 39 And we are witnesses of all the things He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. And they also put Him to death by hanging Him on a cross. 40 God raised Him up on the third day, and granted that He should become visible, 41 not to all the people, but to witnesses who were chosen beforehand by God, that is, to us, who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead. 42 And He ordered us to preach to the people, and solemnly to testify that this is the One who has been appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead. 43 Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins."

Acts 10:44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message. 45 And all the circumcised believers who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out upon the Gentiles also. 46 For they were hearing them speaking with tongues and exalting God. Then Peter answered, 47 "Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he?" 48 And he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ…

Acts 5:16 And also the people from the cities in the vicinity of Jerusalem were coming together, bringing people who were sick or afflicted with unclean spirits; and they were all being healed.

Acts 8:7 For in the case of many who had unclean spirits, they were coming out of them shouting with a loud voice; and many who had been paralyzed and lame were healed.

Acts 19:11 And God was performing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, 12 so that handkerchiefs or aprons were even carried from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out.

John 15:16 "You did not choose Me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask of the Father in My name, He may give to you.

James 5:16 Therefore, … pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. 17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain; and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. 18 And he prayed again, and the sky poured rain, and the earth produced its fruit.

2Kgs 20:1 In those days Hezekiah became sick and was at the point of death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came to him and said to him, "Thus says the Lord, ‘Set your house in order, for you shall die; you shall not recover.’" 2 Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed to the LORD, saying, 3 "Remember now, O LORD, I beseech Thee, how I have walked before Thee in truth and with a whole heart, and have done what is good in Thy sight." And Hezekiah wept bitterly. 4 And it came about before Isaiah had gone out of the middle court, that the word of the LORD came to him, saying, 5 "Return and say to Hezekiah the leader of My people, 'Thus says the LORD, the God of your father David, "I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; behold, I will heal you. …6 and I will add fifteen years to your life. I will deliver you and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria, and I will defend this city for my own sake and for my servant David's sake."

2Kgs 6:14 And he sent horses and chariots and a great army there, and they came by night and surrounded the city. 15 Now when the attendant of the man of God had risen early and gone out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was circling the city. And his servant said to him, "Alas, my master! What shall we do?" 16 So he answered, "Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them."

2Kgs 6:17 Then Elisha prayed and said, "O LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see." And the LORD opened the servant's eyes, and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 18 And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed to the LORD and said, "Strike this people with blindness, I pray." So He struck them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.

Some of the Awesome things Yeshua did –

• Walked on the Water – Matthew 14:25
• Fed 5,000 with a few fish and loaves of bread – Matthew 14:19
• Changed water into wine – John 2:7-8
• Healed a man blind from birth – John 9:7
• Raised the dead (i.e. Lazarus) – John 11:43-44
• Restored a severed ear – Luke 22:50-51
• Fish with a coin in its mouth – Matthew 17:27
• Died to pay for our ransom
• Rose from the dead for our eternal life
• Sets at the right hand of Almighty God to intercede for you and me

Some awesome Miracles:

• Mightiest of all – Creation of heaven and earth and all that therein is – Genesis 1 & 2
• Yeshua (Son of God) born of a virgin Matthew 1:18-25
• The Flood – Genesis 6 – 8
• Babel, and the confusion of tongues Genesis 11
• Sarah’s conception Genesis 17
• Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah Genesis 19
• Plagues of Egypt – Exodus 4 -
• The fiery Furnace
• The lion’s den and on and on

Gen 28:17 …"How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven."

Deut 10:21 "He is your praise and He is your God, who has done these great and awesome things for you…

Neh 1:5 … "I beseech Thee, O LORD God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who preserves the covenant and lovingkindness for those who love Him and keep His commandments,

Job 37:22 "Out of the north comes golden splendor; Around God is awesome majesty.

Ps 65:5 By awesome deeds Thou dost answer us in righteousness, O God of our salvation…

Ps 66:5 Come and see the works of God, Who is awesome in His deeds toward the sons of men.

Ps 99:3 Let them praise Thy great and awesome name; Holy is He.

Daniel 9:4 … I prayed to the LORD my God and confessed and said, "Alas, O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and lovingkindness for those who love Him and keep His commandments,

Proverbs 8:12 "I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, And I find knowledge and discretion. 13 The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way, And the perverted mouth, I hate. 14 Counsel is mine and sound wisdom; I am understanding, power is mine.

In the above passage we have recorded ‘One’, saying "I" several times. Could this be the same One that claimed to be the "I Am" to Moses at the burning bush, the One that walked this earth and said …'I am the Son of God'… John 10:36 ?

"You never get to the end of Christ’s words. There is something in them always behind. They pass into proverbs, they pass into laws, they pass into doctrines, they pass into consolations; but they never pass away; and, after all the use is made of them, they are still not exhausted." Dean Stanley

This is the amazing Word of God – it is sure, it is pure truth and it is pure light.

If thou wilt diligently hearken - What is contained in this verse appears to be what is intended by the statute and ordinance mentioned in the preceding: If thou wilt diligently hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, etc. This statute and ordinance implied the three following particulars:

These things being attended to, then the promise of God was, that they should have none of the diseases of the Egyptians put on them; that they should be kept in a state of health of body and peace of mind; and if at any time they should be afflicted, on application to God the evil should be removed, because he was their healer or physician - I am the Lord that healeth thee. That the Israelites had in general a very good state of health, their history warrants us to believe; and when they were afflicted, as in the case of the fiery serpents, on application to God they were all healed. The Targum of Jonathan ben Uzziel states that the statutes which Moses received at this time were commandments concerning the observance of the Sabbath, duty to parents, the ordinances concerning wounds and bruises, and the penalties which sinners should incur by transgressing them. But it appears that the general ordinances already mentioned are those which are intended here, and this seems to be proved beyond dispute by Jer_7:22-23 "For I spake not unto your fathers, nor commanded them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt-offerings or sacrifices: but this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people; walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you."

The Hebrew word, yare, is often translated Awesome yet more often as "Fear" in some translations. We are especially interested in a couple of these uses to help us understand our God is truly Awesome. (Therefore this commentary is edited to mostly show the meaning of fearing as in Awesome.)

- Transliteration: Yare' - Phonetic: yaw-ray'

- Definition:

- Origin: a primitive root - Part(s) of speech: Verb

Total KJV Occurrences: 334

907 (yārē’) I, fear, be afraid, revere.

907d (môrâ) terror (prob.). Occurs only in phrase shı̂tâ môrâ lāhem "appoint terror" i.e. an awe-inspiring exhibition of power (Ps 9:21).

In this discussion, biblical usages of yārē’ are divided into five general categories: 3) reverence or awe, 4) righteous behaviour or piety, and 5) formal religious worship.

There are many examples of the third usage listed above. Such reverence is due to one’s parents (Lev 19:3), holy places (Lev 26:2), God (Ps 112:1), and God’s name (Ps 86:11). Habakkuk’s "fearing" of God’s work (Hab 3:2) and the fearing of Job’s friends at seeing his misery are best considered as this kind of fear (Job 6:21).

In several passages, "fearing" and proper living are so closely related as to be virtually synonymous ideas (Lev 19:14; 25:17; II Kgs 17:34; Deut 17:19). It is plausible that this usage of "to fear" as a virtual synonym for righteous living or piety grew out of viewing "fear"—in any of the senses above—as the motivation which produced righteous living. This practical, active fear is the kind of fear for which God rewarded the Egyptian midwives (Ex 1:17, 21). This kind of fear was most appropriately learned by reading the Law (Deut 31:11–12). One righteous deed repeatedly and emphatically associated with "fearing" God is kindness to the stranger or resident alien (e.g. Deut 10:18–20; 25:18).

There are a few passages in which "fearing" seems to mean "being a devotee or follower." This usage could reflect either usages 4 or 5 above.

Fear of various sorts may be caused by God’s great deeds (Ex 14:31; Josh 4:23–24; I Sam 4:7–9), by judgment (Isa 59:18–19), and God’s law (Deut 4:10) as well as by various human agencies (I Sam 7:7; 15:24).

In the Piel, yārē’ means "to make to fear" (II Sam 14:15; Neh 6:9, 14, 19; II Chr 32:18). In the Niphal, the meaning is passive, "to be feared" (Ps 130:4). The Niphal participle is frequently used to describe things as "terrible," "awesome," or "terrifying." It may describe places (Gen 28:17), God (Ex 15:11), God’s name (Deut 28:58), God’s deeds (Ex 34:10), people (Isa 18:2), and the Day of the Lord (Joel 2:31).

The discussion of yārē’ is complicated by the need to distinguish between those examples which are genuinely substantival—and therefore discussed in this section—and those examples which are involved in periphrastic verbal form and thus discussed above with the verb. The most frequent usage of the substantive is to refer to the "God-fearer". More frequently the emphasis is upon awe or reverence rather than terror (Ps 112:1; Eccl 8:12).

The "God-fearer" will implement his fear in practical righteousness or piety. Job, as a God fearer, avoids evil (Job 1:1). In Ps 128:1 the "fearer" of the Lord walks in his ways. The fear-ers of the Lord may be those whose particular piety is evidenced by a response to God’s message. The "fearer" of God is contrasted with the wicked (Eccl 8:13). It is desired that office holders be fearers of God (Neh 7:2). Blessings are provided for fearers of God: happiness (i.e. "blessed"; Ps 112:1), goodness from God (Ps 31:19), provision of needs (Ps 34:9), protection (Ps 33:18–19), overshadowing mercy (i.e. ḥesed; Ps 103:11), and promise of fulfilled desires (Ps 145:19).

An interesting usage of this term is found in Ps 22. There the phrase "thou who fear God" parallels "sons of Jacob" and "sons of Israel" on the one hand (v. 23) and "the great congregation" on the other hand (v. 25). These parallels, especially the last, suggest that the term is used to refer to the worshiping congregation, gathered for worship. Two other possible examples of this usage are found (Ps 115:10, 11, 13; Ps 118:3-4).

môrā’. Fear, terror, terribleness. … In other passages, it parallels God’s great signs and wonders and thus can be taken as referring to external objects of fear (Deut 26:8; 34:12; Jer 32:21).

The usages of this noun are similar to those of the verb. It may refer to the emotion of terror or fear (Ps 55:5; Ezk 30:13). This terror may be put into men’s hearts by God (Ex 20:20; Deut 2:25). When God is the object of fear, the emphasis is again upon awe or reverence. This attitude of reverence is the basis for real wisdom (Job 28:28; Ps 110:10; Prov 9:10; 15:33). Indeed, the phrase sets the theme for the book of Proverbs. It is used in 1:7: recurs in 9:10 and twelve other verses. The fear of the Lord is to hate evil (8:13), is a fountain of life (14:27), it tendeth to life (19:23), and prolongeth days (10:27). Numerous passages relate this fear of God to piety and righteous living: it motivates faithful living (Jer 32:40). Fear of God results in caring for strangers (Gen 20; 11). Just rule is rule in the fear of God (II Sam 23:3). Fear of the Almighty does not withhold kindness from friends (Job 6:14). Economic abuses against fellow Jews were contrary to the fear of God (Neh 5:9). The fear of the Lord turns men from evil (Prov 16:6).

A.B.

Need we say more?

Isa 40:1 "Comfort, O comfort My people," says your God.

Isa 40:4 "Let every valley be lifted up, And every mountain and hill be made low; And let the rough ground become a plain, And the rugged terrain a broad valley; 5 Then the glory of the LORD will be revealed, And all flesh will see it together; For the mouth of the LORD has spoken."

Isa 40:8 The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever.

Isa 40:10 Behold, the Lord God will come with might, With His arm ruling for Him. Behold, His reward is with Him, And His recompense before Him. 11 Like a shepherd He will tend His flock, In His arm He will gather the lambs, And carry them in His bosom; He will gently lead the nursing ewes.

Isa 40:12 Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, And marked off the heavens by the span, And calculated the dust of the earth by the measure, And weighed the mountains in a balance, And the hills in a pair of scales? 13 Who has directed the Spirit of the LORD, Or as His counselor has informed Him? 14 With whom did He consult and who gave Him understanding? And who taught Him in the path of justice and taught Him knowledge, And informed Him of the way of understanding?

Isa 40:15 Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket, And are regarded as a speck of dust on the scales; Behold, He lifts up the islands like fine dust. 16 Even Lebanon is not enough to burn, Nor its beasts enough for a burnt offering. 17 All the nations are as nothing before Him, They are regarded by Him as less than nothing and meaningless.

Isa 40:18 To whom then will you liken God? Or what likeness will you compare with Him?

Isa 40:21 Do you not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been declared to you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth? 22 It is He who sits above the vault of the earth, And its inhabitants are like grasshoppers, Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain And spreads them out like a tent to dwell in. 23 He it is who reduces rulers to nothing, Who makes the judges of the earth meaningless. 24 Scarcely have they been planted, Scarcely have they been sown, Scarcely has their stock taken root in the earth, But He merely blows on them, and they wither, And the storm carries them away like stubble.

Isa 40:25 "To whom then will you liken Me That I should be his equal?" says the Holy One. 26 Lift up your eyes on high And see who has created these stars, The One who leads forth their host by number, He calls them all by name; Because of the greatness of His might and the strength of His power Not one of them is missing.

Isa 40:27 Why do you say, O Jacob, and assert, O Israel, [enter your name] "My way is hidden from the LORD, And the justice due me escapes the notice of my God"?

Isa 40:28 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth Does not become weary or tired. His understanding is inscrutable. 29 He gives strength to the weary, And to him who lacks might He increases power. 30 Though youths grow weary and tired, And vigorous young men stumble badly, 31 Yet those who wait for the LORD will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary.

How does God feel about issues we face today?

Have you become so familiar with the Bible that you can read it on autopilot, without engaging the story? Familiarity breeds complacency, and causes things that are shocking to lose they impact. Consider the story of the Centurion with the sick servant. Yeshua offered to come and heal the man but the Centurion said that was not necessary since he was confident that He could heal at a distance. Yeshua healed the servant and marveled that He had not seen so great a faith in Israel. What would be a modern day equivalent? Can you imagine Billy Graham addressing a stadium full of Christians and saying how could it be that this Moslem has greater faith than any Christian I have met? Does that bring the point home?  (Adopted from a blog post by Dale Cresap)

What a fun piece of history…

 Sound a bit funny?

 Well, for about 500 towns across the northern United States, that's where the best watches were found.  Why were the best watches found at the train station? The railroad co. wasn't selling the watches, not at all. The telegraph operator was.

Most of the time the telegraph operator was located in the railroad station because the telegraph lines followed the railroad tracks from town to town. It was usually the shortest distance and the right-of-ways had already been secured for the rail line. Most of the station agents were also skilled telegraph operators and it was the primary way they communicated with the railroad. They would know when trains left the previous station and when they were due at their next station. And it was the telegraph operator who had the watches. As a matter of fact, they sold more of them than almost all the stores combined for a period of about 9 years.

Remember: If your mind goes blank, don’t forget to turn off the sound.

Ps 65:4 How blessed is the one whom Thou dost choose, and bring near to Thee, To dwell in Thy courts. We will be satisfied with the goodness of Thy house, Thy holy temple.

Ps 65:5 By awesome deeds Thou dost answer us in righteousness, O God of our salvation, Thou who art the trust of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest sea; 6 Who dost establish the mountains by His strength, Being girded with might; 7 Who dost still the roaring of the seas, The roaring of their waves, And the tumult of the peoples.

Ps 65:8 And they who dwell in the ends of the earth stand in awe of Thy signs; Thou dost make the dawn and the sunset shout for joy.

Ps 65:9 Thou dost visit the earth, and cause it to overflow; Thou dost greatly enrich it; The stream of God is full of water; Thou dost prepare their grain, for thus Thou dost prepare the earth. 10 Thou dost water its furrows abundantly; Thou dost settle its ridges; Thou dost soften it with showers; Thou dost bless its growth.

Ps 65:11 Thou hast crowned the year with Thy bounty, And Thy paths drip with fatness.

Ps 65:12 The pastures of the wilderness drip, And the hills gird themselves with rejoicing.

Ps 65:13 The meadows are clothed with flocks, And the valleys are covered with grain; They shout for joy, yes, they sing.

Blessed be YHVH (Genesis 14:20 And blessed be God Most High…)