MEM

Should our life be filled with fears? Are you consistently afraid of something?

Is there a fear that is healthy for you?

The Bible word for fear has several meanings

Zephaniah 3:16 … "Do not be afraid, O Zion; Do not let your hands fall limp.

Deuteronomy 10:12 (NAS unless indicated) "…what does the LORD your God require from you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and love Him, and to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul,

1Sam 12:24 "Only fear the LORD and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things He has done for you.

TWOT (edited for length)

The Hebrew word for fear 907 (yārē’) fear, be afraid, revere.

In this discussion, biblical usages of yārē’ are divided into five general categories:

1) the emotion of fear

2) the intellectual anticipation of evil without emphasis upon the emotional reaction

3) reverence or awe

4) righteous behaviour or piety

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). This practical, active fear is the kind of fear for which God rewarded the Egyptian midwives (Ex 1:17, 21). 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).

The clearest example of "fearing" as formal religious worship occurs in describing the religious syncretists of the northern kingdom who "feared" the Lord in respect to cultic worship (II Kgs 17:32-34), while not "fearing" the Lord in respect to righteous obedience to his law.

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) …

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 (See section titled ‘Godly Fear Blessings’): 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). A.B.

Vine: the Greek reverential Fear (edited for length)

[ A-1,Noun,G5401, phobos ]

(b) "reverential fear," of God, as a controlling motive of the life, in matters spiritual and moral, not a mere "fear" of His power and righteous retribution, but a wholesome dread of displeasing Him, a "fear" which banishes the terror that shrinks from His presence, Rom 8:15 For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, "Abba! Father!", and which influences the disposition and attitude of one whose circumstances are guided by trust in God, through the indwelling Spirit of God…

Exod 20:20 And Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid; for God has come in order to test you, and in order that the fear of Him may remain with you, so that you may not sin."

Fear YHVH not man (with Godly fear there is no shame, no guilt):

Deuteronomy 31:6 "Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the LORD your God is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you."

Ps 56:11 In God I have put my trust, I shall not be afraid. What can man do to me?

2Chr 20:3 And Jehoshaphat was afraid and turned his attention to seek the LORD…

Ps 56:3 When I am afraid, I will put my trust in Thee.

Isa 50:10 Who is among you that fears the LORD, That obeys the voice of His servant, That walks in darkness and has no light? Let him trust in the name of the LORD and rely on his God.

One Greek definition for fear (Strong’s G5388) is "to fear (i.e. hesitate) to do something (for fear of harm)". This is a blessing of being in fellowship with the Spirit. When we are nearing a dangerous situation we begin to sense a dread or fear that causes or warns us of pending harm or sin. Therefore being warned we turn from the situation or seek YHVH for direction - When fully dressed in the armor of God we need not be afraid or fear we are fully protected.

Gen 3:10 And he said, "I heard the sound of Thee in the garden, and I was afraid (Yare’) because I was naked; so I hid myself."

Rom 13:4 …But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath upon the one who practices evil.

Matt 25:25 'And I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the ground…

Even the glory of Angels can cause fear in humans (they must truly be awesome)

Luke 1:30 And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God.

Luke 2:10 And the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news …

Matt 14:27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid."

Luke 12:4 "And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.

Luke 12:32 "Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom.

Heb 13:6 … we confidently say, "The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What shall man do to me?"

Job 4:6 "Is not your fear of God your confidence, And the integrity of your ways your hope?

1Pet 1:17 And if you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each man's work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay upon earth;

1Pet 2:17 Honor all men; love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king.

Choose to fear God - Amen

Therefore Fear YHVH (the LORD)

Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge…

Proverbs 8:13 "The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way, And the perverted mouth, I hate.

Proverbs 14:2 He who walks in his uprightness fears the LORD…

"I would like to think that the presence of courage automatically dispels the presence of fear, but between my understanding of the Bible and personal experience, it doesn't seem to be the case. Fear is real, but it doesn't have to have the final word." Alan Gilman

Ps 23:4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil; for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me.

The following is a commentary from The Holman Bible Dictionary (Highlighting by MEM)

FEAR A broad range of emotions that embrace both the secular and the religious worlds. Secular fear is the natural feeling of alarm caused by the expectation of imminent danger, pain, or disaster. Religious fear appears as the result of awe and reverence toward a supreme power.

Terminology The English word "fear" is used to translate several Hebrew and Greek words. In the Old Testament, the most common word used to express fear is yir’ ah, which means "fear, "terror" (Isa. 7:25; Jonah 1:10, 16). In the New Testament, the word used most often to express fear is phobos which means "fear," "dread," "terror" (Matt. 28:4; Luke 21:26).

Secular Fear rises in the normal activities and relationships of life.

Human Fear Animals fear humans (Gen. 9:2), and humans fear the animals (Amos 3:8); individuals fear individuals (Gen. 26:7), and nations fear nations (2 Sam. 10:19). People are afraid of wars (Ex. 14:10), of their enemies (Deut. 2:4), and of subjugation (Deut. 7:18; 28:10). People are afraid of death (Gen. 32:11), of disaster (Zeph. 3:15-16), of sudden panic (Prov. 3:25), of being overtaken by adversity (Job 6:21), and of the unknown (Gen. 19:30). Fear can reflect the limitations of life (Eccl. 12:5) as well as the unforeseen consequences of actions (1 Sam. 3:15).

Fear can be the regard the young owes to the aged (Job 32:6), the honor a child demonstrates toward parents (Lev. 19:3), the reverential respect of individuals toward their masters (1 Pet. 2:18), and to persons in positions of responsibilities (Rom. 13:7). Fear also can be the sense of concern for individuals (2 Cor. 11:3) as well as the respect for one’s husband (1 Pet. 3:2).

Fear as consequence of sin Fear may come from a strong realization of sin and disobedience. Man and woman were afraid after their act of disobedience (Gen. 3:10). Abimelech was afraid when he realized that he had committed an offensive act by taking the wife of Abraham to be his wife (Gen. 20:8-9). This sense of estrangement and guilt that comes as consequence of sin produces in the heart of individuals the fear of the day of the Lord because they will appear before the judgment of God (Joel 2:1).

Freedom from fear Freedom from fear comes as individuals trust in the God who protects (Ps. 23:4) and helps them (Isa. 54:14). The New Testament teaches that perfect love casts out fear (1 John 4:18). Christians are no longer slaves of fear, for Christ has given them not a spirit of timidity or cowardice, but a spirit of power, of love, and of self-control (2 Tim. 1:7).

Religious Fear is the human response to the presence of God.

Fear of God A prominent element in Old Testament religion is the concept of the fear of God. Most often the sense of fear comes as individuals encounter the divine in the context of revelation. When God appears to a person, the person experiences the reality of God’s holiness. This self-disclosure of God points to the vast distinction between humans and God, to the mysterious characteristic of God that at the same time attracts and repels. There is a mystery in divine holiness that causes individuals to become overwhelmed with a sense of awe and fear. They respond by falling down or kneeling in reverence and worship, confessing sin, and seeking God’s will (Isa. 6).

God as a fearful God The God of Israel is an awe-producing God because of His majesty, His power, His works, His transcendence, and His holiness. Yahweh is a "great and terrible God" (Neh. 1:15); He is "fearful in praises, doing wonders" (Ex. 15:11); His name is "fearful" (Deut. 28:58) and "terrible" (Ps. 99:3). The fear of God comes as people experience God in a visible manifestation (Ex. 20:18), in dreams (Gen. 28:17), invisible form (Ex. 3:6), and in His work of salvation (Isa. 41:5). God’s work, His power, majesty, and holiness evoke fear and demand acknowledgment. The fear of God is not to be understood as the dread that comes out of fear of punishment, but as the reverential regard and the awe that comes out of recognition and submission to the divine. It is the revelation of God’s will to which the believer submits in obedience.

The basis for God’s relationship with Israel was the covenant. The personal relationship that came out of the covenant transformed the relationship from a sense of terror to one of respect and reverence in which trust predominated. This fear which produces awe can be seen in the worship of Israel. The Israelites were exhorted to "serve the Lord with fear" (Ps. 2:11). Fear protected Israel from taking God for granted or from presuming on His grace. Fear called to covenant obedience.

Fear as obedience Deuteronomy sets out a relationship between the fear of God and the observance of the demands of the covenant. To fear the Lord is one of the ways by which Israel expresses its obedience and loyalty to Yahweh and to His divine requirements: "And now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, to keep the commandments of the Lord and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good?" (Deut. 10:12-13). Fear becomes a demand that can be learned (Deut. 17:19). Fear of God was part of the religious life of every Israelite, where the acknowledgment of it required a specific behavior from each individual. Fear of God was a requirement demanded from every judge (Ex. 18:21). The kings of Israel should rule in the fear of the Lord (2 Sam. 23:3); even the messianic King would live in the fear of the Lord (Isa. 11:2). To fear God was the beginning of wisdom and thus of the pathway to true life (Prov. 1:7; 9:10; 15:33).

"Fear not" The expression "fear not" (also translated "do not fear" or "do not be afraid") is an invitation to confidence and trust. When used without religious connotation (15 times), "fear not" is an expression of comfort. These words come from an individual to another providing reassurance and encouragement (Gen. 50:21; Ruth 3:11; Ps. 49:16). When "fear not" is used in a religious context (60 times), the words are an invitation to trust in God. These words appear in the context of the fear and terror that follows divine revelation. God invites His people not to be afraid of Him (Gen. 15:1; 26:24); the angel of the Lord seeks to calm an individual before a divine message is communicated (Dan. 10:12,19; Luke 1:13,30); a person acting as a mediator of God invites the people to trust in God (Moses, Deut. 31:6; Joshua, Josh. 10:25).

The "God-fearers" The "God-fearers" were those who were faithful to God and obeyed His commandments (Job 1:1; Ps. 25:14; 33:18). Those who fear God are blessed (Ps. 112:1); they enjoy God’s goodness (Ps. 34:9) and God’s provision (Ps. 111:5). In the New Testament "God-fearers" became a technical term for uncircumcised Gentiles who worshiped in the Jewish synagogue.

Fear in the New Testament Some Christians tend to de-emphasize the fear of God in the New Testament by placing the love of God above the fear of God. There is indeed a greater emphasis on the love of God in the New Testament. However, the element of fear was part of the proclamation of the early church.

Paul admonished believers to work out their salvation "with fear and trembling" (Phil. 2:12). The early church grew in number as they lived "in the fear of the Lord" (Acts 9:31). The fear of God is related to the love of God. The revelation of God to people in the New Testament contains the element of God’s mysterious otherness calling for reverent obedience. The New Testament church stands in awe and fear in the presence of a holy God, for fear is "the whole duty of man" (Eccl. 12:13).

Claude F. Mariottini

Ps 25:14 The secret of the LORD is for those who fear Him, And He will make them know His covenant.

Ps 33:18 Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him, On those who hope for His lovingkindness,

Ps 34:7 The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him, And rescues them.

Ps 34:9 O fear the LORD, you His saints; For to those who fear Him, there is no want.

Ps 85:9 Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him, That glory may dwell in our land.

Ps 103:13 …So the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him.

Ps 130:4 But there is forgiveness with Thee, That Thou mayest be feared.

Ps 46:2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, And though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea; (Planet 7X predictions)

Ps 67:7 God blesses us, That all the ends of the earth may fear Him.

Ps 128:1 How blessed is everyone who fears the LORD, Who walks in His ways.

Ps 86:11 Teach me Thy way, O LORD; I will walk in Thy truth; Unite my heart to fear Thy name.

Ps 33:8 Let all the earth fear the LORD; Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him.

Proverbs 14:26 In the fear of the LORD there is strong confidence, And his children will have refuge.

Proverbs 14:27 The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life…

Proverbs 15:33 The fear of the LORD is the instruction for wisdom…

Proverbs 16:6 … And by the fear of the LORD one keeps away from evil.

Proverbs 22:4 The reward of humility and the fear of the LORD Are riches, honor and life.

Proverbs 23:17 Do not let your heart envy sinners, But live in the fear of the LORD always.

Eccl 5:7 For in many dreams and in many words there is emptiness. Rather, fear God.

Eccl 8:12 Although a sinner does evil a hundred times and may lengthen his life, still I know that it will be well for those who fear God, who fear Him openly.

Ps 47:2 For the LORD Most High is to be feared, A great King over all the earth.

Then they that feared the Lord spoke often to one another and the Lord hearkened and heard it, and wrote a book of remembrance for those who feared the Lord and thought upon his name. Do you find that the further you go on the path of the Kingdom, the harder it is to engage in idle chit-chat and superficial conversation? Yet those who still do this may consider you to be elitist for not wanting to join in. Yeshua promised that if you seek you would find. This is a broad principle. If this is what you desire and seek then you can be confident that He will provide fellow companions with whom you can discuss the Kingdom of God. 

(Adopted from a blog post by Dale Cresap)

Astronomers and gem dealers alike were no doubt excited by the discovery of a distant world that appears to be crystalline in its structure and chemical makeup-in other words, it’s a big fat diamond. The planet, which orbits a pulsar some 4,000 light-years from Earth, is about 20 times denser than the planet Jupiter (the largest planet in our solar system) and is about five times the diameter of Earth.

As reported by the journal Science, scientists in Australia, Europe, and the United States detected the planet by analyzing the radio signals emitted from the pulsar it orbits. (A pulsar is a neutron star that gives off bursts of electromagnetic radiation as it rotates.) It’s located in the constellation Serpens (the Snake). The world is currently known as PSR-J1719-1438, but we’re hoping for something with a slightly catchier ring - like Zirconia.

Ps 147:4 (KJV) He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names. 5 Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite.

****

       They walked in tandem, each of the ninety-two students filing into the already crowded auditorium. With their rich maroon gowns flowing and the traditional caps, they looked almost as grown up as they felt.

                       Dads swallowed hard behind broad smiles, and Moms freely brushed away tears.

The speeches were nice, but they were routine until the final speech received a standing ovation.

                         The student on stage simply looked at the audience and said,

And he walked off the stage...

  The audience exploded into applause. This graduating class had found a unique way to invoke God's blessing on their future with or without the court's approval. 

Isn't this a wonderful story? Pass it on to all your  friends....and

GOD BLESS YOU!!!! 

This is a true story; it happened at Eastern Shore District High School in Musquodoboit Harbour, Nova Scotia.

Fear God!

This was written by an 8 year old, Danny Dutton of Chula Vista, CA, for his third grade homework assignment. The assignment was to explain God. I just wonder if any of us could do as well!!

EXPLANATION OF GOD

"One of God’s main jobs is making people. He makes them to replace the ones that die, so there will be enough people to take care of things on earth. He doesn’t make grown-ups, just babies. I think because they are smaller and easier to make. That way He doesn’t have to take up His valuable time teaching them to talk and walk. He can just leave that to mothers and fathers."

God’s second most important job is listening to prayers. An awful lot of this goes on, since some people, like preachers and things, pray at times beside bedtime. God doesn’t have time to listen to the radio or TV because of this. Because He hears everything, there must be a terrible lot of noise in His ears, unless He has thought of a way to turn it off." "God sees everything and hears everything and is everywhere which keeps Him pretty busy. So you shouldn’t go wasting His time by going over your Mom and Dad’s head asking for something they said you couldn’t have."

Atheists are people who don’t believe in God. I don’t think there are any in Chula Vista. At least there aren’t any who come to our church." Jesus is God’s Son. He used to do all the hard work like walking on water and performing miracles and trying to teach the people who didn’t want to learn about God. They finally got tired of Him preaching to them and they crucified Him. But He was good and kind, like His Father and He told His Father that they didn’t know what they were doing and to forgive them and God said O.K." "His Dad (God) appreciated everything that He had done and all His hard work on earth so He told Him He didn’t have to go out on the road anymore. He could stay in heaven. So He did. And now He helps His Dad out by listening to prayers and seeing things which are important for God to take care of and which ones He can take care of Himself without having to bother God. Like a secretary, only more important."

You can pray anytime you want and they are sure to help you because they got it worked out so one of them is on duty all the time." "You should always go to church on Sunday because it makes God happy, and if there’s anybody you want to make happy, it’s God. Don’t skip church or do something you think will be more fun like going to the beach. This is wrong. And besides the sun doesn’t come out at the beach until noon anyway."

"If you don’t believe in God, besides being an atheist, you will be very lonely, because your parents can’t go everywhere with you, like to camp, but God can. It is good to know He’s around you when you’re scared in the dark or when you can’t swim and you get thrown into real deep water by big kids." "But you shouldn’t just always think of what God can do for you. I figure God put me here and He can take me back anytime He pleases. And that’s why I believe in God."

Ps 3:1 O Lord, how my adversaries have increased! Many are rising up against me.

2 Many are saying of my soul, "There is no deliverance for him in God." Selah.

3 But Thou, O LORD, art a shield about me, My glory, and the One who lifts my head.

4 I was crying to the LORD with my voice, And He answered me from His holy mountain. Selah.

5 I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the LORD sustains me.

6 I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people Who have set themselves against me round about.

7 Arise, O LORD; save me, O my God! For Thou hast smitten all my enemies on the cheek; Thou hast shattered the teeth of the wicked.

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