New Warrior Ministries!: Fear in order to enter God's rest 2

Fear in order to enter God’s rest 2

Greetings in Christ Jesus,

A reflection on today's readings Sunday 11-13-2016

Old Testament Isaiah 33:2-9
Epistle Hebrews 7:1-6
Psalm 121/122
Gospel Luke 21:20-36

Last Sunday we were looking at the fear of the Lord which raised questions as to why we should fear the Lord if He is so loving and kind. Also what does it mean to fear the Lord? What’s puzzling to me is the fact that those who call themselves Christian do not understand this already. So before we continue with today’s readings let’s take a look on fearing the Lord.

In the Gospel of Matthew chapter 10 verse 28 we read; do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Instead, fear the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

Again in the Gospel of Luke chapter 12 verses 4 & 5 we read Jesus words again; 4I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. 5But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear the One who, after you have been killed, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear Him!

I hear the question and also the statement many times; what kind of god would throw people into hell for eternity? This is not love this is a sadistic one who is a power freak, I also hear different versions of these statements. So what’s the deal? Well here’s the deal, Almighty God created all that is seen and unseen, he gave much of His creation the freewill to think for themselves.

Without freewill then love is not true, we would simply be robots, if we love someone freely using our freewill to make this decision then we have a true love, our Creator created out of love and asks for love in return, without true love we have sin; decadence, murder, rape, power control over others for our own personal gain, greed, war, famine. True love is what prevents all of these things and true love can only come through freewill.

It’s a simple matter, if we do not love our Creator, if we do not worship the one who gave us life then we do not love Him, if we do not love Him then we have removed ourselves out of His love. By removing ourselves out of His love we are dooming ourselves for an eternity. The soul never dies and the soul that has removed herself from the love of God will spend eternity suffering because of not knowing the true love of God. This is the fear of the God. At some point our physical life will end and it will end at His discretion.

This time spent here is a battle ground, a time of testing. Who do you love? Your actions will speak for themselves. Jesus said in Matthew 15:8 quoting Isaiah; 8 this people honors me with their lips: but their heart is far from me. 9 And in vain do they worship me, teaching doctrines and commandments of men.

Here is the understanding in Isaiah 29:13; and the Lord said, because this people come near to me with their mouths, and give honor to me with their lips, but their heart is far from me, and their fear of me is false, a rule given them by the teaching of men;

God has giving us a choice to use our freewill to worship and love Him or to separate ourselves from Him. If we do not worship and worship from the heart out of love then we are fooling only ourselves and we are separating ourselves from our creator and there is no one to blame but ourselves. Lip service to God is sin; it is deceitful and fools no one but the liar who does it.

For the deception we will be cast in to eternal fire of our own freewill. It has been said that if one continually fears hell then one will not fall into it. (St. John Chrysostom). Now let’s move to this Sunday’s lesson.

Today’s Old Testament reading continues with an understanding of fearing the Lord. At the Lord’s presence the nations will flee, all who have gathered against the Lord and the Lord’s chosen shall flee before the Lord, we must wait for the Lord, all things happen in His time not ours.

In our Epistle we learn that the priesthood of the Old Testament is inadequate and that the new Priesthood of Jesus the Christ is eternal, it is from the beginning and will never end. Through the priesthood of Jesus the Christ we have a mediator between us and the Father, Jesus speaks for us if we belong to Him but as we have seen this cannot be merely lip service, Jesus said; if you love me, keep my commandments. Feed and clothe the poor and homeless, care for the widow and the orphan. Love God the Father with all your heart, with all your mind, and all your soul. Love your neighbor as yourself. These are the commandments.

In the psalm we learn that we should be glad to go into the house of the Lord, to give thanks to the name of the Lord because thrones for judgment are there. Peace and prosperity of the heart can be found there.

Today’s gospel is a dire warning to all of those who choose to believe that all is well regardless of what we do or do not do. The temple was destroyed and the Jews, God’s chosen people who decided to not believe were trampled down by the Gentiles. They were scattered throughout the world for almost 2,000 years. Jesus the Christ has ascended and sits on the right hand of God the Father and He will come again to judge the living and the dead. What do you think judging is all about.

Take heed and do not be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. It will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.

The fear of the Lord is the first step towards wisdom.

In Christ.