Mixed & Mixed Up

2 Kings 17:6-41 “Mixed, and Mixed Up”

I’d like to start off with a question. In one sentence, how would you describe our God to other people? Fill in the blank Q1.

I was curious to know what Americans feared most, so I looked up a top ten list of fears of Americans: 1)Fear of spiders, 2)social phobia (what people think of you), 3)flying, 4)speaking, 5)claustrophobia, 6)heights, 7)vomiting, 8)cancer, 9)thunderstorms,10) death or dead things.

I wanted to compare this to a Top ten list of fears for Christians, but I couldn’t find one so I need your help: What are your top three fears? Q2.

2 Kings 17 (p19): This is a difficult passage to read and digest. The Israelites were practicing syncretism – mixing their beliefs about God with the beliefs of the other nations around them, meshing them together. But God was saying that there is no room for other beliefs, no room for other gods with His people, (no mixing) and He was dealing with them as such. Mixing causes problems.

There is a principle in God’s law that pertains to this. Lev 19:19 says You shall not let your cattle breed with a different kind. You shall not sow your field with two kinds of seed, nor shall you wear a garment of cloth made of two kinds of material – wool & linen. NT echos this – don’t be unequally yoked. Anyone know what you get when you mix hot water with cold water? Lukewarm water – exactly what God doesn’t want! NO MIXING!

We live in a world that has tremendous influence on us, and a world that has varied beliefs about God, if we are not careful, we can fall into the same trap that the Israelites did. Does this look like the God you worship? Barney pic. You may laugh and say “no, of course not”, but before we say no let’s go back to the two questions I just asked you.

What sentence did you use to describe God? How many wrote love? How many wrote fear? How many wrote holy? Holy gets a pass.

OK – Now what are your top 3 fears? Did anyone write God on their list of fears? If you wrote holy in 1st Q, did you include God in your list of fears in 2nd?

Strangely absent from both the world’s list of fears and our list of fears is God. You know what else is missing from both lists? Barney. You see, no one’s afraid of Barney, but then again maybe no one’s afraid of God either. No one wrote God is to be feared as an answer to Q1, nor did anyone write God as something they feared in Q2?

Is it not Jesus who says in Mt 10:28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Is that something we’re willing to tell someone else about our God? That’s what Jesus told the crowd that was with him on that day.

When it comes to scriptures like these, the ones about fearing God and hell, I have a feeling that sometimes, in the back of our minds we think we’re a little more merciful than God. Somewhere in the depths of our hearts we think we’re a bit more compassionate than Him – He wouldn’t really do that.

We don’t want to tell people what the bible says about fearing God or hell, because then, they may not like Him. So like a good public relations firm we try to protect God’s image by avoiding these scriptures.

Some of us work around hell altogether, and we try to evade the harshness of hell’s reality. In our own minds, we try to air condition hell a little, hoping that it’s probably not as bad as it’s described in scripture. However, Jesus talked more about hell than heaven. Sproul observes that the bulk of what we know about hell comes from the lips of Jesus himself. Shouldn’t we at least mention it?

Maybe the world has influenced our beliefs about God so much that God, and Barney, have more in common than they do in difference? I say God is strangely absent from our top ten list because there is an enormous amount of scripture (over 300 verses) that tell us to fear God, and we’ll get to some of them.

Church, are we letting the bible and what it says about God determine our beliefs, or are we mixing what the world believes God to be with what the bible says God is, and coming up with a lukewarm hybrid? Is our view becoming a mixture of the world’s view AND the bible’s view?

V25 tells us Israel did not fear the Lord. Do you think that God really wants us to fear Him? Should God be loved or feared? Is it love or fear? Take a second and fill in the blank for Q3.

This is what we call a false dichotomy. It’s not love OR fear, but BOTH love AND fear. The biblical answer in God’s case is both. We have scripture that tells us to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength, and, we have scripture that tells us to fear God and keep His commandments, and these scriptures do not contradict each other.

In the last question, how many of you wrote God is to be loved, feared, both? If you know God is to be both loved and feared, did you include that in your description of God Q1?

Here’s my last question for you: Would you tell, or have you ever told anyone that God is to be feared? Y or N

Unfortunately in the American church today, I see an imbalance in our approach to God. In certain cases we see an overemphasis on the love of God and no mention of His justice or wrath. In other cases, we have the opposite extreme where God is all wrath, no love, and eager to punish you. He’s either Barney or a malevolent dictator. The truth lies between these two extremes, and includes both love and wrath, both justice and mercy.

God cannot suspend His attributes and deny or contradict who He is. He cannot suspend His holiness in order to be love. Neither can He suspend His love in order to be holy. He is BOTH, ALL of the time and therefore, He is to be both feared and loved. God does not tell us to fear Him to scare us, but to protect us.

It is important that we let scripture define our God and not mix our beliefs with that of the world, because if we don’t get it right, if we don’t understand who He is, how will the world ever know who He is?

If we portray a God of love only and not to be feared, at best we are not revealing who God is, and at worst, we are deceiving them.

Has the world’s view of God seeped into the church and infected our thoughts of Him to the extent that our view of God is absent of any fear?

What does it mean to fear Him? How can we better understand it? It’s Not easy to explain. How can we both love Him and fear Him? It poses a problem to us as humans? What is it?

First, let’s understand that God will not tell us to do something that is bad, wrong, or evil. So if He tells us to fear Him, it must be good for us. Here’s the paradox – fear is good, but it is still fear! We must stop listening to the influence of the world, and even some Christians, that tell us that fear is wrong, and that God is ONLY love.

In describing God, our words will fail us because our language is limited and struggles to fully codify who he truly is – we say God is awesome and He is, but I also use awesome to describe an ipad, a vacation, or a football game. Now we know God is certainly greater and more awesome than all those things yet we use the same word.

We also use the word Holy to describe God. Holy = other. Holy accurately explains who he is, but in our humanity we drag the word Holy down to describe cows and some other things.

No picture I give you or words I say will satisfactorily describe who God is – He is beyond our words. In fact He says in Isaiah “to whom or to what will you compare me?” Any example I give you will fail on some level to explain who He is.

Heb 12:29 says that our God is a consuming fire. I think this will be the best example I can work with. God is a consuming fire. On a cold day we love the warmth of the fire and it keeps us alive-life, when I’m hungry I use fire to cook food- provision, when I’m in the dark and can’t see, I can use fire to light my way, and when I’m under attack I can use fire to protect myself, however we warn our children “do not play with fire – you can get burned”, fire can do untold destruction.

We are to respect fire and its power, and not play with it – the same is true of God. We are to take God seriously–He means what He says.

God will warm you, feed you, guide you and protect you – but you do not play or trifle with God – He is the Almighty! Would you let your kids enjoy a loaded gun? No – it’s dangerous. That would be like telling people that God is love-and stopping there. He is love, but shouldn’t we also warn them of the dangers of not taking Him seriously, not fearing Him, before we tell them to enjoy Him? In essence, we’re telling them to play with fire.

This is the God who we just read in 2 Kings that sent lions in that killed some of the Jews? This is the God who says in Dt 6:14-15 You shall not go after other gods lest the anger of the LORD your God be kindled against you, and he destroy you from off the face of the earth. I mean this is the God who inflicted the Egyptians with 10 plagues, one of which killed all of their first born sons, and then He destroyed their whole army in the Red Sea. This is the God who wiped out all of humanity in a cataclysmic flood while saving only eight people. This is the God who told King Saul to kill ALL the Amalekites – men, women, and children.

Yeah, but Anthony that was OT – really ask Ananiah & Saphira. He says I am the Lord, I do not change. Does this sound like the Barney god of the world, or the real God of the bible? I fear that we have mixed what the world believes God to be, with what the bible actually says He is. We have diminished Him in our midst.

How can there be a fear of God before their eyes when there is no fear of God before our eyes!

Now before you fall off your chair or run out of the room, there is another side to the story, there is a reason for His wrath – it’s called sin. The greater God’s hatred of sin, the greater His love is for us.

His love for us is magnified in his hatred of sin because sin pollutes His bride, His children. The purpose of God’s wrath demonstrates the awfulness of sin. God loves people so much that he hates murder, he loves marriage so much that he hates divorce, he loves truth so much that he hates lies, God is so good, so pure, that He hates evil! God is serious about His hatred of sin – the question is are we?

You cannot chop God up and separate his holiness from his love. Rom 12 Hate what is evil; cling to what is good – genuine love involves hate!

I want to look at three very important scriptures that will help us to better define and understand the fear of the Lord:

First, Psalm 139:13–14 says “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. 14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.”

Would you say that fear a bad thing here? Was God afraid of us when He created us? No, but if you saw my baby picture you might think differently. You and I were created by God, in fear, in awe! I.E…

He took it serious when He created us. We are a breathtaking reflection of who He is. We are the pinnacle of His creation and wonderfully made – do you realize that we are the only thing He created in His own image. At the fall our intended image was shattered and perverted. That’s why we need to be born a second time and conformed back into His image (Rom 8). So, first God fearfully created us, in awe and wonder!

Second, in Jeremiah, (32:39–41) God says I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me forever, for their own good and the good of their children after them. I will make with them an everlasting covenant, that I will not turn away from doing good to them. And I will put the fear of me in their hearts, that they may not turn from me.

Here God specifically says that fear is good for us, not only that, but He is the one will put it in our hearts, so that we don’t turn from Him!!

If God has to put fear in our hearts, what does that imply? That it’s not there to begin with – that’s the world’s position. I mean we live in a world where Bernie Madoff can say “but I’m a good person!”

Godly fear is the result of being recreated in the new covenant.

The gift of our salvation includes fear! It is the kind of fear that causes you NOT to do something that Satan wants you to - you fear God, and the consequences of your sin. And, Jeremiah says this fear is not only for our good, but also for the good of our children! Here’s where I have to pause and warn you: If you are a stranger to this fear, you are a stranger to this covenant.

Have you ever had a moment of weakness or a time of extreme stress where it ever crossed your mind to walk away from your faith, God? If you have a human heart like mine, there’s a good chance you have. But this type of God given fear safeguards you and me from bailing out, for our own good and for His glory. That’s why I want this fear in my heart. Like Hugh Black says “the fear of God kills all other fears”. So, 1st we are created in fear, and 2nd we are recreated to fear.

And last, Paul says in 2 Cor 5:9–11So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others.

Do you realize that our rewards in heaven are dependent on our works here? We will all appear before Jesus, and receive our heavenly rewards based on what we’ve done in this life, good or bad, and you will forfeit rewards in heaven for burying your talents? Could you imagine what the world would look like if the church just believed this one scripture?

5x in Rev Jesus says to the churches “I know your works” & in Rev 2:23 He says I will give to each of you according to your works.

If we have a real fear of the Lord in our hearts, we will heed what Paul says 1Co 15:58 brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain, and, we will persuade others of the same.

God is who He says He is, and He does not lie, He does not change. It is amazing to me that when the church talks about rewards in this world we all become conservative republicans.

I have no problem helping the poor, it the lazy I have a problem helping, yet when the church talks about rewards in heaven, we all become avid socialists to compensate for our own spiritual laziness.

I want the greatest rewards heaven has to offer, and I want to do the least I can to get them. Church, our reputation is not built on what we’re going to do, what we intend to do - we will reap exactly what we sow into God’s kingdom.

We are not dealing with Barney, but with the God of the bible. Don’t let the world’s materialistic, live for now mentality get mixed into your thoughts about God and mix you up – there is no room for mixing.

So in these 3 scriptures, we see that 1st we were created by God in fear, 2nd that we’re recreated by God to fear, and 3rd we serve and give back to God through that fear. The same way in which He created us, is the same way in which we create and give back to Him – fearfully!

He created you fearfully (with the utmost care and concern) are you serving Him fearfully (with the utmost care and concern)?

It doesn’t mean that we can’t enjoy Him, in fact if we take Him seriously, if we fear Him, we will enjoy Him all the more! Godly fear is good – it will ground you and motivate you to enjoy all of God’s benefits.

When you FTL, you become so consumed with God, that you’re not consumed by the false gods and idols of this world. God becomes your reward. It is to want nothing as much as you want God at the cost of your status, finances, worldly pleasure, ridicule, etc. In fact…

Do you know what happens when you fear the Lord? (read scripture list pg 18) - not FOL will have negative effects on everything we do as Christians: our doctrine, our worship, our evangelism & our future-our children.

In our Doctrine: not fearing the Lord can warp our understanding of God’s love, mercy and grace. We can take the world’s lead and make the mistake of presuming upon the love of God, and not rightly acknowledge that we are in relation to Him because of His mercy and grace. If we don’t get this, we will always have a distorted view of God.

When you have the fear of the Lord that comes with the NC, you do not take God’s love for granted, you do not take His mercy for granted, you do not take His grace for granted, as if these were automatic, the default position that God must do for us. That is the position the world takes. The world thinks that because God is love, He is obligated to give it to them, they somehow deserve it which is the opposite of grace. He is not obligated to you – you are obligated to Him.

The true default position for humanity is John 3:18 whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. That’s where we, and humanity, start off, and that’s why we need to hear the gospel in the first place.

If I had a nickel for every time I’ve heard “If God is a God of love, he won’t punish me or send me to hell”.

The exact opposite of what the world believes is true. Illustration – imagine the police saying we live in a country of love. *Love does not rejoice in wrongdoing. True love protects, and will result in justice for criminals. Love doesn’t mean that you’re innocent nor does it mean there’s no punishment for crime.

God is both love and holy, and He will administer justice. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want justice – I know I’m guilty. Only three things we can get: justice, mercy and grace. I want mercy, but mercy is only for those who fear Him Ps 103. The world doesn’t fear Him and thinks they want justice. They’re mixed up, and that’s why when we explain God’s love to people, we have to tell them that that doesn’t mean they’re innocent.

We have come to God on His terms. We violated His law – He didn’t violate our law. We have to surrender and acknowledge our own spiritual crimes against him, and that He is the potter and we are the clay, and we are obligated to Him not vice versa.

Have we forgotten to tell people that our salvation is a gift to be grateful for and not a thing to be expected?

The fear of the Lord results in being so consumed with God in gratitude for His mercy, that you’re not consumed by God in your desire for justice. It is humbling to know that we don’t deserve salvation. The result is gratitude for His love and mercy.

Changing our thinking on this will put the amazing back into grace and differentiate it from something that’s automatic, something that’s common, because it is not the default position, it’s not where we start off – and, we might actually tell someone about it!

Which leads me right into Evangelism: If we do not properly fear the Lord and have an incorrect view of His love, it will affect our witness. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom – on that we all agree. Then why do we always start out evangelizing with the love of God – God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life. We trot out John 3:16 and plead with people based on God’s love. However, we truncate scripture and never get around to John 3:18, – whoever does not believe is condemned already, and never Jn 3:36 whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him, which is the completion of John’s thought. An incorrect understanding of God’s love will lead to incorrect evangelism.

I hate to be so blunt about this, but if we the church, don’t get this, how will they. I’m sick of seeing the enemy twist the gospel, deceive the church, and trick the world into thinking they’re ok when they’re not!

If the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, shouldn’t we start there? ABC’s to my children – Dr & Esq big words. Law to the proud and grace to the humble. Shouldn’t we convey the concept of fear and repentance when we witness to someone?

Let’s look at the book of Acts where we see the Apostles carrying out Jesus’ command to make disciples, lets look at their encounters with unbelievers. I want you to listen closely to all the verses that make clear how the Apostles explain God’s love to people, and His wonderful plan for their lives. Ready (Acts 1, flip pages) ok did you hear all of them? I just went through every verse in the book of Acts that uses God’s love to witness to people. There are none. In fact, the word love doesn’t even appear in the book of Acts.

Here is the message they preached: The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he will judge the world in righteousness. (Acts 17:30–31) In Acts, Luke uses the word repent in chs 2,3,5,8,11,13,17,19,20,26

The message was, and still is, repent. Repent and believe, repent and be baptized, repent and call upon the name of the Lord. The first words out of John the Baptist’s mouth as he came out of the desert was repent. The first words of Jesus after being tempted by Satan exiting the wilderness was repent. Luke says 15:7 I tell you there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. If you want to see rejoicing in heaven, tell people to repent, there is no room for mixing here!

Why all the fuss about repentance? – because people need to change their minds about God which is what repent means!

Repent means to change your mind about something, accompanied by a true change of heart toward God – This will result in a change of behavior: it will result in fearing God, taking God seriously! Rom 12:2.

We need to tell people to repent because although God is love, He is also holy and will punish sin. Now, look back at the answers you wrote to the questions I first asked you, and that will tell you if you need to repent, if you need to change your mind about the FOL.

Is there no fear of God before our eyes?

Mixing is a breeding ground for deception and there is no room for mixing here.

Watch what happens when we mix: we’re so afraid of the world that we’ve tried to morph the gospel into an invitation. Friends, an invitation is something I get for a birthday party that I can politely decline. The gospel is not an invitation, it’s a summons. And to decline is to defy. We have been summoned by God to repent and trust in His payment for our sin, or pay for it ourselves!

We long for revival in this country yet we don’t tell people to repent, we tell people to relax – God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life. And guess what, they believe us! – this country and its spiritual ignorance is the result of the church’s fear of man, and failure to preach an apostolic gospel. We’ve told them they’re on the Love boat when in essence it’s the Titanic! If we want revival in this country, we have to turn the tables on what people believe about God.

Since we mix, and fear man more than God, we embrace a man centered, seeker sensitive gospel. Remember what the #2 fear of Americans is – social phobia – fear of what other people think of you. Has that fear crept into our thinking and kept us from evangelizing correctly?

If you win people by catering to them, entertaining them, and tickling their senses, when that goes away, they will leave also. We import and use worldly means to attract people (we mix). They asked Senior Pastor of Willow Creek Bill Hybels & to his credit he said, “We made a mistake.” We didn’t make disciples, we made dunces.

This might surprise you but I actually think COS should strive to be the top seeker sensitive church in America. And here’s why: my bible says there is no one who seeks after God.

There is only one seeker, his name is Jesus and he came to seek and save the lost & we need to cater to that seeker and that seeker only.

We need to fear God more than man and have God centered evangelism, conforming everything we do around that seeker, every thought we have should center around him and his gospel!

We have to remember that what you win the world BY is what you win them TO. If we are not holding the real Jesus and winning them to him, we are no better than a bait and switch salesmen. We are not fearing God in this area. We are more afraid of the world than we are of Him.

We’re afraid to offend someone, yet the Word tells us the gospel in an offense. It’s an offense to their flesh and their will and their sin, yet we avoid telling them that, and expect different results. Relax or repent, Barney or bible, are we mixing and becoming mixed up?

Children: Finally, the fear of the Lord will affect our children, future. The last verse of 2 Kings 17 says So these nations feared the LORD and also served their carved images. Their children did likewise, and their children’s children as their fathers did, so they do to this day.

Here, the fear of the Lord is better caught than taught. If we don’t live out the fear of God daily, our children will follow suit. James says “you say you have faith, show me your faith. Faith without works is dead.” In 2 Kings 17, the Israelites said they feared the Lord but they also served other gods. They said they feared God, but did not show that they feared God.

I can tell my kids to fear God, but if I don’t demonstrate that fear, all they will hear is empty words, and they will see right through me. My life’s actions will speak louder than my words ever will. Even on my best behavior, I will unfortunately pass my sin on to them because I’m a sinner.

However, if I take God seriously, if I fear the Lord, I can beat the enemy at his own game. I can demonstrate repentance to them when I sin, showing them my need for a savior, and my fear of sin’s consequences.

I can use my mistakes and shortcomings as an opportunity to seek God and His forgiveness, fulfilling Rom 8 – all things work together for good for those he loves – even my own sin. My sin can be used for good if it pushes me closer to God in repentance and teaches my children to do the same.

Or better, when someone sins against me and I don’t lash out in hatred toward them, or try to repay evil with evil, I can live out the story of Joseph & his brothers to my children. Joseph explains to his brothers that what Satan meant for evil, God meant for good.

It was only through his brothers’ evil actions that Joseph became the #2 man in Egypt, and ends up saving their lives. I have to fear God enough to believe that someone sinning against me might be a test for my own good. If I obey God through it, He will turn every attack of the enemy into a victory for His glory! Just ask Job!!

Jesus says in Rev 2:10 Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.

Living like this is an example of where perfect love casts out fear, not the fear of God, but the fear of satan, the fear of man, the fear of suffering, false teachers & false prophets, fear of the unknown and unforeseen circumstances, this coincides exactly with what Joseph told his brothers – what you meant for evil, God meant for good

- all things work together for good for those he loves - that is perfect love – that will cast out the fear of everything else. Perfect love is the essence of the NC with God, and He has placed fear in your heart so that all other fears will be cast out.

If the #1 fear on your top 10 list is God, then #’s 2-10 will be empty. Nothing will come before your love for God and your service to Him.

And finally, this is how much God hates sin and how He handles sin for His children (cross pic). It bears no resemblance to anything the world desires or has to offer. Moreover, it was the world’s sin that put him there. It is the antithesis of everything the world desires – it represents surrender, humility, sacrifice, suffering - yet for the joy set before him, he endured the cross for his bride.

He now charges us: to die to ourselves, pick up our cross, and follow him. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. Mt 16:25.

The world doesn’t want to do that, and I think sometimes the church doesn’t either.

Has the mixture of the world and the bible tempted us to pursue your best life now? Be careful because God will give you what you want. If you want your best life now He will give it to you, and when you close your eyes for the last time, your best life will be behind you not ahead of you.

We’ve exchanged picking up our cross for picking up a promise of prosperity. Dying to self is not the message my children, nor the world wants to hear, but I have been called, not to give them what they want, but to give them what they need – and so have you. This was Jesus’ answer to sin and I have to teach it to them.

Because when you die, your life is hidden with Christ, and when he appears, you will also appear with Him in glory! Col 3:3

Is this message, the message of the cross, what the Barney god of the world would do for his followers?

In closing I have two scriptures for us:

1st Ecclesiastes 12:12–14 The conclusion, when all has been heard, is to fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person. For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil.

And last, Peter tells us (1 Peter 1:17–19 (NAS) conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth; knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life but with the precious blood of Christ.

If the precious blood of Jesus spilled on the cross for our sins doesn’t cause us to rethink things, if that doesn’t cause us to repent, then what will?

The next time you think about God, or witness to someone about God, and explain that God is love, please complete the picture. He is love, but He is also Holy, Awesome, to be Feared. Let’s not play or trifle with God.

Ps 2 says to

Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling, Kiss the son lest he be angry

– we don’t want to encounter an angry Christ. – it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

And when you kiss the Son, let it not be a Judas kiss. Let it not be the kiss that the world hypocritically gives Jesus. Let it not be a kiss that shows outward affection, but inwardly betrays him.

We need to fear him outwardly, fear him inwardly and in doing so we will love and enjoy him fully!

Will you join me in praying like King David who says in Ps 86:11 Teach me your way, O LORD, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.

Encourage repentance.

In Prov 1:7: the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom. In fearing God we learn wisdom

In Prov 8:13 The fear of the LORD is hatred of evil. In fearing God we learn to hate evil

Psalm 25:14 says Friendship with the Lord is reserved for those who fear him. In fearing God we gain His friendship

In Psalm 33 we read the Lord watches over those who fear him. In fearing God we sit under His protective and watchful eye

Again, in Psalm 34:7 we read The angel of the LORD encamps all around those who fear Him, and delivers them. In fearing God we are protected and delivered by angels.

Last, in Psalm 34:9 we read There is no want to those who fear Him. In fearing God we will have no want.

Ps 103:17says: But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting On those who fear Him In fearing God We receive the eternal mercy of God

Psalm 147:11; The LORD takes pleasure in those who fear Him In fearing God we are enjoyed by the Lord

Pr 19:23 The fear of the LORD leads to life, And he who has it will abide in satisfaction; He will not be visited with evil. In fearing God we will have life, contentment, and freedom from evil

Anyone besides me see a pattern here? Now, shouldn’t that change the way we look at fear – Or, are we still afraid to do that!!

Let’s take a second to ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to us one area in our lives that we need to properly fear Him in. pause. If we don’t take God seriously, we will mix what the world says about God with what the bible says about God and have disastrous results.

2 Kings 17:6-41 The Fall of Israel

6 In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria captured Samaria, and he carried the Israelites away to Assyria. And this occurred because the people of Israel had sinned against the Lord and had feared other gods. They walked in the customs of the nations whom the LORD drove out before them.

13 The LORD warned Israel and Judah by every prophet and every seer, saying, “Turn from your evil ways and keep my commandments and my statutes, in accordance with all the Law that I commanded your fathers and that I sent to you by my servants the prophets.”

14 But they would not listen, they were stubborn, as their fathers had been, who did not believe in the LORD their God. They went after false idols and became false, and they followed the nations that were around them. 18 Therefore the LORD was very angry with Israel and removed them out of his sight. None was left but the tribe of Judah only.

19 Judah also did not keep the commandments of the LORD their God, but walked in the customs that Israel had introduced. 20 And the LORD rejected all the descendants of Israel and afflicted them and gave them into the hand of plunderers, until he had cast them out of his sight.

And at the beginning of their dwelling in Assyria, they did not fear the LORD. Therefore the LORD sent lions among them, which killed some of them. 28 So one of the priests whom they had carried away from Samaria came and lived in Bethel and taught them how they should fear the LORD.

29 But every nation still made gods of its own and put them in the shrines of the high places that the Samaritans had made. So they feared the LORD but also served their own gods, after the manner of the nations around them.

34 To this day they do according to the former manner. They do not fear the LORD, and they do not follow the statutes or the rules or the law or the commandment that the LORD commanded the children of Jacob, whom he named Israel.

So these nations feared the LORD and also served their carved images. Their children did likewise, and their children’s children—as their fathers did, so they do to this day.