THE LIVING WORD TRANSCRIPT  <br> <br>      

PROGRAM AIR DATE – 9-13-15

<br> <br>

LESSON TITLE:  “FEAR!”<br> <br>



WELCOME<br> <br>

      GOOD MORNING, AND THANKS FOR JOINING US FOR THE STUDY OF GOD’S LIVING WORD!  WE ARE GLAD YOU ARE WITH US THIS MORNING TO GIVE THIS TIME TO THE THINGS OF GOD.  AT THIS TIME MAY WE START OUR PRAISE TO GOD BY TALKING WITH OUR FATHER IN PRAYER. BOW WITH ME PLEASE!<br> <br>

      PRAYER:  OUR GOD AND FATHER IN HEAVEN, WE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS GREAT DAY - THE LORD'S DAY. FOR THE GREAT PRIVILEGE THAT WE HAVE TO ASSEMBLE BEFORE YOUR THRONE AND TO WORSHIP YOU. AND THEREFORE, FATHER MAY WE DO ALL IN SPIRIT AND TRUTH AS YOU HAVE COMMANDED IN YOUR WORD. AND FATHER, HELP US ALWAYS TO LOOK TO JESUS AND THE GREAT SACRIFICE THAT HE MADE ON THE CROSS AS WELL AS HIS RESURRECTION, TO FIND STRENGTH IN THESE TRUTHS.  AS WELL FATHER, TO BE ABLE TO DO THOSE THINGS AGAIN THAT YOU HAVE ASKED THAT WE MIGHT BE FOUND FAITHFUL IN THE END AND RECEIVE THE BLESSINGS OF LIFE, AS WELL AS THE LIFE TO COME. AND FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR THE GREAT PRIVILEGE THAT WE HAVE TO BE KNOWN AS YOUR CHILDREN AND WE ASK THAT YOU'LL HELP US TO ALWAYS SHINE AS SUCH LIGHTS IN THIS WORLD. IN JESUS NAME WE PRAY, AMEN.<br> <br>

      LET’S BEGIN IMMEDIATELY WITH OUR SONGS OF PRAISE THIS DAY. THE FIRST SONG OF THE MORNING REMINDS US OF THE FACT THAT GOD WILL ALWAYS BE THERE FOR THE FAITHFUL.  SO WON’T YOU DO YOUR PART IN WORSHIP TO GOD AT THIS TIME AND JOIN IN WITH THE CONGREGATION AS WE SING TOGETHER, “THERE NOT A FRIEND LIKE THE LOWLY JESUS!” <br> <br>



DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS<br> <br>

      A MISTAKE WE OFTEN MAKE AS FOLLOWERS OF GOD IS TRYING TO SEE GOD SIMPLY AS A MAN!  WE WANT TO EXPLAIN AWAY HIS POWER, PERSON AND CHARACTER, AS SOMETHING WHICH IS MERELY THE SAME AS EVERYONE ELSE - AS IF HE WERE NOT DIFFERENT OR SPECIAL.  <br> <br>

      I BELIEVE THAT GOD WANTS US TO KNOW HIM AND TO SEE HIM AS REAL, BUT NOT AS JUST ANOTHER MAN OR HUMAN BEING.  I THINK MOSES DEALT WITH THIS THOUGHT IN NUMBERS 23:19.  THERE WE READ, “GOD IS NOT A MAN, THAT HE SHOULD LIE, NOR A SON OF MAN, THAT HE SHOULD REPENT. HAS HE SAID, AND WILL HE NOT DO? OR HAS HE SPOKEN, AND WILL HE NOT MAKE IT GOOD?”  NOTICE THE MANY PRECIOUS TRUTHS WE LEARN IN THIS PASSAGE!<br> <br>

      FIRST, GOD IS NOT A MAN, A SON OF A MAN, OR A SINNER.  GOD IS GOD!  THE CREATOR, GIVER AND SUSTAINER OF ALL.  THE ETERNAL ONE WITH NO BEGINNING AND NO END.  MOSES HERE WAS NOT TRYING TO DISCOUNT THE FACT THAT ONE DAY JESUS WOULD BECOME A MAN AND WALK AMONG MEN AS GOD, BUT HE WAS TRYING TO CLARIFY THE POINT THAT GOD IS NOT JUST ANOTHER MAN.   RATHER HE IS TRULY GOD! <br> <br>

      NOW NOTICE THE PROOF THAT HE GOES ON TO SHOW US TO CONFIRM THAT GOD IS NOT A MERE MAN.  HE STATES THAT GOD’S WORD CAN BE COUNTED ON. WHY?  BECAUSE GOD DOES WHAT HE SAYS AND ALWAYS FULFILLS WHAT HE HAS PROMISED.  THERE ARE NO EMPTY PROMISES WITH GOD, BECAUSE HE CANNOT LIE AND HE HAS COMMITTED TO DOING THOSE THINGS WHICH HE HAS PROMISED.  YOU SEE OUR GOD IS A WONDROUS AND MIGHTY GOD.  HE IS ABLE TO BE COUNTED ON.  HE WILL DO ALL THAT HE HAS SAID! <br> <br>   

      IN THE NEW TESTAMENT, THE INSPIRED JAMES HELPS US WITH THIS SAME THOUGHT. IN CHAPTER 1:17 OF HIS BOOK WE READ, “EVERY GOOD GIFT AND EVERY PERFECT GIFT IS FROM ABOVE, AND COMES DOWN FROM THE FATHER OF LIGHTS, WITH WHOM THERE IS NO VARIATION OR SHADOW OF TURNING.”  AGAIN WE FIND THAT EVERYTHING COMES FROM GOD AND THAT WITH GOD THERE IS NO VARIATION, CHANGE OR TURNING FROM WHAT HE HAS COMMITTED!<br> <br>

      PAUL HAD THIS TO SAY ABOUT OUR GOD, “HE WHO CALLS YOU IS FAITHFUL, WHO ALSO WILL DO IT,” 1 THESSALONIANS 5:24!  YES, OUR GOD CAN BE TRUSTED, HE IS FAITHFUL AND HE WILL DO WHAT HE HAS CONFIRMED THROUGH HIS PERFECT WORD!  DO YOU HAVE THE CONFIDENCE YOU NEED IN YOUR CREATOR?   CHOOSE TODAY TO TRUST MORE IN GOD AND TO KNOW THAT ALL THAT HE HAS SAID IS FOR REAL!<br> <br>

      TODAY WE WILL CONTINUE OUR SERIES OF STUDY ENTITLED, “BUT THEY ALL BEGAN TO MAKE EXCUSES!” THE SPECIFIC LESSON OF THE DAY WILL FOCUS ON THE EXCUSE OF “FEAR!”  SO, PLEASE STAY WITH US THIS MORNING AND IN JUST A FEW MINUTES I WILL BE LEADING US IN THIS STUDY FROM GOD’S WORD.  NOW LET’S JOIN TOGETHER IN OUR SECOND SONG OF THE DAY.  THE NAME OF THIS HYMN, “TO GOD BE THE GLORY.” <br> <br>



LESSON<br> <br>

BY RAY SULLINS<br> <br>

      WE'RE SO GLAD YOU'VE CONTINUED WITH US THIS MORNING AS WE NOW GO TO GOD'S WORD AND CONSIDER ANOTHER LESSON WIHIN OUR SERIES ABOUT MAKING EXCUSES IN THIS LIFE. CERTAINLY FROM THE BEGINNING OF TIME THERE HAVE BEEN THOSE EVEN IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN WHO MADE EXCUSES OR WHO EVEN TRIED TO PERHAPS PASS THE BUCK. TRYING TO GET THE HEAT OFF OF THEM, AND TRYING TO MAYBE JUSTIFY WHY THEY HAVE OR HAVE NOT DONE THOSE THINGS THAT GOD REALLY COMMANDS OF THEM. AND SO TODAY WE CONTINUE THERE FROM THAT THOUGHT GIVEN IN THAT PARABLE IN LUKE CHAPTER 14 WHERE REALLY JESUS SPOKE OF THOSE WHO ALL BEGAN TO MAKE EXCUSES WHEN THEY REALLY DIDN’T WANT TO DO WHAT IT WAS THAT THE MASTER OF THE HOUSE HAD REQUESTED OF THEM OR ASKED OF THEM. <br> <br>

      TODAY, AS FAR AS THE EXCUSES THAT WE MAKE, WE WOULD LIKE TO BEGIN OUR THOUGHTS WITH AN IDEA THAT IS FOUND WITHIN A VERY, VERY, COMMON PLACE OF SCRIPTURE OF THE PARABLE OF THE TALENTS THERE IN MATTHEW 25. AND IF YOU'LL LOOK THERE IN MATTHEW 25, YOU'LL NOTICE WITH ME THAT IT SPEAKS ABOUT THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN AND, AS IT WELL GOES, WE KNOW THAT THERE WERE INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE GIVEN DIFFERENT AMOUNTS OF TALENTS BY THE LORD OR THE MASTER. AND ONE WAS GIVEN FIVE, ONE WAS GIVEN TWO, AND ONE WAS GIVEN ONE. AND WE ALSO KNOW THAT THE FIVE TALENT MAN EVENTUALLY INCREASES HIS TO TEN, THE TWO TALENT TO FOUR, AND THE ONE TALENT MAN DOESN'T DO ANYTHING WITH HIS TALENT. HE DOESN'T WORK OR REALLY INCREASE IT OR EVEN PUT IT IN THE BANK, AS THE MASTER LATER SAYS, THAT HE MIGHT HAVE AT LEAST GAINED INTEREST OFF OF THAT TALENT. <br> <br>

      BUT WHAT'S SIGNIFICANT ABOUT WHAT IS SAID WITHIN THIS STORY AS WE'VE EVEN CONSIDERED IT WITHIN A FEW OF OUR OTHER EXCUSES. I WANT YOU TO NOTICE WITH ME THE WORD THAT HE SAYS THERE IN VERSE 25, AND THIS IS THE MAN WHO HAD RECEIVED THE ONE TALENT AND HE DID NOTHING WITH IT BUT BURIED IT, AND WHEN THE LORD OR THE MASTER CAME HE SIMPLY DUG IT UP AND BROUGHT THAT ONE TALENT BACK TO THE MASTER. I WANT YOU TO NOTICE WHAT IT WAS THAT HE USES AS AN EXCUSE AS TO WHY HE DID THIS. IT SAYS THERE IN VERSE 25, “AND I WAS AFRAID, AND WENT AND HID YOUR TALENT IN THE GROUND. LOOK, THERE YOU HAVE WHAT WAS YOURS.” YOU SEE, HE MENTIONS EARLIER IN THE VERSE BEFORE, I KNEW YOU WERE A HARD MAN - A MAN WHO REALLY REQUIRES THAT WHICH IS OF BENEFIT FROM WHAT HE HIMSELF HAS NOT DONE. AND BASICALLY SOMETIMES THAT'S WHAT WE KNOW THAT AN OWNER OR A BOSS MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO. HE MIGHT HIRE SOMEONE TO DO A JOB FOR HIM SO HE HASN'T NECESSARILY DONE THAT JOB BUT THERE MIGHT BE BENEFITS OR EVEN MONEY THAT IS MADE FROM THE JOB THAT HE HAS PAID SOMEONE ELSE TO DO. AND SO HE MIGHT BE GAINING A BENEFIT OR AN EXTRA BENEFIT, EVEN FROM SOMETHING SOMEONE ELSE IS DOING FOR HIM. I KNEW YOU WERE HARD AND YOU WOULD'VE EXPECTED THAT THIS WOULD HAVE AT LEAST BEEN REQUIRED AND THAT YOU WOULD HAVE EXPECTED EVEN MORE - AND YET I WAS AFRAID AND THEREFORE I BURIED IT. YOU KNOW, FEAR - HOW OFTEN DOES FEAR CAUSE PEOPLE TO MAKE BAD DECISIONS. HOW OFTEN DOES FEAR CAUSE SOMEONE TO DO SOMETHING REALLY THAT WOULD NOT BE THERE NORMAL ACTIONS? AND THEREFORE, FEAR IS SOMETIMES USED AS AN EXCUSE. <br> <br>

      I'D LIKE TO FIRST OF ALL BEGIN BY LOOKING AT TWO EXAMPLES - ONE IS FOUND BACK IN THE BOOK OF GENESIS WHERE WE LEARN IN RELATIONSHIP TO THE STORY OF ABRAHAM AND SARAH THAT THEY HAVE SOME VISITORS THAT COME BY THEIR WAY. AND IN CHAPTER 18, AS THE VISITORS ARE THERE WHAT IT IS THAT ABRAHAM LEARNS IS THAT HE WILL BE HAVING A CHILD AND THAT WHEN HE IS TOLD THIS GREAT MESSAGE BY THOSE MESSENGERS, WHICH INCLUDED THE LORD, THERE IN CHAPTER 18 WE ALL REMEMBER THAT WHEN SARAH HEARD IT SHE LAUGHED. AND WE KNOW BECAUSE GOD WAS PRESENT THAT CERTAINLY GOD KNOWS ALL THINGS - BUT THEN GOD ADDRESSES SARAH AND HE ASKED HER THE QUESTION AS TO WHY SHE LAUGHED. AND THE LORD CONFIRMS TO HER OBVIOUSLY: WELL, YOU WILL HAVE A CHILD, AS IT HAS BEEN SAID. BUT I WANT YOU TO NOTICE HOW SARAH RESPONDS IN VERSE 15 OF GENESIS 18. THE BIBLE SAYS, “BUT SARAH DENIED IT, SAYING, ‘I DID NOT LAUGH,’ FOR SHE WAS AFRAID.” AND GOD SAID, “NO, BUT YOU DID LAUGH.” SEE, GOD KNEW ALL THINGS. AND SARAH HERE, BECAUSE OF FEAR, LAUGHED AND MAYBE SHOWED A LACK OF FAITH OR A DISBELIEF IN GOD WHEN REALLY NORMALLY MAYBE SHE WOULD NOT HAVE DONE THAT. IN OTHER WORDS, IF WE WOULD BACK-UP AND SAY THAT SOMEONE SAYS WELL, DO YOU BELIEVE IN GOD? DO YOU BELIEVE THERE'S A GOD? HAS GOD BEEN GOOD TO YOUR HUSBAND AND TO YOUR FAMILY? CERTAINLY THAT WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN FUNNY OR SHE WOULD NOT HAVE LAUGHED AT THAT. SHE WOULD'VE BEEN SOMEONE WHO WOULD HAVE BELIEVED THAT TRUTH AND SHE WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN AFRAID. BUT HEARING SOMETHING SHE'S NOT SURE ABOUT OR SOMETHING THAT SHE JUST WONDERS - HOW COULD THIS BE THAT I AT MY AGE COULD HAVE A CHILD? SHE ACTUALLY LIES TO GOD AND THE REASON SHE USES IT SAYS, I WAS AFRAID OF YOU GOD. WELL YOU SEE, SOMETIMES FEAR MIGHT CAUSE SOMEONE TO DO SOMETHING THAT AGAIN THEY MIGHT NOT OTHERWISE DO. OR FEAR CAN SOMETIMES CAUSE SOMEONE TO LIE OR TO EVEN BEGIN TO MAKE EXCUSES AND THEREFORE FIND THEMSELVES REALLY IN THE EYES OF GOD IN A HEAP OF TROUBLE! A BIG PROBLEM BECAUSE THEY HAVE DISHONORED GOD IN WHAT THEY HAVE DONE OR WHAT THEY HAVE NOT DONE BASED ON WHAT HE HAS REQUIRED. <br> <br>

      OVER IN ACTS IN THE NEW TESTAMENT THERE IN ACTS 24, WE FIND A STORY OF A MAN NAMED FELIX WHERE PAUL TEACHES FELIX AND TRIES TO GIVE HIM THE OPPORTUNITY, NOT ONLY TO KNOW THE GOSPEL BUT TO KNOW WHAT IS REQUIRED UNDER SALVATION. AND DO YOU REMEMBER WHAT IT WAS THAT THE TEXT AGAIN SAYS HERE IN RELATIONSHIP TO WHAT FELIX EVENTUALLY TELLS PAUL? WE ALWAYS THINK OF THE PART OF THE PASSAGE THAT SAYS, WELL GO YOUR WAY AND AT A MORE CONVENIENT TIME I WILL CALL YOU. AND THEN PERHAPS AT THAT POINT I WILL BE READY AND WILLING TO RESPOND TO GOD. BUT I WANT YOU TO NOTICE SOMETHING ELSE THAT FELIX SAYS IN VERSE 25. THE BIBLE SAYS, “NOW AS HE REASONED ABOUT RIGHTEOUSNESS, SELF-CONTROL, AND THE JUDGMENT TO COME, FELIX WAS AFRAID AND ANSWERED,” PAUL AND SAID, “GO AWAY FOR NOW; WHEN I HAVE A CONVENIENT TIME I WILL CALL FOR YOU.” WHEN PAUL HAD TAUGHT FELIX ABOUT WHAT? ABOUT IT SAYS HERE RIGHTEOUS LIVING. WELL, IMMEDIATELY FELIX WOULD'VE KNOWN I'M SOMEONE WHO IS NOT LIVING RIGHT. WHEN HE WOULD'VE REASONED WITH FELIX ABOUT SELF-CONTROL AND THAT MEANS THAT SOMEONE IS ABLE TO CONTROL THEMSELVES AND NOT ENGAGE IN SIN OR THINGS THAT ARE IMPROPER OR NOT RIGHT ACCORDING TO THE WILL OF GOD. OR WHEN HE REASONED TO HIM ABOUT JUDGMENT AND THE FACT THAT SOMEDAY GOD WOULD COME AND JUDGE THE EARTH AND THE FAITHFUL WOULD RECEIVE HEAVEN BUT THE UNFAITHFUL WOULD BE CAST INTO HELL. BUT WHAT IS THE REACTION TO THE TRUTH OF GOD? WHAT IS THE REACTION IN THE LIFE OF FELIX, A MAN WHO SAYS WELL I'M NOT YET READY TO GIVE UP THESE THINGS OF THE WORLD THAT I LIKE OR THESE SINS? I'M NOT READY TO COMMIT TO GOD OR TO SERVE GOD - WHAT WAS HIS REACTION? I WAS AFRAID IS WHAT HE FELT IN HIS HEART. YOU SEE FEAR AGAIN. FEAR THAT REALLY MADE HIM COME WITH AN EXCUSE. WELL, WHEN THERE'S A BETTER SEASON OR A MORE CONVENIENT TIME, I'LL CALL FOR YOU AND THEN MAYBE I'LL BE READY TO SERVE GOD AT THAT TIME. <br> <br>

      YOU SEE, HE MADE AN EXCUSE. AND DON'T WE OFTEN AT TIMES BECAUSE EVEN OF FEAR MAKE EXCUSES? DO YOU REMEMBER MAYBE EVEN WHEN YOU WERE GROWING UP AS A CHILD AND YOU DID SOMETHING THAT YOU KNEW YOU WEREN'T SUPPOSED TO DO AND YOU HAD BEEN WARNED BEFORE AND YOU WERE EVEN TOLD THE PENALTY IF YOU DID IT, AND YET WE DO IT ANYWAY. AND THEN MOM OR DAD COMES IN AND THEY SAY - DID YOU DO THAT? AND WHAT DO WE SAY? NO, IT WASN'T ME. AND THE NEXT THING SOMETIMES WE DO IS WE SAY NO, IT WAS HIM - IT WAS SOMEBODY ELSE OR IT WAS HER. IT WAS MY BROTHER OR MY SISTER. WHY DO WE DO THAT? FEAR. FEAR, WE DON'T WANT THE PUNISHMENT, WE DON'T WANT TO DISAPPOINT THEM, WE DON'T WANT TO TO FEEL THE PAIN PERHAPS THAT'S GOING TO COME FROM THE WHOOPIN'. WE DON'T WANT THOSE THINGS SO WHAT DO WE DO? WE BEGIN TO MAKE EXCUSES. OH, IT WASN'T ME. OR EVEN IF WE BEGIN TO MAKE EXCUSES WE MIGHT GO EVEN FURTHER AND WE MIGHT SAY WELL, I DIDN'T MEAN TO DO THAT. OR I REALLY WASN'T TRYING TO DO THAT. IT JUST HAPPENED. WELL YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. WE'VE ALL BEEN THERE AND WE'VE ALL HAD MAYBE OUR OWN CHILDREN OR MAYBE YOU'VE HAD YOUR GRANDCHILDREN WHO HAVE DONE THE SAME THING TO YOU BECAUSE OF FEAR, OR BECAUSE THEY'RE AFRAID, OR BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT THE RESULTS, THEY WHAT? THEY BEGIN TO MAKE EXCUSES. <br> <br>

      SO YOU SEE THESE THINGS CERTAINLY CAN KEEP US FROM GOD. THEY CAN KEEP US FROM SERVING GOD AND DOING HIS WILL. AND THEY CAN EVEN HELP US TO SOMEHOW JUSTIFY IN OUR OWN HEARTS AND MINDS AS TO WHY WE DO OR DO NOT HAVE TO DO SOMETHING THAT GOD REQUIRES. WELL, SOMETIMES IT’S FEAR. AND WE MIGHT EVEN SAY EVEN THE IDEA OF JUST A FEAR THAT PEOPLE MAY NOT LIKE WHAT I DO. HAVE YOU EVER NOTICED THAT WITH RELIGION WHEN YOU DO WHAT GOD WANTS THAT IT MAKES OTHER PEOPLE MAD SOMETIMES? WHEN YOU'RE SOMEBODY THAT DOESN'T WANT TO USE THE DIRTY LANGUAGE AND TALK FOUL OR NASTY OR SOMEONE WHO DOESN'T WANT TO GO TO CERTAIN PLACES THEN THEY BEGIN TO RIDICULE YOU? AND SO SOMETIMES YOU MIGHT BE AFRAID TO ADMIT YOU'RE A CHRISTIAN OR THAT YOU DON'T DO THOSE THINGS BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT TO BE BELITTLED AND SO YOU BEGAN IN YOUR MIND TO MAKE EXCUSES AS TO WHY YOU WON'T STAND UP FOR GOD OR YOU WON'T DO HIS WILL. <br> <br>

      YOU KNOW, IN THE GOSPEL ACCOUNTS IT'S INTERESTING IF YOU LOOK ON YOUR COMPUTER OR BIBLE PROGRAM YOU'RE GONNA FIND OUT THAT JESUS SAID OVER AND OVER AND OVER THAT WE ARE THOSE PEOPLE THAT SHOULD NOT BE AFRAID. WHO SHOULD NOT BE AFRAID. WHY? GOD IS ALWAYS WITH US, GOD IS ALWAYS BY OUR SIDE, HE EVER HELPS US, HE PROVIDES, HE PROTECTS, HE GUIDES US...GOD AS OUR FATHER IS ALWAYS THERE TO DO WHAT IS BEST IN OUR LIVES AND TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE WHAT WE NEED AND TO KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING AND WHERE WE ARE GOING. GOD KNOWS AND GOD CARES AND GOD LOVES US. HE SAYS DON'T BE AFRAID. GOD IS THERE.<br> <br> 

      BUT THERE IS A CONCEPT OF FEAR THAT IS MENTIONED IN THE BIBLE THAT GOES MORE ALONG THE IDEA OR THE CONCEPT OF RESPECT OR HONOR. ARE WE NOT TO FEAR OUR PARENTS? AT LEAST TO THE EXTENT THAT WE ARE GOING TO OBEY AND RESPECT THEM. LET'S GO BACK TO THAT EXAMPLE OF THAT CHILD WHO HAS BEEN TOLD - YOU DON'T DO THAT! AND IF YOU DO THIS HERE'S WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN. THE REASON MY CHILD IS NOT GOING TO DO IT IS BECAUSE THEY'VE GOT A SPANKING FOR THAT BEFORE AND SINCE THEY HAVE GOT A SPANKING FOR THAT BEFORE, GUESS WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN? THEY KNOW THAT I DON'T WANT IT AGAIN. I DON'T WANT TO SUFFER THOSE CONSEQUENCES. I DON'T WANT THE PUNISHMENT AGAIN. AND SO, BECAUSE OF FEAR, AGAIN WE SEE CERTAIN TYPES OF RESULTS OR PERHAPS NOT THE RESULTS THAT WE WANT. <br> <br>

      WELL, SO AGAIN HERE AS WE LOOK BACK INTO THE IDEA, JESUS SAYS YOU KNOW, DON'T BE AFRAID. BUT WE NEED TO AT LEAST SHOW HONOR AND RESPECT FOR A GOD WHO IS THE CREATOR OF ALL, WHO HAS ALL POWER, WHO CAN DO ANYTHING, WHO KNOWS ALL THINGS. CERTAINLY WE NEED TO RESPECT SUCH A GOD. AND THAT'S WHY, WHEN WE BEGIN TO MOVE TWO PASSAGES THAT ARE VERY FAMILIAR LIKE EVEN THAT OF ECCLESIASTES CHAPTER 12 - AND THE WISEST MAN THAT EVER LIVED TELLS HIS SON THE CONCLUSION OF THE WHOLE MATTER, THE ALL OF MAN'S LIFE IS TO DO WHAT? FEAR GOD AND KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS! YOU SEE, HE TIES SOMETHING TO FEAR THERE AND THAT'S THE OBEDIENCE TO GOD OR THE KEEPING OF GOD'S COMMANDMENTS BECAUSE AS WE WELL KNOW IN THE NEW TESTAMENT THAT'S HOW I SHOW LOVE TO GOD WHEN I OBEY GOD OR KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS. BUT NOTICE THAT HE SAYS FIRST - FEAR GOD. FEAR HIM TO WHAT EXTENT? THAT WE ARE SHAKING? AND THAT WE DON'T WANT TO SEE HIM? AND THAT WE DON'T WANT TO BE AROUND HIM? NO! HE'S OUR FATHER. WE LOVE HIM. HE HAS SHOWN HIS LOVE FOR US. HE GAVE HIS OWN SON TO DIE ON THE CROSS FOR YOU. BUT TO FEAR HIM FROM THE STANDPOINT OF HONORING HIM, RESPECT HIM, OBEY HIM, SHOW YOUR COMMITMENT, SHOW YOUR ALLEGIANCE THAT YOU MIGHT PROVE TO GOD WHAT IS GOOD AND ACCEPTABLE IN HIS SIGHT. THAT YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO PRESENT YOURSELF AS GOD WOULD DESIRE. <br> <br>

      DAVID UNDERSTOOD THIS IN PSALM 111. THERE IN FACT VERSE 10 SAYS:THE FEAR OF THE LORD IS THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM. IN OTHER PLACES, SOLOMON SAYS, “THE FEAR OF THE LORD IS THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM;” AND THIS IDEA OF BEING ABLE TO KNOW WHAT GOD WANTS AND THEN APPLY IT IN OUR LIVES. WHAT CHALLENGES US TO DO THAT? RESPECT FOR GOD. RESPECT AND HONOR FOR GOD AND HIS WORD, HIS MESSAGE THAT THIS IS THE INHERENT WORD OF GOD THAT COMPLETELY FURNISHES US AND GIVES US ALL WE NEED. THAT FEAR, THAT HEALTHY FEAR AND RESPECT THAT WE CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND AND APPLY IN OUR DAILY LIVES THAT CHALLENGE US TO DO WHAT GOD SAYS. <br> <br>

      SO AN EXAMPLE WE CAN SEE OF THAT IN THE NEW TESTAMENT IS SOMEONE WHO BECAME A CHRISTIAN WAS CORNELIUS IN ACTS CHAPTER 10. CORNELIUS WAS A MAN WHO WAS A SOLDIER OVER SOLDIERS - OVER AN ITALIAN REGIMENT - AND IT SAYS THAT CORNELIUS PRAYED AND HE GAVE ALMS, BUT THE FIRST THING IT SAYS IS THAT HE FEARED GOD WITH ALL OF HIS HOUSEHOLD. DO YOU NOTICE THE START OF KNOWLEDGE AND WISDOM? THE START OF HIS SALVATION? THE START OF HIS WALK BEFORE GOD? IT WAS FEAR AND WHAT DID THAT FEAR DO? IT CAUSED HIM TO OBEY GOD AND GIVE ALMS AND TO FULFILL PRAYER BEFORE HIM AS WORSHIP. HE WANTED TO SERVE GOD BECAUSE HE LOVED HIM AND WANTED TO RESPOND TO THE LOVE OF GOD AND BECAUSE HE HONORED GOD. AND THEREFORE LATER IN THE SAME CHAPTER WE LEARN THAT HE AND HIS HOUSEHOLD WERE ALL BAPTIZED. CERTAINLY AFTER BELIEVING THE WORD AND CONFESSING THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST AND REPENTING OF THEIR SINS, THEY WERE ALL IMMERSED IN THE WATERY GRAVE - THAT AS WE LEARN IN ROMANS CHAPTER 6 THEY MIGHT BE THOSE WHO HAVE DIED AS CHRIST DIED AND WAS BURIED AND RISE AS CHRIST ROSE FROM THE GRAVE...THAT THEY MIGHT, AS IN GALATIANS CHAPTER 3, PUT ON CHRIST IN BAPTISM. <br> <br>

      OH WHAT A GREAT THING WE LEARN AS WE LEARN TO RESPECT GOD, NOT AN UNCONTROLLABLE FEAR, BUT AS WE LEARN TO HONOR GOD, AND RESPECT GOD, AND COMMIT TO GOD, AND SERVE GOD. AND PERHAPS THAT'S WHAT PAUL WAS THINKING ABOUT AS HE TALKED ABOUT THE CITY OF ROME AND THE CHRISTIANS AT ROME AND PERHAPS EVEN SOME OF THOSE WHO AT ONE POINT SERVED GOD BUT YET TURNED AWAY. AND IN ROMANS CHAPTER 3:18, THE IDEA IS PRESENTED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT. IT WAS SAD BECAUSE THEY NO LONGER FEARED THE LORD. YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENS IN THE ABSENCE OF FEAR? WELL, IN THE ABSENCE OF FEAR WE NO LONGER RESPECT GOD, HONOR HIM, OR OBEY HIM. BUT AS WE BEGAN THIS MORNING IN THE PART OF UNCONTROLLABLE FEAR OR IMPROPER FEAR, WE SOMETIMES BEGIN TO MAKE EXCUSES AND WOULD DO THINGS THAT WE NORMALLY WOULDN'T DO OR MAKE EXCUSES TO CONDONE WHAT WE DO THAT WE SHOULD NOT BE INVOLVED IN. NOT ONLY ACTIONS BUT IN WORDS.<br> <br> 

      SO LET ME CHALLENGE YOU TODAY TO NOT USE FEAR AS AN EXCUSE BUT TO USE HEALTHY FEAR, RESPECT AND HONOR FOR GOD, TO BE OBEDIENT EACH AND EVERY DAY OF LIFE. THAT YOU MIGHT WALK ACCORDING TO HIS WILL AND KNOW THAT BY WALKING ACCORDING TO HIS WILL YOU'RE GOING TO BE BLESSED IN THIS LIFE. AND NOT ONLY IN THIS LIFE MY FRIEND, YOU'RE GOING TO BE BLESSED ETERNALLY IN HEAVEN SOMEDAY.<br> <br>



CLOSING COMMENTS<br> <br>

      MAY I AGAIN TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY.  I HOPE OUR TIME TOGETHER HAS BEEN AN ENCOURAGEMENT AND THUS A BLESSING TO US ALL.  PLEASE REMEMBER THAT YOU ARE INVITED BACK TO JOIN US EVERY FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK, AT 7:30, AS WE COMMIT OURSELVES TO THIS TIME OF WORSHIP BEFORE GOD!  <br> <br>

      BUT FOR NOW, LET ME ASK IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT TODAY’S LESSON?  MAYBE, YOU WOULD LIKE A FREE TRANSCRIPT OR A CASSETTE TAPE OF THIS PROGRAM?  POSSIBLY, WE COULD ASSIST YOU WITH FREE BIBLE MATERIALS OR CORRESPONDENCE COURSES?  NO MATTER WHAT YOUR NEED IS, PLEASE CONTACT US AT THE FOLLOWING ADDRESS:  <br> <br>

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      MAY WE NEVER USE FEAR AS A CRUTCH TO KEEP US FROM GOD, BUT RATHER MAY WE FEAR GOD AND KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS; FOR THIS IS MAN’S ALL!  ARE YOU OBEDIENT TO A LOVING CREATOR?  <br> <br>