Learning to Fear God - Part 13
1 Corinthians 10:31
Introduction: In our study "Learning to Fear God," we have seen that those, who truly fear the Lord, have revealing characteristics in their lives.
- God-fearing people willingly and fearfully submit to the authorities God has set up.
- God-fearing people are obedient to His Word.
- God-fearing people live in the constant and conscious presence of the Lord. It is impossible to flee the presence of God, but it is possible to ignore it!
- God-fearing people live in total dependence on Him.
- God-fearing people want God to be glorified.
- God-fearing people worship God in spirit and truth.
In this message, I want to step back one more time to the area of bringing glory to God. I said before that God is glorified when others see it. Matthew 5:14-16 says, "Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."
So often, we hear someone say that his Christianity is a private thing. The truth is, it is not. Lights are made to shine and show the way.
Then, I mentioned that all we do ought to glorify God. The Apostle Paul wrote, "Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God: Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved." (1 Corinthians 10:31-33) "All" means "all."
The last thing I mentioned was that there is a cost. What does it cost? Luke 9:24 says, "For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it."
It means that you must die to self. Fruit-bearing comes after the corn of wheat is fallen and dead. This is why Paul said, "I die daily." He knew he had to die to his desires and wants in order to glorify the Lord. Always crying about your wants and needs dishonors the Lord. Dying to self and abiding in Christ is part of the cost.
We cannot truly fear the Lord without seeking His glory in all things. Fearing God focuses on seeking His ultimate glory in all things. What about bringing God glory in times of hardship and pain?
This may be an area where we ultimately fail. Jesus said in Matthew 5:16, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." Light truly shines brilliantly in times of greatest darkness, yet many of the Lord's people say, "How shall we sing the LORD'S song in a strange land?" (Psalm 137:4)
1. Trust the Lord in times of great adversity.
- One has said, "It often seems more difficult to trust God than to obey Him. The moral will of God given to us in the Bible is rational and reasonable. The circumstances in which we trust God often appear irrational and inexplicable."
- Thus, we find it easier to simply obey than to trust.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, "In every thing [all kinds of circumstances] give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."
- We glorify God, then, when we trust Him even when we don't understand what He is doing through the difficult times we enter into.
- Perhaps, Job said it best when he said, "Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him." (Job 13:15)
- God truly is not in the dark concerning our trials. He is omniscient and knows all things from the beginning to the end. In fact, He knows the beginning as viewed from its end.
- It matters not whether it is physical, mental, or emotional pain. God knows all about it. He brought it or allowed it. He entrusted you with the trial; now, trust Him with it.
- Now, it is your time to be a good steward of that which the Lord has allowed.
- We often only think of stewardship in terms of time, talent, and treasure. We must go beyond that limited viewpoint and see that it even involves our trials, pain, and disappointments.
- In one of his greatest trials, David said, "My times [circumstances beyond my control] are in thy hand..." (Psalms 31:15) He was trusting the Lord to do what was right in an area where he did not know what to do. We certainly can learn from his trial.
- If the Lord, in His wisdom, has entrusted us with pain, we, then, should be good stewards of that pain.
2. Trust the Lord by asking for His grace.
- Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10, "And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong."
- When we trust in His grace in times of suffering and great need, we can then testify to the sufficiency of His sustaining grace.
- We can experience that wonderful grace of God by simply trusting God for it. Again, Paul wrote in Hebrews 4:16, "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."
- Many of us fail of the grace of God by not availing ourselves upon the throne of God to ask for grace in those special seasons of greatest need.
3. Trust the Lord by trusting in His promises.
- 2 Corinthians 1:20 says, "For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us."
- Abraham believed God's promise by faith; Romans 4:18-22 states, "Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb: He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness."
- We have the promise of His presence.
* Hebrews 13:5 says, "Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee."
* In Matthew 28:20, Jesus said "Éand, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen."
* Psalm 139:7-13 says, "Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee. For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb."
- We have the promise of answered prayer. - Jeremiah 33:3, "Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not."
* One of God's Old Testament names is "O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come. " (Psalm 65:2)
* Psalm 61:1-3 says, "Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer. From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy."
* Matthew 7:7-8 states, "Ask, and it shall be given you; Seek, and ye shall find; Knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened."
- We have the promise of His strength. - Isaiah 40:31, "But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint."
* Joshua 1:6, "Be strong and of a good courage..."
* Joshua 1:9, "Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest."
* Joshua 10:25, "And Joshua said unto them, Fear not, nor be dismayed, be strong and of good courage: for thus shall the LORD do to all your enemies against whom ye fight."
* Isaiah 41:10, "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness."
- We have the promise of His soon return.
* Revelation 3:11 says, "Behold, I come quickly...."
* Revelation 22:7, "Behold, I come quickly..."
* Revelation 22:12, "And, behold, I come quickly..."
* Revelation 22:20, "...Surely I come quickly..."
* John 14:1-3, "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also."
Conclusion: We cannot truly fear the Lord without seeking His glory in all things. Fearing God focuses on seeking His ultimate glory in all things. What about bringing God glory in times of hardship and pain?
Songwriter Babbie Mason penned the words to "Trust His Heart."
All things work for our good
Though sometimes we can't see how they could,
Struggles that break our hearts in two
Sometimes blind us to the truth.
Our Father knows what's best for us;
His ways are not our own,
So when your pathway grows dim,
And you just can't see Him,
Remember, you're never alone.
Chorus:
God is too wise to be mistaken,
God is too good to be unkind;
So, when you don't understand,
When you don't see His plan,
When you can't trace His hand,
Trust His heart.
He sees the master plan,
He holds the future in His hand;
So, don't live as those who have no hope,
For our hope is found in Him.
We see the present clearly,
But He sees the first and the last;
And like a tapestry, He's weaving you and me
To someday be just like Him.
(Chorus)
He alone is faithful and true;
He alone knows what is best for you.
(Chorus)
So, when you don't understand,
When you don't see His plan,
When you can't trace His hand,
Trust His heart.