“Then those who feared the Lord talked with each other,
and the Lord listened and heard.
A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence
concerning those who feared the Lord and honored his name.”
Malachi 3:16 (NIV)
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When the Bible speaks about “the fear of the Lord” we all recognize that the term “fear” does not mean firstly to be afraid, or terrified of God. Fear in the biblical sense is more the notion of respect or honor.
The fear of the Lord is that attitude of heart and mind that recognizes the glory and majesty of God and responds with appropriate humility and subjection.
In passages like Isaiah 6, Mark 4:41, Luke 5:26; Revelation 1:17, we see how the vision of the Lord or the demonstration of His power brought the appropriate reaction of fear from those who witnessed the event. So in some sense we should have a “healthy fear” of God.
Continue reading 'Heaven’s Library'»
“There is no one like the God of Jeshurun,
who rides across the heavens to help you
and on the clouds in his majesty. .”
Deuteronomy 33:26 (NIV)
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“The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.” Deuteronomy 33:27 (NIV)
Last night as the thunder crashed and the sky became alive with lightening bolts I stood at the window and reveled in the show of God’s power. I love the sound of the rain being hurled against the window by the winds and the flashes of lightening that run across the sky.
On the news this morning I saw footage of lightening striking the CN tower in Toronto last night. It was awesome!! This building rises over 1800 feet into the sky and can withstand winds of 240 miles per hour. It is struck by lightening many times a year and is “wired” to safely conduct the lightening strike to the ground.
It is good to look up to the heavens during a storm that rattles the windows of your home and to witness the enormous power of the lightening as thunderbolts crackle across the horizon and the thunder rattles the doors of heaven. Most of us love the “controlled, safe fear” that comes over us while we look out the window and see the thunderstorm rage outside.
Continue reading 'Thunderstorms And God'»
“When his parents saw him, they were astonished.”
Luke 2:48 (NIV)
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“All the people were astonished and said, ‘Could this be the Son of David?’”
Matthew 12:23 (NIV)
There is no doubt that the people who encountered our Lord while He was among us were remarkably affected by His words and actions. Jesus made a very deep and lasting impression on all who met Him.
There was a small but growing group of people who learned to be jealous of His popularity with the common people. A segment of the population became hateful of His wisdom and remarkable teaching. Jesus was able to give clear and compelling answers to their trick questions—designed to trap Him.
Other people resisted His claims to be God and sought opportunities to execute Him. This group of people finally succeeded in their efforts but they had not counted on the fact that Jesus was able to raise Himself from the dead (John 10:17-18).
Continue reading 'Amazed At Jesus'»
“Grace and peace to you from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Ephesians 1:2 (NIV)
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At least twelve times the opening verses of letters in the New Testament we read words about God’s grace and peace. When we speak of God being merciful we are primarily addressing His activity toward us as miserable. When we are suffering, and in pain of various sorts, God comes to us in mercy and pours His peace into our hearts, the peace that passes understanding.
When we speak of God’s grace we focus on His work of dealing with our need. We need to be saved from the consequences of our sin and God sent His Son to be our Saviour. We have peace with God through the grace of Jesus Christ.
God’s grace is always greater than our need. No one can sin more than God’s grace is adequate to cover. Matthew 12:30-32 speaks about a sin that God will not forgive but, apart from that one sin, all other sin can—and will be—forgiven by the Father for all who repent and forsake the evil that came between them and the Lord.
Continue reading 'Marvel At God’s Grace'»
“See what great love the Father has lavished on us,
that we should be called children of God!
And that is what we are!”
1 John 3:1 (NIV)
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Everywhere in our world we can witness the intricate and awesome beauties of creation. However, where our minds are completely overwhelmed is in seeking to grasp the wonder of God’s re-creation of us through the redemptive work of Jesus Christ.
As we consider the immense nature of our God and His awesome power, wisdom and skill—in what we see and hear all around us—it puts us in our place as creatures. We are the dust on the face of eternity. In humility we seek to approach our Creator and gain some form of relationship with Him.
The more we examine the world around us—the greater our humility. How can we be counted as significant when we see the staggering size of our Milky Way galaxy and then consider that it is only one of billions and billions of galaxies for us to explore with our telescopes.
Continue reading 'Marvel At God’s Love'»
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