I FEAR a GRACIOUS GOD!

Lately I've been thinking about the Grace of God and how awesome it is, how I cannot fully comprehend the depth of what it means but also trust what I know God's word says about Him. Psalm 86:15 says "But You, Oh Lord are a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness and truth." I've heard so many awesome messages on His grace and rightly so because HE IS A GRACIOUS GOD.

I have been convicted lately about the FEAR of the Lord, and what that even means. I know many have taught it as being an awe/reverence toward God (which I believe He deserves) but I tend to believe the Fear of the Lord means THE FEAR OF THE LORD. I like the analogy that pastor James MacDonald used regarding the FEAR of the LORD... He said that he had some very painful kidney stones and once they were passed out of his system, he started drinking cranberry juice EVERY day. He said that he didn't particularly like drinking Cranberry juice but he drank it everyday because he FEARED kidney stones.

I think this is also a very loving view because although God is gracious, He is also loving enough to bring in consequences(sometimes painful ones) into the lives of those who don't FEAR Him in order to keep us from continuing to make choices that are hurtful to us and those around us. Psalm 111:10 says "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all those who do His commandments;His praise endures forever."

I've been brokenhearted lately at hearing stories of those who have fell into sin and have suffered greatly because they lacked the FEAR of the LORD. Malachi 3:16-18 says " Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord gave attention and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who FEAR the Lord and who ESTEEM His NAME. And they will be Mine, says the Lord of hosts, on the day I prepare My own possesion, and I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him. So you will again distinguish between righteous and the wicked, between the one who serves God and one who does NOT serve Him."

I started out this post talking about God's grace because I did not in ANY way want to minimize it BUT I also wanted to point out the IMPORTANCE of the FEAR of the Lord. I believe they go hand in hand. Romans 6:12-15 says "Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body that you should obey its lusts, and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as righteousness to God. For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under the law, but under grace. WHAT THEN?? Should we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? MAY IT NEVER BE!

My prayer for myself and others is that we would be a people that FEAR a GRACIOUS GOD.