The Fear of the Lord. . .
Psalms 128:1-6
A Song of degrees. Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD; that walketh in his ways. (2) For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee. (3) Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table. (4) Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the LORD. (5) The LORD shall bless thee out of Zion: and thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life. (6) Yea, thou shalt see thy children's children, and peace upon Israel.
A few moments ago, I read this Psalm in my study of 'the fear of the Lord'. The blessings of living for God are literally endless. . . they will last for eternity, but they begin immediately. You don't have to wait for your reward in Heaven to begin reaping good things in your life, from your relationship with God.
Before I knew God, I prided myself in my freedom from Him. My knee wasn't bowed to Him. . . but in hugely significant ways, I was in absolute involuntary bondage, in servitude to my flesh. My flesh ruled my life, whether I wanted to admit it or not. I was controlled by my flesh. Truly I was prideful that I did not submit to God, but my eyes were blind to the extent that my addictions dictated my actions with a rule of iron.
Today I am largely free from my flesh. . . My spirit and will exercise dominion, but I say largely as some things I still battle: pride, unforgiveness, anger, but they are very largely subdued. No longer am I controlled by them, and I have complete victory over a huge swath of the battleground of my flesh. I move on to ever finer roots of weakness within me.
My freedom is that my submission to Christ is completely voluntary. He does not coerce or control me in any way. The beauty and wonder. . . the danger of this relationship with Him, is that at any time that I choose, I can leave Him. Remembering the war I had to find freedom, I revel in that freedom and I am terrified of it. I see brothers and sisters in Christ, some having lived for Him for long years and decades, walk away from Him with no apparent external remorse. . .
To stand on the top of a mountain, is wondrous, but also very frightening. . . the way to the bottom is always before me, and it is a fast and violent path. I cling to my Rock. . . my Savior. . . my God. . .
My knee is bent and I am free. . .
I love you my God. . .
Thank you my God. . .
A Song of degrees. Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD; that walketh in his ways. (2) For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee. (3) Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table. (4) Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the LORD. (5) The LORD shall bless thee out of Zion: and thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life. (6) Yea, thou shalt see thy children's children, and peace upon Israel.
A few moments ago, I read this Psalm in my study of 'the fear of the Lord'. The blessings of living for God are literally endless. . . they will last for eternity, but they begin immediately. You don't have to wait for your reward in Heaven to begin reaping good things in your life, from your relationship with God.
Before I knew God, I prided myself in my freedom from Him. My knee wasn't bowed to Him. . . but in hugely significant ways, I was in absolute involuntary bondage, in servitude to my flesh. My flesh ruled my life, whether I wanted to admit it or not. I was controlled by my flesh. Truly I was prideful that I did not submit to God, but my eyes were blind to the extent that my addictions dictated my actions with a rule of iron.
Today I am largely free from my flesh. . . My spirit and will exercise dominion, but I say largely as some things I still battle: pride, unforgiveness, anger, but they are very largely subdued. No longer am I controlled by them, and I have complete victory over a huge swath of the battleground of my flesh. I move on to ever finer roots of weakness within me.
My freedom is that my submission to Christ is completely voluntary. He does not coerce or control me in any way. The beauty and wonder. . . the danger of this relationship with Him, is that at any time that I choose, I can leave Him. Remembering the war I had to find freedom, I revel in that freedom and I am terrified of it. I see brothers and sisters in Christ, some having lived for Him for long years and decades, walk away from Him with no apparent external remorse. . .
To stand on the top of a mountain, is wondrous, but also very frightening. . . the way to the bottom is always before me, and it is a fast and violent path. I cling to my Rock. . . my Savior. . . my God. . .
My knee is bent and I am free. . .
I love you my God. . .
Thank you my God. . .
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