God is inviting us on a journey of deepening our understanding of what He has in mind for the church. Our team is working with a number of pastors now in the USA and overseas to discern and understand what lies ahead. We hear God better together, so I want to begin to invite you to pray into this important season of the church.
Ten years ago I shared how every county in the U.S. had fewer people attending church that day than it did ten years before that. This is a nationwide trend indicating an overall national movement away from Jesus. One hundred years ago in Europe, 70% of the population claimed to be Christian. Today less than 1% of those living in Europe claim to be Christian. In the USA 75% of the population claimed to be Christian in 2015. That number dropped to 65% just four years later in 2019.
The big question that we need to be asking is, “Does the blueprint of Scripture look like the church we see today, or does it more so resemble the world”. A religious system of the world for the world is not the same as the Kingdom of God invading the world to transform the world.
The Israelites had been in bondage in Egypt for 430 years. Generations of God’s people had been exposed to the world’s way of thinking in Egypt. When the Israelites left Egypt they did so with the gold of Egypt in their possession. God’s plan was that these people would be delivered out of the world’s system to establish worship that would be the expression of God’s Kingdom in the earth.
Moses left the Israelites to go up on the mountain to seek God. In his absence the Israelites produce a form of worship that looks like the world’s system that had shaped the Israelite’s thinking as they fashion their gold into an idol. Is it possible Christians of our generation have been so evangelized by the world that much of our expression of worship is born from a similar expression to these Israelites in the Bible?
As a church family we are on a mission to explore the true treasure of God in all of our lives. What is the true treasure of church?
I want to take a few weeks and talk about fear. More specifically I want us to see the
TREASURE OF FEAR:
The reaction of fear is a very natural part of fallen humanity.
October is upon us. This is a season when horror films begin to abound. There are actually 365 “fear nots” in the Bible. It seems God has provided a verse to address our fears for every day of the year. One cynic challenged this, so I explored it further and found that in the KJV “fear” is spoken over over 500 times. Obviously this is important to God.
2020 has been a pretty crazy year so far. Pandemic hit, social unrest over issues of injustice, deadly wildfires burned 10’s of millions of acres, murder hornets made the news many other challenges have taken place.
In the midst of all kinds of instability the treasure of fear brings stability and certainty to our hearts.
Isaiah 33:6 He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the LORD is the key to this treasure. NIV
The fear of the Lord is the key to God’s treasure so what really is the fear of the Lord? We’ll explore this over the next few weeks.
Derek Prince was born in 1915 and during his 88 years of life he spoke extensively on the fear of the Lord. Before him you have to go back 200 before you find a book written about the fear of God.
I had an experience that made me think about fear of the Lord. My wife can be a bit ambitious at times desiring to tackle big projects with the help of YouTube or other sources of mobilizing wisdom. In her ambition she got her father on the phone when we were having a problem with our electricity. Her dad was on facetime trying to see what she was looking at and I make my way outside to see what in the world she was up to.
Before I knew it I was the one holding the plyers with my father-in-law providing instructions about using the plyers to grab certain wires cautioning me to be careful not to touch something I shouldn’t. Are you kidding me?!?!?! Finally, I realized I didn’t know what I was doing and refused to get electrocuted so we called a professional.
The fear of the Lord is little like the fear of electricity. Incredible power available to you must not be casual about it or with it.
The fear of the Lord is the awe filled awakening of the human heart to the overwhelming majesty of our creator God.
In this place of the fear of the Lord, God entrusts his secrets to our care. The fear of the Lord is the key to his treasure!
Psalm 25:14 The LORD confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them. NIV
As we experienced the transition of the year we stepped into 2020 and the decade of the 2020’s. Tracy began declaring that she heard the Lord saying this was going to be the “Roaring Twenties” not like the 1920’s but like the 2020’s where the Lion of the Tribe of Judah was going to roar in a prophetic way through his people.
In addition, she spoke of how the stock market was about to roar! It wasn’t long after this that Covid hit but the stock market has just continued to climb fulfilling the word the Lord had spoken to her. We are believing for wisdom to understand the fear of the Lord that unlocks the treasure of God’s Kingdom in our hearts, our homes and our world!
We Bring GP2RL Action Point:
Rehearse these verses daily embracing a deeper revelation of the treasure of fearing the Lord.
Today Lord we choose to position ourselves in the fear of the Lord. We ask you, Holy Spirit, to help us grow in the knowledge of God and to understand the fear of the Lord.
Isaiah 33:6 He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the LORD is the key to this treasure. NIV
Proverbs 22:4 Humility is the fear of the LORD; its wages are riches and honor and life. NIV
Proverbs 22:4 The reward for humility and fear of the LORD is riches and honor and life. ESV
Psalm 115:13-14 he will bless those who fear the LORD— small and great alike. 14 May the LORD cause you to flourish, both you and your children. NIV
Proverbs 14:26-27 In the fear of the LORD one has strong confidence, and his children will have a refuge. 27 The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, that one may turn away from the snares of death. ESV
Jeremiah 6:16 This is what the LORD says: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But you said, ‘We will not walk in it.’ NIV
Proverbs 10:27 The fear of the LORD prolongs life… ESV
Proverbs 3:7-8 Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil. 8 This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones. NIV
Psalm 145:19 He fulfills the desire of those who fear him; he also hears their cry and saves them. ESV
Proverbs 9:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. NIV
Psalm 33:8 Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the people of the world revere him. NIV
Acts 9:31 So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied. NIV
Romans 3:10-18 As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one; 11 there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. 12 All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.” 13 “Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.”“The poison of vipers is on their lips.” 14 “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.” 15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood; 16 ruin and misery mark their ways, 17 and the way of peace they do not know.” 18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.” NIV
Proverbs 2:1-5 My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, 2 turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding— 3 indeed, if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, 4 and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, 5 then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God. NIV
Psalm 19:9-10 The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever. The decrees of the LORD are firm, and all of them are righteous. 10 They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb. NIV
TRUE TREASURE: THE TREASURE OF FEAR
DISCUSSION GUIDE
Click here for a downloadable pdf file of this guide.
UNDERSTANDING THE SEASON: Our pursuit of God has, in many ways, been reduced to the pursuit of asking God to give us worldly treasure. The Kingdom of God is a sacrificial Kingdom that is built on the sacrifice of Jesus and the continued sacrifice of God’s sons and daughters.
Kingdom Treasure is found in a deeper pursuit of the things that truly matter. The Lord is more precious than gold (Ps 19). Better is one day in God’s presence than a thousand elsewhere (Ps 84). The Kingdom is like the treasure the man sold everything joyfully to pursue the greater treasure (Matt 13). This true treasure of God’s Kingdom is central to the understanding that we are blessed to be a blessing!
We want to start our group meetings making room for conversation that brings confirmation that God is speaking to us all as we discuss what we are hearing from the Lord as a family:
DISCUSSION QUESTION:
1. Where are you reading in your Bible and what are you sensing from God?
Fear isn’t normally considered to be any kind of treasure.
DISCUSSION QUESTION:
2. Has there been a time in your life when fear has actually proven to be helpful or even protective in some way?
There is a healthy sense of fear and reverence we learn to have for our earthly fathers when the family dynamic is healthy. In this atmosphere we grow in a greater understanding of what it means to fear the Lord in a healthy way. God is not an impersonal force. God is our Father.
2020 has been a pretty crazy year so far. A worldwide pandemic hit, social unrest has emerged over issues of injustice, deadly wildfires burned tens of millions of acres of land, murder hornets made the news and life has all kinds of brand-new challenges.
In the midst of all kinds of instability the treasure of fear brings stability and certainty to our hearts.
Isaiah 33:6 He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge;
the fear of the LORD is the key to this treasure. NIV
DISCUSSION QUESTION:
3. How does the fear of the Lord unlock a deep certainty in our hearts during the uncertain times?
This certainty is not only our inheritance from the Father to us but to our children as well.
Proverbs 14:26-27 In the fear of the LORD one has strong confidence, and his children will have a refuge. 27 The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, that one may turn away from the snares of death. ESV
We Bring GP2RL Action Point:
Rehearse the following verses daily embracing a deeper revelation of the treasure of fearing the Lord.
Below are several verses we will be reflecting on during this time of understanding the fear of the Lord.
Psalm 25:14 The LORD confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them. NIV
Proverbs 22:4 Humility is the fear of the LORD; its wages are riches and honor and life. NIV
Psalm 115:13-14 he will bless those who fear the LORD— small and great alike. 14 May the LORD cause you to flourish, both you and your children. NIV
Matthew 6:31-33 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. ESV
Jeremiah 6:16 This is what the LORD says: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But you said, ‘We will not walk in it.’ NIV
Proverbs 10:27 The fear of the LORD prolongs life… ESV
Proverbs 3:7-8 Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil. 8 This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones. NIV
Psalm 145:19 He fulfills the desire of those who fear him; he also hears their cry and saves them. ESV
Proverbs 9:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. NIV
Proverbs 14:27 The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, turning a person from the snares of death. NIV
Psalm 33:8 Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the people of the world revere him. NIV
Acts 9:31 So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied. NIV
Romans 3:10-18 As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one; 11 there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. 12 All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.” 13 “Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.”“The poison of vipers is on their lips.” 14 “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.” 15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood; 16 ruin and misery mark their ways, 17 and the way of peace they do not know.” 18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.” NIV
Proverbs 2:1-5 My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, 2 turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding— 3 indeed, if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, 4 and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, 5 then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God. NIV