Taking the Fear out of Fear

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Proverb 1:7)

I find it interesting how some Christian teachers attempt to dumb down the word “fear” as it relates to God. Often we are told this use of the word “fear” does not mean to terrify or scare; rather, it means to reverence or respect, as if any of these words are antonyms; they are actually synonyms. The closest ideal to God in this life is our dad. This is one reason God is called The Father. A child, rightly so, does respect his or her dad; however, the fact is when a father is doing a good job, there are some things his children will not do because they are afraid of incurring dad’s chastening. Sometimes taking the right course is fostered by avoiding the painful strap of correction. Ironically the book of Proverbs is written by a father to his son, laying out the principles of human nature and their behavioral causes and consequential effects. The effects of unrighteous behavior are meant to be a terror to us. If we would be honest with ourselves, at some point in life each of us did right, not because it was right, but we were just downright scared to do wrong. That fear preserved us until we came to understand why right is right and wrong is wrong.

Yuri Solomon (Devotion 101313)

Frogs from the Heart

And Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt; and the frogs came up, and covered the land of Egypt. (Exodus 8:6)

We live in a time when random chance is the rationale for things that plague our land. We will not consider that these things are a result of God’s anger as a consequence of our failure to worship and obey Him. The proverbist asserts “for out of thy heart are the issues of life”. Pharaoh refused to obey God’s command to let Israel go. And when the hearts of an entire nation, led by their president, potentate, or king, have turned against God’s people and God’s word; the text said, “And the frogs came”. J. S. Exell exclaims of this second plague, “Divine commands... are not to be got rid of even by braving out the penalty. They come back and back to us, and always with the old alternative, obey, or incur new punishment.” America’s prosperous river of crude oil has turned to blood; sexual immorality and abortion have plagued the land with the frogs of unwed pregnancy, delinquent young men, and disease. Did those frogs come from the river or did they come from the leader’s heart? In the words of Isaiah “You are confused by leaders who guide you down the wrong path.” When the leaders submit to God’s word, the frogs stay in the river. 

 

Mental Medicine

 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. (Heb 12:3)

A student endures many years of college because of a mental focus to acquire adequate credentials. A mother endures painful childbearing because it ends in joyful expectations. An athlete endures a rigorous course of discipline because he considers it the cost of victory. Physical exhaustion is temporary and can be overcome with a good night’s sleep or perhaps a week of vacation; however, mental exhaustion is a horse of a different color. It is the result of a misfocus and consequently bad expectations. When people disappoint, plans fail, and Christian living brings painful affliction, we are not only given Jesus’ exhortation but His example to consider. He said unequivocally, hardship in the Christian life is certain. Moreover this sinless and perfect man suffered unduly and unjustly, trotting out the path before us. Endurance is not as much physicality as it is mentality. The Hebrew writer says mental rest and relaxation immediately occurs when we consider Him. What a paradox, one can labor and rest simultaneously if Jesus is on your mind. Whether preventative or cure for spiritual burnout: consider Him! For then your affliction affirms your destiny, your suffering soothes your conscious, and your pain prospers your spirit.

Yuri Solomon - Devotion 100813

Let patience have her perfect work

Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. (James 1:3-4)

We often overlook the fact that temptation and patience are opposites. Temptation is demanding immediate gratification of a desire; patience is but to except God’s delay. Yet temptation is set as a handmaid to the godly mind identifying the need for patience in the tempted area. Paul says on another occasion, "the resisting of temptation builds character". It is no different than weight-lifting or resistance training as an athlete. The heavy lifting of maintaining a Christ-like disposition creates spiritual muscle. Temptation masquerades as a short-cut to a legitimate desire. The answer to temptation is patience. A little patience will beget more patience for a greater blessing. Yet patience is not waiting in a vacuum; rather, it is preoccupied with both theology and prayer; that is, studying God’s ways and acquiring His wisdom. For what God desires to give you in all things is Himself and that through patience. Realize there are no short-cuts and let patience have her perfect work.

Yuri Solomon - Devotional 100713

From Suspension to Resolve

Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations (1Peter 1:6) 

It is human nature to evade avoidable suffering; and rightly so I should say. Yet it remains a fool’s quest to avoid what is inevitable, and folly to not prepare as much as possible.  Jesus insists that suffering is in the pathway of every Christian. However, we often find ourselves in suspension about suffering rather than resolve. Our minds are fixated on immediate deliverance and not so much on God’s will and purpose. Peter later in this chapter said, “Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end”. In other words, mentally accept where you are, and prepare to endure the journey in such a time. One may ask? And Peter gives four mental resolves about the believer’s suffering:  it’s a temporary situation; it’s a necessary path, it’s tough to endure, and it’s tempting to give up. When one comes to this expectation of those times of Christian hardship, it adds a confidence in the will of God, a view to suffering’s end, an awareness of the challenges, and a strength to persevere. A suspension is to leave hanging, in limbo, unsure, unresolved, but to resolve is to place it firmly on the ground: “This is what I have to do.” After much prayer and anguish Jesus resolved, “Not my will but your will be done”.

They shall be His people, and God Himself shall be their God

And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. (Revelation 21:3)

Herein is the ultimate definition of heaven, a perfect relationship, mutual in character on both ends. Heaven is less a place than it is the presence of a person: God, Himself. Heretofore we were absolutely God's people, yet there is that sense in which God was not absolutely our God.  In our immaturity, we still harbored alternative gods. The first commandment, thou shall have no other God before me, is violated again and again before we are glorified. But at that time sanctification will give way to glory, and we will know even as we are known: actuated, actualized, not positional but practical, not merely credited righteousness but personal righteousness. Matthew Henry describes the new human capacity, “and then He will fully answer the character of the relation on His part, as they [humans] shall do on their part.” For the first time in our relationship with God, without ambiguity or abstraction, without sin’s interruption, in both mind and body, He shall be our God.

-Yuri Solomon 100313