Why God-Fearers Share the Lord with Others

In His final instructions on earth, Christ gave us a mission:

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20

If people hear good news, it's natural that they want to share that good news with others. And we have the best good news of all. We understand God's righteous judgments and His wonderful mercy. And since we "know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade others" (2 Corinthians 5:11).

When the early church lived in the fear of the Lord, they were "encouraged by the Holy Spirit" and they "increased in numbers" (Acts 9:31).

This doesn't mean their message was popular with the majority, and it doesn't mean our message will be popular with the majority. But true seekers will listen and respond. 

Do you fear the Lord enough to share the good news with others?

-------------------

If you need some encouragement, please check out this collection of 1-minute devotions: Sharing Christ Collection. 

Remember that not everyone shares Christ in the same ways. This collection of 1-minute devotions encourages you to do what comes naturally to you: What's Your Evangelism Style?

And before you check out those collections, I encourage you to read this 1-minute devotion:

💛 What's Your Definition of a Missionary?

Most people have the wrong definition of a missionary. Do you? This 1-minute devotion explains.

(1) What is the fear of the Lord? It's a positive type of fear—a reverence, respect, and honor that God alone deserves. When we realize that we can't fully grasp “how wide and long and high and deep” God's love is, we cannot help but develop this healthy fear (Ephesians 3:16-19). 

 

Bible Love Notes

God-Fearers Become Wise, Discerning Good from Evil

God tells us how we can become wise. It's not based on college degrees, and you don't need a high IQ to achieve it.

It's all about our attitude toward God and His truth—do we fear God and trust Him or do we fear man and doubt God?(1)

Here's where true wisdom begins:

"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise." Psalm 111:10

"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding." Proverbs 9:10

"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction." Proverbs 1:7

True wisdom isn't based on knowing all things. It's based on trusting God to know all things. It means we love what God loves and hate what God hates:

"To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech." Proverbs 8:13

"Through the fear of the LORD evil is avoided." Proverbs 16:6

God has given us some incredible promises for becoming wise, overcoming sin, and living holy lives in our fallen world. Therefore, "dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that can defile our body or spirit. And let us work toward complete holiness because we fear God" (2 Corinthians 7:1).

💙💙💙💙💙 

For more on this subject see:

2 Steps for Discerning Right and Wrong

Thou Shalt Not—Maybe

(1) What is the fear of the Lord? It's a positive type of fear—a reverence, respect, and honor that God alone deserves. When we realize that we can't fully grasp “how wide and long and high and deep” God's love is, we cannot help but develop this healthy fear (Ephesians 3:16-19). 

Bible Love Notes

God-Fearers Delight in God's Commands and Trust Them Completely

When we fear God,(1) we long to obey His commands because we know they are essential for the well-being of our souls:

Deuteronomy 5:29: "Oh, that their hearts would be inclined to fear me and keep all my commands always, so that it might go well with them and their children forever!"

When we fear God, no one needs to pressure us to obey the Lord. We wholeheartedly trust God's Word. If something contradicts God's Word we refuse to believe it:

Deuteronomy 10:12-13: "What does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in obedience to him, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to observe the LORD’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?"

We don't let culture tell us what is right and wrong. We trust God's unchanging Word:

Psalm 19:9: "The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever. The decrees of the LORD are firm, and all of them are righteous." 

We not only trust God's Word, but we also find delight in His commands:

Psalm 112:1: "Praise the LORD. Blessed are those who fear the LORD, who find great delight in his commands."  

How do you feel about God's commands? Do they give you delight?

💙💙💙💙

For more encouragement, see:

2 Reasons for God's Commands About Love and Marriage 

How I Delight in Your Commands

(1) What is the fear of the Lord? It's a positive type of fear—a reverence, respect, and honor that God alone deserves. When we realize that we can't fully grasp “how wide and long and high and deep” God's love is, we cannot help but develop this healthy fear (Ephesians 3:16-19). 

Bible Love Notes

God-Fearers Believe in God's Wrath and Respect It

There is a jesus being preached in modern culture, a jesus that most of the world can accept. He doesn't judge anyone's lifestyle and he sends everyone to heaven. (See Behold, He Stands at the Door and Beware of Ex-vangelical Teachings.)

The gospel of this fake jesus is "the wages of sin is life" and "none have fallen short of the glory of God."(1)

Followers of this fake gospel have no respect for God's purity, purposes, or punishment. They preach that only a bad god would punish them.

In contrast, God-fearers know we deserve Hell, and we know that God has every right to punish us as we deserve.

Jesus wants us to acknowledge this truth:

"Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell." Matthew 10:28

Our healthy fear of the Lord makes us approach our salvation and sanctification "with fear and trembling" (seriously, devotedly, seeking to honor our Lord) because we love God and marvel at the undeserved grace He gives us.

"Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose."  Philippians 2:12-13(2)

And we cannot help but "tremble" with joy at our salvation:

"Serve the LORD with reverent fear, and rejoice with trembling."  Psalm 2:11(3)

💙💙💙 

What is the fear of the Lord?  It's a positive type of fear—a reverence, respect, and honor that God alone deserves. When we realize that we can't fully grasp “how wide and long and high and deep” God's love is, we cannot help but develop this healthy fear (Ephesians 3:16-19). 

For more understanding of God's wrath, see:

Good Judge, Bad Judge

God Punishes  

Discipline, Punishment, Condemnation

(1) In Romans 6:23 and 3:23, God says the wages of sin is death and all have fallen short of the glory of God.

(2) "So then, my dear ones, just as you have always obeyed [my instructions with enthusiasm], not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence, continue to work out your salvation [that is, cultivate it, bring it to full effect, actively pursue spiritual maturity] with awe-inspired fear and trembling [using serious caution and critical self-evaluation to avoid anything that might offend God or discredit the name of Christ]. 13 For it is [not your strength, but it is] God who is effectively at work in you, both to will and to work [that is, strengthening, energizing, and creating in you the longing and the ability to fulfill your purpose] for His good pleasure." Philippians 2:12-13 Amplified Bible

(3) "Worship the LORD and serve Him with reverence [with awe-inspired fear and submissive wonder]; Rejoice [yet do so] with trembling." Psalm 2:11 Amplified Bible

Bible Love Notes

God-Fearers Truly Understand God's Perfect Love

In one respect, believers have no reason to fear God. 

We've accepted His wonderful gift of salvation, freeing us from eternal death, and we know there “is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment” (1 John 4:15-18)

So why does Scripture speak so positively about fearing the Lord? 

It's talking about a positive type of fear—a reverence, respect, and honor that God alone deserves. When we realize that we can't fully grasp “how wide and long and high and deep” God's love is, we cannot help but develop this healthy fear (Ephesians 3:16-19).

As Psalm 118:4 says, "Let those who fear the Lord say: 'His love endures forever.'"

Best of all, we give God pleasure when we honor Him with reverent fear:

"His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor his delight in the legs of the warrior; the LORD delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love." Psalm 147:10-11

Do you fear the Lord? 

💙💙💙💙

We'll discover more about the fear of the Lord next week. Until then, I encourage you to read Romans 12:11 – Who Do You Love?

Bible Love Notes

Being Christlike Isn't About Pleasing People or Being Popular

Dear Christians, we need to recognize and correct this popular lie: “If Christians behaved like Christ, they’d be more popular, accepted, and loved, and they’d make the gospel more attractive.” 

It’s absolutely true that Christians should be gracious, expressing ourselves without anger or mockery. 

But the more Christlike we behave, the more unpopular we'll be with the majority (John 15:18-22).(1)

Some Christians think we put people off by mentioning sin or hell. But if we quit mentioning those things, we won't be acting Christlike because Jesus frequently mentioned both.(2) 

Non-Christians might be friendlier if we didn't claim that Christ was the only way of salvation. But we can't do that and be Christlike because Jesus clearly proclaimed that no one comes to the Father except through Him (John 14:6). 

This is the truth: The reason the path of salvation is narrow and few find it is not because Christians are un-Christlike. It's because most people want to please the majority (Matthew 7:13-14). 

But Christians want to please the Lord (Galatians 1:10; Ephesians 5:8-11). 

So let's not forget this wonderful news: We find our joy in Christ, not man. He helps us share His salvation with the "few" who will listen.

And let’s not be intimidated by the majority! There is still a “harvest” and we have meaningful work to do (Matthew 9:37). 

---------------------------------

Thinking we can be popular with the majority is the main focus of ex-vangelicals. I encourage you to check out the Bible Love Notes collection called Beware of Ex-vangelical Teachings.

Footnotes:

(1) “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin.  Jesus, John 15:18-22

(2) See what Christ said to His unbelieving brothers in John 7:7. See What Jesus Said About Hell. See If Jesus Talked About Hell, Why Are We Ashamed to Talk About It?

Bible Love Notes

When Satan Blindsides the Unsaved World, They Believe Absurdities

If I'd read some of today's headlines thirty years ago, I'd have thought I was reading a fictional novel about beings with inferior intelligence.

People have long claimed that science "proved" the theory of evolution despite its errors and inconsistencies. But today's world has taken it up a notch by denying things we can prove scientifically. 

God's Word says there are only two genders (Genesis 1:27), and science proves there are only two genders.(1)

But the world is now claiming there are too many genders to count. 

God tells us that premarital sex, LGBTQ lifestyles, abortion, and other sins damage people's souls. And science and history prove that they damage bodies, minds, and cultures. See Sexual History.

But facts, logic, science, education, and intelligence don't matter when a person has denied God. Those who deny God's truth lose their ability to distinguish truth from error, and Satan easily "blindsides" them with his absurdities.(2)

“The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” 2 Corinthians 4:4

Besides millions of changed lives, Christians have history, science, and wisdom to support our faith. Any belief that denies God's truth is “blind faith,” or more accurately “blindsided faith.”

A battle is raging, dear Christians. Are you putting on the full armor of God so you won't be blindsided by Satan's absurdity (Ephesians 6:10-18)?

-----------

See Misery Loves Company about the illogical desires of evangelistic atheists.

See Dealing with Existential Angst about the false views one atheist shared with me.

Footnotes:

(1) To make things even more absurd, thousands of years of scientific proof about two genders is now being redefined to fit cultural absurdity. This often happens with cultural pseudoscience—science that accommodates culture. For example, when abortion was only done in the first trimester, many scientists claimed that the unborn child didn't feel pain until the second trimester. Now that abortion is allowed up to the day of delivery in many states, scientists are claiming that the unborn may never feel pain. Only a person blindsided by Satan would believe such a ridiculous lie.

(2) To be blindsided means to be caught unprepared, caught on your "blind side." 

Bible Love Notes

Why Christian Lifestyles Are Not the Same as Non-Christian Lifestyles

Modern Christian lifestyles should be different than non-Christian lifestyles in many respects. When we love Jesus, we seek to live a life of obedience to His purposes and commands (John 14:21).

James 2:14-26 offers some important insights into the Christian lifestyle:

“What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them?” 

In verses 14-17, James rebukes Christians who refuse to help others. These selfish Christians need to read Proverbs 3:27 and Galatians 6:10.

In verses 18-19, James rebukes Christians who claim that they can have faith without works. These idle Christians need to read Ephesians 2:10.

In verses 20-24, James speaks of Abraham who revealed his belief in God by doing hard things for the Lord and living as an alien and stranger here on earth.  

 

“Therefore God [was] not ashamed to be called [his] God.” Hebrews 11:8-19 

In verses 25-26, James talks about the faith of Rahab who put her life in danger to serve God. (See She Had a Past and a Future.)

Faith always results in helping others, doing hard things, and making sacrifices because “faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” 

Let's listen to the wisdom of this passage, dear Christians, and seek God's will for our lives.

For more encouragement on this subject, see Time Is on Your Side and When a Stingy Poor Man Becomes Rich.

Bible Love Notes

2 Major Misunderstandings Concerning Works and Faith

In the back of my mother's Bible, I found this hand-written note: “It isn't works that save us. It's the faith that produces works that saves us.” 

Amen!  

There are two major misunderstandings concerning works and faith: 

1. Thinking works save us. 

2. Thinking works don't matter. 

Scripture is absolutely clear: salvation is 100% an undeserved gift based on God's grace.

Every person has fallen short of God's glory (Romans 3:23). No amount of good works can save us.  

But faith without works isn't faith at all (James 2:14-26). True faith inspires us to turn from our sins and seek God's purposes.

A person can do good works without knowing Jesus, but a person cannot know Jesus without doing good works (John 14:21).

Notice how faith and good works are addressed in this passage:

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:8-10

Amen!

For more insights on this subject, see Rejecting Cheap Grace. And I especially recommend "Works" Is Not a Dirty Word because it contains a collection of helpful full-passage Scriptures to read. 

Bible Love Notes

Why Do Unbelievers Deny the Obvious Proofs of Christ's Mission On Earth?

We can’t prove that Jesus died on the cross for our sins using scientific evidence. But we have incredible proof that it happened. 

For example, we have very specific Old Testament prophecies predicting important facts and tiny details about Christ's life. 

We have supernatural predictions of His crucifixion given thousands of years before it happened. See Precious Predictions and Jesus in the Old Testament.

If we have such obvious proof, why do so many people deny the evidence, deny God, and claim that the world came about by chance? Why is the way to salvation a narrow path that few find (Matthew 7:13-14)?

Scripture says it’s because people deliberately “forget” that God created this world (2 Peter 3:5).  

“What may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.” Romans 1:19-20

When men and women reject the obvious proofs of God, Satan “blinds their minds” (2 Corinthian 4:4). 

Let’s pray that our unbelieving friends and family will quit listening to Satan and open their eyes to the truth all around them.

💙💙💙

For more 1-minute devotions related to this subject, see:

A Way God Speaks to Us — This one-minute devotion explains how God has left messages for us in creation.

Typhoid Mary — This true story illustrates the stubborn nature of denying the obvious.

The Main Reason People Reject Christ — This one-minute devotion discusses the main reason people reject Christ.

Bible Love Notes