A BETTER WORD pt 1
Integrity & Fear
Hebrews 12:24 NKJV ”to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.“
- Abel’s Blood speaks of Vengeance and cry’s for Judgement
- JESUS blood speaks of Mercy and supplies God’s Grace because He paid the complete price by shedding His own righteous blood!
Foundation of all the better things is the Blood of our Lord & Saviour
But to experience the fullness of “His Better Word” there are two important things I want to touch on today:
- The integrity of God’s Word.
- The Fear of the Lord.
The integrity of God’s Word
WE need to know is that the Word of God is actually what it declares itself to be.
We live in a messed up, back to front world, the World is completely unrestrained and many in the Church have been taken out, certainly in this arena!
Proverbs 30:5 NLT ”Every word of God proves true (PURE). He is a shield to all who come to him for protection.”
Integrity:- the qualities of authenticity, honesty, sincerity, and conduct that aligns with principled dedication to values and beliefs of that person!
God and His Word are one: (John 1:1-3).
God’s Word is communicating, God is always speaking to us!
BUT are we listening?
“Thus says the Lord” is repeated over two thousand times from Exodus to Deuteronomy!
The Bible says God watches over His Word to perform it
Hebrews 4 teaches us His Word is not just dead words in an old dusty book full of human ideas or philosophy. It is alive, powerful, precise, and discerning, cutting to the heart of the matter to bring forth the TRUTH & LIFE.
HE IS:
- Omnipresent (everywhere)
- Omnipotent (all powerful)
- Omniscient (all knowing) He sees and knows everything, all the way into our hearts and our thoughts and there intent. Integrity is the hallmark of God’s Word that makes HIM & IT absolutely trustworthy!
Numbers 23:19 NKJV ”God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?“
Hebrews 6:18-20 NKJV ”that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us. This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.“
II Peter 1:19-21 NKJV ”And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.“
Scriptures consistently testify to the Integrity, Purity, and Veracity of God’s Word:
Psalms 12:6-8 NKJV ”The words of the Lord are pure words, Like silver tried in a furnace of earth, Purified seven times. You shall keep them, O Lord, You shall preserve them from this generation forever. The wicked prowl on every side, When vileness is exalted among the sons of men.“
The number seven symbolizes spiritual perfection. God’s Word has absolutely zero impurities!
When we rely upon and experience the trustworthiness of the written Word for ourselves, we learn to count on the Integrity of God in any situation.
AS WE LEARN IT AND APPLY IT, IT will build a reverential FEAR OF GOD into our hearts.
Let’s talk about Understanding The Fear Of The Lord
Acts 9:31 AMPC ”So the church throughout the whole of Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was edified [growing in wisdom, virtue, and piety] and walking in the respect and reverential fear of the Lord and in the consolation and exhortation of the Holy Spirit, continued to increase and was multiplied.“
FEAR: astonishment or amazement, trembling concern with a deep respect!
DESCRIPTION:-
- One of the best words to describe the fear of the Lord is reverence.
- Reverence is a response to a revelation of God & When God reveals Himself, I believe the only appropriate response is reverence.
- Fear of the Lord goes with submissiveness, which is heart attitude towards God of complete surrender, awe & dedication expressed in how we speak & the things we do or MAINLY DON’T DO as a result.
- To worship with AWE and PAY HOMAGE
Matthew 6:9 NKJV ”In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.“
HALLOW: to make holy and sacred (to set apart as special or highly prized)
Matthew 6:9 TPT ”Pray like this: ‘Our Beloved Father, dwelling in the heavenly realms, may the glory of your name be the center on which our lives turn.“
– When we truly start to walk in the FEAR OF THE LORD it brings out a genuine, pure humility that keeps us on our knees before the Lord!
– Not been AFRAID (been scared of God will produce religious fear, which doesn’t please God at all, because it’s performance driving and centred in our own works of Righteousness) of Him but having a deep sense of AWE and Amazement that the RULER AND CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE has invited us into relationship and fellowship with Him and His Purpose, which is the SALVATION of mankind….
SAY: I choose the FEAR of the Lord for my LIFE!
Philippians 2:12-13 NKJV ”Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.”
The Story of Jim Baker The fear of the Lord is having a “perfect heart” towards Him, or in daily terms having “complete commitment” to God only.
He now explains what this looks like to us on a practical day to day level;
Philippians 2:14-15 NKJV “Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,”
RED FLAGS:
- Always complaining or questioning the small things.
- Saying everybody feels like or is saying this (and it’s only me, myself and I-Rene)
- Always tied, frustrated and not seeing victory then your FAITH is not been GROWING & YOUR MOUTH (meditation) (Words) have given dominion to the enemy and not to God
SAY: WORK IT OUT….
SAY: I choose the FEAR of the Lord for my LIFE!
Philippians 2:16-18 NKJV “holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain. Yes, and if I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. For the same reason you also be glad and rejoice with me.”
Derick: gives a beauty picture of the “Fear of God” it’s standing on a high mountain overlooking the sea and creation “it’s incredible & exhilarating” but knowing one step in the wrong direction and it’s over!
The 2 kinds of Righteousness, the one has the fear of the Lord & the other doesn’t!
II Peter 2:7 NKJV ”and delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked“
You can love the Lord and not fear the Lord!
Genesis 13:8-11 NKJV ”So Abram said to Lot, “Please let there be no strife between you and me, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen; for we are brethren. Is not the whole land before you? Please separate from me. If you take the left, then I will go to the right; or, if you go to the right, then I will go to the left.” And Lot lifted his eyes and saw all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere (before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah) like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt as you go toward Zoar. Then Lot chose for himself all the plain of Jordan, and Lot journeyed east. And they separated from each other.“
LOT CHOSE FOR HIMSELF
Genesis 13:14-18 NKJV ”And the Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him: “Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are—northward, southward, eastward, and westward; for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever. And I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth; so that if a man could number the dust of the earth, then your descendants also could be numbered. Arise, walk in the land through its length and its width, for I give it to you.” Then Abram moved his tent, and went and dwelt by the terebinth trees of Mamre, which are in Hebron, and built an altar there to the Lord.“
There is a distinct difference between someone who loves the Lord and a person who Loves the Lord & FEARS HIM!
Genesis 22:12 NKJV
NOW when we Fear the Lord, He will STRENGTHEN ALL the other areas of Faith & Love.
Psalms 25:12-14 NKJV ”Who is the man that fears the Lord? Him shall He teach in the way He chooses. He himself shall dwell in prosperity, And his descendants shall inherit the earth. The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him, And He will show them His covenant.“
