Words That Stick To Your Ribs

“ … and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil.”  (Proverbs 16:6)
 

I got off work one day and decided to visit a friend at his office before going home.  As I walked in, he looked at me intently and asked “Did you live in the fear of God today?”

Don’t you hate conversations that start out that way?  I mean like the conversation is not going to get better for you at this point, it is only going to get progressively worse!      I know...right?

I very wisely said nothing for a few minutes.  I thought about the question and about my activities and responses of the day.  I finally said, “Based upon some of my responses today, I would have to say no.”

My friend, who is still watching me, then says, “Proverbs 16:6 says the fear of the Lord will keep you from evil.”

Isn’t it funny how a simple conversation can stick with you over the years?  This was a profound truth for my life.  The Amplified Bible puts it like this:

“and by the reverent, worshipful fear of the Lord men depart from and avoid evil.”

Living in the fear of God will help us get out of and even avoid becoming entangled in sin.  If we find ourselves responding in an ungodly manner, or drawn into a sin, then we can know that we are not living in the fear of God.  Living in the fear of God has to do with our view of God Himself and our relation to Him.  It has to do with obedience out of love, humility, submission, and believing that God’s way is always the best way.

I am not talking about the terror of the Lord.  That has to do with judgment.  I am talking about the fear of the Lord which has to do with love, respect, and the recognition of true wisdom.

When we truly believe that God wants what is best for us, then we will realize that His Word is what is really best for us also.

The AND Principle

“Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves”  (Php 2:3-4, NASB)

 Some years ago, I read a book by Charles Swindoll called Laugh Again.  It is on the book of Philippians and is about joy.  In a bible study, we were discussing Php 2:3-4 and I shared that in this book, speaking of these scriptures he gave three principles, something along the lines of:

1.     Never do anything prompted by pride or selfishness

2.     Always consider others as more important than yourself

3.     Don’t only consider your own interests but also the interests of others

Considering these to be really good principles, we thought it would be a good idea to remember them.  Someone suggested switching the first and second principles, thereby making an acrostic with the word AND, which would be an easy to remember, and so that is how the AND Principle came about.

 

1.     Always consider others as more important than yourself

2.     Never do anything prompted by pride or selfishness

3.     Don’t only consider your own interests but also the interests of others

If we would but do these three things, our lives and the lives of those around us would be drastically changed!  It takes a rich relationship with Christ to be able to walk these out, a relationship that takes time and focus, and which must be valued above all else. Of course, if we are so important that we have to be at other places, have the wrong motivation, or are too interested in our own cause, we will never be able to walk the And Principle out.

I believe that this principle, correctly applied, would remove a lot of the stress out of our lives, resulting in us having more joy and God receiving more glory. Now That’s a good thing!

Don't push your way to the front; don't sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don't be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand. (Php 2:3-4, MSG)

Squeezing Into Life

From Henry’s Desk

 

“ …Enter through the narrow gate …” (Mt7:13, NIV)

Have you ever considered the Christian life as a series of narrow gates?  You are cruising along, things are going pretty good, and all of a sudden you come to a gate!  Not only do you come to a gate, but the gate is too narrow to get through with all the stuff you are carrying.  And not only that, but it is a one time gate. You can only pass through it once.  You can’t go through it with some of your stuff and then come back and get the rest of it.  This produces a moment of crisis, a moment of decision, a moment pregnant with opportunity for growth.

 You finally make the right decision and go through the narrow gate.  You even find that it is easier traveling on the other side of the gate, having left some of your stuff behind.  Why, it is much nicer on this side than you ever imagined it could be!  And then you come upon another narrow gate.

Why, this gate is even narrower than the last one!  And all the stuff you are now carrying is not going to fit through it!  There is no way to turn around and no way to go around.  It is another moment filled with potential, crisis, and decisions.  There is a little more of a struggle this time.  You even try to drag some of the stuff behind you through the gate, but you can’t get through, so you let go of it.

 My, what a beautiful place you have walked into!  More wonderful than you ever imagined it could be!  And you don’t really miss what you left behind, it is actually much easier to walk without it.  You continue along and suddenly find yourself at another gate, even more narrow than the last one.  You don’t see how you are going to get much through this gate, and it is going to be hard to decide what to leave behind.  But you face the crisis, make the right decision, and take the correct action.  You continue on, finding the journey delightful!

 Onward you go!  And then another even narrower gate.  This time you aren’t even thinking about your stuff.  You don’t even see how you are going to squeeze through it.  You approach the opening, measuring it with your eyes, thinking, there is no way.  You slowly push your body through, scrapping some of your flesh off on the sides of the gate.  Wow, this is starting to be painful.

Finally you are through the gate.  My, how wonderful it is on this side.  Oh sure, there is still a little pain, and some smudges of blood, but you are through the gate and you are loving it!

You actually have a skip to your step now as you continue on.  You are really beginning to enjoy this life!  Up ahead you see another narrow gate …