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Fear of the LORD.001

All of us want to live a happy, successful life, right? We all want to be blessed and fruitful in life. But let’s face it—we don’t always feel blessed. Life doesn’t always seem to be going well. So how do we find true blessing in this often crazy and difficult life?

Well, Psalm 128 gives us the answer.

Verse one tells us—blessed is the man who fears the LORD. It’s the fear of the LORD that brings blessing. A happy, successful life comes to those who fear the LORD. Proverbs 1:7 teaches us that to fear God is to walk in his wisdom. Ecclesiastes 12:13 teaches us that to fear God is obey his commands. Psalm 147:11 teaches us that to fear God is to hope in his unfailing love. And verse 1 of Psalm 128 teaches us that to fear God is to walk in his ways.

So, how do we even do that? What does it look like to fear the LORD?

Get In the Word

For starters, it means we have to know him. And to know him we have to get in his Word. You will not fear the LORD if you don’t know him. And you can’t know God unless you’re in his Word. This Bible is God’s revelation of himself to us. It shows us who he is. It teaches us what he is like. It displays his gracious work in the world. And it proclaims his glory and worth.

We will not fear the LORD if we are not regally in the Word of God. Now you might say to me, I don’t really like reading. Or I’m not that good of a reader. Let me ask you—would you notice if you went a whole day without eating? What about a whole week? We need the word of God more than we need food. And there are so many ways to get in his word. I mean, download a Bible app on your phone and it can read the Bible to you. Let’s get off Facebook or Instagram and get in the Word. Let’s turn off Sports Center or Netflix & get in the Word. Let’s wake up in the morning hungry for the word. Let’s talk about the word around our dinner tables. Let’s go to bed w the word on our minds & in our hearts. If we want to fear the LORD, we’ve got to get in his Word.

Get On You Knees In Prayer

Second, to fear the LORD we have to pursue him. And to pursue him we have to get on our knees in prayer. We will not fear the LORD if we don’t pursue him. And we will not pursue him without prayer. I mean think about, if I went a whole week without talking to my wife, would I be pursuing her? Of course not!! But let me ask you—when is the last time you prayed? And I mean really prayed? When is the last time you prayed that wasn’t before a meal or tucking your kids in at night? When is the last time you were on your knees calling out to God in prayer? When is the last time you spent at least 30 minutes pouring out your heart before the LORD?

Let me challenge you to find time this week to spend 30 minutes in prayer. Block it off. Go ahead and put it on your calendar. Find a time where you can get alone with God. And you can just pray. Use the time to praising God for who he is, confessing your sin, giving thanks for his blessings, begging him to work in your life and in our church. If we want to fear the LORD, then we must pursue him in prayer.

Get On Board With God’s Kingdom

Third, to fear the LORD we have to serve him. And to serve him we have to get on board with his Kingdom. If the attitude of your life is my kingdom come, my will be done—you will never fear the LORD. But when we open our hands and our lives to his Kingdom then we will be blessed. When we fear the LORD we will say: Whatever you want me to do, I will do it. Wherever you want me to go, I will go. However you want me to sacrifice, I will do it gladly.

When we fear the LORD, we share the gospel with our neighbors. We will serve those in need. We will give our money and our gifts to the church. We will go to the nations with the hope of Christ. If we want to fear the LORD, then we must be ready to serve him.

You see, when we know God. And when we pursue God. And when we serve God. That is when we will be blessed.

Blessed is everyone who fears the LORD and walks in his ways!