Fear of Man vs. Fear of God

"The remarkable thing about God is that when you fear God, you fear nothing else, whereas if you do not fear God, you fear everything else." -Oswald Chambers

One of the biggest areas we experience the fear of man is in witnessing. Often, we lack the courage to speak because we are afraid of the response we may receive. Fear of rejection and persecution from our fellow man, especially those we love, keeps us in perpetual silence about the Gospel. After all, who wants the deep hurt of rejection by a mother, sister, grandparent, or close friend? As a result, those lost that are closest to us are those we are least likely to share the saving Gospel with. Their only hope we hide away due to the fear of man. While we are absorbed in self-pity, they are headed straight for hell. This is a great tragedy, and Scripture should admonish and encourage us on this issue.

"The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe." -Proverbs 29:25

"For He Himself has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.' So we may boldly say: 'The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?'" -Hebrews 13:5b-6

"Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops.  And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." -Matthew 10:27-28

"For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began,  but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, to which I was appointed a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles." -2 Timothy 1:7-11

"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love." -1 John 4:18

"It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man." -Psalm 118:8

"You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them.  We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error." -1 John 4:4-6

"For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ." -Galatians 1:10

"For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, 'Abba, Father.'"-Romans 8:15

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." -Philippians 4:13

"'No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is from Me,' says the Lord." -Isaiah 54:17

Our Nation

 





My heart is truly broken for our nation. At perhaps the most critical election in our history, the true beliefs of the citizens of America have shown clearly. We no longer value life, but self. We would rather murder one of the greatest blessings of God...children. We no longer fear God, as we elected by a large majority a party which would prefer to have God removed from its platform. The supreme god in this nation is now government. We don't value the Constitution, given to us by a much wiser generation of godly men. They were wise enough to understand that if we forsake absolute truth, God, and morality, our nation will fall:

 

---- "The moral principles and precepts contained in the Scriptures ought to form the basis of all our civil constitutions and laws. All the miseries and evils which men suffer from vice, crime, ambition, injustice, oppression, slavery, and war, proceed from their despising or neglecting the precepts contained in the Bible."    ~Noah Webster



---- "If thou wouldst rule well, thou must rule for God, and to do that, thou must be ruled by Him....those who will not be governed by God will be ruled by tyrants."    ~William Penn



---- "Statesmen, my dear Sir, may plan and speculate for liberty, but it is Religion and Morality alone, which can establish the Principles upon which Freedom can securely stand. The only foundation of a free Constitution is pure Virtue, and if this cannot be inspired into our People in a greater Measure, than they have it now, they may change their Rulers and the forms of Government, but they will not obtain a lasting liberty."    ~John Adams

---- "We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge, or gallantry, would break the strongest cords of our Constitution as a whale goes through a net. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other."    ~John Adams



My first question was, "Why would God allow this?" In answer, He reminded me of this Scripture:



 



---- "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into and image made like corruptible man - and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgement of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them."    ~Romans 1:18-32


Despite the fact that our nation is under judgement, and no longer has the hand of God upon it in favor, God has promised that in terrible circumstances He is in control.

---- "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, those who are the called according to His purpose."    ~Romans 8:28


As Christians, we even have hope!

---- "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. Not only that, but we also have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance."    ~Romans 8:18-25

The Lord has made it clear that Barack Obama is not the problem, he is the symptom of a dying nation. This does not mean that there is no hope for our nation....we must pray fervently that because of the struggles soon to come many people will repent and turn to the Lord. He has done many great things, and He can change the heart of this nation if He chooses. However, I believe this will require difficult times, whether economic or otherwise, where the true remnant of the Church begins once again to lead the culture, instead of allowing the culture to lead it.

Stand firm in the gospel, and you will not be shaken!