Members speerjp1 Posted February 6, 2010 Members Share Posted February 6, 2010 Proverbs 14:16 says "A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil: but the fool rageth, and is confident." I recently saw the title of a new book out by Max Lucado called "Fearless: Imagine Your Life Without Fear". I have not read this book so I cannot endorse it or criticize it in any way, but the title struck me as something to consider within the context of the home. Imagine your home life without fear. Fathers and husbands, imagine having no fear when it comes to making hard choices and tough decisions for righteousness' sake. Think what it would be like to know of some scriptural command that you must implement in your own personal life and in the life of your family and you experience no fear of mockery, distrust, or eye-rolling. Imagine refusing to speak in a demeaning way about your wife at the office without fear of being viewed as "whipped" or "hen-pecked". Picture yourself acting without regard to what any man thinks of your decision. Mothers and wives, imagine having no fear when you are given the opportunity to choose paths that cut against the torrent of secular ideas pushed on you without fear of being condescendingly viewed by others. Imagine deciding to help your husband instead of joke about his shortcomings without fear of being left out of the click. Imagine standing firm with your children, even when they play on your emotions to get their way, without the fear of not being their "friend." Children, imagine having no fear when you choose to simply OBey your parents, as you would the Lord. Imagine being patient with your siblings without the fear of your "stuff" being lost or damaged. Think about choosing to care for the things of God without the fear of losing friends who are free-falling into their places chosen for them by the world, their own flesh, and even the devil. Imagine your lives without these fears. I say "these fears" because in order for any member of a family to act in boldness in ways described above, that member absolutely MUST have a different kind of fear: fear of God. A wise man departs from evil because fear is present. He fears God. He fears falling or causing another family member to stumble. He fears blind ignorance when watchfulness is necessary. He fears the consequences of hidden sin. He fears the repercussions of spiritually weak marriages and families in a lost and dying world. Yes, there is plenty of room for fear in the Christian home. However, that fear must be accompanied by a deep faith in God; a faith that God will overcome our fears through his power and mercy and grace. Think about this: throughout the Bible, men and women were admonished not to fear man, but to fear God. Is it any wonder that the natural tendency is to fear our fallen fellows with little or no regard to such a holy God as ours? Proverbs 14:27 says "The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death." Leave the snares of death behind. You've seen what a lack of the right kind of fear does to families and homes. Embrace the fountain of life in your home. That is, the fear of our Lord. Practice: Decide now to make the hard choices considering your God more than your friends or even your family members. Make it a point of discussion when you talk with fellow family members that God is to be honored above all. Experiment: Pick one thing you have been resolving to do, do better, or to stop doing. (Everyone has these little things hanging around in the back of their mind that they will always acknowledge as areas that need work. Often times, in the life of a Christian, these things are spiritual.) After you've picked one of them, make the God-honoring choice to act righteously in that area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members John81 Posted February 7, 2010 Members Share Posted February 7, 2010 Absolutely excellent! This is so true of how we should live our lives. Some of this ties in with not being ashamed of Christ. Rather than standing for Christ, many professing Christians are ashamed to take such a stand. They fear what others will think, say or do. Rather than thinking of others reactions if we do stand for Christ, we should instead be thinking of how God will view our actions if we fail to stand for Christ. We should be more concerned with grieving the Holy Ghost rather than "offending" others. As the wonderful hymn says, "trust and OBey"! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members janyropal Posted March 22, 2010 Members Share Posted March 22, 2010 Let me share my experience of life. Fear was overwhelming me, and making it difficult to make important life decisions. I finally realized that although I can't stop bad things from happening, that is no reason to surrender my life. I'm starting to think less about what could happen and more about what is happening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JerryNumbers Posted March 22, 2010 Members Share Posted March 22, 2010 Would not a man with no fear be very dangerous? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members His by Grace Posted March 23, 2010 Members Share Posted March 23, 2010 I can try an imagine a life without fear, pray for it and read His Word on verses to NOT FEAR and with the Holy Spirit leading me on how to handle fear in my life. I believe that He teaches us there are time's to fear ie. The LORD, those in authority over us etc. yet I'm convienced He want's this to lead to Trust. If we could turn our fear just into perfect Trust but I don't think this can happen without being loved how Jesus loved, then and only then can we trust. There is no fear in love...then come's trust. Just my experience, His by Grace Would not a man with no fear be very dangerous? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JerryNumbers Posted March 23, 2010 Members Share Posted March 23, 2010 I recall one of my friends in school, he seemed not to have no fear. I'm surprised he has got by as good as he has and not found his self on the other side of the law. I see him from time to time, sure wish he was different and we could still be friends. But it seems he stands against most everything I stand for. Many have tried to get him in church. For just a few months back in the 70's I believe it was he attended church. But he is still living, so there is hope. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members lettheredeemedsayso Posted March 27, 2010 Members Share Posted March 27, 2010 I recall one of my friends in school, he seemed not to have no fear. I'm surprised he has got by as good as he has and not found his self on the other side of the law. I see him from time to time, sure wish he was different and we could still be friends. But it seems he stands against most everything I stand for. Many have tried to get him in church. For just a few months back in the 70's I believe it was he attended church. But he is still living, so there is hope. We live in a fallen world comsumed by fear. Over and over in scripture Christ calls us to " fear not". Scripture teaches us that perfect love casteth out all fear. 1Jo 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JerryNumbers Posted March 27, 2010 Members Share Posted March 27, 2010 We live in a fallen world comsumed by fear. Over and over in scripture Christ calls us to " fear not". Scripture teaches us that perfect love casteth out all fear. 1Jo 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. Seems to me your forgetting something, there are several usages for the word fear.Ps 34:9 O fear the LORD, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jackbency Posted April 26, 2010 Members Share Posted April 26, 2010 (edited) Fear may fill our world, but it doesn’t have to fill our hearts. It will always knock on the door.Fear is not an entirely bad thing. Sometimes fear keeps you from doing some really stupid things in life. Edited April 26, 2010 by jackbency Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members John81 Posted April 26, 2010 Members Share Posted April 26, 2010 There is the good fear which helps protect us; such as the fear we might feel when we hear the rattle of a rattle snake. The fear we shouldn't have is that fear which holds us back from living our lives boldly for Christ. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.