Latest / Bible Study with Pr. Daniel Batarseh | Verse by Verse Series | Maranatha Bible Church - Chicago / The Fear of God in Nehemiah | Pastor Daniel Batarseh

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The Fear of God in Nehemiah | Pastor Daniel Batarseh · Bible Study with Pr. Daniel Batarseh | Verse by Verse Series | Maranatha Bible Church - Chicago

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It sounded like there's a lot of free people today.
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Powerful singing. Thank you for the worship.
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Praise team. And now we continue to Worship
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in the word. Amen, turn your Bibles to the
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book of Nehemiah with me, please Nehemiah.
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And chapter one. And as we turn there it is a
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habit of ours that once we complete a series a verse by
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verse study, we pause and we take the time to address certain
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truths that that may require Clarity or application without
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delay. Before we start and begin
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another Series in a verse by verse study in another book,
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what this does is it really gives us the opportunity.
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To be reminded of certain Concepts that may have become
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dull to our understanding or blurred in our perception.
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And that is what we are going to do today.
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As we come to this book to consider a subject that is,
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unfortunately under emphasized in many places today, Under
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emphasized by some and by others totally ignored from a preaching
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standpoint and yet at the same time, it is a scriptural three
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theme. That is extremely important for
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us to grasp. If we want to be flourishing in
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our faithfulness to the Lord Jesus Christ and what I am
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alluding to what we will be looking into today is the call
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for all men. Especially those who believe
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that they are children of God. To fear the lord.
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To fear the lord. What we will do together today
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is to look at this because this subject is a vital importance.
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It is a subject that is dear to my heart, for many reasons, and
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those reasons go beyond the fact that it is it is riddled
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throughout the scriptures. It is a call from beginning to
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end. In fact, the very first
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reference to the fear of God is found in the first book in
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Genesis, and if one is mistaken to believe that such a concept
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only Fades as you read to the right, you are in for the shock
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of your life. When you realize how stressed it
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is in the final book of this divine library.
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And any honest student of the word of God who has looked at
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the scriptures between Genesis and revelation will find it very
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difficult to deny that it is sprinkled.
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It is sprinkled in so many places.
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And why is that? Because Psalm 19 verse 9, tells
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us something very important about the fear of the Lord.
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First, it says that the fear of the Lord is clean.
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It is clean and not just the fact that it is clean but it
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will endure forever. The fear of the Lord will endure
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forever. What does that mean?
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Well it means that it is relevant and applicable to all
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men. It is relevant and applicable in
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all ages. Whatever.
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Dispensation you might know of the fear of the Lord was, and
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still is relevant whatever. Covenant, the fear of the Lord
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is relevant and here in 2022 As we sing and believe and preach
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the grace of God. I want to tell you today, that
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the fear of God is relevant It is important that verse alone,
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the fact that the fear of the Lord endures forever is enough
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to grip us. And to tell us just how
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important it is to God and it should be to you.
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And I And one place that may not be the go-to source in
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understanding the fear of the Lord is the book of Nehemiah.
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Is the book of Nehemiah that might be a surprise because
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usually the wisdom Literature Like Proverbs or the Hebrew,
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Hymnal The Book of Psalms is a priority in terms of
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understanding the principles of the fear of the Lord and
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rightfully so. But I have to admit though this
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has been a study of mine on a personal sense that has been so
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dear. I've realized that whenever I
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feel like I had a comprehensive understanding, there's yet
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another layer to this. there is so much that is involved with
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the fear of the Lord, not just in the fact that it is
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reference, but the blessings that are attached with it, the
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glories that it produces the great honor that it gives to God
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and as we come to Nehemiah, We are going to see some facets of
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the fear of the Lord that prayerfully will make this
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spiritual discipline, this attitude of the soul to be all
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the more attractive and all the more desirable.
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And so I want us to consider at least three, not limited to
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these three but three insights about the fear of the Lord found
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in Nehemiah, nehemiah's, recorded life, and nehemiah's.
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Ministry Nehemiah possess this fear Nehemiah, expected, this
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fear from those that were under his leadership.
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So let's begin together. In Nehemiah chapter 1, verse 11.
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and this is when Nehemiah, Four weeks has been broken before,
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God, praying and seeking him because he has received the
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report of the ruins of Jerusalem while he was a cupbearer to the
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king. As an exile, his brother and
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other servants came along. And when he had asked, what is
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going on in the holy city, they describe the shame that
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Jerusalem was experiencing because of their Broken Walls.
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And this man was pricked to the heart.
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And so he began a quest, a quest of great.
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Are seeking the Lord that he would do something for the sake
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of his glory, and the good of his people.
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Oh God, will you not do something with your holy city?
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Will you not revive? Will you not restore?
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And we come to this prayer in chapter one that is worthy
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enough to study as a series and itself.
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But there's one particular place that that is relevant to our
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subject today. And it's found in verse 11.
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Look how Nehemiah praise here. Oh Lord, let your ear be
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attentive to the prayer of your servant.
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And to the prayer of your servants, who Delight to fear
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your name. And give success to your servant
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today and Grant him Mercy in the sight of this man.
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Here's a passionate plea from Nehemiah.
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Forgot to do something about. His home City.
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And this desperate prayer alone is so rich with meaning, but
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here's a meaning to consider in this verse Nehemiah shows that
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that he was not. The only one that was
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interceding. He was not the only one that was
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shattered in his heart. He says here that there are
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other servants who are also unnamed Heroes.
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Like many people who love to pray for Ministries and pastors
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and others. And they are behind the scenes.
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They are still part of the team. Are they not?
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They're still instrumental, they not.
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And here are these servants, who are in the background?
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We do not know who they are. All we know about them is that
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they also were praying for God to Rend the heavens and come
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down and shower mercy upon the people of Israel.
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But notice that we do not know the names of these prayer
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warriors. We do know something about them,
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and what we know about them is so vital and very revealing They
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Delight to fear your name, other translations would say who
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desire to fear your name. What a thing to say about
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anybody isn't it fascinating to Delight to fear, something
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sounds absurd. Almost who would desire to fear
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something. If there's any relation From
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Desire with fear, it is less a fear, not more of it. and yet,
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here we see that there is this yearning to be fearful of God.
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There is a desire, a longing for this fear to become more of a
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reality in their lives. They want to live under that
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Banner. They want to know what it's like
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to tremble before God. And before others, in the name
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of God, and it's important to understand that there's a reason
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for these servants and for Servants of God today to delight
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and fearing him, Why would anybody want that kind of
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reality, that kind of Dimension to the relationship with God?
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Well, there are many places to point to buy may I give you one
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today in your Bibles. It's in the prophet, Isaiah's
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words and Isaiah 33. I want you to see something that
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is quite amazing. As it pertains to the fear of
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the Lord. And Isaiah 33 verse 6.
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Notice what the man of God says. And he will be the stability of
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your times. Being the Lord abundance of
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Salvation, wisdom and knowledge. The fear of the Lord is Zions
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treasure. The fear of the Lord is Zions
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treasure. What an incredible Declaration
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of truth. But what is the connection
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between this statement and the promises that are given before?
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It is very simple. The fear of the Lord is the key
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that unlocks, the blessings that were just mentioned in your life
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and mine. It is the means by which we know
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the fullness of such Grace's. It is what gives us access to
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stability? Is what gives us access to an
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abundance of Salvation? Not just of your soul, a saving
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of many troubles, a saving of many errors salvation and so
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many ways. It is, it is what we need to
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have wisdom as what we heard. So many times in our lives, it's
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the beginning. The fear of the Lord is the
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beginning of wisdom, you can't even have The elementary facets
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of wisdom without the fear of the Lord.
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And knowledge. there's no wonder that those from Zion and and
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nehemiah's time, delighted they longed for it because they
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realized the jewels that were available through it And these
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blessings are inseparable from the fear of God, I say, the so
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many times whenever I teach on the subject, it's no wonder that
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Satan wants Christians to be afraid of the fear of the Lord.
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But it still begs the question. Are these incentives enough to
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encourage anyone to be afraid of God?
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And that's where many people are mistaken.
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It is a great error to equate the fear of the Lord, as a
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synonymous term of being paralyzed by a dread of God.
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I've having this morbid fear of God is not what the fear of the
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Lord means. The sphere does not produce a
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view of God, that makes him unapproachable.
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Or unpredictable, that is not the idea at all.
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I believe, one of the best leaps that we can make to coming that
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much closer to the most sound definition of the fear of the
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Lord, and the most applicable way of honoring it in our own
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lives. Is by realizing that, the fear
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of God is something that the Lord Jesus Christ himself
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possessed and delighted in. Does that does that mess with
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your understanding of the relationship between Christ and
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the father? Jesus, feared God.
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Jesus walked in the fear of the Lord.
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Where do we get that from the same book.
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Isaiah chapter 11. Look at verse 1, as we are given
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a prophecy about the Lord, Jesus Christ, A Prophecy of the
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Messiah, who would walk on this earth and the manifold Ministry
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that he would have by the empowerment of the Holy Spirit
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and Isaiah 11:1. We read concerning Jesus.
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Unless you disagree that this is about the Lord.
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There shall come forth, a shoot from the stump of Jesse and a
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branch from his roots, shall bear fruit and the spirit of the
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Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and
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understanding the spirit of counsel and might the spirit of
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knowledge and the fear of the Lord.
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Look at verse 3 and his Delight shall be in the fear of the
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Lord. He shall not judge by what his
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eyes see or decide the Spirits by what his ears here.
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Jesus, feared God. While in the flesh, he
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perfected, the fear of the Lord, he walked in the fullness of it
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because the spear the Sevenfold Ministry of the Holy Spirit was
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given to Christ without measure. I love to use this text to ask
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people who objected the fear of the Lord.
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Do you desire to be like Jesus? Of course, I do, I love him.
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I want to walk in his ways. I want to be like him.
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The, you know, what, I say following that, then you will
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Delight in the fear of God, because Jesus, did you will not
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deny it, you will not despise it, you will not try to argue it
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away because of your personal perception of Jesus.
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You will Delight in the fear of the Lord.
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If you want to be like Jesus. And go beyond that.
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Now, go beyond that and consider the Dynamics.
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Consider the relationship that the Lord Jesus Christ,
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demonstrated through the gospels, and even in the
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accounts of the Epistles, and ask yourself, how did Jesus
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relate to the father? Rick our from him and fear.
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Was he uneasy about serving him? Did he always longed to have his
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way? But he always felt as, though,
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there was a loaded gun pointed at his back.
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No, a thousand times. No.
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You go to the gospels, you go to the New Testament and you
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collect all the data of the way. Jesus, pray to the father of how
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he represented him, and how he spoke of him of the joy, and the
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steadfast commitment that he had to the cause that he was given
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while being here on Earth, and you will come to this
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conclusion, no doubt that Christ Feared God.
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And it was a revelation of the almighty that inspired an awe in
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his soul. An attitude of great reverence
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and honor that he deserves. It's really an amazement with
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the fear of God does, is it awakens and amazement?
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As you behold and properly understand who God is all that
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he is and all that he is capable of doing it, stuns you?
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It brings awaiting ish to you. It destroys any habit of being
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indifferent or casual with him. It inspires this reverence.
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And the sense of being astonished by his manifold
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Beauty which includes everything from his Holiness to his
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goodness, to his grace, to his judgments.
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You read in Hebrews 5 and verse 7 and what you will see is that
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when Jesus was on the earth and he prayed it says that God heard
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him because of his reverence. And that is what it means to
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fear him. It's a mixture that the sphere
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is a mixture of a constant awareness of how otherworldly
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God is from the rest of creation and that is mingled with the
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knowledge that he will indeed. Hold men accountable for his
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actions and it is also included with the experience.
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The personal experience of his goodness that causes you to be
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in dread of even the What of displeasing him or
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misrepresenting him in any way? The sphere of God, though it is.
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It is obvious in the scriptures is so complex and how it applies
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to us. But Jesus had it.
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He walked in it and the greatest men of God who have done the
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greatest things for God, have a common denominator and it is
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this, they walked in the fear of the Lord Nehemiah was such a
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man. Nehemiah was that man and you
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see it play out in his life. So wonderfully.
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You see how it actually practically influences, the
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different things that you. And I do on a day-to-day basis.
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How we think, how we decide how we plan Nehemiah is often a book
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that Refer to in order to get a congregation all ready for some
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project and how Unity is necessary to get things done and
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wholehearted sacrifices needed to do great things for the
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kingdom. That's all right.
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But have you ever considered that it's more than just people
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who have this common goal who just want to see building
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projects completed? Can we not see together that if
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we're going to do anything for the Lord, whether it's
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practical, whether it's spiritual And oftentimes those
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things merge that it's going to require what this leader had,
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and what he demanded of those who would serve along with him,
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the fear of God. The fear of God.
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And I want to show you what the fear of God does.
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I want to show you what it can do?
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I'm going to show you what it can prevent.
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I want to show you that it is indeed a treasure to be sought
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after we come to Nehemiah chapter 5.
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And this is not a comprehensive study.
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By the way, this is just to whet, our appetites a little
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bit. And Nehemiah chapter 5.
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Verse 6. Let's read a few verses to
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understand what's Happening Here.
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I was very angry when I heard the outcry.
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And these words I took counsel with myself and I brought
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charges against the Nobles and the officials I said to them.
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You are exacting interest each from his brother and I held a
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great assembly against them and said to them.
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We as far as we are able have bought back, our Jewish
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brothers, who have been sold to the nation's, but you even sell
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your brothers, that they may be sold to us.
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They were silent and could not find a word to say what's Here,
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Nehemiah with a bunch of others, have returned from exile to the
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promised land. The city is in Ruins, homes are
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destroyed more. Importantly, the house of God is
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in trouble and now, they are trying to build their way back
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there, trying to restore what was destroyed.
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And in the process of this, while many are in poverty.
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While many are Berta, while many only have the shirt on their own
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backs, As they were trying to do this, for the kingdom of God,
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there are also concerned about their personal well-being.
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And so, what you had people do is some were more wealthy than
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others. And those who were least
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fortunate were willing to serve fellow Israelites for pay or to
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get a loan and these other Israelites you had more in their
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name would give would land but it would exact interest.
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And if the interest could have paid, if they went into further
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debt than these families would sell their children, to these
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neighbors as slaves, to pay off any debt.
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And the reason why that is so important is that in Exodus God
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prohibited the Israelites to charge interest when they borrow
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or lend to one another. And so that was to never be a
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practice. And yet, here we see that
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they're taking advantage of the destitution of people in order
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for personal profit Nehemiah, hears about it.
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And he's losing his mind, he comes.
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And he says, are you kidding me? We just got delivered from
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slavery. And now, you want to exact
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interest and cause more slavery. Now, that we're back home.
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And I'll look what he says in the following verse.
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So I said in verse 9, The thing that you are doing is not good
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ought. You not to walk in the fear of
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our God, to prevent the taunts of the nations are enemies.
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You know what the fear of the Lord does when the Holy Spirit
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inspires that within you, when you come to the word of God to
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discover, who he is the person of Jesus Christ, the person of
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the Holy Spirit, God, the father, as your soul is taught
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to Revere him and respect him and honor him.
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The fear of the Lord will protect your testimony.
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The fear of the Lord will protect your testimony and mind
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notice here. That Nehemiah as a man who
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feared God, we will find that out in the next point.
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He explicitly says, I didn't do certain things because of the
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fear of the Lord, as a man who fears God was constantly on
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guard. About how his conduct would be
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perceived by a watching Lost World. in order to not, give
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them another reason to scorn at the truth that we believe in, or
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to harden their hearts and further unbelief, Nehemiah as
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he's processing. What is happening with his own
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people? You know where his mind is
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going? What are our enemies going to
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say about this? Look how you're treating one
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another as the people of God. And do you not consider how this
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will ruin our testimony? Because a man who fears, God
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cares about his testimony cares about the impact that his life
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and the lives of those, a he's connected to would make on a
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watching world. And we see here that Nehemiah
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wanted to prevent scandal. The Evangelical World on the
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past couple of years, has been rocked.
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By one scandal after another from Top leaders.
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And I can recall the podcast, and the interviews and the
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snippets on YouTube of leading Evangelical voices today, who
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are still producing such content to try to understand how this
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happened to try to get fee, logical reasons, how is it that
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these men who have Minister for so long could come crashing
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down, how is it that these Grand Ministries can be, discovered
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for such great Scandal, moral failure, and then they go on to
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discuss how we can prevent it. And they have all these ideas
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manage suggest, something to you, if somebody were to
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Interview Nehemiah today and say Pastor Nehemiah?
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Would you tell us how it is that as Believers in the Lord?
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Jesus Christ. how can we prevent from the world mocking us and
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despising us because of our obvious failures and our gross
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in consistencies You know what, I believe he would say what he
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says here. The greatest prescription to
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prevent as he uses that word to prevent the taunts of the
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nation's is to walk in the fear of God.
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Walk in the fear of God. The fear of the Lord protects
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our testimonies. Not by hiding or concealing sin.
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But by so suffocating it, that it doesn't even have the chance
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to live long enough to accuse us of anything.
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The fear of the Lord is so powerful that it grips in by the
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throat, and kills it before, it is able to rise up and point us
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and say, look at this Christian I want that and some might
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object and say brother, it can't be that.
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Simple. Sin is much more complex than
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that people's histories and their past must be considered
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when we are trying to bring some kind of treatment to their
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behavior. And I don't want to paint a
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broad brush on every issue and say that there is a one solution
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to at all but I must ask this question at the same time.
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Would anybody in here? Honestly?
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Make the immediate connection between these Israelites
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exacting interest and demanding payments from fellow brothers to
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the lack of fear of God in their lives.
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Think about it. If somebody were to bring that
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solution to us and say, you know, there are people who are
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cheating others and they're doing this to each other's and
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they're taking advantage of them and their poor condition with
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our minds immediately go to you. Don't fear God, that's why
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you're doing this. We must ReDiscover.
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This is the case that I'm trying to make today we must ReDiscover
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how the, absence of the fear of the Lord is often the reason for
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the presence of so much Injustice iniquity and
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compromise. We must ReDiscover how the
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absence of the fear of the Lord is the reason for the presence
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of so much sin. That is tolerated and damaging
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to the testimony of the kingdom of God.
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Proof proof. Okay proof, let's go to Psalm
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34, let me show you. Just one example of how one
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component of life is related to the lack of the fear of the
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Lord. Psalm 34 I sought the Lord and
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he answered. That's where it comes from,
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right? Let's go to Psalm 34 and verse
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11. Look what David wants to teach
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us by the Spirit. Come Oh, children.
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Listen to me. I will teach you the fear of the
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Lord, the fear of the Lord has taught.
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The fear of the Lord is learned. And what's the best way to know
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how to fear God know him? Know him, know him in his
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entirety. Norman is completion.
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No man his ways and his thoughts, know him in his
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Holiness. No, man, as love know him, I
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will teach you the fear of the Lord.
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What man is there, who desires life and loves many days that he
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may see good because that's what the fear of the Lord will do 0.
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Preserve your days. Now look what he says, keep your
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tongue from evil. And your lips from speaking
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deceit. You know what?
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That teaches me. I learned from this that as we
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consider the flow of thought of David, that one of the main
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marks that a man can know that this reverential.
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Awe of God, abides in his soul, is that it will affect his
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speech. In other words, one of the
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initial influences of the fear of God being impressed in the
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deepest parts of the child of God.
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It's recognized and how we use this tongue.
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If that is true, then we must all admit.
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That there is a great lack of fear of God today.
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Right. Anyone who can lie, anyone who
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can take a reputation and rip it apart with their words.
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So easily, anyone who can lash somebody with their tongue with
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rage and heavy sharp language does not fear God.
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They don't. Because the fear of the Lord
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puts a restraint, the fear of the Lord, is the beginning of
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wisdom, the fear of the Lord produces knowledge, and a person
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who fears the Lord understands the power of this thing.
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Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking, deceit.
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Oh, I challenge you go home tonight and look up the first
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reference to the fear of God, and you will be brought to
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Abraham in Genesis and you'll realize that the fear of the
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Lord, and its first mention is related to sexual immorality.
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It connects to so many things and Nehemiah connects to the
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fact that they were taxing their own brother's, here it is
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connected to the fact that there is an unreserved evil in the
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tongue and the first mention it has to do with Abraham being
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afraid that they were going to take his wife as he was in a
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foreign land to take her for their sexual pleasure.
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It is connected to almost everything.
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And it is so under emphasized. Barely mentioned today.
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But the fear of the Lord, it does something it pumps up this
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this passion. I am concerned about my
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testimony. I'm concerned about what a
30:31
watching world would save me, as I wear the badge, ambassador of
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Jesus Christ. But it's more than that as we
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come to the same chapter in Nehemiah and verse 14.
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And Nehemiah 5 14, we read of something else, concerning the
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fear of God. Nehemiah says in your, my 514
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moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their
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governor, in the land of Judah, from the 20th year to the 32nd
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year of artaxerxes the king 12 years, neither I nor my
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brother's ate, the food. Allowance of the governor, the
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former governors who were before me laid heavy burdens on the
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people and took from them, from their daily ration, 40 shekels
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of silver, even their servants lorded, it over the people, but
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I did not do so, because of the fear of God, This is a really
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interesting inclusion in the scriptures because in this part
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of this chapter, we get a personal testimony from Nehemiah
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about the account of his leadership.
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And what he's trying to do by the spirit is show us, show us
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the Integrity that he had show us the transparency, the
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generosity the Selfless, Love that he gave to others, even
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from a position of authority. And what is he doing here?
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He's drawing a contrast. He was not the first governor
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over the people. There were Those who preceded
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him. And what are you saying, is that
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these Governors because of their position of authority demanded
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taxes from the people even though it would be a burden upon
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them. They wanted to live in luxury,
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they wanted to live in abundance and and they use the the right
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of a governor to ask for more and to demand for more as
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Nehemiah reflects about this. He thinks I did not do this.
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I did not even consider it. I thought about the poverty of
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the people, I thought about their struggle but these men,
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they abused their position. They had power and demanded
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payment that brought them profit at the expense of Burden.
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Even more than they were already burdened.
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And you know what, um, I said. Though, they had such Authority
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though, they had such ability. I didn't go there.
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Because I feared God. This teaches us teaches us at
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least two things you ready for this.
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Number one, you know what, the fear of God will do the fear of
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God when it is living in a man. Will provide.
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A sense of discipline and strength.
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Where money has no, hold on him. When you talk about money,
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people work a little bit. But personal profit is never a
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motivation for a man who fears God when he serves.
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God, there is no a luring power from anything to steer him to do
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that which is right or that, which is even wrong.
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He is untouchable. He is not easily shaken.
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He's not moved by any bribe by any promotion, by any bonus, a
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man who fears God does not even calculate in the equation of
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service to God what might come to him as profit or gain.
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And that is very difficult for Satan to try.
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To bring down when a man lives in such a standard.
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But secondly, you know what, I see from this as he reflects on
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his stance as a governor in comparison to those, who
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preceded him, a man who fears God can hold a position of
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authority without corrupting his character.
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Think about it. It is possible to be a leader
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with much influence, and not abuse that power ever.
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The fear of God can make pastors with great influence.
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Humble ready for this? Can even make a politician
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radiate with humility. That's what it can do.
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Put a man in a position of authority, who lacks a fear of
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God and you have just elected a curse.
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But put a man in any position, whether it slowly or hi.
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And just like, how any invitation for profit of game
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bounces, right off of them. So does the suggestion that you
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are someone? Who can demand something of
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others because you have a title or a gift?
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The fear of God's silence is those Temptations?
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It puts them to death. Has no ability to live.
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And what nehemiah's account of his leadership shows us, is that
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a man who has this reverence for God?
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Does not think to himself as he plans or as he positions
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himself, or as he makes decisions?
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What are my rights in this? What are my rights?
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He doesn't even think. How can I take advantage of this
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position or situation for my benefit?
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Nothing of the sort. There is a dominating motivation
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there is a thought that swallows up all of that and it is this
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what would my God have me do? What would my God have me doing
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this situation? What is the wisest thing to do
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in this situation? That's why you have a man, like
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the Apostle Paul who did not take payment from the
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Corinthians because he assessed the situation.
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And he realized if I take payment, people will use this as
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an excuse that I am bleeding people for their money.
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He said that in the same chapter, he says pastors should
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be paid. But if they serve in the gospel,
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their payment should come from the gospel and yet he still says
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but I did not exercise that right.
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Why Paul? Because he feared God and he
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didn't consider, what are my rights in this situation?
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He considered his testimony God's glory, the gospel above
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all o, that we would have leaders who fear God, the great
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blessings that would flow from their position instead of the
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great burdens. No, a man who fears God Lives by
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a higher standard higher than money higher than praise higher
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than power. One that directs him to do that,
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which is right. You see the fear of the Lord
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does not just eliminate the negative.
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The fear of the Lord is the breeding ground for
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righteousness to excel. I remember hearing this from
37:27
somebody was doing an internship at a church and don't worry you
37:29
don't know about this church. And they wanted to have an event
37:34
and wanting to have that event that we're trying to bring some
37:36
Christian band. And when they had reached out to
37:40
have an invitation to be with them for that event, this
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Christian band, this young cool band, I guess sent back a
37:49
request and the request was a list of Demands that they would
37:52
need from the church or they were going to host them.
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You know what the demands were along the lines of.
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We want these brand of chips in the Green Room, And we want blue
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and red M&M's. No other color.
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Can I tell you what that tells me of that Christian band that
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was played on radio stations and what not?
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They don't fear God. Do they sing about him?
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Older full-time Ministry? How ridiculous would it be if
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the Apostle Paul asks, for a brand of chips when he would
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visit Jerusalem for a season? I remember when I was speaking
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at a conference, I won't point. And as I was ready to share the
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worship band played for a long time.
38:36
Talented group people were so excited for the worship team,
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and the moment, the word of God was open that entire worship.
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Team got up, went to the back of the room and were laughing and
38:45
joking throughout the entire service only to come back on the
38:49
stage. When I was there time to sing
38:50
after the message, they don't fear God.
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I don't care what kind of songs, they wrote about him, the fear
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of the Lord. It does something to your
39:08
standard and decisions and how you present yourself and how you
39:14
Minister for his glory. Lastly, this come to the third
39:19
point before we break bread, shall we?
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And Nehemiah 7 verse 2. I gave my brother Han and I, and
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hananiah the governor of the castle charged over Jerusalem
39:45
for. He was a more faithful and
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God-fearing man than many, I love it.
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I love it. Here is nehemiah's, a leader.
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A supernatural acceleration and building those walls was
40:05
accomplished and he is not just about fireworks success.
40:09
He wants to see sustainable success.
40:12
And so he positions the right man and the right posts.
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And here we are told that there are 22 men and mind that he had
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for a specific charge over Jerusalem.
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And one of them was actually his blood brother Han and I not the
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first time that he was mentioned in this text, he's actually
40:27
mentioned in the first three verses of chapter 1 of Nehemiah.
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He was the one who came to his brother with the concern in his
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heart for Jerusalem he was on who is burdened by the
40:38
destitution and from chapter 12 this chapter that was true that
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remained with him. It was in seasonal this
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Something deep in his soul, he really cared about God's glory
40:49
and God's people. And some would charge Nehemiah
40:53
of nepotism right. Giving favorable positions to
40:56
relatives just because their relative not so And we see here
41:01
that there was not just Hannan, I there was hananiah and he is
41:04
the focus of our last Point here and an eye has highlighted for
41:08
two qualities that are married together.
41:11
Hananiah was elected as a, as a leader, over the people to
41:16
certain extent because of these two qualities.
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He was a faithful man and he feared god listen more than many
41:27
More than many. What this shows us is that
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faithfulness to God in service to him.
41:36
Is deeply connected to that? Reverence you have for the Lord,
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the greater, the fear of God in someone, the greater the quality
41:46
of their service for God. It's very difficult to believe
41:51
how anybody can be sloppy. Unconcerned careless with
41:58
whatever Ministry that they've been given and believe at the
42:01
same time that they have a reverence for God.
42:08
Hananiah was promoted here which means he was faithful and he
42:12
feared God when he was in a much lower position.
42:18
Because a man who is steams, the Lord does not consider it.
42:21
A small thing to serve God in any capacity because of that
42:25
personal growing, knowledge of the beauty of his Holiness is
42:29
enough as a motivation to serve with a steadfastness regardless
42:33
of the troubles or Temptations along the way read Nehemiah
42:37
realized that as they're building, this wall, there is
42:39
great conflict. Different means that Satan was
42:42
trying to bring this people down and yet still a man like
42:46
hananiah Constant. He was trustworthy.
42:51
He was reliable. He was consistent.
42:54
Why why why? Because he feared God.
42:57
That's why God was his motivation.
43:01
God was the only audience that he was living for.
43:05
And the fear of God is so powerful that it even encourages
43:08
such faithful service in the most menial of tasks.
43:13
Does it matter? Because the fear of the Lord
43:16
also positions, a man or a woman to be promoted.
43:20
To be promoted not for position, not for title, but for greater
43:24
influence of God sees fit. and this was Hannah nice case
43:29
because there is nothing more promising to the success and to
43:34
the safety of a Ministry than when you put a God-fearing man
43:38
or woman to supervise it That's what we look for here and BC.
43:47
That's what the leadership constantly prays for, as we long
43:50
to see more Elders, raised up more deacons raised up, do you
43:52
know what we're looking for? Not your position in society.
43:56
Not what kind of money you make? Not even how much scripture
44:01
knowledge you have. Do you tremble before God.
44:07
Do you fear Him? What struck me about the quality
44:13
of hananiah is that he was not just faithful or God-fearing,
44:17
it's specific more than many. More than many do you believe
44:23
that the fear of God is observable?
44:25
Yeah, of course. It is.
44:27
Is it measurable? Absolutely.
44:29
And the fact that this is brought up, is not to encourage
44:31
a competition of Holiness, among one another.
44:34
Oh, she's more God-fearing than there.
44:35
Oh, look at her, she's more. He's more.
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Now, that's not why this verse is here.
44:40
This is more about hananiah than it, is about anybody else who
44:43
observed hananiah or compared hananiah.
44:47
The idea is this this man had a conviction that he was willing
44:51
to walk in the fear of God, even if nobody else wanted to.
44:57
Even if nobody else wanted to believe it or ask God for it or
45:01
to walk into or to grow in it and Anaya was a man who is
45:04
convinced let let the others be casual with the things of God.
45:11
Let others not consider how their decisions how their social
45:15
media post. Heather treatment of the
45:19
ministry. Will it potentially affect their
45:22
witness, to the world? Let him do it.
45:26
I will fear God. I will walk in his ways.
45:32
I will delight and trembling before him I will continue to be
45:36
on a quest to removing the layers of the flesh that would
45:40
just make his Holiness and his glories all the more known so
45:44
that my soul can be in constant astonishment of just how amazing
45:49
he is. If your friends want to remain
45:52
spiritual skeletons, let them remain spiritual skeletons.
45:56
But you fear God? You fear the lord.
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I want to tell you today. it is my conviction that this is a
46:11
There needs to be a Revival of this.
46:15
There needs to be a Revival of this, and God will bring it as
46:18
we preach it. And as we pray for Lee, live it
46:20
out. My message is done.
46:25
But I want to show you one more verse as we break bread, and it
46:28
has to do with the fear of the Lord.
46:30
And it's found in Psalm 130 as we prepare our hearts to come,
46:42
To reflect on the mercy of Jesus Christ to reflect on the grace
46:46
of God. Consider how it relates to the
46:50
fear of God. Psalm 130 verse 3.
46:54
If You O Lord should Mark iniquities O Lord who could
46:58
stand answer? No one verse 4 but with you
47:03
there is forgiveness that you may be feared.
47:09
Wait with you, there is forgiveness.
47:13
So that I may fear. Yeah, so that you and I would
47:18
fear. How does that connect?
47:22
Here's how it connects, when you realize the the payment for
47:25
forgiveness. when you realize the display of God's Wrath and
47:31
Justice that was poured out in order to make forgiveness
47:35
available, when you, when you come that much closer to the
47:39
foot of the cross, and you consider all the implications
47:42
that made this sacrifice necessary.
47:46
You cannot help but fear Him. This is how holy God is.
47:53
He is so holy that he is willing to crush his beloved Son.
48:00
This is how. Loving, he is.
48:05
He's willing to do this for me. You see, the gospel does not
48:12
eliminate the fear of God. It intensifies it.
48:19
And it is a delight. Would we tremble?
48:24
Today's, we come before the bread and the cup, they consider
48:28
what need to be done for forgiveness, to be made known in
48:31
your life and mine. Lord, we thank you.
48:47
We realized that it is a strong message today.
48:53
But a much-needed one to be reminded of.
49:01
Oh Lord, we Delight to fear your name.
49:07
You are brilliant. You Are, Holy.
49:16
You are worthy. Of our reverence.
49:23
We look to calvary's hill now. And we consider the Blackness of
49:29
that sky. And the trembling Earth beneath
49:34
our feet. And the sinless Savior hanging.
49:41
With bruises and blood. And dry spit on his face.
49:50
And we tremble. Unite our hearts to fear your
50:01
name. Help us believe that the fear of
50:06
the Lord will draw us closer to you.
50:11
Your word says that the secrets of the Lord belong to those who
50:15
fear Him. The fear of the Lord is a
50:20
Fountain of Life. We love you, Lord.
50:30
In our hearts, we bow before you, holy is your name.
50:35
Holy holy, holy is the Lord. Matchless, and power and
50:42
Majesty. May the success of this ministry
50:50
of this family of God. Be connected to a shared fear of
50:57
you. We bless you now.
51:00
In Jesus name, amen.