How to Fear the Lord According to the Bible

The word “fear,” has an predominantly negative connotation in today’s world. And what I mean by that is that if someone was to randomly scream the word, “fear,” in a room with people, some negative image will come to the minds of every person in that room. But then, what does it mean to fear God? And how to fear God? This question will be the focus of this post, so continue reading.

Who is God?

Does the fear of God mean to be terrified by Him? Before I tackle this question, let me clarify some things as I don’t want to cause any confusion in this post.

The God I’m talking about is the God of the Bible. He is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He is the God who came down to Earth 2000 years ago as Lord Jesus Christ.

Lord Jesus Christ healed the sick, freed the demon-possessed, and performed miracles, too many to count.

John 21:25 King James Version (KJV)
25 And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.

And how did the people of that time treat Lord Jesus Christ? Well, the religious leaders got jealous of Lord Jesus and they used the people’s herd mentality to pressure the ancient Roman government of that time to crucify Lord Jesus Christ.

Luke 23:23 King James Version (KJV)
23 And they were instant with loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified. And the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed.

But, do not think for a second that this event was unforeseen by God. No, on the contrary, God knew that people are corrupted, and He allowed Himself to be tortured and crucified by His own people.

The reason for this is because you and I have all sinned. We’ve all messed up somewhere in our lives. And since God is holy and perfect, He cannot let us into Heaven because we are imperfect.

Thus, we need atonement. That atonement is Lord Jesus Christ dying on the cross for you and me. When He bore hell on Earth at the cross of Calvary, we can accept His sacrifice, and forfeit the destruction awaiting us in our afterlife. He is the God I am talking about and the only God who I know. So, if you haven’t already, accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour.

John 14:6 World English Bible (WEB)
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me.

Terrified by the Lord?

Now, to actually deal with the question, what does it mean to fear God?

Genesis 20:10-11 World English Bible (WEB)
10 Abimelech said to Abraham, “What did you see, that you have done this thing?” 11 Abraham said, “Because I thought, ‘Surely the fear of God is not in this place. They will kill me for my wife’s sake.’

Well, it certainly doesn’t mean to be terrified or petrified by Him! I mean, look at the first time this phrase is used in an English translation of the Bible.

The first time this phrase was used in the Bible was in the above verse, where Abraham hid the fact that he was Sarah’s husband to Abimelech since Abraham thought there was no fear of God in Abimelech’s domain.

Does this mean that Abraham was scared to tell Abimelech that he was Sarah’s husband because Abimelech was not terrified by God? No, it means that according to Abraham, Abimelech did not care about God’s laws or respect God.

But, let me get this straight. If there’s anyone you should be terrified of, it’s God, and God alone. Now, I want you to read this slowly, otherwise, you will get really confused.

God does not want you to be terrified of Him. God does not want you to see Him as a danger. But, if you should be scared of anything or anyone, God is at the top of the list, not the devil. And that is because God is the most powerful being to exist.

So, if you’re thinking of going against God or doing something evil to another person, prepare yourself for the consequences. God looks for everyone’s best interest, and He will stop evil through whatever means necessary.

Matthew 10:28 King James Version (KJV)
28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

This should give you confidence because if God is on your side, then there’s absolutely no one to fear. Even after death, Heaven awaits you.

Continuing on, the fear of God is when you respect Him as your God. When you respect Lord Jesus Christ as your God, you will have convictions that restrain you from doing things He does not like.

Deuteronomy 10:12 World English Bible (WEB)
12 Now, Israel, what does Yahweh your God require of you, but to fear Yahweh your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, and to serve Yahweh your God with all your heart and with all your soul,

How to Fear God

So, how do you fear God? You fear God by respecting Him and obeying Him.

Psalm 33:8 World English Bible (WEB)
Let all the earth fear Yahweh.
    Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.

To fear God means to stand in awe of Him. By standing in awe of Him, I mean to be in a state where you marvel at the goodness and love of God.

To fear God means to honour His love for you, and turn away from evil. Don’t do bad things because they benefit or pleasure you, turn away from them because God loves you!

Proverbs 3:7 King James Version (KJV)
Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.

Furthermore, God blesses those who fear Him. When you decide to respect God, God will make sure that you lack nothing in your life.

Psalm 34:9 World English Bible (WEB)
Oh fear Yahweh, you his saints,
    for there is no lack with those who fear him.

And another thing that comes with fearing Him, is wisdom. Once you commit to honouring God above all else, God will give you the wisdom that is relevant in your situation.

Psalm 111:10 World English Bible (WEB)
10 The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom.
    All those who do his work have a good understanding.
His praise endures forever!

So, what’s the conclusion? Fear God by honouring and respecting Him. And turn away from ways which you know aren’t right because ultimately, God loves you.

The Difference Between Superstition and Faith

Don’t tell me there’s no difference between superstition and faith. Because the sad reality is that many people, especially skeptics, like to brand faith as just another representation of superstitious belief. So, in this post, my goal is to outline the difference between superstition and faith to clear up all the confusion within our minds. And if you have questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section.

Superstition

What is superstition? Because if we’re going to discuss the difference between two things, we need to know what the two things are.

Superstition is the belief in the supernatural out of ignorance or fear. An example of superstition is when one carves a wooden humanoid figure and then prays to it for prosperity.

Isaiah 44:17-19 World English Bible (WEB)
17 The rest of it he makes into a god,
    even his engraved image.
He bows down to it
and worships,
    and prays to it, and says, “Deliver me; for you are my god!”

18 They don’t know, neither do they consider:
    for he has shut their eyes, that they can’t see;
    and their hearts, that they can’t understand.
19 No one thinks,
    neither is there knowledge nor understanding
to say,
    “I have burned part of it in the fire.
    Yes, I have also baked bread on its coals.
    I have roasted meat and eaten it.
    Shall I make the rest of it into an abomination?
    Shall I bow down to a tree trunk?”

Why is that superstition? It’s because the wooden figure is something someone makes which cannot hear their words, thus, being an ignorant belief.

Another example of superstition is the sacrifice of human beings to avoid the wrath of deities. This is superstitious because the person who practises such superstition is jeopardizing someone else out of fear that disobedience to their deities will incur punishment.

Now, the million dollar question is… does Biblical Christianity follow the path of superstition?

My answer to that is “no, quite the contrary.” And I’m going to explain how instead, the God of the Bible forges a new path to follow Him, a path called “faith.”

It’s not superstition, because the God of the Bible does not want you to believe in Him out of fear or ignorance. Let me prove this in the next section.

The Difference Between Superstition and Faith

Firstly, He does not want you to believe Him out of fear. That’s why He almost always says “fear not,” whenever He approaches a person in the Bible.

I mean, look at the verse below, the first thing God told Abraham in his vision was to not be afraid. God always makes it clear that He is the last person in the world to associate with worldly fear.

Genesis 15:1 World English Bible (WEB)
15 After these things Yahweh’s word came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Don’t be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.”

Secondly, the God of Abraham does not force you to believe Him out of ignorance, although, He does expect you to trust Him when things don’t make sense. And I’ll explain the latter part of what I said in the next section, but, for now, here’s an example of Him warning us of ignorant superstition.

Jeremiah 7:31 World English Bible (WEB)
31 They have built the high places of Topheth, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire; which I didn’t command, nor did it come into my mind.

God was so upset with the people who burned their own children as a sacrifice to idols, and He even admitted that such a deed had never presented itself as a thought within the omniscient mind of God!

Ignorant human beings thought that by murdering their own children, they would please deities of their own making, this is something God cannot stand.

Faith

So, how does God want you to believe in Him? It’s quite simple. And we better not muddle it with our theories, laws, and superstitions. We better see it as He depicts it in His Word.

He wants us to believe in Him by faith.

Ephesians 2:8 King James Version (KJV)
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

What’s faith? It’s the belief in the God of the Bible where you trust Him through what He said in His Word (the Bible), and you know His grace and love.

His grace was revealed when God came down to Earth in the form of a human being as Lord Jesus Christ to die on the cross so that instead of God punishing you for your blunders, He would be sacrificed for you.

John 3:16 King James Version (KJV)
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Lord Jesus Christ healed the sick, delivered the spiritually oppressed and blessed so many people during His ministry, but the religious leaders out of jealousy and fear, decided to crucify Him. Yet, this was all part of God’s plan to make the sacrifice for those who trust Him as their Lord and Saviour. I talk more about it in this post.

Therefore, put your faith in Christ Jesus as your Lord and Saviour to enter a relationship with God Almighty.

Faith is not superstition. It is the trust you put in God that He will do what He said He would do. It’s the acceptance of the creator who designed you and formed you in your mother’s womb. It is the realization that you’re significant and that you hold value in the eyes of your Heavenly Father.

This faith in Christ Jesus does not depend on your circumstances. If things aren’t going well for you, you must still trust God because He will make all things turn out for your good.

Faith is just another way of saying that God wants you to trust Him just like how you would trust someone in any other relationship. The difference between superstition and faith is tremendous so trust God; place your faith in Lord Jesus Christ.

The Importance of Convictions and Boundaries

Our world seems to encourage the abandonment of moral boundaries and convictions. And this lack of convictions and personal boundaries within people often leads to violations of the conscience or issues with mental health. That is why in this post, my goal is to teach you the importance of convictions and boundaries within one’s life if one wants to live in the best way possible.

Where’s Our Convictions and Boundaries?

Let’s face it. Our world’s losing its grip on absolutes. We like to muddle our picture of morality and expand upon the boundaries of what’s right and wrong.

For example, according to the Star, gun violence in Toronto, Canada has increased 13% since last year as of May 12, 2020. I can only see this fact as an apparent reminder that our society is forgetting what it means to hold moral convictions.

And if we don’t hold moral convictions, how can we hold spiritual convictions?

John 3:12 World English Bible (WEB)
12 If I told you earthly things and you don’t believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?

I find it heartbreaking to witness a person find themselves in hell on Earth after violating all of our God-given boundaries. God gave us guidelines to protect us from the evils of our own self-destructive natures.

Jeremiah 17:9 King James Version (KJV)
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

But, many people drive themselves into all sorts of addiction and sin. This ultimately leads to issues like depression, trauma, and more. There are all sorts of evils which a person can do, I don’t need to name them all.

Ezekiel 33:11 King James Version (KJV)
11 Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?

Therefore, take a deep look at where you’re at, in your personal life. And if you realize that you’ve lived without convictions or moral boundaries, now is the time to realize the importance of moral convictions.

The Importance of Convictions and Boundaries

Now, the point of moral convictions is to remind one’s soul if you or someone else is violating a moral law. Furthermore, stealing is a violation of morality and you should have the convictions to tell you that.

Ephesians 4:28 World English Bible (WEB)
28 Let him who stole steal no more; but rather let him labor, producing with his hands something that is good, that he may have something to give to him who has need.

Even more, moral and spiritual boundaries tells us what lines to not cross. We should know our boundaries and not demean our worth to God by forgetting our personal boundaries.

For example, sexual immorality often occurs because people do not know the boundaries of marriage, and this leads many lives to devastation.

1 Corinthians 6:18 World English Bible (WEB)
18 Flee sexual immorality! “Every sin that a man does is outside the body,” but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body.

Know your boundaries. If you don’t know your own boundaries, you forget that there’s something to protect within you. And if you don’t understand your own worth, then read this post.

So, again, realize the importance of boundaries and convictions. Go down the straight yet narrow path, and ask God for the grace to lead you down that ever-so good path.

Matthew 7:13-14 World English Bible (WEB)
13 “Enter in by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter in by it. 14 How[a] the gate is narrow and the way is restricted that leads to life! There are who find it.

Where Do I Find My Convictions?

2 Timothy 3:16-17 World English Bible (WEB)
16 Every Scripture is God-breathed and[a] profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness, 17 that each person who belongs to God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

If there’s anywhere I’d find convictions and moral boundaries guiding me as to what’s right or not, I’d find it in the Bible.

Psalm 119:105 King James Version (KJV)
105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

And do you know why? It’s because, without God, there are no boundaries. There are only boundaries if there’s something worth protecting and without God, where’s the worth in you?

The God of the Bible is the only one to declare that you have value because you were created in His image. And I will stick to that justification of intrinsic human worth because it’s the only one I’ve got.

Genesis 1:27 World English Bible (WEB)
27 God created man in his own image. In God’s image he created him; male and female he created them.

Reach out to the God who created you in His image, and let Him begin a new work in you. Whether you’re in the gutters of damnation or a pristine neighbourhood, God wants you to accept His saving help.

Ezekiel 36:26-27 World English Bible (WEB)
26 I will also give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit within you. I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh. 27 I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes. You will keep my ordinances and do them.

That’s why He came to Earth as Lord Jesus Christ and died on the cross to suffer the penalty for your sins. After 3 days, He rose again, victorious over death. So, accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour, He will not disappoint.

By Andre Wijesekera

Is Yoga Really Effective in the Long-Term?

Discern!

To those who’ve bothered to read this post, my guess is that you’re here to find out if yoga is really effective in the long-term scenario. And so, I am going to talk about yoga in this post as I look at it from a Christian perspective, a mental health perspective, and a practical perspective. My goal is to go into the depths of analysis as I deal with the question and I hope you find something helpful from this post.

Stretching One’s Self for Mental Peace? Is Yoga Really Effective in the Long-Term?

For those who don’t know, yoga is a series of stretches and breathing exercises originating from the East (India). Interestingly enough, the West (America & Canada) actively embrace yoga.

And what does yoga promise? Rather, how do gurus and yoga instructors mass-market yoga as? Well, they say “yoga is good for your mind, it eases the muscles, and reduces stress.”

I mean, sure, it’s an exercise that eases the muscles, but, why do people idealize yoga so much? So, in the next subsection, I’ll be taking a closer look at what it means to do yoga. As yoga protrudes beyond the boundary of exercise and into the territory of spiritual matters.

Why the Hype?

Ever wondered why yoga is so popular right now, especially in the West? Well, I think I’ve found the reason why. It’s because it’s foreign.

There’s a part of human nature that loves things which are foreign. People crave something unknown and that’s why advertisings of healthy protein shakes or perfumes always mention some tropical fruit or ingredient foreign to the Western climate.

But, aside from its physical risks, yoga poses spiritual risks often too grim for imagination. Remember, I said that it originates from the East?

Well, it originates as a practice meant to yoke with the so-called “gods” or “universal consciousness” of Hinduism. As a matter of fact, the word “yoga,” comes from the Sanskrit word “Yuj,” defined as “to unite.”

And just take a look at the meanings behind poses in popular types of yoga such as Hatha yoga. One pose is the Warrior pose which embraces the story of a Hindu deity’s son known as “Virabhadra.”

Another pose is the Corpse pose, a pose where one stretches with their back touching the floor. This yoga pose intends to prepare one for death. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to embrace death in any way or manner.

Psalm 118:17 King James Version (KJV)
17 I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord.

Continuing on, this craving for the foreign is exactly why Eve ate the forbidden fruit.

Genesis 3:6 World English Bible (WEB)
When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took some of its fruit, and ate. Then she gave some to her husband with her, and he ate it, too.

The Bible says that Eve saw that the one tree which God told her not to eat from as visually appealing and it promised her wisdom. Yoga is similar to this forbidden fruit in that it is visually appealing to many with its foreign, Eastern charm and promise of peace.

The tree Eve ate from was unlike any of the trees which God had made for Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden. So, she disobeyed God and ate from that tree.

Both Adam and Eve disobeyed God but obeyed the devil which tempted them to eat from that tree. And this disobedience allowed sin, death, sickness, injustice, and more to enter the world of humans.

Romans 5:12 World English Bible (WEB)
12 Therefore as sin entered into the world through one man, and death through sin; so death passed to all men, because all sinned.

Bearing the Yolk of Lord Jesus, Alone

At the end of the day, yoga is endued with many spiritual implications. It is a result of Hinduism and is saturated with various Hindu concepts and spiritual meanings.

I know people who’ve practised yoga, and if anything, it’s made things worse for them. But, I’ve seen the transformative power of God’s love in Christ Jesus which changed the lives of various people who I know.

As a Christian, it is spiritually wrong to practice yoga. If you want mental peace, calmness, and no stress, then ask God. Ask Christ Jesus for the peace and grace which He promises to those who trust Him.

John 14:27 World English Bible (WEB)
27 Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, I give to you. Don’t let your heart be troubled, neither let it be fearful.

Lord Jesus Christ is God who came down to Earth in the form of a human being and He bore the punishment for your sins on the cross and sacrificed Himself for you. Three days after dying, Lord Jesus Christ rose again, conquering death in your place, which I talk more about in this post. Now, when you accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, you can enjoy a relationship with God, Himself.

Romans 5:15 World English Bible (WEB)
15 But the free gift isn’t like the trespass. For if by the trespass of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God, and the gift by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many.

Trust God for the peace that surpasses human understanding, and read His lovely word, the Bible.

Pray to God, and tell Him about the things that trouble you. He will take care of you and make everything turn out for your good.

Philippians 4:6-7 World English Bible (WEB)
In nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus.

In the end, yoga follows the principles of Hinduism, by nature. If you do yoga, you are embracing a worldview contrary to the Christian worldview.

1 Corinthians 10:21 World English Bible (WEB)
21 You can’t both drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You can’t both partake of the table of the Lord and of the table of demons.

And Jesus makes it clear in His Word to only bear His yolk instead of doing yoga and yoking with spiritual beings.

Matthew 11:28-30 World English Bible (WEB)
28 “Come to me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”