Hosea 4:6 KJV My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.
This rebuke from God should terrify any man, and any man with children, double.
Isaiah 66: 1-3 KJV 1 Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest? 2 For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.
The Word of God should strike fear in the heart and soul of anyone who reads it. If it does not do so in your life, two things are wrong. Number one, you do not realize the gravity of who you are dealing with. Number two, you are not thinking clearly.
Prov 9:10 KJV The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.
Prov 1:7 KJV The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
The Word of God is not a book. The Word of God is a living, powerful, personal, spiritual interaction with God. The Word of God reveals who He is and reveals who you are so you can see the impoverished sinful state of your life and realize He is your ONLY hope.
The fear of God should never depart from you. You are in trouble when you start thinking you and God have things worked out and you can coast on into the next life.
The apostle Paul when writing to the Philippians did praise them for their belief in the Gospel from the beginning, and their steadfast continuing in the faith, and assured them that God who had started the good work in them would also continue to work in them until the very last day, the Day of Jesus Christ. Yet with all these confirmations and assurances, Paul urges them to work out their own salvation with fear and trembling.
Philippians 1:3-6 KJV I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, 4 Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy, 5 For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now; 6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
Philippians 2:5-13 KJV Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
If you do not have the fear of God in you right now, start reading the bible and let it touch your heart. The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. With that wisdom, a wise man will turn from his sinful ways and seek the salvation that can only come by faith in the words and the works of Jesus, the son of the living God.
Isaiah 33:5-6 KJV The LORD is exalted; for he dwelleth on high: he hath filled Zion with judgment and righteousness. 6 And wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times, and strength of salvation: the fear of the LORD is his treasure.
