Fear God

It is written in Isaiah 5:20-25 (NKJV) Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, And prudent in their own sight! Woe to men mighty at drinking wine, …… Because they have rejected the law of the LORD of hosts, And despised the word of the Holy One of Israel. Therefore the anger of the LORD is aroused against His people; He has stretched out His hand against them And stricken them, And the hills trembled. Their carcasses were as refuse in the midst of the streets. For all this His anger is not turned away, But His hand is stretched out still.

Although I highlighted this passage many years ago, but only recently I can see that I have very little understanding of it’s meaning. If I had any fear of God, I would have to inquire of Him every time I want to say or do something. Because no one, in his right mind, would like to be on the receiving end of “the anger of the LORD” by “rejected the law of the LORD of hosts, And despised the word of the Holy One of Israel“.

Even prophet Isaiah regretted for some of the things he had said, Isa 6:5 (NIV) “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.” We are so used to speak without knowing if God approve it. I just don’t know what was in my heart that I seldom feel the need to seek the Lord for everything and I have to repent, I am too careless. For it is written;

Heb 2:1-3 Therefore we must pay closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. For if the message spoken through angels proved to be so firm that every violation or disobedience received its just penalty, how will we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? So many have no fear of the Lord and missed the will of God. Some have called bad doctrine good and led many astray, leaving the flock have no idea what is God’s will or how to carry it out in everyday life.

It is written, 1Thess 4:3-8 (NET) For this is God’s will: that you become holy, that you keep away from sexual immorality, that each of you know how to possess his own body in holiness and honor, not in lustful passion like the Gentiles who do not know God. In this matter no one should violate the rights of his brother or take advantage of him, because the Lord is the avenger in all these cases, as we also told you earlier and warned you solemnly. For God did not call us to impurity but in holiness. Consequently the one who rejects this is not rejecting human authority but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.

God’s people need to ask how often do you hear the calling or instruction on holiness from the pulpit. When do you see preacher respect the word of God (1Peter 4:11), “If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God“. Can the body of Christ get ready for His coming without hearing the voice of the Lord or the Oracles of God? Jesus said in Luke 6:39, “Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit? ”

My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge

It is written; My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge. And it is happening everywhere today more than ever, due to great number of false teachers and blind guides. They create a different gospel by mainly using Romans 10:9, “That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” And disregard other important word of God. Men like the idea you only need to confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord”. Only few like to hear what Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” They can’t see that “believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead” means you will do the will of God. Whoever does not imitate Christ doing God’s will, simply does not believe in his heart.

Many are not aware the requirement of walk with Jesus is essential, as it is written; 1John 2:3-6 (NIV) We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. The man who says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys his word, God’s love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did. Can someone be saved and yet not walk as Jesus did? Listen to the word of God in Isaiah.

Covenant with death

Isa 28:5-19 (NIV) In that day the Lord Almighty will be a glorious crown, a beautiful wreath for the remnant of his people. He will be a spirit of justice to him who sits in judgment, a source of strength to those who turn back the battle at the gate. And these also stagger from wine and reel from beer: Priests and prophets stagger from beer and are befuddled with wine; they reel from beer, they stagger when seeing visions, they stumble when rendering decisions. All the tables are covered with vomit and there is not a spot without filth.

“Who is it he is trying to teach? To whom is he explaining his message? To children weaned from their milk, to those just taken from the breast? For it is: Do and do, do and do, rule on rule, rule on rule; a little here, a little there.”

Very well then, with foreign lips and strange tongues God will speak to this people, to whom he said, “This is the resting place, let the weary rest“; and, “This is the place of repose” — but they would not listen. So then, the word of the Lord to them will become: Do and do, do and do, rule on rule, rule on rule; a little here, a little there — so that they will go and fall backward, be injured and snared and captured.

Therefore hear the word of the Lord, you scoffers who rule this people in Jerusalem. You boast, “We have entered into a covenant with death, with the grave we have made an agreement. When an overwhelming scourge sweeps by, it cannot touch us, for we have made a lie our refuge and falsehood our hiding place.”

So this is what the Sovereign Lord says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who trusts will never be dismayed. I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the plumb line; hail will sweep away your refuge, the lie, and water will overflow your hiding place. Your covenant with death will be annulled; your agreement with the grave will not stand. When the overwhelming scourge sweeps by, you will be beaten down by it. As often as it comes it will carry you away; morning after morning, by day and by night, it will sweep through.” The understanding of this message will bring sheer terror.

Isa 30:1 Woe to the Obstinate Nation “Woe to the obstinate children,” declares the Lord, “to those who carry out plans that are not mine, forming an alliance, but not by my Spirit, heaping sin upon sin;

Isa 30:15 This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it. These Words are more relevant today than ever, God’s people need to read Isaiah several times and ask the Lord to give understanding. As “Nor are you to be called ‘teacher,’ for you have one Teacher, the Christ.“

Isa 55:6-9 Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Now let us learn God’s way and His thoughts by praying psalms 54 to 58 (AKJV). These are prayer examples for protection everyone needs for right now and coming trouble times. Those walk in the flesh will pray only after they have suffered consequence and sorrow, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Think about Daniel and his friends, did he pray for protection inside the lion’s den or much earlier? If not like the Psalms, how to find enough items to pray for 3 times everyday, in those days without phone, newspaper or media?

Save me, O God, by your name, and judge me by your strength.
Hear my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth.
For strangers are risen up against me, and oppressors seek after my soul: they have not set God before them.
Behold, God is my helper: the Lord is with them that uphold my soul.
He shall reward evil to my enemies: cut them off in your truth.
I will freely sacrifice to you: I will praise your name, O LORD; for it is good.
For he has delivered me out of all trouble: and my eye has seen his desire on my enemies.

Give ear to my prayer, O God; and hide not yourself from my supplication.
Attend to me, and hear me: I mourn in my complaint, and make a noise;
Because of the voice of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked: for they cast iniquity on me, and in wrath they hate me.
My heart is sore pained within me: and the terrors of death are fallen on me.
Fearfulness and trembling are come on me, and horror has overwhelmed me.
And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away, and be at rest.
See, then would I wander far off, and remain in the wilderness.
I would hasten my escape from the windy storm and tempest.
Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongues: for I have seen violence and strife in the city.
Day and night they go about it on the walls thereof: mischief also and sorrow are in the middle of it.
Wickedness is in the middle thereof: deceit and guile depart not from her streets.
For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have borne it: neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me; then I would have hid myself from him:
But it was you, a man my equal, my guide, and my acquaintance.
We took sweet counsel together, and walked to the house of God in company.
Let death seize on them, and let them go down quick into hell: for wickedness is in their dwellings, and among them.
As for me, I will call on God; and the LORD shall save me.
Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.
He has delivered my soul in peace from the battle that was against me: for there were many with me.
God shall hear, and afflict them, even he that stays of old. Because they have no changes, therefore they fear not God.
He has put forth his hands against such as be at peace with him: he has broken his covenant.
The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords.
Cast your burden on the LORD, and he shall sustain you: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.
But you, O God, shall bring them down into the pit of destruction: bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; but I will trust in you.

Be merciful to me, O God: for man would swallow me up; he fighting daily oppresses me.
My enemies would daily swallow me up: for they be many that fight against me, O you most High.
What time I am afraid, I will trust in you.
In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do to me.
Every day they wrest my words: all their thoughts are against me for evil.
They gather themselves together, they hide themselves, they mark my steps, when they wait for my soul.
Shall they escape by iniquity? in your anger cast down the people, O God.
You tell my wanderings: put you my tears into your bottle: are they not in your book?
When I cry to you, then shall my enemies turn back: this I know; for God is for me.
In God will I praise his word: in the LORD will I praise his word.
In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do to me.
Your vows are on me, O God: I will render praises to you.
For you have delivered my soul from death: will not you deliver my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living?

Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me: for my soul trusts in you: yes, in the shadow of your wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be over.
I will cry to God most high; to God that performes all things for me.
He shall send from heaven, and save me from the reproach of him that would swallow me up. God shall send forth his mercy and his truth.
My soul is among lions: and I lie even among them that are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword.
Be you exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be above all the earth.
They have prepared a net for my steps; my soul is bowed down: they have dig a pit before me, into the middle whereof they are fallen themselves.
My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise.
Awake up, my glory; awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake early.
I will praise you, O Lord, among the people: I will sing to you among the nations.
For your mercy is great to the heavens, and your truth to the clouds.
Be you exalted, O God, above the heavens: let your glory be above all the earth.

Do you indeed speak righteousness, O congregation? do you judge uprightly, O you sons of men?
Yes, in heart you work wickedness; you weigh the violence of your hands in the earth.
The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies.
Their poison is like the poison of a serpent: they are like the deaf adder that stops her ear;
Which will not listen to the voice of charmers, charming never so wisely.
Break their teeth, O God, in their mouth: break out the great teeth of the young lions, O LORD.
Let them melt away as waters which run continually: when he bends his bow to shoot his arrows, let them be as cut in pieces.
As a snail which melts, let every one of them pass away: like the untimely birth of a woman, that they may not see the sun.
Before your pots can feel the thorns, he shall take them away as with a whirlwind, both living, and in his wrath.
The righteous shall rejoice when he sees the vengeance: he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked.
So that a man shall say, Truly there is a reward for the righteous: truly he is a God that judges in the earth.