Fear

January 27, 2023

“There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear, because fear involves punishment. The one who fears has not been perfected in love. We love because He first loved us.” 1 John 4:18–19.

There are basically three types of fear:

“Rational Fear- Rational fears occur where there is a real, imminent threat..

Primal Fear- Primal fear is defined as an innate fear that is programmed into our brains…

Irrational Fear- Irrational fears are the ones that don’t make logical sense and can vary greatly from person to person…”

Source: https://escapegames.ca/three-types-of-fear/

Those definitions and the explanations that follow them on that online source are about understanding fear in the context of playing escape games or going through haunted houses on Halloween.

Two Merriam Webster definitions are “1 a: an unpleasant often strong emotion caused by anticipation or awareness of danger” and “3 : profound reverence and awe especially toward God”

I hope to write to expound on that #3 definition of fear…

Biblically speaking that #3 doesn’t quite hit the mark. From two translations of Psalm 19:9 two perspectives present a moving target: From the New International Version, “The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever. The decrees of the LORD are firm, and all of them are righteous.” From the New Living Translation. “Reverence for the LORD is pure, lasting forever. The laws of the LORD are true; each one is fair.”

Now, I suppose that people rightly have a fear of punishment and judgment in all forms and applications, but first, I want to reference the Bible’s perspective…

“The Hebrew word translated into ‘awe’ in the Bible is yirah (יראה, pronounced yir-ah). It often directly translates into fear, like “fear of the Lord,” but it can also mean respect, reverence, and worship. But, make no mistake about it, yirah is strongly connected to ‘trembling’.” https://firmisrael.org/

This article further emphasizes the phrase “the fear of the Lord” means in its true application as realizing how awesome God is and therefore, respecting God with reverence.

So, we must be cleareyed and refocus our aim to hit the bullseye.

Ever go to your parents with a question? You went to them because you respected them and perhaps, even holding them in such high regard and thinking, “My parents are awesome!”. God wants you to have that kind of relationship with Him. God wants to adopt you into His family. However, we are all prodigal sons and daughters.

So, God the Father sent Jesus to convince us to be reconciled with Him. Unfortunately, Paul, quoting Scriptures from the Old Testament, wrote in his letter to the Romans 3:10–11, “There is no one righteous, not even one. There is no one who understands, no one who seeks God.”

I observe the current societal and individual attitudes has resulted in no one seeking much of anything “spiritual,” that is, precepts like justice, truth, and righteousness in subjection to God and the Bible. I guess people has figured everything out for themselves. Technology is all we need. We are becoming masters of the Universe… or so we think.

God created a Garden Paradise. He took a look at everything He had made, and His analysis was that “it was very good.”

Man has created a very different environment, hasn’t he? It is not unlike a monotheistic model. In suburbia, houses are all cookie cutter developments. In the cities, everything is cement and asphalt with only sprinklings of color and living things from Nature- excluding rats, cockroaches, pigeons, and the occasional coyote. (Yes, I’m exaggerating, but is simply for emphasis.)

What Mankind has created is far from a garden paradise, and my analysis is,”This isn’t very good at all.”

Our internal environment, our inner self, is too often not much better.

Through Jesus, these situations can and will change.

First, seek God and keep on seeking. Don’t stop until you become reborn by the Spirit of God. You will know you have changed inside when you find Jesus to be your personal Rescuer. It will be a whole new situation.

Second, believe the future which God promises- a new Heaven and Earth. You will find the future secured as you walk, talk, and listen to Him. You will come to believe more and more as you grow as a child of God.

Now, this all can be yours if you turn to God and accept Jesus as your Rescuer, your personal Redeemer:

“His divine power has given us {or will give you} everything we need for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. Through these He has given us {or will give you} His precious and magnificent promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, now that you have{or will have} escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil {harmful} desires.

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities and continue to grow in them, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

But whoever lacks these traits is nearsighted to the point of blindness, having forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins. Therefore, brothers, strive to make your calling and election sure. For if you practice these things you will never stumble, and you will receive a lavish reception into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” 2 Peter 1:3–11, Berean Standard Bible.

Yes, it is a trek. Life can be likened to a walk, a hike, a path, a road or a highway. There is this false concept that there are many roads that lead to God. What is false about it? It is true that people come from many different places and experiences in life, and there are many travel destinations people choose, but there is only one way to God of the Bible. So, let Jesus be your guide. Keep in mind this verse: “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death,” like driving off a cliff.

Do you know where that road you chose is taking you? Do you even want to know? Or are you content with the sights you are seeing?

Ask God, God of the Bible, to show you the road He wants you to take, remembering He loves you as a father would and knows so much more than you. He has, after all, an elevated view. It’s all written down. The Bible is the map. (see Matthew, Mark, Luke/Acts, and John).

There are lots of answers promulgated by men and many gurus claiming they know how to show you the way to god. But what god are they talking about? After all there are thousands and thousands of imaginary gods. But with Jesus, you can know for yourself.

Go straight to the Person in charge is my recommendation!

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6–7.

It is all about your choice.