Joie de Vivre A Wretched Man’s Quest To Follow Jesus Christ

Does the term “fearing God” equate respect for, and reverence of God?

This particular thought has been occupying most of my conscious thoughts on the train to and from work the past couple of days so I thought I would share what I’ve learned.

Today, many sermons focus on love, forgiveness, the goodness of our Lord Jesus Christ and God our Father, grace, the end-times, etc, but I have read or heard very few on the fear of God.

Don’t get me wrong — it’s all good that we are learning about love, grace, forgiveness and even about the persecution that is to come, but there are very few teachings on the fear of God, and I wanted to learn more.

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Have you ever faced or imagined this scenario where you stand before a judge in court, and they read out all the charges to you and you stand in trepidation wondering what sort of punishment will be meted out against you?

I have.

Now I have never been to court to answer a charge prior to a few months’ back, but I was served summons to appear in court for non-payment of some fees I owe to the Town Council during the time when I was desperately unemployed for more than 6 months.

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I just watched a sermon at a church’s web site, and have been frantically searching for the Biblical basis for what the pastor preached on tithing and prayer.

To emphasize the point, the reading was taken from Malachi chapters 1 and 3.

Anyhow, one point that the pastor made about how men can have their prayers answered was that they need to present gifts to their wives (which is one form of honoring one’s wife).

Excuse me, but what?

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This Shabbat, I have learned of two prayer requests that I hope you will help bring to God our Father in your prayers.

Two of my dear sisters and a brother are facing trials in their lives right now, and they need all our help to bring their cares unto the Father in prayer.

I hope, that even if you don’t know them, that you include them in your prayers, for we are one body in Christ Jesus, and our prayers are like unto God a sweet incense when we pray together.

Michelle’s daughter Jacqui is terribly sick, and I know how much Jacqui is precious to Michelle and a blessing unto her. Shalene and Bobby are facing a difficult pregnancy; they have been so happy about this pregnancy but now there have been some uncertainties.

Lord God our Father,

We give praise unto you for you are God who made the heavens, the earth, the sea, the stars to shine, the sun to shine, and by your word everything came into being. You are Lord of all that is in the heavens, and on the earth, and in the sea.

You are Lord of our lives and your blessings and mercies are upon us each and every day even when we don’t deserve them. You are love, and righteousness, and mercy, and all that is good.

We thank you, Lord, for promising that all things work for good to those who love you. We thank you, Lord, for being our God, and though we never are always faithful unto you, that you are faithful, and just. For even the hairs of our heads are counted, because you are God that formed us and know our hearts.

Father, we bring unto you our prayers for Jacqui, Michelle’s precious daughter. Lord, you are the mighty God that formed her, and you are the loving God who gave Jacqui unto Michelle for a blessing and a joy.

Lord, you know how sick Jacqui is, and how worried Michelle is. Lord we lift our voices and pray that your comfort and peace, the peace that comes beyond understanding, come upon both daughter and mother. Lord, we pray earnestly that you heal Jacqui and restore the little girl her health.

Oh, Lord, we know how you love little children, and Lord you know how much Michelle loves her. Lord you know what our hearts desire even before we speak of them unto you, and we know you desire the best for us as our Loving Father.

Father, you are the God who heals, the God who comforts and the God who provides. We pray today for your healing upon Jacqui, and your comfort and provision unto Michelle and her household.

Father, we also bring unto you our prayers for Bobby and Shalene. Lord, you see how much they love each other and their family. For truly, through them we see your love for them and for us.

Lord, let your comfort and peace come upon them as they worry about this pregnancy. Lord, you know their hearts, and how happy and blessed they are that they have this pregnancy. Lord, you remember how Shalene was thanking you for gifting this unto her.

Therefore, Lord God our Father, we beseech you that you bless them with a successful pregnancy.

Your will be done, Oh Lord our God.

In Christ Jesus we pray,

Amen.

I just came across this story of A.J. Jacobs, an agnostic, who did the crazy thing of trying to follow all of the rules set out in the Bible in a single year.

Did you know that there are, apparently, more than 700 rules ranging from the familiar “Love thy neighbor as thyself” to the more obscure part about not trimming one’s beard?

Jacobs’ experience will be published in a book titled The Year of Living Biblically: One Man’s Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible, which will be in bookstores Oct 9, 2007.

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One of the most difficult things I encounter trying to live the life of a true follower of Christ Jesus is in following the teaching in 1 Thessalonians 5:18.

“In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”

– 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (KJV)

Notice that the teaching is to give thanks for everything, not just the good, but everything including the bad!

Yes, that means the worst afflictions, the worst possible setbacks you might face in your career and relationships like losing your job or a loved one.

And it’s even giving thanks for the worst possible scenarios that you pray God to lift off your shoulders or turn around! Say, for example, you pray that you won’t be retrenched from your job during an economic downturn, but you still are asked to go.

Yet the question remains — how do I give thanks for something bad happening to me?

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