Bible Teaching

Calvary Temple Teaching Library

Fear: The Highest Worship Pt.2

Hallelujah! Amen! Things are continuing in Africa at a very accelerated pace right now, so continue to pray for the guys as all of the meetings are being set up in Eldoret, preparations made for the missions team coming over, and just a lot of exciting things going on, a lot of great opportunities. Some of you are about to have your lives changed, praise God. You're never going to be the same when you come back and see the privilege that it is in carrying this message to another nation, to a people that are in great need and in far greater desperation of life than you could ever imagine. The privilege of being an ambassador for the kingdom of God in just going out, having freely received to so graciously give, praise God. It changes your life. Be prayerful. Believe God to, not only to carry forth ministry through you, but to minister to you and let your life be changed and transformed.

Be prayerful concerning the preparation in Eldoret. If my understanding is right--I've received so much communication I can't keep it all straight--but it seems like many of the youth came from Kakamega to Eldoret to help pass out all of the flyers advertising the meetings, and I believe that they had prepared 15,000 to be distributed and were planning on at least three to four days of getting these distributed. There was such an interest and such a diligence that they ran out the first day and had to send some more up. That's exciting to see, praise God, and we're believing that doors of utterance will be opened, and in just a month or so we'll have a church in Eldoret, praise God! We need a pastor...Any volunteers? Be prayerful. We're excited. Be praying about that, we need the wisdom of God. We don't know at this time who will be pastoring that church. It could be Pastor Tony starting off and Patrick taking the church in Kwanjenga, or it could be Patrick going there. It could be one of the other brethren that are doing such a good job in Umoja right now. We have one possibility with Benjamin in Kakamega.We have to hear from God; we need that wisdom. Pray for us so that we'll know whom to place where.

In my life one of the things that I've always counted probably the highest in importance is the timing of God. There is a right time for everything, and to know who and when is the key. We need that wisdom of God; He doesn't always tell us beforehand. Probably what is going to happen is, like it happens so many times, I'll be getting on the plane to head home and say, "Send so and so." We need the wisdom of God, please be prayerful. We're excited about that.

A lot of what is going on in Eldoret and the preparations for the conference in Tanzania are going well. It's looks like, at this time, there is going to be 20 regions (which would be equivalent to our states) in the nation of Tanzania. Twenty states that will be represented at this time. We shared with you that this is a historic event. They never had the major Pentecostal denominations come together; they have been too busy fighting over gnats and swallowing camels. Why at this time God has chosen to bring these men together, we don't know. But we count it a privilege to go and share the wisdom of God with these men. At this juncture there's twenty of the states that are represented and so far there's--they have some big numbers, I'm always on the conservative side, but it looks like there is going to be at least a minimum of 5,000 pastors there. We're looking to see the word of God go into these pastors' hearts and change them and prepare them for these last days that we're coming into because, "The night is coming when no man can work." We have to take time, diligence, while it's day--the night is coming when no man can work.

In addition to Tanzania, there is going to be representation from Uganda, the Congo, Burundi, Rwanda, Gambia, Zanzibar, and Mozambique. So a number of other countries are also going to have men that are there. We're just believing God for His wisdom and His strength to effect His purposes in the lives of these men.

Has it entered your mind ever, as it does mine, "Why would God would be sending someone from Sterling--a small congregation such as ours in Sterling--Why would God be sending someone to minister to these thousands of pastors? How is it that God would choose us as a people to bear this message into these different regions?" It comes down to what we were sharing in the Led By The Spirit teaching and in the Obedience teaching. As we said, obedience is the highest form of worship. If you're a hearer of the word and not obedient, you've deceived yourselves, the Scripture says. The reason comes down--the answer to that is this, really (It's in no way trying to exalt ourselves; it's just the truth of God's word): There are not that many people who are willing to say what God says to say, and to do what God says to do, without any compromise, without any consideration for consequence, with one real purpose, and that is to glorify God. Just for Father to be glorified. When that becomes the purpose of our hearts (the motivation) then God is able to take us beyond ourselves and use us in the realm of the supernatural. You see, God doesn't use the methods of men. God doesn't use the strong, the famous and the wealthy, and the powerful, because then they take His glory. God is looking for people just like you and me. His eyes are searching to and fro over the earth.

Is the spirit in each one of us, "Here am I Lord, send me. I just want to be used. I want to know Your presence. I want to know that anointing. I want to be able to hear 'Well done' in the end. 'Well done thou good and faithful servant.'"? When that begins to be the motivational factor then we become candidates for the supernatural. So we want to continue along those lines. It fits into what we were sharing the last couple of sessions: The fear of God. Is the fear of God the motivation for all that you do? The reverence for the Lord. Now, you know when we talk about the fear of God, we're talking about the esteem that He is worthy of. The ability to elevate God in your own perception. You can't make God bigger than He is. You can only make Him bigger to you. Do you elevate God in your own perception? Is there that reverential entering in to His presence? I was just reading one of Tozer's books and it's interesting, at that time one of the things that really seemed to bug him was the commonness that people had for God. One of the phrases he used was, "It just runs like ice water through my veins when I hear people say, [Oh, the phrase just went out of my mind.] 'Father, dear.'" A commonness--almost like a patronizing of God, a commonness of God. Speaking to God like you would any other creature instead of being constantly aware of His awesomeness.

Turn over to Psalm 33 for just a second. Though we have relationship with Him and there should be a boldness to enter into His presence by the blood of Jesus, though He is our loving heavenly Father, and we do call Him "Abba."--I'm not talking about a legalistic relationship with God. I'm not talking about having to have appointments. I'm not talking about a standoffish approach. I'm talking about an awareness of the awesomeness and the majesty of our God. There can be a commonness in our approach to Him. In other words, we can come boldly and we can sit on His lap and call Him, "Abba," but internally there is a respect. Is your heart smitten with the greatness of your God? Do you stand in awe? Do you want to be like your Father? Is He the inspiration for all that you want to be? Is He your hero? Is He the prototype for all that you're desiring to accomplish? Does He have your full affection? Are you here to serve Him and not Him to serve you?

Psalm 33, then, speaks along these lines. As it talks about rejoicing in the Lord and the need for praise to be in our lives, it says, "...For praise is comely for the upright....Sing unto him a new song; play skilfully with a loud noise. [Skillfully and loud should always go together.] For the word of the Lord is right; and all his works are done in truth" (Verses 1-4). We're going to look a little bit at the fear of God. You're going to see that how you relate to the Word is evidence of how much you fear God. The way you relate to His Word is the evidence, the fruit, of whether we truly fear God or not.

He is talking here about praise and about the expression of our worship. True worship is in obedience. The expression of our worship is in our thanksgiving and in our praise. "For the word of the Lord is right; and all his works are done in truth. He loveth righteousness and judgment: the earth is full of the goodness of the Lord. By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth... [Verse eight] Let all the earth fear the Lord: let all the inhabitants of the world [say it with me] stand in awe of him." Now, one of the phrases that we hear so much from the young people, "Awesome! Oh, that's awesome!" Some guy does three flips on a skateboard, or does a back flip on a bicycle or some of these motorcycle guys--Have you seen some of those motorcycle guys that go over some of these jumps? They actually turn lose of the motorcycle and reach out and grab a hold of the back of it. They're flying along behind the thing and pull themselves back up again. Now that's cool, but it's not awesome. (It might be awesome if I did it!) It's cool, but it's not awesome.

We use these expressions in our life and we lose sight of the fact that there is only one being that is awesome, and it's God. Do you stand in awe? Struck dumb! Overcome! He is beyond comprehension. His holiness sets Him apart in a totally different sphere than we can even exist. His ways are not our ways; they are far above our ways. We can't even look upon Him or we would die if we saw Him as He really is. All we see are shadows of Him. His hinder parts--we get a glimpse of some natural expression of His spiritual essence and we're overwhelmed. To look upon Him in His totality would kill the natural man. He spoke and the worlds came into existence, the Scripture tells us here. The creature who dominates man, who, turned lose in a moment could destroy humanity. God speaks one word and Satan has to appear before His throne and tremble. At His name every knee will bow and every tongue will confess. Every Atheist, every humanistic philosopher, every scientist, every military conqueror who has mocked will one day bow their knee and say, "Jesus Christ is Lord." Do you stand in awe of Him this morning? We say we made Him Lord, and we call Him Father-- "Then were is my honor?" the prophet said, representing God. "You speak of my greatness, but where is My honor? How is it you spend your time and your substance in so many other ways and you rob from Me?" Now, Malachi was speaking of the tithe, but what about our affection? What about our time and our energy? Our talents?

So the Psalmist here says, "Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him. For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast. The Lord bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought: he maketh the devices of the people of none effect." Which side are you on? Have you believe the lie of the kingdom of darkness? You need to be in awe of God. You need to realize that he delights, as we started this passage, in justice. God is loving and He is merciful, but He is just and He is righteous, and we stand in awe of Him. "The counsel of the Lord [verse 11] standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations. Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord..." You know, there is only one reason this country has stood above other nations. We're not a more righteous people, we're not more intelligent, we're not necessarily stronger. We seem to think that we're more industrious, but it all goes back to the roots--A nation (though not a Christian nation) a nation that was founded on the principles of God's justice and God's Word.

We wonder what is going to happen to this nation as we systematically dismantle what it's been built upon and legally drive God out of our nation to where His name can no longer be spoken in our schools. His principles are mocked at. This nation is coming down. It will know the judgement of God. Where is your trust this morning? Should God's justice come upon this nation prior to His catching away His bride to Himself, what have you built your house on? The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. It's doing it God's way. The Scripture says here that he brought the counsel of the heathen to nothing. If you've based everything in your life upon the world's system, it's going to come to nothing. But those of us who have built it upon the wisdom of God--we built our houses upon the wisdom of God--our trust is in the Lord. The fear of the Lord brings riches and honor and life, amen? But we can't say we fear Him and yet we're orchestrating our lives by the council of the world, the nations, that we do things just like they do, that their treasures are our treasures. You've deceived yourself. So we see then that we need to stand in awe, we need to be undone in the presence of God, we need to realize the weakness, the futility of all of our own strength and man's methods. We need to come into His presence, as we have done this morning, with a desire to encounter Him and be changed. Do you want to go out of here different than when you came in? Or do you just want to go out, so you can get back about whatever it was you were doing?

We finally have a sunny weekend after who knows how long. Do you want to get it to rain? Just take your Ferrari out for a drive. We got caught in a downpour last night. We were going out to hand out some more of our tracts and it started pouring yesterday evening (I can't remember what time). Do you come with the purpose of encountering God? We can get to the place where it becomes so habitual. We just come because it's Sunday morning, Sunday night, Wednesday night. We come because we have been trained to come. We come because if we don't come someone is going to get after us. Do you come to encounter God, the place where He has chosen to put His name? He said, "If you'll come in reverence, if you'll come with expectation, if you'll come you will encounter Me and you'll never be the same." Wouldn't you like to have an encounter like Moses had? To where when you walk out of this place people will know that you have been changed, just by looking at you? How many of you ever had somebody tell you, "There is something different about you." I'm sure you've had that happen at different times. I've had that happen so many times. "There is something different about you." And, I didn't have green hair or a ring in my nose. People were aware of the presence of God abiding in you.

As we, as earthen vessels, are the conduit--I shared in Men's Breakfast that as I was in prayer and just praying to the Lord to give us an opportunity to share the Gospel and to open up hearts and touch lives that He would really want touched, I began to be overwhelmed by the privilege of sharing the Gospel and realizing at that time, at best, surveying my own life and saying as I look at my life--if I was to look at it over these thirty-five plus years of serving God--at best, earthen vessels, a conduit of carrying the Word of God. Just a conduit, that's all you are. The power is flowing through you; the power isn't yours. There is nothing of life-giving substance that comes from you. There is no worth. Anybody can do it, but not everybody does. What I am talking about right now is the fear of God that makes you aware that at every moment He is dwelling within us. At any moment He may desire to express Himself through you. Are you ready to allow God? Is there enough fear to allow God to flow through you according to His eternal purposes, regardless of time, place, or consequence of what it is that God wants to do in your life? Others may minimize. Others may not realize what it is that you carry within you. Turn over to Samuel for just a second and let me show you about what I'm talking about. In 1 Samuel 17, the story that we all know so well. You learn it in Sunday School. Everybody can tell you about it. People hear these stories so often.

We were at the race track last Saturday and the announcer was on the PA system. He says, "They're getting ready for Children's Church [This is Saturday afternoon] over in such-a-such a place." He talked about the puppet's names. I don't know what the puppet's names were. "They're going to be telling the story of Joseph." This is the announcer. This is the guy who was announcing and talking about all the racecars and all this kind of stuff and making announcements about Benny the Bomb. You should have seen Benny the Bomb when we were there. Benny gets inside this car and blows it up with dynamite while he's in it. You should see him. He looks like that guy who was on "Taxi." The announcer said, "Now, those of you who meet Benny, he may look sixty-five, but he's only twenty-four." Not really, but you know anyway you shouldn't be blowing yourself up as much as he does. So this guy is making advertisements about Benny the Bomb and all this kind of stuff and now it's about Joseph.

He said, "Joseph was [all of a sudden he was talking about Joseph!]." He said, "You know, Joseph. His brothers were really kind of rough to live with." He said, "They were jealous of his coat of many colors." He was going on and he's just talking about Joseph. Everyone knows about Joseph. Everybody knows about David. How casually can you speak about these Bible stories and they mean nothing to you; your life is not changed? You can recite all of the stories. What good is it if you're not living like Joseph? What good is it if you don't have the integrity of Joseph, if the Kingdom can't be entrusted into your hands, if you don't become a young man who will not defile yourself with Potiphar's wife? What good is the story? You might as well be talking about Benny the Bomb; it can do you just as much good. Do you know who lives in you this morning, and do you stand in awe of that? Or, do you count it a common thing? We're different! We are that peculiar people. We're not like everybody else who is hanging back in fear of men's faces. In fear of failure. In fear of the economy. In fear of AIDS. In fear of whatever that last thing was that was going around. What was that thing called? SARS. (That one really made an impression on me.) Fear of AIDS, and fear of fear. Who are you?

I'll tell you who we are, chapter 17 of 1 Samuel. Verse 26, "...who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of [Saul]?" "who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy [my big brother, Eliab]?" "who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy [the United States of America]?" I am so tired to living with the inconvenience of everybody else's fear, and it's only going to get worse. He didn't say that, did he?]"...who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of [Say it!] the living God." Do you stand in awe of Him? Do you understand who we are as ambassadors, who we are representing, the reproach that's brought every time you cower down to circumstances, every time you embrace the lust of the world's system? Do you understand the reproach that is brought upon the living God every time you respond naturally like everybody around you? Are you humbled by who it is that indwells you?

I've talked about going over to minister in Africa. Do you know how humbling that is to stand before five, ten thousand other pastors to bring the Word of God, to represent the head of the Church? To stand before the thousands of pastors in India, at the General Council of the Assemblies of God and represent to them the Head of the Church? To go to Madras, to the biggest church in the nation of India, with a pastor who is probably as pure a pastor as there is on the planet today, pastoring this church of thirty-five to forty thousand people with a hundred and seventy-five other satellite churches besides that, representing to them the Head of the Church? To sit down with a pastor who pastors his church, that has a million members, and instruct him in the things that he is not doing properly, as you represent the Head of the Church? Do you see how fine the line is between pride and humility, between fear and ambition?

In the same exact circumstances you can see ambition and humility between Saul and David, between David and his brother Eliab. The name Eliab means, "God is my Father." Why isn't he as jealous for his God as his brother is at this moment? "...who is this uncircumcised Philistine...and Eliab's anger was kindled against David, and he said, [Verse 28] Why camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? [You don't have any reputation. Who do you think you are? You got that little flock down there that you're supposed to be taking care of. You're not even doing what you're supposed to be doing.] I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; [you just came down for the excitement]...And he turned from him toward another, and spake after the same manner: and the people answered him again after the former manner." "What are you guys doing sitting here when God is being mocked? Where is your fear of the Lord? You're so afraid of this warrior, you're so afraid of the opposition, you're so afraid of the consequences of trusting God that you're all sitting here trembling and God is being mocked. Why doesn't somebody do something?" Do you want to be used in these last hours? Could you be the person to shake this nation in its last hours? If not the nation, this state; if not this state, this county; if not the county, this neighborhood; if not this neighborhood, your own house? Is God's hand on you? God's merciful. He wants to use you to get the word out. You don't ever know for sure. You're just out sharing the Gospel.

It's funny, the number of people that came over to the Chick-fil-A place that used to come to church here. Some of them really tried to stay away that happened to see us, others got caught in some uncomfortable situations. There was one young person there that was standing there. They were miserable; it was about fifteen minutes worth, and I could just seem them (fidgeting). The other two I was sharing the Lord with them, and they're "Whoa, man!" Interested. "I never heard anything like that." The other person--when they left, Greer said, "Did you know who that was?" I said, "No." It was a young person who used to go here. One of the parents still goes here. After all these years I've wouldn't have known the kid if I'd run over him. Isn't God merciful? He just continually brings other opportunities to reject the Gospel. To be either broken or harden your heart.

"And David said to Saul, [in verse 32] Let no man's heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine. [I'll go get him!] And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him... [You can't go! Verse 33]" You know, that's what you're always going to hear. You're going to hear it from your flesh and from everybody around you. "Who do you think you are?" I'll tell you who I am: I'm a conduit. I'm available to God. That's who I am. "Let's go up and see if God will do something," the armour bearer said. "Let's go see what God's going to do." Are you at least willing to step out and see what God is going to do in your life? "Yeah, but what if He doesn't do anything?" Well, He's not doing anything now, so what have you lost? You see, the fact of the matter is (as we go on in this study you'll see this): The fear of God is constantly contrasted in the Scriptures with idolatry. The reason that the fear of God isn't dominating our lives is because we have idols that mean more to us that we reverence, that we esteem. Do you remember, we said that the word "fear" just meant, "to esteem or to elevate." The very thing that if the fear of God is not producing in our life (riches, honor and life), if the fear of God is not the source of your wisdom, if the fear of God is not bringing peace, if it is not bringing purity in your life, then it's one thing that you can count on, and that's the fact that there are idols in your life. You may not be able to identify them immediately, but they are there. The Scripture make it clear.

One of the other things we see here is this: When we are jealous for God's glory, we're not afraid of the giants, we're not afraid of death, we're not afraid of any of the consequences, we're not afraid of any of the criticisms of the people talking about how prideful we are, because we think we can go out and lay hands on people and they'll be healed. "Look, everybody else has prayed for them, what makes you think you're better?" I'm not saying I'm better; I'm saying I'm available! Maybe this is the time God wants to do it; and if He does I'm available, praise God! "Well, everybody else has prayed for him and I don't want to be another one in a long line of failures." Bring them on!

I remember years ago, we'd get calls like that. "We'd like to come to one of the Miracle Rallies, is Brother Scott going to be there to lay hands on people?" Yes, we're going to be there. "Well, praise God, we're looking forward to that because we've taken them to Oral Roberts, and we've taken them to [whomever else at that particular time...I've forgotten the dude's name over there in Africa that was having the meetings...Bohnke.] Reinhard Bohnke. They've all prayed and he's still crippled, or he's still deaf, or blind [whatever]. We want you to lay hands on him." Well, bring them in, praise God! "You're what? You're greater than Oral Roberts?" No! I'm available. I fear God. At any moment, God can break through and heal and deliver! He is bigger than these circumstances. He is bigger than my fear and than my doubt. All you have to do, beloved, is read the history of David; read the Psalms. You're going to find out this guy was no different than you. This was a guy given to pride, this was a guy given to fear, this was a man given to depression, this was a man who was given to every natural tendency that you have, but he was a man after God's own heart. He was available because he feared God. The one thing about David was that he had encountered God. He knew that those that come to Him must believe that He is and a rewarder of those who diligently week Him. To fear God is to put your life on the line for Him.

So David says, "I'm going." The King says, "You can't go." This Philistine is a proven entity. Look at verse 33. "...for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth." "Let no man despise thy youth... [Paul said to Timothy] but be thou an example of the believers." That used to be one of my favorite Scriptures. I can remember as a young kid and God was using me, and I had all of these old timers telling me why God couldn't do it. I respected many of these men, but I chose the council of Paul and it was like he was talking to me: "Let no man despise thy youth; [I'd say, "Okay, Paul."] but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in [deed and all manner of your living] (I Timothy 4:12)."

Some of you young people here, and some of you young adults, don't let anybody talk you out of trusting God. Don't let anybody instill fear into your heart that will keep you from doing things God's way: Believing for your healing, casting out devils, laying hands on the sick, sharing the Gospel. "Oh, you can't go down there, it's dangerous." He's given His angles charge over you, praise God! Stop being afraid and start being obedient! I'm not talking about presumptuousness, but beloved, we've come to a place where we're crippled by fear! We look for ease and comfort, and softness! And I want to tell you something: That's not what this Kingdom is about! It's about taking it by force, praise God! "...the kingdom of [God] suffereth violence..." and when God means more to us than our own comfort, our own ease, our own reputation--Let me ask you something, parents: Are you willing to put your kids up there and let them die in the trenches for the glory of God, or are you esteeming your children more than the glory of your God? It's hypothetical, but you're going to have to deal with it. Answer the question.

That is what this fear is all about. When we're talking about the fear of God, the awesomeness of God, that's what we're talking about. "You can't go!" "Watch me." He said, "King, let me just put your mind at rest here," "...Thy servant kept his father's sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock: And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him. Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath [Say it.] defied the armies of the living God." This is what is all comes down to. When we stand in awe of God, when we have a respect for the honor of our God, then everything that opposes Him is our enemy. When we see everything that is in opposition as mocking the One that we reverence and fear, and adore, and love, and want to emulate and respect, serve...how can we stand back and let everything that the kingdom of darkness brings in opposition, stand un-resisted? The fear of God is evidenced in our opposition to the kingdom of darkness. You're going to get opposition. They're going to tell you that you can't do it. "You're too young, you're not able, you haven't considered all of the circumstances, they're more experienced than you." But if you're jealous for your God, He will take that little stone and destroy the giants. He'll take that little cloud and bring the rain. He will take that little meal and feed the obedient. He'll take that little loaf and fishes and feed the multitudes. What are you ready to offer up to God today because you fear Him and because you love Him?

Psalm 89, verses seven and four, as we strayed a little bit. We were talking about why do we come? Do we come to encounter God, do we come to honor Him or, are we coming out of habit? Psalm 89, verse seven says, "God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him. [Greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him.] O Lord God of hosts, who is a strong Lord like unto thee? or to thy faithfulness round about thee?" So many of the churches today are nothing more than theater. It's about entertainment; it's about the demands that we've come to in our society of having to have all of our senses stimulated, or as so many of our young people today say, "It's boring." "That's boring."

We were at the Hoover Dam and these two teenagers were standing there (real young teenagers, about thirteen). The one said, "This is boring!" The other one said, "Yeah. But it's cool boring!" One of them got the picture. It was kind of slow paced. It wasn't strobe lights flashing, smoke pouring, and decibels destroying your eardrums, but you just don't see that every day. That's a big hunk of concrete! And one of them was able to pick it up beyond all of his sensual desires. So many people today that come into the House of God think it's boring unless they are entertained. What do you come for? Did you come here this morning to encounter the living God to be changed, to be prepared to go out and more properly represent Him in our living and our proclamation? He is to be feared in the assembly. Verse 14 says, "Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face." He is a God that is to be feared in the assembly, and to encounter Him is to be overcome by the justice of God, the judgement of God. "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." (Hebrews 10:31)

Now, we've talked about corresponding the fear with the Word of God and we're going to have to take that up in this evening's session, but as we get ready to go there look at the 64^th Psalm for just a second. We'll end with this for this morning, and it will prepare us for this evening's session. The psalmist says in the ninth verse, "And all men shall fear, and shall declare the work of God; for they shall wisely consider of his doing. The righteous shall be glad in the Lord, and shall trust in him; and all the upright in heart shall glory." We're talking about the consideration of God's doings: His works, His revelation of Himself. When we begin to understand what the Word of God is, it is just a declaration of His doings, historically and prophetically of what God intends to do in the life of man individually, and corporately in humanity. What is the will of God? What is the plan of God? Do you stand in awe of the work of God? Does it overwhelm you that the holy, majestic, omnipotent God has sought you out? He loved you; you didn't love Him. You talk about standing in awe of that kind of love. We who were totally bound, inundated with selfness, full of pride, totally incapable of experiencing absolute unselfish love, and you don't stand in awe of someone who loves you in your unloveliness? I don't get it. Thank You, but I don't understand it. I'm overcome by Agape. Does that cause you to stand in awe of Him? Do you stand in awe when you understand what redemption is really all about?

Are you a Christian? "Yeah, a born again one!" What does it mean to be born again? What does it mean to be a new creature? What does it mean to have all things pass away and all things become new? Do you know what it means? It means that we now abide in Christ; it means that we realize that He was made sin with our sin and we've been made righteous with His righteousness. It's the understanding that God who knew no sin became sin that we may become the righteousness of God in Jesus Christ. Does that not cause you to stand in awe of Him? To fear Him, a holy God who was willing to be made sin just to free you from the power and that doesn't cause awe? A dumbness? A loss of words? A humility? A reverence? A respect? A love that is unspeakable? If not, then we're going to see that there are idols somewhere in our lives. The word of the Lord came to Moses and said, "Take your shoes off, you're on holy ground." Have you been able to just stop and get quiet in His presence to where you can take that glow upon your face? Have you paused long enough to imbibe the glory of God so that it might affect others that you come into contact with? Is there sufficient indwelling you that we have to give, or is there just enough to just keep you going, you're just sputtering? The Scripture says that it's to be exceeding abundant, that it's to flow out of our inner most being like rivers of living water; the fear of God, the beginning of obedience, of wisdom.

Father, make Your word real to us as we continue this study. We ask that as we take this time in Your presence that we would never be the same. That we would not count it common, this time that we've set apart here this morning. That it wouldn't just be "church." It's not ritual. How common are we? Do we sit like the huddled masses in fear of the giants? Just talking about how incapable we are, how bad things are, how strong the devil is? Or, are we a people who have known the visitation of our God? That when our little flock, our family, our friends, our community is attacked we take that lion by the neck and slay him because the Greater One indwells us. We fear You enough to obey You. We fear you enough to know the reality of Your indwelling presence. We have enough respect for Your word to believe that it is sufficient for our circumstances. The Prophet Isaiah said, "If there is a fear for God, let him tremble at Your word." We tremble at the word that says, "I can do all things through Christ...." We tremble at the word that says, "Greater is he that is in you...." We tremble at the word that says, "You've given us all power and all authority over all the power of the enemy." We tremble at Your declaration that we are ambassadors of Christ, that we are more than conquerors. We stand in awe of the capability that's in us of representing the King of Glory. Fearfully and wonderfully made--conduit, capable of transmitting the presence of Almighty God. What an awesome responsibility! Let us show forth praises to Him who has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light.

As we stand before the Lord this morning Josh and Aja are going to get their little blessing. We're just going to be dedicating Sophia to the Lord this morning. As they are preparing themselves, Gary is going to play for us. Let's take just a moment this morning--as we deviated from the doctrinal part this morning, the outline, and there seemed to be a more of an emphasis just on the exhortation, the stirring of our hearts. The doctrine is in most of our minds that are here. It seems that the Spirit just wanted to stir our hearts to do something to bring honor to our God, to reverence Him, to represent Him, to not be taken with the commonness. He'll use you as you make yourself available. It's an amazing thing to watch God. As I step outside of these walls, (to you week-after-week, year-after-year, the commonness of pastor/teacher) and stand before some of the mightiest men as a prophet of God and watch them quake at the Word of God; and you stand in awe knowing the commonness of the vessel and are so humbled by the expression of His spirit. We serve a mighty God. If you'll be available, He'll use you in a way that will absolutely astound you. A jealously for Him, as you mock and attack all that men have built because of the jealously for God's Word. What would possess a man who pastors a church of hundreds to tell a man who pastors a church of a million, "You're not doing this thing right!" Do you want to know what it is? It's the fear of God, the absolute refusal to recognize man's standards and ways and to be jealous for God's principles and justice. Where are you today in the fear of your God? Let's sing this together: "I stand in awe, so amazed..." We'll sing it again as Josh and Aja and the grandparents come. We'll just worship God.

Hallelujah! Father, we just come to delight ourselves in You, to make our boast in the Lord. To say, "Here am I Lord, send me." With all of the clamor in this world, the vanity of temporal ease and comfort and abundance, let us see the treasures that don't pass away. One of them is being held in the arms of parents this morning, the treasures. This is where our investment is to go. This is where our time, our energy, the instruction in righteousness--Jesus, if you tarry, help us to train up another one that will bring glory to you. Maybe this is the one should You tarry. So we put our time and our energy into instructing them, and nurturing, and admonition. We choose to live our lives before them without compromise. As grandparents, the responsibility of children and children's children is a reality. The American hands-off philosophy, we don't buy. We invest in lives for generations and it is our hearts' desire, Father, to glorify Your name in training Your children, these that are the heritage of the Lord. Our children are not ours, they're Yours, You've lent them to us. So, Sophia is Yours and we pledge ourselves as parents, grandparents and a community to see this child raised in the nurture and the admonition of the Lord. Make it real, Father, we ask in Jesus' name, amen.

We're going to pray for these and if the brethren will come we want to lay hands on the family. Just believe God to give them that strength. In this generation that we're living in, the grace of God is so necessary. We're so inundated with the world's wisdom and methods and we're not going to imbibe them. We refuse the wisdom of the nations and we accept the council of God in the instruction of this child, this blessing. Let's pray together this morning. Hallelujah!

Father, we come now and we just lay our hands upon this child. Father, upon these parents and we speak peace upon this household, Father, and we ask that You would allow the anointing of God to rise up in this community, Father, in this household, in this family, that You would be glorified in all that's said and all that's done, Father. Be glorified as we give ourselves to You to recognize this as a gift, not ours, Yours--and we stewards, Father, we will care for Yours with all of our might for Your glory, in Jesus' name, amen. Amen.

Bring her on up here. Thank you, Father. Oh, glory! Look how good looking. Looks just like her Mom. Hallelujah! What a sweetie. Isn't this a privilege? A blessing of God. Another generation, praise God!

Father, we just thank You again for that privilege. We thank You for Your presence and we just ask that we can glorify You in a greater way, in Jesus' name, amen. Amen! Before you go, come and greet the young people and see this little blessing of the Lord. Turn to somebody next to you and say, "It brings riches, honor and life." Amen. God bless you all.

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