THE PRAISE SERIES (PART 18) - Praise Him In The Fear Of The Lord

Then a voice came from the throne, saying, 

"Praise our God, all you His servants 

and those who fear Him, both small and great!" 

- Revelation 19:5 -

It is important to know that the fear of God (in honor and reverence) is entirely different from being afraid of God. The fear of God has three basic components:

* To Know Him

* To Worship Him 

* To Obey Him

The fear of man will keep you from the fear of God - the fear of God will keep you from the fear of man (Proverbs 29:25)
"Holy fear is the key to God's sure foundation, unlocking the treasuries of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge ... We cannot expect to be admitted into His presence with an attitude of disrespect ... A person who fears God trembles at His Word and in His presence ... To fear God is to believe God. To believe God is to obey Him ... Holy fear gives God the place of glory, honor, reverence, thanksgiving, praise, and preeminence He deserves ..."
(Extracts from : The Fear Of The Lord - John Bevere)

THE FEAR OF GOD

*Psalm 22:23 - Praise Him when you fear God

*Revelation 14:7 - Praise Him and fear Him for He is a just God
*Revelation 15:4 - Praise Him and fear Him all nations and all people
*Malachi 3:16 - Praise Him for He hears those who fear Him and writes their names in His book
*Psalm 145:19 - Praise Him for He fulfills the desires of those who fear Him
*Psalm 147:11 - Praise Him for He delights in those who fear Him
*Psalm 85:9 - Praise Him for His salvation is near those who fear Him
*Psalm 115:13 - Praise Him for He blesses those who fear Him
*Luke 1:50 - Praise Him for His mercy is for those who fear Him
*Psalm 33:18 - Praise Him for His eyes are on all those who fear Him
*Ecclesiastes 8:12 - Praise Him for all goes well for those who fear Him (Deuteronomy 5:29)
*Proverbs 22:4 - Praise Him for He grants riches, honor and life to those who fear Him 
*Deuteronomy 6:2 - Praise Him for He gives longer life to those who fear Him (Prov 10:27)
*Acts 13:26 - Praise Him when you fear Him and you hear of His salvation
*Psalm 128:1 - Praise Him when you fear Him and you are able to walk in His ways
*2 Corinthians 7:1 - Praise Him when you fear Him and you are able to perfect holiness
*Proverbs 14:26 - Praise Him when you fear Him and you gain confidence
*Proverbs 14:27 - Praise Him when you fear Him and you find a fountain of life
*Psalm 31:19 - Praise Him when you fear Him and you find His great goodness
*Psalm 25:14 - Praise Him when you fear Him and you discover His secrets
*Isaiah 33:6 - Praise Him you fear Him and you learn the key to His treasure
*Psalm 103:11, 17 - Praise Him when you fear Him and you receive His mercy (Luke 1:50)
*Psalm 103:13 - Praise Him when you fear Him and you receive His compassion
*Psalm 111:10 - Praise Him when you fear Him and you come into His wisdom (Prov 9:10)
*Psalm 34:7 - Praise Him when you fear Him and you know angels are stationed all around you
*Psalm 34:9 - Praise Him when you fear Him and you have no need
*2 Kings 17:39 - Praise Him when you fear Him and He delivers you from all your enemies
*Revelation 11:18 - Praise Him when you fear Him and He rewards you
*Acts 10:35 - Praise Him and fear Him all nations, then He will accept you
*Revelation 15:4 - Praise Him and fear Him all nations, for He alone is holy
*Ecclesiastes 12:13 - Praise Him and fear Him for this is the whole duty of every man
*Psalm 25:14 - Praise Him for His secrets are given to those who fear Him
*Proverbs 3:32 - Praise Him for His secrets are given to those who fear Him
An extract from - Praise Him by Viven Hibbert
Blessings - TPWC
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom - Proverbs 1:7

AUTHENTIC WORSHIP

The LORD detests the sacrifice of the wicked,

but the prayer of the upright pleases Him.

Proverbs 15:8

Several Bible passages tell us that the fear of God is where wisdom begins ( Proverbs 1:7, 2:5, 9:10 ). If we are to be truly wise, we must understand who He is. All of creation was based on His character. His heart is written into the fabric of every part of this universe, even if sin obscures it. Those who find understanding will be those who can recognize the imprint of God in the depths and design of creation. They will be ardent observers of the way He deals with humanity. They will take their cues from Him.
Proverbs 15:8 points out numerous such cues. This verse tells us something profound about our Creator. He desires the ESSENCE OF WORSHIP more than its demostration. In Old Testament times, the sacrifice would have often been an animal or a grain offering. Today, it comes from our finances at one level and our time and talents at others. In any case, it's not the gift that matters most. God already owns everything anyway. What really matters is the HEART of the giver. Why? Because things do not honour God nearly as much as does a devoted, living being.
Why does God hate the sacrifice of the wicked? Because it is superficial. It is an attempt to brush Him off and get on with the self-life. It bears the appearance of devotion, but there is nothing of relationship in it - no love, no honour, no passion. That tells us volumes about the One who made us. He is no distant force, a cosmic "first cause" who observes us from afar. He is deeply, intensely personal.
Have you really considered the implications of that? It means that when you think He's far off, He isn't. It means that those deep longings in your HEART - you know, the ones that leave agonizing, gasping holes went unfulfilled - are longings He wants to satisfy in the right way at the right time. It means that your soul is a place of warm communion, not cold solitude. It means that what you thought was too good to be true - His  unconditional love and His enjoyment of your personality - is real
(an extract fromWalk With God Devotional by Chris Tiegreen)

BOWING DOWN IN WORSHIP

Come let us sing for joy to the LORD;

let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.

Let us come before Him with thanksgiving

and extol Him with music and song

For the LORD our God is the great God,

the great King above all gods ...

Come, let bow down in worship,

let us kneel before the LORD our Maker;

for He is our God and we are the people of His pasture,

the flockunder His care.

Psalm 95:1-7

There is a beautiful progression here that brings us into the immediate presence of God. The Psalmist in Psalm 95:1-2 tells us how we should praise Him - it starts with loud and jubilant praise and thanksgiving: "Let us sing for joy ... let us shout aloud ... " God encourages us to express freely our praises and our thanksgiving. Then Psalm 95:3-5 tells us why we should praise Him - for the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods!

Then, as we go further, the mood changes: "Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker (Ps 95:6-7)." Praise and thanksgiving lead us on to worship. Worship is not so much an utterance as an attitude. It is bowing down, kneeling - even at times prostrating ourselves before God. Every part of our being and every area of our personality is involved. All unite in total, unreserved submission to God.

Praise means looking up, but worship means bowing down. Alas, some people who enjoy lifting their hands and shouting do not enjoy bowing their knees and submitting. True worship is much deeper than communal praise, for worship involves realizing the awesomeness of God and experiencing THE FEAR OF THE LORD and A DEEPER LOVE FOR HIM. Too often, Christian "praise" is nothing but religious entertainment and it never moves into spiritual enrichment in the presence of the Lord. Our singing must give way to silence as we bow before the Lord. He alone is JEHOVAH, the LORD, the covenant-making and covenant-keeping God. He is our MAKER (Ps 95:6b) and our SHEPHERD (Ps 95:7a). He made us, He saved us and He cares for us! Why should we hesitate to fall before Him in worship?

The pathway that the psalmist here describes takes us through praise and thanksgiving into worship and stillness before God. When we come into this attitude of worship, we are able to hear God speaking directly to us. That is why the psalmist continues, "Today, if you hear His voice ..." (Ps 95:7b)

Bow down and worship God! - HE IS WORTHY! \0/\0/\0/
TPWC