FEAR AND TREMBLING

Fear and trembling. What is that? i guess for those that truly know me, i do not have to tell you that i really love the Bible. i love God and searching out the word of God to see what He has for me daily. For those that do not know me, i guess you can surmise quite a bit from my blogs. My blogs vary, and intensity varies according to how i am moved by God on any given day or moment. i guess i am wondering today how so many can claim to be Christian and not share that with anyone. This took me to fear and trembling. Let me take you to what i searched out, what God shared with me.

From a Roman prison in about 62 AD, Paul wrote his partners in ministry in Philippi and encouraged them in their ministry. He was trying to tell them that God can create a joy of partnership in ministry, even under difficult circumstances. It is a good book, i suggest you read it and see what God has for you. Chapter 2 is a treasure trove of God's word.

"Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling." Philippians 2:12

Our salvation is our separation from the sin nature by the blood of Jesus. Our salvation should affect our life as we walk in His ways and His commands. Our life becomes completely, without exception, His. It becomes all about following Him. We work out our salvation (salvation is soteria in the Greek meaning the spiritual and eternal deliverance granted immediately by God to those who accept His conditions of repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus in whom alone it is to be obtained) daily, by picking up our cross (cross is stauroo in the Greek meaning renouncing the world and putting off the flesh), by going where he sends us without counting the cost, by praying and getting into His word. DAILY. DAILY. DAILY. i cannot make this any more plain. We work out our salvation daily, hour by hour, minute by minute, second by second. Amen.

Fear is yare in Greek, the verb to be afraid, stand in awe, fear. It can mean terror or dread. i like this definition: the moral dread of being displeasing to God. It grips you in the pit of the stomach or in the heart. A big hand squeezing the life out of you. You can't imagine anything worse than displeasing God. And trembling, tremo in the Greek means move to and fro, shaking, trembling especially with fear. Imagine it, your body shaking violently with the moral dread of being displeasing to God.

Is there anyone on earth like that? Yes, there are some. A remnant that will be here when Jesus returns. There are some who would rather die than be displeasing to God. Than live a life other than the one won for them by Jesus on the cross of Calvary. i know some. Are they perfect, well yes they are made so by the blood of Jesus (look it up) as they continue to work out their salvation with fear and trembling. Do they make mistakes, yes, but come what may i can count on each one to do God's will before their own or mans.

i do not see much fear and trembling going on in the world. i guess that means we need to work harder at spreading the Gospel. That is what we are here for, isn't it?