1 00:00:00,840 --> 00:00:05,000 So we have been in our series The Call looking at the call of 2 00:00:05,000 --> 00:00:10,280 God upon. Us and I started looking at the 3 00:00:10,280 --> 00:00:14,560 call to be with Jesus that. Before we called to do anything, 4 00:00:14,560 --> 00:00:17,240 we called to be someone. Before we called to. 5 00:00:17,240 --> 00:00:21,200 Something we called to someone and we've been looking at Luke. 6 00:00:21,200 --> 00:00:24,000 Chapter 51 to 11 which talks about the. 7 00:00:24,000 --> 00:00:27,000 Story or tells the story of when Jesus called his first 8 00:00:27,000 --> 00:00:29,710 disciples. And when Jesus went into the 9 00:00:29,710 --> 00:00:33,030 boat with Simon Peter, we've been unpacking that together. 10 00:00:33,310 --> 00:00:36,350 And then last week we started the second call, which is the 11 00:00:36,350 --> 00:00:41,590 call to walk in holiness, and we looked at how we are called to 12 00:00:41,590 --> 00:00:45,670 be separated from the world. That holiness means to be 13 00:00:45,670 --> 00:00:48,310 separate. From and moral purity and we 14 00:00:48,310 --> 00:00:51,230 unpacked. What that looks like and as I 15 00:00:51,230 --> 00:00:55,990 said to you last week, we're going to be, excuse me, doing. 16 00:00:56,840 --> 00:01:01,040 Two parts, but I have to say I reserve the right to extend this 17 00:01:01,040 --> 00:01:04,640 part of the call. That's that's the privilege I 18 00:01:04,640 --> 00:01:08,520 get as the pastor here. So only because as you dive into 19 00:01:08,520 --> 00:01:09,320 the. Call to holiness. 20 00:01:09,320 --> 00:01:12,840 There is just so much there and the reality is we could do you 21 00:01:12,840 --> 00:01:16,560 know, 15 weeks on that. But we looked at that and then 22 00:01:16,560 --> 00:01:20,480 we come to the second part this week and we're going to look at 23 00:01:21,000 --> 00:01:23,320 a very interesting subject. You know, I was speaking with a 24 00:01:23,320 --> 00:01:25,940 very good. Friend of mine this week and we 25 00:01:25,940 --> 00:01:28,580 were reflecting. On the call to walk in holiness 26 00:01:28,580 --> 00:01:32,100 and he said hey Mark he he was serving in one of the teams on 27 00:01:32,100 --> 00:01:34,260 Sunday so he he wasn't at the talk but he listened to it 28 00:01:34,260 --> 00:01:35,940 afterwards. Indeed, at this point, can I 29 00:01:35,940 --> 00:01:38,380 just say if you've missed any of the talks, of course you can 30 00:01:38,380 --> 00:01:41,380 catch up on our YouTube channel, Hello to everybody there online 31 00:01:41,620 --> 00:01:44,780 and do hit that subscribe button and that Bell notification to 32 00:01:44,780 --> 00:01:46,780 get important updates as we release them. 33 00:01:47,140 --> 00:01:50,180 But all of that to say he was. Watching the updating, the talk, 34 00:01:50,180 --> 00:01:50,780 he said. Hey, Mark. 35 00:01:50,780 --> 00:01:52,780 I've got some questions. I mean, I get it. 36 00:01:52,820 --> 00:01:55,380 And and I felt, you know, there was this conviction in this, 37 00:01:55,730 --> 00:01:58,490 this almost this sense that I wanted to walk in holiness. 38 00:01:58,490 --> 00:02:02,530 But as a Christian who's lived many, many, many years, I have 39 00:02:02,530 --> 00:02:04,930 to deal with the reality that my life doesn't. 40 00:02:04,930 --> 00:02:08,410 Always look victorious and that what do you do when you want to 41 00:02:08,410 --> 00:02:10,169 overcome? And yet you have this. 42 00:02:11,570 --> 00:02:12,930 Here we go again. Here we go again. 43 00:02:12,930 --> 00:02:15,290 Now that is a very good question. 44 00:02:16,010 --> 00:02:20,210 And as he reflected and as I reflected those five points. 45 00:02:20,210 --> 00:02:22,090 That I gave at the end of the talk last week. 46 00:02:22,600 --> 00:02:24,480 Are a way in which we can help position. 47 00:02:24,480 --> 00:02:26,840 Ourselves to allow the Holy Spirit in us. 48 00:02:26,840 --> 00:02:29,640 To change us from the inside out, because holiness, you see, 49 00:02:29,640 --> 00:02:33,680 is not a manufactured. Work holiness is about allowing 50 00:02:33,680 --> 00:02:36,680 the work of the Spirit in our life to transform us to the 51 00:02:36,680 --> 00:02:38,880 likeness of Jesus. That's holiness. 52 00:02:38,880 --> 00:02:42,080 You can't. You can't skip the inward change 53 00:02:42,080 --> 00:02:44,080 and go straight to the outward because it will never work. 54 00:02:44,880 --> 00:02:47,240 Outward change comes from the inward change in us. 55 00:02:47,240 --> 00:02:51,850 But as I was reflecting on that and and and as I've been 56 00:02:51,850 --> 00:02:55,770 reflecting on Thursday. As I prepared my talk it, it 57 00:02:55,770 --> 00:02:58,810 dawned on me that what we're going to be speaking about this 58 00:02:58,810 --> 00:03:03,490 morning is, I think, one of the answers to that very. 59 00:03:03,490 --> 00:03:11,330 Important question of how and it is a topic which I guess is one 60 00:03:11,330 --> 00:03:13,210 of the most difficult and misunderstood. 61 00:03:13,210 --> 00:03:17,330 But, as we will see, I hope, one of the most important and 62 00:03:17,330 --> 00:03:20,160 necessary for us, and it is this subject. 63 00:03:20,240 --> 00:03:28,600 It is the fear of the Lord. Now the holy and healthy fear of 64 00:03:28,600 --> 00:03:31,920 the Lord is an important and yet I think at its. 65 00:03:31,920 --> 00:03:38,280 Best forgotten about and at its worst, I would say intentionally 66 00:03:38,400 --> 00:03:43,840 ignored. I think some of you. 67 00:03:43,840 --> 00:03:46,840 Older in the faith probably can recount in your childhood some 68 00:03:47,000 --> 00:03:51,120 sermons or talks about the holy fear of the Lord and and yet in 69 00:03:51,120 --> 00:03:52,600 our. Present day do we hear much 70 00:03:52,600 --> 00:03:56,320 about? The fear of the Lord probably 71 00:03:56,320 --> 00:03:59,120 don't right at. Best we forget it. 72 00:03:59,120 --> 00:04:01,200 At worst, we intentionally ignore it. 73 00:04:01,280 --> 00:04:03,840 Why is that the case? Well, I kind of was thinking 74 00:04:03,840 --> 00:04:05,200 through why. Is that the case? 75 00:04:05,200 --> 00:04:08,400 And I came up with four reasons, which I want to share as way of 76 00:04:08,400 --> 00:04:11,000 a preface to this talk Because this. 77 00:04:11,120 --> 00:04:16,279 These four reasons might speak to some of your instincts to 78 00:04:16,360 --> 00:04:18,760 recoil. Almost from that fear of the OH, 79 00:04:19,680 --> 00:04:22,240 it's just something about that phrase I don't like, and I think 80 00:04:22,240 --> 00:04:26,560 there might be 4 reasons why. The first one is this is that 81 00:04:26,560 --> 00:04:29,240 commonly fear is being always negative, isn't it? 82 00:04:30,680 --> 00:04:35,840 You know, on a basic level, we associate fear with purely 83 00:04:35,840 --> 00:04:37,800 negative. Connotations and negative 84 00:04:37,800 --> 00:04:41,380 things. In fact, we try all we can to 85 00:04:41,380 --> 00:04:45,580 eliminate and negate any fear. Whatsoever in our life, don't 86 00:04:45,580 --> 00:04:47,620 we? And I think it's fair to say 87 00:04:47,620 --> 00:04:49,860 that. Much of the negativity or 88 00:04:49,860 --> 00:04:53,140 negative things or fear based things in our lives are things 89 00:04:53,140 --> 00:04:54,540 that we want to eradicate. Of course. 90 00:04:55,580 --> 00:05:00,060 For example, it is a healthy fear of being run over that 91 00:05:00,060 --> 00:05:03,140 stops me running in the road. That is actually a positive 92 00:05:03,140 --> 00:05:06,500 fear, right? It is a healthy fear of being 93 00:05:06,500 --> 00:05:09,540 electrocuted. That means I don't play around 94 00:05:09,540 --> 00:05:13,580 with 240 volts, right? That's a healthy fear. 95 00:05:13,860 --> 00:05:17,820 It is a healthy fear of not looking like a complete idiot 96 00:05:18,100 --> 00:05:23,620 that stops me from playing golf. That is a positive and healthy 97 00:05:23,620 --> 00:05:27,260 fear. I'm just jealous of you golf 98 00:05:27,260 --> 00:05:27,580 people. I. 99 00:05:28,020 --> 00:05:31,820 Can play well. I just want to plug We have an 100 00:05:31,820 --> 00:05:34,420 amazing for for a part of the men's ministry. 101 00:05:35,120 --> 00:05:39,120 We have Max and Tim who head up a fantastic and very active Golf 102 00:05:39,120 --> 00:05:41,080 Club. So if you do like golf and you 103 00:05:41,080 --> 00:05:44,280 don't have a healthy fear. Of looking like an idiot and 104 00:05:44,280 --> 00:05:46,600 you've gone through a measure of healing, which I clearly need to 105 00:05:46,600 --> 00:05:48,760 do. Then why don't you sign up for 106 00:05:48,760 --> 00:05:52,840 that glove? You see, it is the same with the 107 00:05:52,840 --> 00:05:55,320 fear of the Lord. It is not a negative fear. 108 00:05:55,320 --> 00:05:59,720 It is a fear that is healthy and that there is blessing with it. 109 00:06:01,160 --> 00:06:05,240 It brings us protection and enabled us to walk in holiness. 110 00:06:06,120 --> 00:06:10,000 That's the number one objection. Normally the fear of Lord #2, we 111 00:06:10,000 --> 00:06:11,800 think it's. Just an Old Testament thing, 112 00:06:11,800 --> 00:06:15,600 don't we? We erroneously think that to 113 00:06:15,600 --> 00:06:18,440 fear God was something in the Old Testament, that the God of 114 00:06:18,440 --> 00:06:20,200 the Old Testament was some kind of God. 115 00:06:21,400 --> 00:06:24,880 And the God of the New Testament is a is a different kind of God. 116 00:06:24,880 --> 00:06:26,840 You know, the God in the Old Testament wants to obliterate 117 00:06:26,840 --> 00:06:28,680 everybody. And the God of the New 118 00:06:28,680 --> 00:06:30,160 Testament, That's my kind of God. 119 00:06:30,440 --> 00:06:33,980 He loves everyone like that is a lie of the enemy. 120 00:06:33,980 --> 00:06:36,140 To suggest to you that they are different God. 121 00:06:36,140 --> 00:06:39,100 It's the same God. It is the same God. 122 00:06:40,220 --> 00:06:43,660 In fact we see the wrath of God in the New Testament so 123 00:06:43,660 --> 00:06:48,780 specifically in the cross. The difference is it's pointed 124 00:06:48,780 --> 00:06:51,460 towards Jesus. Who took it for us? 125 00:06:52,300 --> 00:06:54,740 Because God is still just. He will always be just. 126 00:06:55,860 --> 00:06:57,420 That's for another time, for another sermon. 127 00:06:59,200 --> 00:07:01,280 And so we think, therefore, that the fear of the Lord is 128 00:07:01,280 --> 00:07:03,640 something that we would have done in the Old Testament times, 129 00:07:03,840 --> 00:07:08,080 but now, under grace and love there is no necessary. 130 00:07:08,160 --> 00:07:09,400 For the fear of the Lord, that is. 131 00:07:09,400 --> 00:07:12,800 Incorrect, as we shall see, #3 Here's another objection. 132 00:07:13,000 --> 00:07:14,640 We made you on. This is a biggie. 133 00:07:14,680 --> 00:07:17,160 We made you on love and minor on. 134 00:07:17,160 --> 00:07:24,160 Everything and anything else. Can I just say as a parenthesis 135 00:07:25,640 --> 00:07:29,990 some love can be sinful? It says in one John that if we 136 00:07:29,990 --> 00:07:32,590 love. The world that is simple, the 137 00:07:32,590 --> 00:07:34,390 trap we get. Into as Christians is what? 138 00:07:34,590 --> 00:07:37,150 If it's love, it must be from God. 139 00:07:37,390 --> 00:07:41,270 Therefore it's okay that gets. You into all sorts of problems 140 00:07:41,910 --> 00:07:46,670 because not every love is good. And that's for another talking 141 00:07:46,670 --> 00:07:49,310 for another day, someone making a note of these other talks in 142 00:07:49,310 --> 00:07:51,830 other days, because we could just create a new. 143 00:07:51,830 --> 00:07:53,950 Service series right now that would send me a lot of time. 144 00:07:56,200 --> 00:07:59,000 Now I want to just at this. Point out some resources. 145 00:07:59,000 --> 00:08:02,760 I would like to show you this, but the Holiness of God by 146 00:08:02,760 --> 00:08:04,160 Aussie sproll. Aussie sproll. 147 00:08:04,160 --> 00:08:07,480 Passed away, I think, in 2017. He's a Reformed theologian and 148 00:08:07,480 --> 00:08:08,240 pastor. I wouldn't. 149 00:08:08,240 --> 00:08:11,400 Agree with all his theology, but what a godly. 150 00:08:11,400 --> 00:08:13,960 Man, and This is a seminal work on the holiness of God. 151 00:08:13,960 --> 00:08:16,520 If you want to read a book that's going to get you on your 152 00:08:16,520 --> 00:08:19,000 knees and all of God, then can I recommend this one? 153 00:08:20,120 --> 00:08:22,520 Also, some of you would have heard John Bevere. 154 00:08:22,840 --> 00:08:25,200 This is a. Very famous book. 155 00:08:25,470 --> 00:08:28,110 The fear of the Lord that he wrote, and I've benefited from 156 00:08:28,270 --> 00:08:31,030 some of his talks as I have studied this subject and I will 157 00:08:31,030 --> 00:08:34,549 be quoting and and using some of that material, so I credit him 158 00:08:34,549 --> 00:08:36,669 for that in fact, a sister in Christ emailed. 159 00:08:36,669 --> 00:08:39,110 Me this week, I think on Thursday or Friday and said and 160 00:08:39,110 --> 00:08:41,830 by the way. I'm really excited about the 161 00:08:41,830 --> 00:08:42,870 fact you're. Preaching on fear of the Lord, 162 00:08:42,870 --> 00:08:44,390 have you heard of John Bevere's new book? 163 00:08:44,630 --> 00:08:46,430 The aura of God. So I haven't yet. 164 00:08:46,510 --> 00:08:48,950 Thank you sister, for sending that to me, but I'm sure that's 165 00:08:48,950 --> 00:08:50,150 very good. So. 166 00:08:51,520 --> 00:08:52,880 Those there some resources for you? 167 00:08:52,880 --> 00:08:55,760 And so I'm going to benefit. From from these brothers here 168 00:08:55,760 --> 00:08:58,840 who have written about this, not least, of course a study in the 169 00:08:58,840 --> 00:09:01,960 word. But to quote John Bevere, he 170 00:09:01,960 --> 00:09:06,200 says we fall into the trap of trying to sell Jesus not to. 171 00:09:06,200 --> 00:09:11,160 Preach Jesus now. This is some hidden truth and 172 00:09:11,160 --> 00:09:14,760 nugget right here we fall into the trap of trying to sell. 173 00:09:14,760 --> 00:09:18,640 Jesus not preach Jesus, but selling is different than 174 00:09:18,640 --> 00:09:22,840 preaching. When you sell something, you 175 00:09:22,840 --> 00:09:25,840 want people to be appealed by the benefits. 176 00:09:25,840 --> 00:09:27,240 Of what you're trying to sell them, right? 177 00:09:27,640 --> 00:09:31,520 You major on the benefits, you talk about how the cost is, how 178 00:09:31,520 --> 00:09:35,080 the price is so low and the running costs are so small. 179 00:09:37,960 --> 00:09:41,000 You talk about the ease of convenience that this new 180 00:09:41,000 --> 00:09:45,480 product will give you. Boy, don't we try and sell 181 00:09:45,520 --> 00:09:50,750 Jesus. We want to remove any objections 182 00:09:50,750 --> 00:09:52,230 that we think someone might have. 183 00:09:52,230 --> 00:09:54,350 We want to demonstrate how easy it is. 184 00:09:54,710 --> 00:09:58,950 We want to major on the love. And in so doing, when we try and 185 00:09:58,950 --> 00:10:02,510 sell Jesus, we don't sell the real Jesus at all. 186 00:10:02,670 --> 00:10:06,550 We preach a forced Jesus. What we have to do, if you go 187 00:10:06,550 --> 00:10:10,470 down that path, is. Scrap out a ton of the Bible and 188 00:10:10,470 --> 00:10:13,030 a ton of God's truth, because when you talk about picking up 189 00:10:13,030 --> 00:10:16,230 one's cross daily, how you going to use that when? 190 00:10:16,230 --> 00:10:20,560 You sell Jesus when you talk about living a life of holiness 191 00:10:20,560 --> 00:10:23,360 and moral purity. How do you talk about that when 192 00:10:23,360 --> 00:10:27,840 you try and sell Jesus? That mentality is what gave rise 193 00:10:27,840 --> 00:10:29,600 to the seeker sensitive churches. 194 00:10:31,400 --> 00:10:35,080 Let's sell Jesus and remove any any potential barriers of 195 00:10:35,080 --> 00:10:38,120 objections and. Make it as easy as possible, and 196 00:10:38,120 --> 00:10:40,640 in so doing, we don't. Preach the gospel of Christ. 197 00:10:41,120 --> 00:10:46,120 We sell something completely. That's not to mean that we're 198 00:10:46,120 --> 00:10:49,740 not aware and targeting of those that are seeking God. 199 00:10:49,900 --> 00:10:52,540 But there is a difference between targeting and being 200 00:10:52,540 --> 00:10:56,060 sensitive to by removing what we perceive as being objections. 201 00:10:56,220 --> 00:10:57,980 But I go with the Apostle Paul on this one. 202 00:10:58,580 --> 00:11:01,060 I'm not afraid of the gospel of Christ, because it's the power 203 00:11:01,060 --> 00:11:04,660 of God unto salvation. There is no power in selling. 204 00:11:04,660 --> 00:11:07,220 There is only. Power in preaching the gospel of 205 00:11:07,220 --> 00:11:09,580 Christ. And So what happens with the 206 00:11:09,580 --> 00:11:12,180 fear of the Lord is we don't want to go there because we want 207 00:11:12,180 --> 00:11:16,040 to remove any perception of objections and. 208 00:11:16,240 --> 00:11:18,120 Oh boy, this might be a bit hard. 209 00:11:18,120 --> 00:11:19,440 Listen, I've got to be honest with you, I think. 210 00:11:19,440 --> 00:11:21,240 It's easier not being a Christian than it is being a 211 00:11:21,240 --> 00:11:25,120 Christian. I mean, people say, oh, it's a. 212 00:11:25,440 --> 00:11:26,240 Been a Christian? Really. 213 00:11:26,240 --> 00:11:31,240 Have you tried it? My life was easy before I became 214 00:11:31,240 --> 00:11:32,960 a Christian. I did whatever I wanted to do. 215 00:11:33,240 --> 00:11:37,040 And that was it. Now of course, I walk in the 216 00:11:37,040 --> 00:11:40,080 blessings now, and I have a piece that surpasses all 217 00:11:40,080 --> 00:11:43,220 understanding now. And I've got eternal destination 218 00:11:43,380 --> 00:11:53,270 now with Jesus, and so I think because of the fear. 219 00:11:53,270 --> 00:11:54,550 Of the law. We don't want to go there, we 220 00:11:54,550 --> 00:11:56,910 major. On love to such a degree and 221 00:11:57,070 --> 00:12:01,790 hyper grace we miss out the. Power in God's Word #4. 222 00:12:02,510 --> 00:12:04,150 This is the long preface I don't mind. 223 00:12:05,510 --> 00:12:07,510 I think this is a really important one and I think this 224 00:12:07,510 --> 00:12:09,390 probably speaks. To some of you in the room now, 225 00:12:09,670 --> 00:12:13,110 what are the other reasons why we don't talk about the fear of 226 00:12:13,110 --> 00:12:15,630 the Lord #4? We've been hurt. 227 00:12:16,380 --> 00:12:20,660 Or even worse, abused by bad and legalistic teaching on the fear 228 00:12:20,660 --> 00:12:24,100 of the Lord. It's been used as a hammer. 229 00:12:25,220 --> 00:12:30,100 To control people. Oh, you're going to be fearful 230 00:12:30,100 --> 00:12:32,060 right now because. Boy, you're a bad person. 231 00:12:36,020 --> 00:12:38,340 Maybe we've been. Maybe you are in this room or 232 00:12:38,340 --> 00:12:41,060 watching online? And and and as I'm speaking, the 233 00:12:41,060 --> 00:12:43,820 Holy Spirit is reminding you of an occasion where you. 234 00:12:44,180 --> 00:12:47,460 Been bashed over the head metaphorically with bad teaching 235 00:12:47,460 --> 00:12:50,180 on the fear of the Lord, and it's wound you up in a place of 236 00:12:50,180 --> 00:12:53,420 being scared of God. And you're like, I'm not going 237 00:12:53,420 --> 00:12:56,580 there anymore, God willing. The teaching that I'm going to 238 00:12:56,580 --> 00:12:59,380 bring is going to add some, bring some correctness to that 239 00:12:59,380 --> 00:13:00,380 and some healing. I pray. 240 00:13:01,300 --> 00:13:03,700 And so there's the four reasons. Fear is always deemed negative. 241 00:13:03,700 --> 00:13:06,740 When it's not, we think it's just an Old Testament thing. 242 00:13:06,740 --> 00:13:09,860 When it's not, I mean if you have to read the, the epistles, 243 00:13:09,860 --> 00:13:11,580 the letters to the. Churches, you see? 244 00:13:12,020 --> 00:13:13,860 The right is talking about the fear of the Lord. 245 00:13:13,900 --> 00:13:16,820 Jesus himself talked about it. Three we major on love and. 246 00:13:16,820 --> 00:13:18,900 Minor on anything and everything else, because we want to sell 247 00:13:18,940 --> 00:13:21,740 Jesus, not preach Jesus. And four, we've been hurt or 248 00:13:21,740 --> 00:13:23,940 even worse, abused by bad and legalist teaching. 249 00:13:23,940 --> 00:13:27,500 So as way of a. Preface That's why I think we 250 00:13:27,500 --> 00:13:29,980 rarely talk about the fear of the Lord. 251 00:13:30,180 --> 00:13:34,420 I want to share a story that, yeah, we're definitely going to 252 00:13:34,420 --> 00:13:38,980 have a Part 3 next week. You know Part 2 preface Part 3. 253 00:13:39,260 --> 00:13:41,260 Introduction Part 4 Teaching now. 254 00:13:41,260 --> 00:13:43,880 I'm just kidding as I was watching. 255 00:13:44,200 --> 00:13:46,920 Talk from John Bevere. As I said, I I critic some of 256 00:13:46,920 --> 00:13:49,200 this content with with with him, he. 257 00:13:49,200 --> 00:13:58,720 Shared a story back in the early. 90s and he's called to go 258 00:13:58,760 --> 00:14:03,000 and see a very famous evangelist who. 259 00:14:03,000 --> 00:14:05,600 Was in prison now during the 80s. 260 00:14:05,600 --> 00:14:09,080 This, this evangelist. Was had the largest. 261 00:14:09,080 --> 00:14:14,150 Ministry in the US. He was on all of the T GOD TV 262 00:14:14,150 --> 00:14:17,230 channels and he had books and everything, and he was a fiery 263 00:14:17,230 --> 00:14:21,990 preacher by John Bevere's recollection, and he was called 264 00:14:21,990 --> 00:14:26,230 to see this preacher. In prison. 265 00:14:26,230 --> 00:14:29,310 Now this preacher had been convicted of mail. 266 00:14:29,390 --> 00:14:31,270 Fraud. So, you know, sending out mail 267 00:14:31,270 --> 00:14:34,370 and getting money. And he had a sentence of 40. 268 00:14:34,370 --> 00:14:37,130 Five years, which was reduced to five years, and it was across 269 00:14:37,250 --> 00:14:39,730 CNN. Every day, some of you might. 270 00:14:39,730 --> 00:14:44,050 Know who I'm talking about and and so John Bovere goes to. 271 00:14:44,050 --> 00:14:47,570 See him in his fourth year of incarceration and he goes to see 272 00:14:47,970 --> 00:14:50,170 this evangelist and the guy hugs him and. 273 00:14:50,290 --> 00:14:53,010 Won't let go and say it's so. Good that you're here. 274 00:14:53,810 --> 00:14:56,170 I've got so much to talk to you about, but I've just got 90 275 00:14:56,170 --> 00:14:58,530 minutes. So he sat down with. 276 00:14:58,530 --> 00:15:00,770 Him And he said, Listen, I want you to know this is the 277 00:15:00,770 --> 00:15:06,230 evangelist, This is God's mercy. That I am here in the first year 278 00:15:06,230 --> 00:15:08,030 that I was here. God dealt with the. 279 00:15:08,030 --> 00:15:12,950 Evil and the sin in my life. And he spoke and eventually John 280 00:15:12,950 --> 00:15:14,270 says, listen, I want to ask you a question. 281 00:15:14,950 --> 00:15:17,510 You know you were convicted of mail fraud. 282 00:15:17,510 --> 00:15:21,910 Prior to that, in 1983, you committed adultery and then for 283 00:15:21,910 --> 00:15:24,430 seven years you were doing this, then you got found out, he said. 284 00:15:24,430 --> 00:15:25,990 I want to ask you one question, he said. 285 00:15:26,070 --> 00:15:29,070 I remember when you preached to thousands, there were tears in 286 00:15:29,070 --> 00:15:31,390 your eyes. You preached with conviction and 287 00:15:31,390 --> 00:15:35,190 you preached with boldness. When did you stop loving Jesus? 288 00:15:36,550 --> 00:15:39,070 And he said. I never stop loving Jesus, he 289 00:15:40,590 --> 00:15:41,270 says. No, no, no. 290 00:15:41,270 --> 00:15:43,590 I don't think you understand the question. 291 00:15:44,390 --> 00:15:48,830 When did you stop loving Jesus that you did all of those 292 00:15:48,830 --> 00:15:49,390 things? He said. 293 00:15:49,390 --> 00:15:56,310 Listen, John. I didn't stop loving Jesus, John 294 00:15:56,310 --> 00:16:00,830 says. He could see the confused. 295 00:16:00,830 --> 00:16:02,990 Face that I had. And the evangelist said to me 296 00:16:02,990 --> 00:16:07,710 this that it wasn't that I stopped loving Jesus, it was 297 00:16:07,710 --> 00:16:11,540 that I stopped fearing the Lord. Let's. 298 00:16:16,250 --> 00:16:23,150 Just let that sink in. If you major on one aspect of 299 00:16:23,150 --> 00:16:27,230 God's character and call for us, you will fall into error. 300 00:16:29,590 --> 00:16:30,910 God loves me. It's OK. 301 00:16:31,390 --> 00:16:32,990 God loves me, God loves me, God loves me. 302 00:16:33,910 --> 00:16:36,270 And yes. He absolutely does. 303 00:16:37,110 --> 00:16:38,790 Not only does he love you, he is love. 304 00:16:41,110 --> 00:16:43,910 And I want to unpack. Why and what? 305 00:16:43,910 --> 00:16:47,710 Is the fear of the Lord. And you see, in the Bible we see 306 00:16:47,710 --> 00:16:49,310 two. Types of fear towards God. 307 00:16:49,550 --> 00:16:50,870 The parable of the talents is a good. 308 00:16:50,870 --> 00:16:55,230 Example you've got the Master Jesus who gives the the the 309 00:16:55,230 --> 00:16:56,870 different. So the three different guys 310 00:16:56,870 --> 00:16:58,230 says, right, take this, I'll be back. 311 00:16:58,710 --> 00:17:01,270 And two of them invest it and there's a return on the other 312 00:17:01,270 --> 00:17:04,270 one. He buries it and he says I did 313 00:17:04,270 --> 00:17:06,910 that because I was scared of your demands and. 314 00:17:07,069 --> 00:17:11,270 What you would require of me that is not a healthy, holy fear 315 00:17:11,270 --> 00:17:13,670 of the Lord that is being scared of God. 316 00:17:13,670 --> 00:17:16,950 And that's a difference. Another very good example is an 317 00:17:17,109 --> 00:17:21,869 Exodus 2020. Moses went up to mount. 318 00:17:21,869 --> 00:17:24,750 Sinai after they came out of Egypt, and he comes down and he 319 00:17:24,750 --> 00:17:30,790 says the people do not fear for God has come to test you that 320 00:17:30,790 --> 00:17:33,070 the fear of him may be before you. 321 00:17:34,030 --> 00:17:38,870 That you may not sing. Excuse me, do not fear, for God 322 00:17:38,870 --> 00:17:41,950 has come to test you that the fear of him. 323 00:17:42,070 --> 00:17:43,990 May be before you that you may not sing well that. 324 00:17:43,990 --> 00:17:47,180 Doesn't make sense, Moses. It is or is or it isn't. 325 00:17:49,580 --> 00:17:55,100 Do not be scared of God, for God has come to test you that the 326 00:17:55,100 --> 00:17:59,740 fear of the Lord of Him. May be before you that may you 327 00:17:59,740 --> 00:18:00,380 may not. See. 328 00:18:00,620 --> 00:18:04,980 You see the distinction. You see? 329 00:18:04,980 --> 00:18:08,420 A healthy, holy fear of God means we run towards. 330 00:18:08,420 --> 00:18:14,240 Him not away from him. You hearing this, a healthy holy 331 00:18:14,360 --> 00:18:17,320 fear of the Lord means we run towards Him, not away from. 332 00:18:17,320 --> 00:18:20,880 Him being scared, We believe in our hearts and our minds that 333 00:18:20,880 --> 00:18:27,120 God is so holy, so magnificent, so pure, so loving, so powerful, 334 00:18:27,120 --> 00:18:31,720 so awesome that we would dare not run away at all from Him, 335 00:18:31,720 --> 00:18:34,080 but that we'd only ever want to run towards. 336 00:18:34,560 --> 00:18:39,300 That is a holy fear of God, that we recognize His Holiness and we 337 00:18:39,300 --> 00:18:42,700 esteem Him much, that we want all of him, and that we want to 338 00:18:42,700 --> 00:18:46,100 love what he loves so much that we run into his arms. 339 00:18:46,660 --> 00:18:52,820 That is the fear of the Lord. It is a holy reverence of God 340 00:18:54,140 --> 00:18:58,060 that we would so honor Him as we sing with our lips that we want 341 00:18:58,060 --> 00:19:02,060 our lives to honor him too. And we come to him humbly and 342 00:19:02,060 --> 00:19:05,020 reverently, without any sense that God owes us anything. 343 00:19:08,570 --> 00:19:12,290 That's the holy fear of God, that we recognize who he is. 344 00:19:12,290 --> 00:19:15,330 And that he is for us and that we want to run into his arm and 345 00:19:15,330 --> 00:19:17,370 run away therefore from everything. 346 00:19:17,370 --> 00:19:20,170 Else that is not him. That is the holy fear of God. 347 00:19:21,330 --> 00:19:25,970 It is not scared of a God that's looking to beat us over the head 348 00:19:26,410 --> 00:19:31,650 to punish us. Now caveat, if you are not yet 349 00:19:31,650 --> 00:19:36,580 in Christ, you may feel that terror of God, and that's called 350 00:19:36,580 --> 00:19:38,100 the. Conviction of the Holy Spirit in 351 00:19:38,100 --> 00:19:40,780 your life. Maybe you're here this morning 352 00:19:40,780 --> 00:19:41,980 and you've yet to say yes to Jesus. 353 00:19:42,220 --> 00:19:45,460 And as I'm speaking, you're like but Mark, I am terrified of God. 354 00:19:45,660 --> 00:19:49,780 Yeah, you should be. Because without saying yes to 355 00:19:49,860 --> 00:19:52,180 Jesus, you can experience his wrath. 356 00:19:54,860 --> 00:19:58,860 That's the gospel, isn't it? But Jesus took that so you don't 357 00:19:58,860 --> 00:20:00,540 have to. That's the good news. 358 00:20:01,700 --> 00:20:08,700 That's the good news. God is a God of justice, and he 359 00:20:08,700 --> 00:20:11,660 is a God of love. And he has made a way for us 360 00:20:11,820 --> 00:20:14,700 that whoever so believeth in him will not perish but have eternal 361 00:20:14,700 --> 00:20:18,060 life. But as believers in Christ, as 362 00:20:18,060 --> 00:20:21,860 we've said yes to Jesus, we do not need to be scared of a God. 363 00:20:21,980 --> 00:20:25,900 We do not need to be terrified of the punishment of God because 364 00:20:26,020 --> 00:20:30,340 Jesus took it all for us. That is the good news of the 365 00:20:30,340 --> 00:20:32,540 gospel. It says in the scriptures, Lord, 366 00:20:32,700 --> 00:20:34,300 would I have the joy of your salvation? 367 00:20:34,300 --> 00:20:37,500 There is a joy that comes as we. Recognize that we're his, and so 368 00:20:37,500 --> 00:20:42,860 the joy of the Lord is a fruit of the fear of God. 369 00:20:43,820 --> 00:20:44,900 Are you? Following Are you tracking with 370 00:20:44,900 --> 00:20:46,500 me, people? I know it's. 371 00:20:46,500 --> 00:20:48,140 Really deep. But I said at the start of this 372 00:20:48,380 --> 00:20:51,340 series, I said, you know enough with with us playing in the 373 00:20:51,340 --> 00:20:55,260 water, water parks or splash parks, but it's calling us to 374 00:20:55,260 --> 00:20:56,860 the deep. This is the heart of this 375 00:20:56,860 --> 00:20:58,630 series. Is if you want to say I want to 376 00:20:58,630 --> 00:21:01,470 go deeper with God, then we're going to need to get into His 377 00:21:01,470 --> 00:21:03,990 word and his truth. Because that's where the gold 378 00:21:03,990 --> 00:21:05,630 is. That's where the freedom is. 379 00:21:05,750 --> 00:21:09,870 That's where the life is. I don't want to be a Christian. 380 00:21:09,870 --> 00:21:12,510 That just opens up the. Fridge and just grabs the coke 381 00:21:12,510 --> 00:21:15,270 and come fine now and moves on. I want to get into the deep 382 00:21:15,270 --> 00:21:17,070 living waters of Jesus don't you? 383 00:21:17,830 --> 00:21:19,990 I'm fed up paddling in the little bits. 384 00:21:19,990 --> 00:21:22,030 And going, oh, I'm done now, I'm going to go back into the world. 385 00:21:22,430 --> 00:21:25,910 I'm, I'm preaching to myself. You can come along with me on 386 00:21:25,910 --> 00:21:29,130 the right if you wish. I'm done asking God for more 387 00:21:29,330 --> 00:21:31,730 equipment for the splash part when he's saying, hey son, 388 00:21:31,810 --> 00:21:38,290 there's a massive ocean I want you to dive into, right? 389 00:21:38,730 --> 00:21:40,730 And so are we all there with the definition? 390 00:21:40,730 --> 00:21:44,210 Of the holy fear of God, Let's unpack the blessings. 391 00:21:44,210 --> 00:21:46,330 Of the fear of the Lord, then, because there are so many 392 00:21:46,330 --> 00:21:49,090 blessings that the enemy does not want you to know about the 393 00:21:49,090 --> 00:21:51,810 1st is this. It brings knowledge and wisdom. 394 00:21:52,970 --> 00:21:55,850 Proverbs 910 says it's the fear of the Lord is. 395 00:21:56,050 --> 00:22:00,250 The beginning of wisdom. If you're praying, who prays in 396 00:22:00,250 --> 00:22:01,650 Lord? I pray for your wisdom. 397 00:22:02,610 --> 00:22:05,570 If you're praying for that, you should be praying, Lord first I 398 00:22:05,570 --> 00:22:07,290 pray for healthy holy. Fear of you. 399 00:22:08,250 --> 00:22:09,450 Otherwise, don't pray for wisdom. 400 00:22:10,930 --> 00:22:14,530 Why? Because the truth of who God is 401 00:22:14,530 --> 00:22:17,850 and who he as he reveals himself from the Word comes from when we 402 00:22:17,850 --> 00:22:23,530 align ourselves with Him. Yeah, and when we say I only 403 00:22:23,530 --> 00:22:25,290 want what? Pleases you God. 404 00:22:25,450 --> 00:22:28,410 That is the holy fear of God. I only want to do that which 405 00:22:28,410 --> 00:22:31,650 pleases my Father. That is the fear of God and from 406 00:22:31,650 --> 00:22:34,050 that place. He reveals his wisdom to us. 407 00:22:34,250 --> 00:22:35,970 OK, fine. I'll show you some, daughter. 408 00:22:39,250 --> 00:22:43,290 The fear of the Lord is the place at which wisdom and 409 00:22:43,290 --> 00:22:48,370 knowledge flows from, because the fear of the Lord brings us 410 00:22:48,410 --> 00:22:52,070 into. Alignment with Him, you do not 411 00:22:52,070 --> 00:22:53,830 be conformed any longer to the pattern of this world, but be 412 00:22:53,830 --> 00:22:55,550 transformed by the renewing of your mind. 413 00:22:56,110 --> 00:22:58,750 Why Wisdom and knowledge? What's the root of wisdom and 414 00:22:58,750 --> 00:23:04,470 knowledge? A holy fear of God #2 keeps us 415 00:23:04,470 --> 00:23:07,390 from sinning, and this is where I reference the conversation at. 416 00:23:07,390 --> 00:23:11,270 The start of this talk when a brother in Christ said, you 417 00:23:11,270 --> 00:23:13,550 know. How do I move on? 418 00:23:13,550 --> 00:23:16,270 I want to walk in holiness and I would say a holy fear of God 419 00:23:16,430 --> 00:23:20,650 will keep you from sinning Deuteronomy. 529 says this Know 420 00:23:20,650 --> 00:23:24,130 that they had such a heart. As this always listen to fear me 421 00:23:24,890 --> 00:23:30,090 and to keep all my commandments. We keep God's commandments not 422 00:23:30,090 --> 00:23:33,250 because we feel compelled to and we feel like if we don't, we'll 423 00:23:33,250 --> 00:23:36,530 get bashed over the head. We keep His commandments because 424 00:23:36,530 --> 00:23:40,290 we want to reverence a holy God, and we recognize that He loves 425 00:23:40,290 --> 00:23:43,690 us and His commandments are there to bless us and we want to 426 00:23:43,690 --> 00:23:46,690 align ourselves. With the Almighty that is the 427 00:23:46,690 --> 00:23:49,350 outworking of the fear. Of the Lord, you see, and 428 00:23:49,350 --> 00:23:53,110 therefore in that place we keep. His commandments, but it starts 429 00:23:53,110 --> 00:23:55,990 with a holy healthy. Fear of the Lord. 430 00:23:57,670 --> 00:24:00,470 We want to keep his commandments because of a healthy. 431 00:24:00,470 --> 00:24:03,590 Awareness of his holy law. We are called, as we looked last 432 00:24:03,590 --> 00:24:09,750 week that we are called to be holy as he is 2 Corinthians 71. 433 00:24:09,870 --> 00:24:11,390 Paul says this to the Church of Corinth. 434 00:24:11,710 --> 00:24:16,270 Since we have these promises loved, let us cleanse ourselves. 435 00:24:16,270 --> 00:24:18,990 Listen from every department of body and spirit. 436 00:24:19,790 --> 00:24:23,190 Bringing holiness to completion. In the love of God? 437 00:24:23,190 --> 00:24:27,350 No. In the grace of God, No in the 438 00:24:27,350 --> 00:24:28,510 fear of God. What? 439 00:24:31,790 --> 00:24:33,630 When did you stop loving Jesus? I didn't. 440 00:24:34,070 --> 00:24:38,200 I just stopped fearing him. Since we have these promises, 441 00:24:38,200 --> 00:24:40,400 beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every department 442 00:24:40,400 --> 00:24:43,560 of body and spirit. Bring holiness to completion in 443 00:24:43,640 --> 00:24:46,880 the fear of God. If you were saying last week and 444 00:24:46,880 --> 00:24:48,080 you'll. Say this week I want to walk in 445 00:24:48,080 --> 00:24:50,240 the holiness of God. Then you've got to embrace the 446 00:24:50,240 --> 00:24:52,400 fear of the Lord and the blessing that comes from that. 447 00:24:54,560 --> 00:25:01,880 I want to give you my own story, I think, growing up. 448 00:25:02,680 --> 00:25:06,400 And I I I'm, I'm, I'm grateful of of a blessing of parents 449 00:25:06,400 --> 00:25:08,550 that. Brought my brother in UP and the 450 00:25:08,550 --> 00:25:11,030 scriptures and the Church that we went to. 451 00:25:11,230 --> 00:25:13,870 I always. Had a a fear of the Lord. 452 00:25:14,590 --> 00:25:17,510 There was this sense that there was. 453 00:25:17,510 --> 00:25:20,350 Lines that I didn't want to cross because I knew he this God 454 00:25:20,350 --> 00:25:24,110 was holy and he was magnificent, and it was that holy fear of God 455 00:25:24,110 --> 00:25:28,870 that came kept me. Celibate until I got married, it 456 00:25:28,870 --> 00:25:32,390 wasn't the love of God. Although I, I, I experienced the 457 00:25:32,390 --> 00:25:34,750 love of God that kept me from sinning. 458 00:25:36,010 --> 00:25:38,730 It was a fear of the Lord that kept me from going over that 459 00:25:38,730 --> 00:25:46,450 line and sinning in that way. If it wasn't for the fear of the 460 00:25:46,450 --> 00:25:48,570 Lord, I wouldn't have remained. Celibate until I got married, 461 00:25:48,570 --> 00:25:51,290 which as you guys know is the call for all, all of us. 462 00:25:54,490 --> 00:25:58,450 The sexual activity is therefore a as a blessing of the covenant 463 00:25:58,570 --> 00:26:01,010 of marriage. It is not to be used outside. 464 00:26:01,490 --> 00:26:03,650 That's another talk for for another time as well. 465 00:26:03,650 --> 00:26:07,490 We'll put that in the list. We've got four talks there, but 466 00:26:07,490 --> 00:26:10,650 it was the fear of God that kept me from sinning. 467 00:26:10,930 --> 00:26:14,570 And I I would love to say that our modern church. 468 00:26:14,610 --> 00:26:18,930 And I use the word church global because we have so lost the 469 00:26:18,930 --> 00:26:23,530 healthy holy understanding. Of the fear of the Lord, and we 470 00:26:23,530 --> 00:26:26,130 have majored on the things that are easy to us. 471 00:26:26,570 --> 00:26:28,570 It is easier, therefore, to fall into sin. 472 00:26:31,130 --> 00:26:35,500 Preacher brother, thank you very much, #3. 473 00:26:37,100 --> 00:26:39,700 It cleanses us and brings us life. 474 00:26:41,820 --> 00:26:44,740 Proverbs 1427. For the fear of the Lord is a 475 00:26:44,820 --> 00:26:48,940 fountain of life. There is A and this in some 476 00:26:48,940 --> 00:26:51,500 respect is a summary of all the blessings. 477 00:26:51,500 --> 00:26:54,340 And in the John Bevere. Book here that I mentioned, 478 00:26:54,340 --> 00:26:58,180 which is an amazing book. He lists at the end 19 plus 479 00:26:58,620 --> 00:27:01,500 blessings that come. With the Fear of the Lord 19 480 00:27:01,500 --> 00:27:03,500 plus. That the scriptures demonstrate, 481 00:27:04,180 --> 00:27:05,820 and somehow we've managed to ignore. 482 00:27:07,340 --> 00:27:09,540 But the fear of the Lord is a fountain of life that one may 483 00:27:09,540 --> 00:27:11,060 turn away from the snares of death. 484 00:27:11,220 --> 00:27:12,780 You see, what is the thing about a snare? 485 00:27:13,020 --> 00:27:15,420 It is both hidden and it has a bait. 486 00:27:17,500 --> 00:27:24,900 The thing about a snare, it is hidden and there is a bait while 487 00:27:24,900 --> 00:27:28,140 we get trapped, of course. But you see, it's the fear of 488 00:27:28,140 --> 00:27:30,620 the. Lord, that is a fountain of life 489 00:27:30,820 --> 00:27:33,820 that protects us from the hidden bait. 490 00:27:34,060 --> 00:27:39,020 Filled traps that the enemy sets for us, and that is where you 491 00:27:39,020 --> 00:27:42,620 will see victory in your. Life with the holy fear of the 492 00:27:42,620 --> 00:27:45,540 Lord. So how do we? 493 00:27:45,540 --> 00:27:48,620 Walk in the fear of God. Because they don't. 494 00:27:48,620 --> 00:27:49,580 Like you. But that's my question. 495 00:27:49,580 --> 00:27:51,060 Like yes. Sign me up Preacher. 496 00:27:52,140 --> 00:27:53,700 I'm, I'm all. There with you. 497 00:27:54,700 --> 00:27:55,860 You know you're right. I haven't. 498 00:27:55,860 --> 00:27:57,940 Really thought about it, but I want to think about it and you 499 00:27:57,940 --> 00:27:59,460 know what? I want to walk in the holy fear 500 00:27:59,460 --> 00:28:01,300 of the Lord, but you tell me how I start. 501 00:28:01,460 --> 00:28:02,820 Thank you for asking me that question. 502 00:28:05,210 --> 00:28:06,610 I've got some good news and some bad news for you. 503 00:28:06,610 --> 00:28:11,210 That can be the bad news. First, there is no five step. 504 00:28:11,250 --> 00:28:15,130 Model for this one. Sorry, there is no magic 505 00:28:15,130 --> 00:28:16,610 formula. That means you could just do 506 00:28:16,610 --> 00:28:18,050 and. Then you got the fear of the 507 00:28:18,050 --> 00:28:21,730 Lord. Fear of the Lord comes with the 508 00:28:21,730 --> 00:28:23,570 knowledge and. Experience of a holy God? 509 00:28:24,370 --> 00:28:30,210 I'll say that again, fear of the Lord comes with the knowledge 510 00:28:30,410 --> 00:28:38,060 and experience of our holy God, who felt the magnificence of God 511 00:28:38,060 --> 00:28:39,900 as we were in that time of worship. 512 00:28:40,140 --> 00:28:42,980 And as I read Revelation out to you, who felt you don't have to 513 00:28:42,980 --> 00:28:45,940 be hands up, but who felt? The presence of a magnificent, 514 00:28:45,940 --> 00:29:01,080 holy, almighty God, and yet because feeling convicted. 515 00:29:01,080 --> 00:29:03,360 Right now myself, because I don't get into the scriptures 516 00:29:03,360 --> 00:29:07,340 enough and work out who this God is and read about who he is and 517 00:29:07,340 --> 00:29:10,580 His Holiness and where is revelation anyway and why should 518 00:29:10,580 --> 00:29:12,820 I read that and why should I read the Old Testament and blah 519 00:29:12,820 --> 00:29:16,300 blah blah blah? Because I don't read about God 520 00:29:16,300 --> 00:29:18,260 and understand the knowledge of who He is. 521 00:29:18,660 --> 00:29:22,100 It doesn't lead to holy fear. Because what I've done is I 522 00:29:22,140 --> 00:29:26,380 constructed my view of God, and my view of God is a cosmic Santa 523 00:29:26,380 --> 00:29:29,220 Claus that loves me no matter what, and therefore I can do. 524 00:29:29,220 --> 00:29:32,500 Whatever I want to do. When did you stop loving Jesus? 525 00:29:32,660 --> 00:29:38,830 I never stop loving Jesus. I stopped fearing the Lord, but 526 00:29:38,830 --> 00:29:41,950 we also experienced. Him and that what brings us what 527 00:29:41,950 --> 00:29:44,310 a great introduction to our anchor text. 528 00:29:44,310 --> 00:29:48,550 Which was Luke 51TO11. Seriously, in that story we see 529 00:29:48,550 --> 00:29:54,070 the fear of the Lord here that when Simon Peter saw, when he 530 00:29:54,070 --> 00:29:58,710 had a revelation of who Jesus was by the fact of this miracle, 531 00:29:58,710 --> 00:30:00,870 what happens? It says this he fell down 532 00:30:01,150 --> 00:30:05,160 Jesus's knees. Not from me, for I am a sinful. 533 00:30:05,160 --> 00:30:10,600 Man, O Lord, oh, what was that? A revelation of a holy God. 534 00:30:11,920 --> 00:30:14,320 We see that so many times in Scripture. 535 00:30:14,520 --> 00:30:16,640 What about Isaiah 6, four to five. 536 00:30:17,120 --> 00:30:20,560 And the fountains, foundations and the thresholds shook at the 537 00:30:20,560 --> 00:30:23,520 voice of God who called, And the house would fill the smoke. 538 00:30:23,640 --> 00:30:29,160 And Isaiah said, Woe is me, for I am lost, for I am a man of 539 00:30:29,160 --> 00:30:31,360 unclean lips. I am not God, as I thought I may 540 00:30:31,360 --> 00:30:35,450 be, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips, for my 541 00:30:35,450 --> 00:30:38,450 eyes have seen the king that is A. 542 00:30:38,450 --> 00:30:42,570 Holy, Reverent, Fear of the Lord, and it comes from an 543 00:30:42,570 --> 00:30:46,370 experience and in the knowledge. Of a holy God that we worship 544 00:30:47,410 --> 00:30:50,250 God is going to break. Some God boxes this morning. 545 00:30:51,250 --> 00:30:55,770 He's bigger, more almighty, more powerful, more loving, more 546 00:30:55,770 --> 00:30:57,960 kind. Than we can ever know, and it is 547 00:30:57,960 --> 00:31:00,520 as we experience that, that we've fallen our knees. 548 00:31:00,520 --> 00:31:03,040 And say, wow, I want to run towards you. 549 00:31:03,040 --> 00:31:06,480 God, not run away from you. Like to invite the band up as I 550 00:31:06,480 --> 00:31:10,200 bring this plane into a land. I want to read you something. 551 00:31:10,200 --> 00:31:16,680 Actually, 10 years almost to this day, I had an experience. 552 00:31:16,680 --> 00:31:24,440 Over there, my right, your left. It was November the 3rd, 2013 we 553 00:31:24,440 --> 00:31:26,440 had guest. Speakers Ellie Mumford, who at 554 00:31:26,440 --> 00:31:30,080 the time, Ellie and John were our national directors of the 555 00:31:30,080 --> 00:31:33,480 Vintage UK. It's now John and Debbie Wright 556 00:31:33,480 --> 00:31:38,200 as you may know and I had such an experience that I actually 557 00:31:38,200 --> 00:31:41,640 the next day or in fact on the two that I emailed. 558 00:31:41,640 --> 00:31:45,080 My family in Australia and I emailed them what had happened 559 00:31:45,080 --> 00:31:48,440 and I'm going to read you an excerpt from that e-mail. 560 00:31:49,560 --> 00:31:53,160 Of what happened to me, this is me writing. 561 00:31:54,210 --> 00:31:56,530 I and I'd written some other stuff before, and this was the 562 00:31:56,530 --> 00:31:58,130 next thing I want to read, I remember. 563 00:31:59,330 --> 00:32:01,050 And I was laid down like that on the floor. 564 00:32:01,050 --> 00:32:02,610 Couldn't. It was over an hour and a half. 565 00:32:03,050 --> 00:32:06,810 I remember feeling that I was in the presence of God, that I 566 00:32:06,810 --> 00:32:11,490 couldn't speak. I tried, but it was if I was 567 00:32:11,490 --> 00:32:14,210 under anesthetic. And then I opened my eyes 568 00:32:14,530 --> 00:32:16,810 disorientated, and I could make out and I. 569 00:32:16,810 --> 00:32:20,450 List the people that are around praying for me and then someone 570 00:32:20,450 --> 00:32:23,010 said to me. You've seen your Savior Mark, 571 00:32:24,190 --> 00:32:27,390 and as she spoke the words, I had such an intense feeling of 572 00:32:27,390 --> 00:32:29,590 his presence. In fact, I would say that while 573 00:32:29,590 --> 00:32:32,830 in the natural my eyes didn't see Him, my spirit did, at least 574 00:32:32,830 --> 00:32:36,950 at some measure, and I cried out from the depth of my belly. 575 00:32:37,350 --> 00:32:39,870 He was He is holy and I am undone. 576 00:32:40,390 --> 00:32:44,590 As Isaiah said, when he saw the Lord, I didn't see his face, but 577 00:32:44,590 --> 00:32:46,910 he was there and the awfulness of God. 578 00:32:47,150 --> 00:32:49,550 And I got here in brackets. I used that word in its 579 00:32:49,550 --> 00:32:52,470 historical way to describe the awe of God. 580 00:32:53,550 --> 00:32:56,190 Was so great that I thought I'll disintegrate. 581 00:32:56,190 --> 00:32:59,110 And I remember it to this day. There was a notion that I was 582 00:32:59,110 --> 00:33:03,190 being disintegrated in the presence of a holiness, and I 583 00:33:03,190 --> 00:33:05,310 think I even said words to that effect. 584 00:33:05,310 --> 00:33:08,990 I can't take it. Lord, it wasn't that I was 585 00:33:08,990 --> 00:33:12,710 scared. It was like a purging feeling. 586 00:33:13,590 --> 00:33:17,630 Truly, words to describe what happened are inadequate. 587 00:33:20,950 --> 00:33:24,330 That is a holy holy. Healthy fear of God. 588 00:33:26,370 --> 00:33:28,890 The question for each. One of us is, are we going to 589 00:33:28,890 --> 00:33:33,170 walk in that because we are called to fear God in a wholly 590 00:33:33,290 --> 00:33:35,690 healthy way? Can we stand as I pray before we 591 00:33:35,690 --> 00:33:36,050 worship?