Walk in Fear or Love; Your Choice

February 6, 2018

Devotions:

        “And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. We love him, because he first loved us.” ‭1 John‬ ‭4:16-19‬ ‭KJV‬‬

    The are two types of fear in the Bible. One is a reverential awe and respect, the Fear of the Lord.  The other one is the fear of punishment and reprisals.  Jesus has taken all of our punishments so there is no fear when we miss it.God is not angry with us nor the world. There are consequences to sin and when we understand this we will want to avoid sin. But when we understand the love of God, all  fear of reprisal is gone.  Also when we understand the love of God for us then we do not want to sin but to do those things that please Him.

    Over three hundred and sixty five times in the Bible, when an embassary of the Lord appears to people, an angel, the first thing that they say is, "Fear Not."

    Fear was first introduced in the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve sinned.  They feared punishment for their disobedience.  Fear is of the devil. God has redeemed us from the dread of fear of punishment and has replaced it with His love. But if we insist on our own ways, God will let us have them but we will not like the outcome.  It is better to follow the Lord out of Love than to turn to our own ways or try to follow out of fear.  John says that if we walk in fear we will no mature. Choose to walk in His love.