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January 9 - February 14, 2025
Profession: I will walk by faith in His ability. No longer will I depend on my ability but will now cooperate with His empowerment.
The secret of the LORD is with those who fear Him, and He will show them His covenant. (Psalm 25:14 NKJV)
The ESV reads: “The friendship of the LORD is for those who fear him.”
We never know when God is testing us until we are on the other side of it.
How did the angel know that Abraham feared God? Because he obeyed instantly, when it didn’t make sense, when he didn’t see a benefit, when it hurt, and he did it to completion.
Passage: The secret [of the sweet, satisfying companionship] of the Lord have they who fear (revere and worship) Him, and He will show them His covenant and reveal to them its [deep, inner] meaning. (Psalm 25:14 AMPC)
Profession: I will seek to be a friend to God and choose to make nothing else a greater priority.
Godly fear motivates us both to will and to do what God asks of us. It opens the door to intimacy with Him.
Holy fear actually enables us to love more truly and more deeply not only God but also people.
When we lack holy fear, we’ll inevitably seek to get as close to the world as possible without falling headlong into it.
We must remember we are called into the world to reach the lost, not to be part of them.
In love, Jesus warns us to “remember what happened to Lot’s wife!” (Luke 17:32).
Passage: Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. (James 4:8)
Profession: I choose God over the world.
Only when we are captured by an overwhelming sense of awe and reverence in the presence of God, will we begin to worship God in spirit and in truth. —ALISTAIR BEGG
So the LORD spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. (Exodus 33:11 NKJV)
“Of all my house, he is the one I trust. I speak to him face to face, clearly, and not in riddles! He sees the LORD as he is.” (Numbers 12:7–8)
What builds trust with God? Unconditional obedience—always doing what’s asked Absolute integrity—always keeping your word Unwavering priority—always putting His desires first Knowing His heart—always choosing God’s will when making decisions
He chose . . . to suffer for the sake of Christ [rather] than to own the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to his great reward. (Hebrews 11:25–26)
he declared, “If I have to choose between Your presence and Your blessings, I’ll take Your presence!”
Why would God trust Moses but not His people? Because God knew Moses would always choose God’s heart over what looked best for him—this is holy fear.
Passage: All things have been entrusted and delivered to Me by My Father . . . and no one fully knows and accurately understands the Father except the Son. (Matthew 11:27 AMPC)
Profession: I choose to be one who can be trusted by my Lord Jesus.
Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us? —LUKE 24:32 NKJV
In essence, the Lord says to us, “Until you are very established in who I am in your life and very established in who you are with Me—the fear of the Lord—I need to keep you at a servant level even though you are an heir—a son or daughter of My kingdom. This is to protect you, so you don’t experience judgment similar to Ananias and Sapphira.”
No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. (John 15:15 NKJV)
When the Lord’s heart and will are our number-one priority, He then can trust us and will welcome us into a relationship of friendship.
Passage: “You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.” (John 15:14 NKJV)
Profession: I choose to become a friend of Jesus! I will obey whatever He commands me.
Isaac pleaded with the LORD on behalf of his wife, because she was unable to have children. The LORD answered Isaac’s prayer, and Rebekah became pregnant with twins. (Genesis 25:21)
plead. The Hebrew dictionary states, “The fundamental meaning of this word is that of a cry to the Lord.” So it wasn’t just a casual prayer but a fervent petition,
The kind of prayer that pleases God.
The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. (James 5:16 NKJV)
Forever, O LORD, Your word is settled in heaven. (Psalm 119:89 NKJV)
“By the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established” (2 Corinthians 13:1 NKJV).
So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please. (Isaiah 55:11 NKJV)
God’s mouth speaks His desired will, but it takes a human being—who has been given authority on earth—to speak it out of their mouth to establish it on earth.
He will not force His way into our “leased earth” unless we ask for His will to be done.
While Jesus was here on earth, he offered prayers and pleadings, with a loud cry and tears, to the one who could rescue him from death. And God heard his prayers because of his deep reverence for God. (Hebrews 5:7)
“When you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong” (James 4:3).
the fear of the Lord is what keeps our motives in check.
“Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life” (1 Timothy 6:12 NKJV).
Passage: He grants the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cries. (Psalm 145:19)
Profession: I choose to fight the good fight of faith, to lay hold of what eternal life declares, to see God’s will established in my world of influence.
Men who fear God face life fearlessly. Men who do not fear God end up fearing everything. —RICHARD HALVERSON
The LORD has given me a strong warning not to think like everyone else does. He said, “Don’t call everything a conspiracy, like they do, and don’t live in dread of what frightens them. Make the LORD of Heaven’s Armies holy in your life. He is the one you should fear.
How great is the goodness you have stored up for those who fear you. You lavish it on those who come to you for protection, blessing them before the watching world. You hide them in the shelter of your presence, safe from those who conspire against them. You shelter them in your presence, far from accusing tongues. (Psalm 31:19–20)
“‘Don’t be afraid!’ Elisha told him. ‘For there are more on our side than on theirs!’ Then Elisha prayed, ‘Oh LORD, open his eyes and let him see!’” (2 Kings 6:16–17). The Lord did, and the servant saw on the hillside multitudes of angelic horses and chariots of fire.
Chills
“If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up” (Daniel 3:17–18).
These men feared God and therefore knew He would deliver them either by life or death.
