GOD’S WORD FOR JULY 17 ~ ~ Psalm 62:5 ~ ~ “My soul, wait silently for God alone, For my expectation is from Him.”

John Pipers book, “The Pleasures of God”

(speaking of prioritizing our fears)

If our lives are guided by the same fears that unbelievers have, then we do not “regard God as holy.” We do not honor him and revere him as greater than all things.

In fact, Isaiah says, IT IS A KIND OF PRIDE TO BE AFRAID OF WHAT MAN CAN DO WHILE WE DISREGARD THE PROMISES OF GOD.

He quotes God with this piercing question:

“I, I am he that comforts you; WHO ARE YOU THAT YOU ARE AFRAID OF MAN who dies, of the son of man who is made like grass, and have forgotten the Lord your Maker?” (Isaiah 51:12-13)

Fear of man may not feel like pride, but that is what God says it is: “Who do you think you are to fear man and forget me, your Maker!!!!”

The apostle Peter takes up this teaching of Isaiah and applies it to the Christian life. He says, “If you suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts reverence Christ as Lord.” (1Peter 3:14-15)

Isaiah said, “Don’t fear man, regard God as holy” Peter said, “Don’t fear man, reverence Christ as Lord.” the word behind “regard as holy” and “reverence” is basically the same in both cases. The point is this: if you fear man, you have begun to deny the holiness, the worth, of God and his son Jesus. God is infinitely stronger. He is infinitely wiser and infinitely more full of reward and joy. To turn from him out of fear of what man can do is to discount all that God promises to be for those who fear him. It is a great insult. And in such an insult God can take no pleasure.

On the other hand when we hear the promises and trust him with courage, fearing the reproach brought upon God by our unbelief, then he is greatly honored. And in that he has pleasure.

THE SECOND REASON GOD HAS PLEASURE IN OUR OBEDIENCE:

BECAUSE DISOBEDIENCE SHOWS A MISPLACEMENT OF PLEASURE.

In the event in 1 Samuel, Saul tried to persuade Samuel that it was a noble intention that led him to disobey God. (and keep the animals alive for himself when told to kill them).

He said they wanted to sacrifice these to the Lord in Gilgal. But the Lord had given Samuel insight into the true motive of Saul and the people. We see it in 1Samuel 15:19: “Why then did you not obey the voice of the Lord? Why did you SWOOP ON the spoil, and do what was evil in the sight of the Lord?”

The “swooped” down on the spoil like hungry birds eager to fill their bellies. This word “swoop” is used in 1 Samuel 14:32 to describe how the people fell on the spoil when the Philistines were defeated. It says, “The people flew upon the spoil, and took sheep and oxen and calves, and slew them on the ground: and the people ate them with the blood.

When Samuel says, “Why did you SWOOP on the spoil, and do what was evil in the sight of the Lord?” He implies that the people were driven by an overwhelming desire for the pleasures of all that meat. Their pleasure was misplaced. It should have been in God. But they delighted more in the meat of sheep and oxen than they did in the smile and fellowship of God. This is, of course, a great insult to God, and therefore very displeasing in his sight. But to look to the promises of God and the prospect of his awesome presence, and delight more in that than in the fleeting pleasures of disobedience, is a great honor to God. And in that he has pleasure.

(Let’s look at our own lives in the light of this story. Do we sometimes,—- even though, as being Christians, and having given our lives to the Lord of Lords and King of Kings, — many times, or even as a general direction of our lives, choose the material things of this world instead of obedience to our Savior?)

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