Do We Really Fear The Lord?
Joshua 22:21-29
21 Then the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh answered, and said unto the heads of the thousands of Israel,
22 The LORD God of gods, the LORD God of gods, he knoweth, and Israel he shall know; if it be in rebellion, or if in transgression against the LORD,
23 That we have built us an altar to turn from following the LORD, or if to offer thereon burnt offering or meat offering, or if to offer peace offerings thereon, let the LORD himself require it;
24 And if we have not rather done it for fear of this thing, saying, In time to come your children might speak unto our children, saying, What have ye to do with the LORD God of Israel?
25 For the LORD hath made Jordan a border between us and you, ye children of Reuben and children of Gad; ye have no part in the LORD: so shall your children make our children cease from fearing the LORD.
26 Therefore we said, Let us now prepare to build us an altar, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice:
27 But that it may be a witness between us, and you, and our generations after us, that we might do the service of the LORD before him with our burnt offerings, and with our sacrifices, and with our peace offerings; that your children may not say to our children in time to come, Ye have no part in the LORD.
28 Therefore said we, that it shall be, when they should so say to us or to our generations in time to come, that we may say again, Behold the pattern of the altar of the LORD, which our fathers made, not for burnt offerings, nor for sacrifices; but it is a witness between us and you.
29 God forbid that we should rebel against the LORD, and turn this day from following the LORD, to build an altar for burnt offerings, for meat offerings, or for sacrifices, beside the altar of the LORD our God that is before his tabernacle.
I have entitled this today: “Do We Really Fear The Lord?”
How many know today that God really does know what is in our hearts?
God knows everything there is to know about each and everyone of us.
Joshua 22:10 says:
10 And when they came unto the borders of Jordan, that are in the land of Canaan, the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh built there an altar by Jordan, a great altar to see to.
Such an Altar was sternly forbidden by God because it opened up the door to idolatry.
There was to be only one place for the Altar, the place where God appointed, which is now Shiloh.
Jesus Christ and Him crucified is the answer.
Anything else proposed, even that which looks right, but is not actually the Cross, must be rejected out of hand, because God has rejected all such things.
He accepts the Cross of Christ and nothing else.
Joshua 22:22
22 The LORD God of gods, the LORD God of gods, he knoweth, and Israel he shall know; if it be in rebellion, or if in transgression against the LORD,
God knew and God knows if Israel was in rebellion or transgression against the Lord.
God knows whether we are in rebellion or transgression against Him.
The Altar that had been built was going to turn the people from following the Lord.
Joshua 22:24
24 And if we have not rather done it for fear of this thing, saying, In time to come your children might speak unto our children, saying, What have ye to do with the LORD God of Israel? }
This was an Altar that was built out of fleshy wants and because there was a rebellion against God and His camp.
In time to come, it says that your children might speak unto our children saying, what have ye to do with the LORD God of Israel?
Look closely at Joshua 22:25
25 For the LORD hath made Jordan a border between us and you, ye children of Reuben and children of Gad; ye have no part in the LORD: so shall your children make our children cease from fearing the LORD.
De 10:12 And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul,
We need to train up the generation to come to understand what fearing the Lord really means and what it can bring.
God requires us to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all His ways, and to love Him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul,
De 31:13 And that their children, which have not known any thing, may hear, and learn to fear the LORD your God, as long as ye live in the land whither ye go over Jordan to possess it.
The young people need to hear and learn to fear God.
We need to train people to fear the Lord, trust in the LORD: He is their help and their shield.
Jer 5:24 Neither say they in their heart, Let us now fear the LORD our God, that giveth rain, both the former and the latter, in his season: he reserveth unto us the appointed weeks of the harvest.
Joshua 22:26-29
26 Therefore we said, Let us now prepare to build us an altar, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice:
27 But that it may be a witness between us, and you, and our generations after us, that we might do the service of the LORD before him with our burnt offerings, and with our sacrifices, and with our peace offerings; that your children may not say to our children in time to come, Ye have no part in the LORD.
28 Therefore said we, that it shall be, when they should so say to us or to our generations in time to come, that we may say again, Behold the pattern of the altar of the LORD, which our fathers made, not for burnt offerings, nor for sacrifices; but it is a witness between us and you.
29 God forbid that we should rebel against the LORD, and turn this day from following the LORD, to build an altar for burnt offerings, for meat offerings, or for sacrifices, beside the altar of the LORD our God that is before his tabernacle.
Church, we need to listen to the Lord and let Him direct us where to build an Altar of prayer where we can intercede for the generations coming up.
I have entitled this today: “Do We Really Fear The Lord?”
Dream 2-8-09
I dreamed we were in service. I was talking about how people really don’t fear the Lord. I said we talk like we do but we don’t. I said to the congregation that God knows what is in our hearts, and He is going to judge people for what they do. I then went up to the Altar, standing. I put my hands in the air and the Holy Spirit came upon me.
Interpretation
Is it possible that people in the church really don’t fear the Lord?
Do people have a talk but their talk does not line up with their walk?
I don’t know if people realize this or not, God knows what is in our hearts and He will judge people for what they do.
I went up to the Altar, standing, and put my hands in the air and the Holy Ghost fell on me.
I believe this is a God-given message and we, as a church, need to listen to what God is trying to get across to us.
Fear God and do what He says we need to do.
Pr 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Do you want knowledge? The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Pr 2:5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.
We need to understand that the Word of God was given for our instruction and if we use the map that has been given to us, we will find out life will be a lot simpler.
2Co 11:3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
Satan wants to make this walk of life harder than what it really is.
Salvation is simplicity that is in Christ.
The other night we talked about the Spirit of God taking us to the next room in our walks.
New levels in Him, the choice really is ours. Do we want all that we can have in Christ, or do are we content with what we already have?
I want more! Did you hear what I said? I want more of God than ever before.
In order to get more, I have to listen to what the Word teaches me.
Ecclesiastes 12:13-14
13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
Remember the dream: I said to the congregation that God knows what is in our hearts, and He is going to judge people for what they do.
Ecclesiastes 12:13-14
13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
Closing
Are we building up Altars that God has nothing to do with?
Are we training up our children and grandchildren, and even the new people that are coming into the Church, to fear God and do what He says to do?
What do they see in our lives?
Pr 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Do We Really Fear The Lord?
Church, it is time to get serious for God because He is serious about us.
If you are interested in seeing some God given dreams given to me and others in our church go to:
http://www.ourchurch.com/member/w/windoffaithdrea/
Go to the new text page for the God given dreams.
