GODLY FEAR

Friday, June 03

GODLY FEAR

Scripture Reference: Ecclesiastes 12:13 NLT

That’s the whole story. Here now is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commandments, for this is everyone’s duty.

The fear of God isn’t the dread we often have for dangerous creatures like the monster. It’s, however, the reverence or respect that we show toward God and the things pertaining to His Kingdom. It’s normally described as ‘godly’ or ‘holy’ fear.

So how can one exercise godly fear toward God? In Deuteronomy 31:11-13, Moses was to read the Book of the Law in the hearing of the people of Israel every seven years. The purpose for which God instructed him to do that is such an important lesson you need to pick up.

In the twelfth verse it says, ‘Gather the people together…that they may hear and that they may learn to fear the Lord your God and carefully observe all the words of this law.’

From this we can see that it’s of great necessity for the Word of God to be heard first and foremost before we can learn of His reverential fear. The importance of God’s Word can’t be stressed upon enough. It’s only the Word that can unveil the nature, the ways, thoughts, plans and purposes of God to a person.

We need His Word to clearly show us the dos and don’ts of His Kingdom. Availing ourselves to the Word – through hearing as well as personal study – is the only mean by which you can learn to fear the Lord. We can’t separate godly fear from obedience. How can we say we revere and respect God if we don’t walk in His ways?

Therefore, give yourself to the ministry of the Word; allow the Word to produce in you the Spirit of the fear of the Lord, which would in turn activate the Spirit of wisdom in your life (Psalm 111:10).

Grace unto you,

Osei Barnie

DOING THE RIGHT THING THE RIGHT WAY

Friday, May 27

DOING THE RIGHT THING THE RIGHT WAY

Scripture Reference: Acts 2:28
You have made known to me the ways of life; You will make me full of joy in Your presence.

It’s not enough to do the right thing! They must be done in the right way so as to achieve the best results. As the saying goes ‘Whatever you sow you shall reap.’ Your harvest can only be successful and bountiful if the sowing was carried out in the right procedure.

They’re various right things you do as a child of God, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you do them with the right approach. Adopting the right way is the only means of getting the best of God in whatever you do.

Studying the Bible; praying; fasting; giving; evangelism; doing good to others; settling dispute; serving in the Church; praising and worshipping God and many others are all things we must do as Christians. We do these instructions of God not so that we may become the most religious group on earth. Certainly not! God isn’t seeking religiosity out of us since Christianity isn’t a religion.

Rather He desires to see in us the transformation from glory to glory, appropriating His greater blessings as well as having tremendous impacts on our worlds. That’s why we’ve got to learn of Him.

There are ways of life – that is God’s ways of doing things. When you opt for those ways of life you set yourself up for the life of success and productivity. Besides you’ll find true fulfilment because the fullness of joy automatically comes with His ways.
David was the one who made this prophetic utterance concerning the Messiah.

However he had a personal experience of knowing the ways of life and this was the main factor behind the glorious life he lived. You shouldn’t follow the opinions of people. Be different by making a resolute decision to search out from the Bible God’s ways concerning all matters.

Grace unto you,

Osei Barnie

RHEMA NOTICEBOARD
Friends ‘n’ Family Day 2011 is here again this Sunday, 29th May @ 6pm. Come along with friends and all loved ones and step into that divine destiny for your lives. (Check out the Friends ‘n’ Family tune: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18vjyt6LNa0)

STIR UP YOUR GIFT – part 2

  Thursday, Sept 1

 STIR UP YOUR GIFT – part 2

Scripture reference: I Timothy 4: 14

Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership.

 

This verse shows there is the possibility of one neglected his or her gifts. Have you neglected yours? You have either neglected them or you are stirring them up – there is no middle ground. You neglect your gifts by doing nothing about and with them, thereby depriving the desperate people who are meant to be partakers of that grace in your life.

So how can you stir up those gifts? Knowing these factors and putting them to work are of paramount importance. Without them, your gifts although are in you, would be dormant and hence unproductive.

Fellowshipping with God is the central point of stirring up your gifts. Remember that those gifts were deposited in your spirit by the Holy Spirit for a specific purpose.

They are meant to help in the fulfilling of His general agenda in your generation and even beyond. No one can assist you in discovering and reaching your full potential than the Giver, the Holy Spirit. It is therefore necessary for you to begin an intimate and closer walk with Him.

Continual study of the Word should be your primary focus in fellowshipping with Him. The Word precedes everything. All the others, as important as they are, are things we do, but the Word is somebody we become, and He is Jesus Christ. Besides, it is the Word that depicts how to carry out the other factors rightly and effectively.

Should you become a student of the Word and give heed to the sayings thereof, you would function with your gifts in excellence. The Word would thoroughly prepare your heart, out of which the gifts would flow. It would also impart to your spirit the Christ-like character and attributes which are much needed for productivity and excellence.     

The Word, the voice of wisdom, would also safeguard you from all the elements of evil which would want to steal and render your gifts ineffective – that is why you must be a Word person.

Grace unto you,

Osei Barnie