June 19 - Acts 9:31 - COMFORT

Living in the fear of the Lord

and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit ...

the church ... was built up ... Acts 9:31

 

How was the early church built up?

 

By fearing God.

 

"The fear of the Lord" means, of course, profound respect. It is awe over God's power, and it is trembling over our sins. God is mighty, and my response is to fall humbly before his throne. A more contemporary way to say this is: "God is God, and I am not."

 

So ... what built the church and what builds individual faith? The fear of the Lord.

 

But here comes the irony and the blessing. What's the gift of bowing humbly before our awesome God? Comfort! Fear leads to comfort. In other words, if I fear God, I do not need to fear anything else. I no longer need to worry. I no longer need to fear death. I can cast all my cares on him.

 

How can I be filled with the Holy Spirit? By fearing God. And the fruit of this faith is peace -- indeed, the comfort of the Holy Spirit.  

 

In Christ's Love,

a guy who rests better

beneath a comforter