The Fear of God

Just a quick note:
I was looking up the 10 commandments for a lesson I'm teaching on Philip the Deacon from Acts 8 (intrigued? Figure out that connection! Or just join me tomorrow morning...), when I ran across this:

Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning." --Exodus 20:20

Note what keeps them(/me) from sinning: the fear of God. I confirmed this when I looked up this phrase elsewhere:
An oracle is within my heart concerning the sinfulness of the wicked: There is no fear of God before his eyes. --Psalm 36:1

And it's quoted in Romans 3:18, as Paul describes how Jews and Gentiles both are equally under sin: There is no fear of God before their eyes.

Psalm 119:11 teaches us that committing God's Word to memory helps to keep us from sinning against God, but it looks like adding a little holy fear (not terror fear) to our lives would help too. When I remember the greatness, the holiness, the power of God, I am far less likely to esteem my own self and ways above His.

Guess I needed reminding... :-)
-J

(c) 2008

Job 40:6-14
Then the LORD spoke to Job out of the storm:
"Brace yourself like a man;
I will question you,
and you shall answer me.
Would you discredit my justice?
Would you condemn me to justify yourself?
Do you have an arm like God's,
and can your voice thunder like his?
Then adorn yourself with glory and splendor,
and clothe yourself in honor and majesty.
Unleash the fury of your wrath,
look at every proud man and bring him low,
look at every proud man and humble him,
crush the wicked where they stand.
Bury them all in the dust together;
shroud their faces in the grave.
Then I myself will admit to you
that your own right hand can save you."