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The One Who Fears the Lord
Introduction:
Is it really worth it to fear the Lord and serve Him all the
days of your life? Will God truly bless the one who loves
and obeys Him? The psalmist answers, “Yes” in
Psalm 112.
Investing in the Lord is the best investment of all.
Text:
Psalm 112
Body:
I.
His Righteousness Endures Forever
(Psalm
112:1-3)
·
“Fears” He reveres Jehovah as the true God. He holds Him
in the highest esteem. (Isaiah
8:13)
He humbly submits to God’s commands. (Psalm
128:1)
·
“Delights” He doesn’t consider God’s commands a burden.
(Psalm
119:35, I John 5:3)
·
God-fearing parents teach their children to fear the Lord.
Following the ways of the Lord produces the best life: one
of contentment, satisfaction, and peace. (Psalm
25:12-14)
Fearing the Lord produces an honest, hard-working follower
of God. The Lord blesses these godly men. (Psalm
37:25-26, Psalm 111:5)
·
A land is better off when those living in it are God-fearing
people. “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord. . .”
(Psalm
33:12)
·
“Righteousness endures forever.” The fruit of one who fears
the Lord does not go away but continues to bless.
II.
He Will Be Remembered Forever
(Psalm
112:4-6)
·
“Graceful, merciful, and righteous” These qualities are
used in
Psalm 111
to describe God. The one who fears the Lord becomes more
and more like the object of his worship. He becomes
generous, compassionate, and fair.
·
“Light dawns” The one who walks in darkness can’t see
where he is going; so he trips and falls. (Psalm
97:11)
The righteous have the promise of God’s guidance at all
times: difficult times, adverse times, complicated times. (Psalm
119:105)
·
The one who fears the Lord will be remembered for his
generosity. (Psalm
37:26)
Also see
Proverbs
14:21,31.
The one who is generous will not end up destitute. We
cannot out give God! (Proverbs
11:24)
·
“Never be moved” We can be stable in the face of
adversity, confident in God’s providential power. (Proverbs
10:30)
·
“Righteousness remembered” This is by both God and
others. (Proverbs
10:7, Mark 9:41)
III.
His Horn Is Exalted in Honor
(Psalm
112:7-10)
·
The one who fears the Lord will not be afraid when he hears
bad news because he trusts in the Lord. (Psalm
112:7-8)
(Proverbs
1:29-33)
He believes in God’s promises. (Romans
8:28)
·
Wise living is characterized by generosity, especially to
the poor and needy. The apostle Paul quotes this verse in
II Corinthians 9:8-11.
The generous, God-fearing man will be remembered. His good
deeds will never lose their value.
·
“Horn is exalted” This denotes strength and dignity. The
Lord will exalt the faithful in due time. The wicked will
melt away and eventually perish. (Proverbs
11:23)
Conclusion:
Honesty and generosity are linked with fearing the Lord and
ultimately being blessed by Him. How can you fear God
more? How can you delight in His commandments more? How
can you be more generous, compassionate, and fair?
Bobby
Stafford
January 12, 2014
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