Removing Trauma

“ If the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had not been for me, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed. God has seen my affliction and the toil of my hands, so He rendered judgment last night.” Genesis 31:42 NASB Fear – We are a fragile audience. At least that’s what the…

Removing Trauma

“ If the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had not been for me, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed. God has seen my affliction and the toil of my hands, so He rendered judgment last night.”  Genesis 31:42 NASB Fear – We are a fragile audience.  At least that’s…

Straight Talk

Praise the LORD! How blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in His commandments. Psalm 112:1 NASB Blessed – Congratulations! You who follow God’s instructions are blessed. Of course, that doesn’t mean you have all the measures of success in this world. The psalmist might go on to say that those…

Don’t Ask

“Indeed, you do away with reverence and hinder meditation before God.” Job 15:4 NASB Reverence – Eliphaz (whose name means “God of gold”) offers some silver-tongued advice to Job. In a word, “Stop!” “Stop asking questions!” “Stop presuming your should know any of this!” “Stop showing disrespect to God!” In other words, “Shut up and remember…

Hebrew Umbrellas

When I am afraid, I will put my trust in You. Psalm 56:3 NASB I will put my trust – Hebrew is a sparse language. One word may be called into service in many different ways. For example, you know that shema means both “to hear” and “to obey.” This is a small umbrella compared…

Choosing Alone

He said, “I heard the sound of You in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid myself.” Genesis 3:10 NASB Was afraid – Nahum Sarna points out that this Hebrew statement can be read as irony because the declaration, “I heard the sound of You” can also be translated…

Number Four

Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God.  Deuteronomy 6:13  KJV Fear – According to Rambam’s list of the 613 commandments, this is number four.  “By this injunction we are commanded to believe in the fear and awe of God (exalted be He), and not to be at ease and self-confident but to expect His punishment…

The Four Words (2)

But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared.  Psalm 130:4  ESV May be feared – YHWH pardons!  Rejoice!  YHWH is salah.  I can be straightened. But this is no surprise to the serpent, and he is prepared to manipulate YHWH’s pardon for his purposes.  Never underestimate the craftiness of the yetzer ha’ra. …

Shrink Wrap

Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things.  Philippians 4:8  NASB Honorable – What does Mark 7:7 have to do with Isaiah 29:13…

The Expert

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom  Proverbs 9:10  NASB Fear – Do you fear God?  That might seem like a strange question in an age where God is portrayed as the kindly grandfather ready to overlook all mistakes.  But it would never have seemed so innocuous when this verse was written. …