But that night God came to Abimelech in a dream and told him, “You are a dead man, for that woman you have taken is already married!” But Abimelech had not slept with her yet, so he said, “Lord, will you destroy an innocent nation?
Then God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know that in the integrity of your heart you have done this, AND I ALSO KEPT YOU FROM SINNING AGAINST ME; therefore I did not let you touch her.
And Abimelech said to Abraham, “What did you see, that you did this thing?” Abraham said, “I did it because I thought, ‘There is no fear of God at all in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife.’
Gen 20:1-11
This is an illustration of the importance of having the fear of God in our hearts. We see that God kept Abimelech from sinning against Him because He hand the fear of God in His heart. In the integrity of his heart and cleanness of his hands he had taken Sarah to be His wife because he didn't know she was married. God knew the truth and kept Abimelech from committing adultery with Sarah.
If God could keep a heathen king from committing adultery, why is it that there are many preachers who God allows to fall into adultery with their church members? There are many cases of men of God who have been caught as the Pharisees said to Jesus, "in the very act" John 8:4.
Every Sunday they mount on the pulpits and preach great sermons but secretly, they are living in immorality. Why does God not keep them from sinning against Him like He did to Abimelech?
There is only one reason. There is no fear of God in their eyes.
It is in this passage that the phrase, "fear of God" comes for the very first time in the bible, and it is in relation to sexual sin.
The first area that proves that you fear God is in relation to sexual sin.
Jude tells us in Vs 24 that God is able to keep us from falling and from this passage we know it is only if we have the fear of God in our hearts.
The fear of is the greatest lack in the church today. We hear many great sermons on every other topic, except the fear of God. We hear of breakthroughs, miracles signs and wonders, giving, but it's rare to hear about the fear of God.
When was the last time you heard a sermon on the fear of God and to stop sinning? This is almost never heard. The greatest problem is not lack of money in the church, but that men do not fear God. There is no reverence for the all seeing God.
The presence of God departed from the church and almost in every church today, they are spiritually, 'ichabod', i.e. the glory has departed. It's rare to experience true joy and lasting peace because these are only found in the presence of God.
Do you fear God? Do you have reverence for Him. Do you respect Him who sees you even when no one else is watching? Do you reverence Him who cannot be bribed or deceived. He who sees your thoughts, attitudes and motives; Do you have respect for Him?
You are blessed to be a blessing
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@Blessed Mshindi Mambo
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