2010 – June 29 – Knowing What To Fear

Study from God’s Word… Isaiah, Chapters 7 – 9 … Passage for Reflection: Isaiah 8: 12 – 13 … NIV 12 "Do not call conspiracy everything that these people call conspiracy; do not fear what they fear, and do not dread it. 13 The LORD Almighty is the One you are to regard as Holy, He is the one you are to fear, He is the one you are to dread, …

My Journal for Today: Dr. Smith, my devotional teacher, posits an interesting premise today; and it centers on how we can tend to get wrapped up in conspiracy theories, which become fueled by fears of – and human empathy with – human greed and desire. We can buy into human conspiracies because we are all sinners and we know how mankind can become greedy to the point of being involved in conspiracy.

Yes, conspiracies do exist. We’ve seen them being perpetuated in our times as greedy men/women plot to take the retirement incomes in companies like Enron and others. We’ve heard many, many conspiracy theories being put forth about how JFK was assassinated or about how the lunar landings were staged by a Hollywood conspiracy being put forth to make the America believe we had landed on the moon. And there are those who believe, fueled by political fears, that there was no holocaust; … that it was all a conspiracy by the Jews to put down the Arab nations.

Conspiracy theories are birthed and thrive in overtones of fear. And we remember the words of FDR, who said, “We have nothing to fear but fear itself;” and then he ironically used fear to conspire to incarcerate a whole nation of Asian-Americans into internment camps. Go figure the way we allow fear to drive our minds to believe the worst about mankind.

But as Dr. Smith shepherds our thoughts today, and in his words to put twist on what FDR said, ”We have nothing to fear but God Himself!” … But, … do we? … I think not.

I think we’re far too willing to buy into the fears of mankind; and to minimize what we should call “the fear of God.” If we but feared God the way we should, we would never have to be subject to fearing mankind or his conspiracies. My friend, I hope you realize, believe, and live out the truth that “… in the fear of the Lord is … the beginning of all knowledge …” [Prov. 1: 7]; “… is the beginning of wisdom …” [Prov. 9: 10]; “… is the fountain of life …” [Prov. 14: 27]; and … “… is riches, honor, and life.” [Prov. 22: 4]

But we don’t get it; do we? Certainly ancient Israel and Judah didn’t get it; and see what happened to them. Their conspiracies and political intrigue, spread by human and sinful fears, broke up the people of God and ultimately led to the judgment of God being visited on them by their enslavement and dispersal throughout the world.

But God has His own conspiracy going down. And He is perpetuating that great scheme in the form of His plan of salvation and redemption for His people; and a grand “conspiracy” it is for sure? And Isaiah prophesied about God’s grand conspiracy to save His people by bringing a sacrificial Lamb to be slain so that the shedding of His blood would atone for the sins of all mankind; and that is the only conspiracy truth (not theory) which mankind must hear, understand, and believe. Because when we do, we are saved!

It is the “Gospel Conspiracy,” my friend; and I hope you know it, believe it, and live it!

My Prayer for Today: Lord, I believe in the greatest truth conspiracy of all times; and because I do, I will be with You in eternity. Amen