Fear Of The Lord Unlocks His Riches...

He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure.

Isaiah 33:6

Nothing in this world will last; the foundations you build upon when focused on the measures of success offered according to the worldly views will not last and the dreams you have will soon crash and burn… There are a lot of things which we seek in this world, (happiness, peace and stability) which can only be obtained through the grace and mercy of God… Today’s devotional reminds us that God is the only solidified foundation as Isaiah starts this verse by saying, He will be the sure foundation for your times… No matter the heights of depths that you reach or fall to, the foundation you have upon the Lord will not waver nor give way… Amidst instability you have a stable source who is Jesus Christ… The word of God tells in the 13^th chapter of Hebrews that in times of despair we can look to our elders and call to remembrance how God brought them through and find comfort in knowing that the same God that did it back then can do it today… It is in verses 6 through 8 that we find these words, So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?” Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. The enemy wants you to seek after things which will not last; however, the word of God tells us (just as we studied previously) that you must lay up your treasures in heaven where a thief cannot steal and moth cannot destroy… This is the sure foundation we see in Isaiah and this is also where we can go to obtain wisdom and knowledge for our everyday affairs as Isaiah says that the Lord is a rich store… God has everything you need to sustain you through the day, week and years that you see upon this earth… He can open up doors and make ways out of no way; however, the key to this happening in your life resides in your heart having the fear of the Lord… God will move on your behalf, but you must take the first step and turn your life over to Him… This fear is not a debilitating fear but rather a delivering fear… God is waiting for you to have reverence of Him so that He can take you to places that no one ever thought possible… People seeking success in this world will ask you how you can smile in the midst of adversity when you don’t have what they think you need and you can let them know that you don’t fear appearance or circumstances… This all points to that sure foundation, when things change or take a turn for the worse you don’t have to worry about how this or that will come abut because of the relationship you have with the anchor that is Jesus Christ… The book of Hebrews not only speaks about Jesus being the same, but lets us know in the 6^th chapter that, We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.

God is going to keep you, He will provide all your needs according to His riches and you will not fail as you walking according to His divine plan… When we study the foundation of Christ I am reminded of the store told in the gospel of Matthew… It is in the 7^th chapter that we find these words, “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” I recite this parable to say that we all can establish a foundation and build, but this message lets us know that in times of despair not every foundation is sturdy even though it may appear to be able to hold up when things are going okay… This applies to our jobs and relationships, things appear secure as long as there are no unforeseen situations; however, when a storm rises we are often left wondering how things fall apart so quickly… Isaiah tells us today that we have a foundation that we can depend on; we have a solid base that will not be wavered or destroyed in Jesus Christ! In times of trouble, in times of need, we have a (n) advocate that will and can change our situations and help us to come through victorious… So often we have tried to put our trust in man, we have lifted up friends in the place of God and have been exposed to failures and damaged within! Isaiah says He will be a sure foundation, when the trials come, when the storms of life begin to rage, and when you feel all by your self he will lift you up out of the miry clay and place your feet on solid ground! Psalms 91 says, “a thousand my fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you if you make the Lord your dwelling place!” He is a rich store of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge! In other words, He has the answer to all your questions, He knows your pain and understands every situation that you are facing… Matthew 7:7 says, “ask, seek and knock!” Ask God about your situation, seek the answer in him and know that you will be able to knock on His door and ultimately knock down any problem that you face! Isaiah goes on to tell us that the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure! If we understand all that God has promised, let us put it into action by respecting him… To fear the Lord means to revere Him, admire Him, and obey Him! Show your fear of the Lord by doing the things that are pleasing in his sight! Don’t defile your body and the temple in which the Holy Spirit dwells, don’t give up when times become difficult or hard to bare! Don’t accept the easy road and settle for less than what God desires for you! The world is testing you, trying to destroy you and your visions, your future and the generations that follow you! Stand up and have faith in God, knowing that when you stand up your feet will be planted like a tree by the rivers and you will not be MOVED! The key to God showing up in your life, the key to him securing your salvation and lifting you up is within you and how you display your respect and faith towards him! You have the power to release God’s power in your life!

BE BLESSED!!!