Worship and Praise · God's Attributes · Comfort and Hope · God's Promises · Fear of God · Christian Life
Do We Admire and Respect God?
11 min read, approximately
“And now, Israel, what doth Jehovah thy God require of thee, but to fear Jehovah thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve Jehovah thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, to keep the commandments of Jehovah, and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good?” (Deuteronomy 10:12-13)
Throughout God’s Word, we find again and again that the Lord calls us to obey his precepts and commandments for the simple reason that this is good for us. (Joshua 1:8, Deuteronomy 28:1, Acts 5:32, John 14:23, James 1:25, 1 Peter 2:21….) Yet it is our decision whether we wish to walk this path in the fear of God. Many long to do so, but their actions reveal the opposite.
“For the Chief Musician. [A Psalm] of David the servant of Jehovah. The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart, There is no fear of God before his eyes. For he flattereth himself in his own eyes, That his iniquity will not be found out and be hated. The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit: He hath ceased to be wise [and] to do good. He deviseth iniquity upon his bed; He setteth himself in a way that is not good; He abhorreth not evil.” (Psalms 36:1-4)
We need to understand that the idea of fear we are familiar with is completely different from the fear of God.
For example,
We Can Find Several Definitions in God’s Word:
“The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all they that do [his commandments]: His praise endureth for ever.” (Psalms 111:10)
Gaining Wisdom,
“[This is] the end of the matter; all hath been heard: Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole [duty] of man.” (Ecclesiastes 12:13)
Respect,
“Having therefore these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” (2 Corinthians 7:1)
Holiness,
“Be not wise in thine own eyes; Fear Jehovah, and depart from evil: It will be health to thy navel, And marrow to thy bones.” (Proverbs 3:7-8)
Healing…
But fearing God also includes respecting and admiring him. Why should we admire and respect God?
(Press each item to see its content)
\1. Because He Is Faithful
“Jehovah will perfect that which concerneth me: Thy lovingkindness, O Jehovah, [endureth] for ever; Forsake not the works of thine own hands.” (Psalms 138:8)
“For what if some were without faith? shall their want of faith make of none effect the faithfulness of God? God forbid: yea, let God be found true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy words, And mightest prevail when thou comest into judgment.” (Romans 3:3-4)
“There failed not aught of any good thing which Jehovah had spoken unto the house of Israel; all came to pass.” (Joshua 21:45)
Does someone deserve our admiration for being faithful? How much more do we believe God deserves our admiration for his faithfulness?
\2. Because He Is Just
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)
“And shall not God avenge his elect, that cry to him day and night, and [yet] he is longsuffering over them?” (Luke 18:7)
“The times of ignorance therefore God overlooked; but now he commandeth men that they should all everywhere repent: inasmuch as he hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by the man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.” (Acts 17:30-31)
“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” (Galatians 6:7)
If King Solomon’s decision in the account of the 2 women and the child deserves our respect (1 Kings 3:16-28) how much more admiration and respect does the one who gave King Solomon his wisdom deserve (1 Kings 3:6-10)?
\3. Because He Does Not Lie
“God is not a man, that he should lie, Neither the son of man, that he should repent: Hath he said, and will he not do it? Or hath he spoken, and will he not make it good?” (Numbers 23:19)
“For men swear by the greater: and in every dispute of theirs the oath is final for confirmation. Wherein God, being minded to show more abundantly unto the heirs of the promise the immutability of his counsel, interposed with an oath; that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we may have a strong encouragement, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us:” (Hebrews 6:16-18)
How many times have we lied? How many times have others lied to us? If someone who does not lie deserves our admiration, what can we then say about God?
\4. Because He Is True
“He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is of the earth, and of the earth he speaketh: he that cometh from heaven is above all. What he hath seen and heard, of that he beareth witness; and no man receiveth his witness. He that hath received his witness hath set his seal to [this], that God is true.” (John 3:31-33)
“And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, [even] in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.” (1 John 5:20)
“Sanctify them in your truth; your word is truth.” (John 17:17)
Does someone deserve our respect and admiration if they are truthful and their word is true? What about God?
\5. Because He Is Worthy
“Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, [be] honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.” (1 Timothy 1:17)
“Worthy art thou, our Lord and our God, to receive the glory and the honor and the power: for thou didst create all things, and because of thy will they were, and were created.” (Revelation 4:11)
Do we acknowledge that God is worthy?
\6. Because He Is Wise
“Jehovah by wisdom founded the earth; By understanding he established the heavens. By his knowledge the depths were broken up, And the skies drop down the dew.” (Proverbs 3:19-20)
“Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding is infinite.” (Psalms 147:5)
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith Jehovah. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9)
If we admire our teachers for their knowledge, how much more admiration do we owe the Lord, whose understanding is infinite?
\7. Because He Is Holy
“Wherefore girding up the loins of your mind, be sober and set your hope perfectly on the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as children of obedience, not fashioning yourselves according to your former lusts in [the time of] your ignorance: but like as he who called you is holy, be ye yourselves also holy in all manner of living; because it is written, Ye shall be holy; for I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:13-16)
“There is none holy as Jehovah; For there is none besides thee, Neither is there any rock like our God.” (1 Samuel 2:2)
“Ye therefore shall be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5:48)
Might we have something to learn from God?
\8. Because He Is Sovereign
“one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in all.” (Ephesians 4:5-6)
“The kings of the earth set themselves, And the rulers take counsel together, Against Jehovah, and against his anointed, [saying], Let us break their bonds asunder, And cast away their cords from us. He that sitteth in the heavens will laugh: The Lord will have them in derision. Then will he speak unto them in his wrath, And vex them in his sore displeasure:” (Psalms 2:2-5)
Do we doubt his sovereignty? Do we admire him?
\9. Because He Is a Healer
“Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; Who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; Who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy desire with good things, [So that] thy youth is renewed like the eagle.” (Psalms 103:3-5)
“I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners. I create the fruit of the lips: Peace, peace, to him that is far off and to him that is near, saith Jehovah; and I will heal him.” (Isaiah 57:18-19)
How many times has he healed us? How many of us know someone whose terminal diagnosis the Lord has changed?
\10. Because He Is a Ready Help
“Then they cry unto Jehovah in their trouble, And he bringeth them out of their distresses. He maketh the storm a calm, So that the waves thereof are still. Then are they glad because they are quiet; So he bringeth them unto their desired haven.” (Psalms 107:28-30)
“A Song of Ascents. I will lift up mine eyes unto the mountains: From whence shall my help come? My help [cometh] from Jehovah, Who made heaven and earth.” (Psalms 121:1-2)
“Let us therefore draw near with boldness unto the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and may find grace to help [us] in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16)
How many things has the Lord delivered us from? Has he ever abandoned us? Does God deserve our admiration and respect for this?
\11. Because He Is an Unshakable Rock
“As for God, his way is perfect: The word of Jehovah is tried; He is a shield unto all them that take refuge in him. For who is God, save Jehovah? And who is a rock, save our God?” (2 Samuel 22:31-32)
“The Rock, his work is perfect; For all his ways are justice: A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, Just and right is he.” (Deuteronomy 32:4)
Admirable, isn’t he?
\12. Because He Is Powerful
“For I know that Jehovah is great, And that our Lord is above all gods. Whatsoever Jehovah pleased, that hath he done, In heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deeps;” (Psalms 135:5-6)
“For no word from God shall be void of power.” (Luke 1:37)
“Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto him [be] the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus unto all generations for ever and ever. Amen.” (Ephesians 3:20-21)
Absolutely astounding! How could we fail to admire God for his power?
\13. Because He Is Merciful
“When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, in the latter days thou shalt return to Jehovah thy God, and hearken unto his voice: for Jehovah thy God is a merciful God; he will not fail thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them.” (Deuteronomy 4:30-31)
“but God, being rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace have ye been saved), and raised us up with him, and made us to sit with him in the heavenly [places], in Christ Jesus: that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus:” (Ephesians 2:4-7)
“Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy begat us again unto a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, unto an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, who by the power of God are guarded through faith unto a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” (1 Peter 1:3-5)
Beautiful, isn’t it?
Do we have any doubts left about admiring and respecting God? Do we admire him?
Does your heart marvel at his greatness? Express your admiration with the Songbook from SanidApp.
May God continue to bless you
and may you continue to have a wonderful day in Christ Jesus!
I invite you to stop by the Songbook