Fear

Genesis 15:1 After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.

Fear not is a direct command from the LORD to Ahram, which can be applied to us also. Fear sometimes means reverence, but in this case it has to with Abram fear of the LORD. I think that we are living in a time when fear means nothing to those who are lost, by their actions and deeds. The Lord comes to Abram not to scare him, but to encourage him. Look at the claims of the Lord. (1.) I am thy shield. This word means I am your defense. It comes from a word in the Hebrew, which means I am thy covering around. That is the Lord surrounds him. The devil told the Lord that he had built a fence around Job take it down and he will curse thee. So you get the meaning of the word. (2.) I am thy reward. Not just a reward, but exceeding, which means very much. A lot a people think of reward as something outside the LORD himself, but not so it is the LORD himself. David said in Psa 23-2 The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want. To have the LORD is to have everything. To have the Lord is to have great resources, the Lord Jesus Christ said, John 7-37 ¶ In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. 38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. So if you are a child of God remember that the LORD IS OUR SHIELD AND REWARD.  We need not fear what man can do unto us. Take hope and have peace in your heart today.

Pastor Jack Duplechain

2 Cor 5-17