I admit that I am not always the most patient shopper or very patient in a waiting room.

While sitting in a waiting room, I am amazed at the health magazines that grab consumers’ attention with captions like “3 Simple Steps to Burning Fat” or “Five Keys to Six Pack Abs”. But when was the last time you heard a message or saw a magazine caption that said, “Ten Benefits to Fearing the Lord and Three Consequences of Refusing”.

Here are Ten Benefits of Fearing the Lord:
Benefit #1 – The Fear of the Lord is the true starting place for wisdom, knowledge and understanding. (Proverbs 9:10)
Have you ever been around a braniac, someone with great intellect and educational prowess but they lack wisdom.

Benefit #2 – The Fear of the Lord helps a person to avoid and hate evil. (Proverbs 8;13; Proverbs 16:6)

Benefit #3 – The Fear of the Lord can lengthen your life. (Proverbs 10:27)
I have spoken with many followers of Christ who have said, “If it were not for Jesus Christ rescuing me I probably would not be alive”.

Benefit #4 – The Fear of the Lord leads a person to a desire to keep the Ten Commandments in order to please the Lord.
“Fear God and keep His commandments for this is the whole duty of man.” (Ecclesiastes 12;13)

Benefit #5 – The Fear of the Lord leads us to be thankful and and to worship. (Hebrews 12:28; Ecclesiastes 5:1-7)

Benefit #6 -The Fear of the Lord leads a person to be holy as He is holy. (I Peter 1:15-17)
“For without holiness, no one will see the Lord.” (Hebrews 12:14)

Benefit #7 – The Fear of the Lord leads a person to respect and honor others.
“Fear God, honor the emperor.” (I Peter 2:17)

Benefit #8 – The Fear of the Lord helps to delver a man from the fear of man. (Luke 12:4-5)

Benefit #9 – The Fear of the Lord brings great security to the believer.
“The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him.” (Psalm 34:7, 9)

Benefit #10 – The Fear of the Lord leads you to walk in His ways vs. your old ways. (Deuteronomy 10:12)
The fear of the Lord acts as a tutor then a mentor.”

Now let us consider Three Consequences of Choosing Not to Walk and Live in the Fear of the Lord:
Consequence #1 – You will eat the fruit of your ways. (Proverbs 1:29-31)
Principle of sowing and reaping. (Galatians 6:7-8)

Consequence #2 – It will prove to be a snare to you. (Jeremiah 2:19)
You will end up getting busted!

Consequence #3 – Ruin and misery mark their ways.
“There is no fear of God before their eyes.” (Romans 3:18; II Timothy 3:1-5)

As the old Bob Dylan son says, “You gotta serve somebody…”

Let us be sure we are serving the right Someone!