2009 may be the year where the markets are more volatile than any other time in history. With the dramatic increase in information and opinion exposure from the hundreds of channels on television as well as the Internet, men and women will be exposed to many potentially fearful events. Radio talk shows thrive on confrontation, dissension, conspiracy, etc. Public opinion is swayed by network news reporting of events deemed by the producers to be the "news of the hour". Reporting of politicians’ indiscretions can end their lives in public office. Good news just doesn’t sell like bad news. Bad news ultimately generates more income. People have come to thrive on fear as long as it doesn’t hit to close to home. As they say, "it’s a recession if your neighbor lost his job, it’s a depression if you lost your job".
The first mention of fear in the Scripture is:
Gen 3:10 And he (Adam) said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I [was] naked; and I hid myself.
A judgment is a balanced weighing up of evidence preparatory to making a decision. Both Adam and Eve made a judgment based on evidence they had. However, they did NOT make the judgment on ALL evidence or facts. Our Heavenly Father had all of the facts that were needed to make an accurate judgment. HE warned Adam about the fruit and told him what the result would be if he ate the fruit. Adam did not fully trust The LORD but trusted his own judgment instead. Both Adam and Eve disregarded Our Heavenly Father’s knowledge of the facts in making their decision thus they exalted themselves above THE LORD. This act of judging started a process that has continued to this day.
We judge people and things daily based on an incomplete set of facts. Who has the complete set of facts? Our Heavenly Father! Our constant judging of others has kept us from a more intimate relationship with Our Heavenly Father. In the following passage, Jesus warns us of judging:
Mat 7:1-5
1 Judge not, that ye be not judged.
2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam [is] in thine own eye?
5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.
Notice that He used the term "brother". People have a tendency to judge everyone, including those closest to them.
"Fear not" was first used by Our Heavenly Father when speaking to Abram. Abram had just defeated Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him in a battle. Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High and proclaimed the following:
Gen 14:19-20
19 And he blessed him and said: "Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth;
20 And blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand." And he gave him a tithe of all.
Abram gave tithe of all which tells us he understood the "law of the tithe" prior to the writing of the Law by Moses. Melchizedek proclaimed that GOD MOST HIGH was the possessor of heaven and earth which is the precondition of a tithe being given. Fear is the primary motivator for the withholding of the tithe. By giving the tithe, Abram acknowledged the MOST HIGH GOD, Our Heavenly Father.
The King of Sodom briefly entered the picture and tried to make a deal with Abram but was unable to negotiate with Abram. Then THE LORD spoke to Abram:
Gen 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.
"Shield" means defense, defender, or protector. "Exceeding great reward" denotes a fullness of blessing and compensation as in wages. People tend to interpret Scriptures like this to mean they will become rich and no longer have any responsibility and obligation to anyone. Abraham’s wealth was consistent with his calling. Each of us will receive the necessary means to fulfill our calling. However, in order to fulfill our calling we must not judge people thus causing a blockage in our ability to hear THE FATHER. Also we must rest in our relationship with Our Heavenly Father and "fear not", HE has all of the facts!