The Greatest Deficiency Of Our Day
Pastor Erickson preaches from Luke 7:16 and Proverbs on Palm Sunday, saying the greatest deficiency of our day is the lack of the fear of the Lord, a reverent awe that loves what God loves and hates what God hates. He teaches that this fear comes through brokenness and calls people to surrender their will so the Holy Ghost can flow through them.
The message in 6 points
Scriptures on the fear of the Lord
He reads Proverbs 16:6, Proverbs 19:23, Psalm 31:19 and Luke 7:16, where a fear came on all and they glorified God. His title is the greatest deficiency of our day.
50:42Holy awe at Nain
Jesus stops a funeral at Nain and raises a widow's only son, and a holy fear sweeps over the crowd. He explains this is not terror but reverent awe in the presence of God, the same fear that once marked great revivals.
53:25A church that lost its fear
He describes a church built on having it your way, where comfort is prized over reverence. To fear God, he says, is to love what God loves and hate what God hates, and this church will not let down on holiness to keep people.
56:49Fear is conceived in brokenness
Unbroken people resist God and stay in a cycle of sin. God is not looking to crush us but to free us, and like the alabaster box, the Spirit flows out when the hard shell of self is broken.
1:09:41Dying to self brings fruit
A grain of wheat must die to bear fruit, and though the outward man perishes the inward man is renewed. Jacob, David, Paul and Peter were all broken before God used them.
1:18:29Surrender to the only King
Fear is the beginning and the conclusion of the whole matter. Like a horse learning to yield to its rider, he calls people to lay down their will, let God's purpose override their preferences, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.
1:27:00
In his words
“The greatest deficiency of our day is the lack of the fear of the Lord.”
“You got to love what he loves and you got to hate what he hates.”
“God is not trying to crush us. He's trying to break us. There's a difference.”
Taken word for word from the video, with punctuation added.
Scripture
He reads
Proverbs 16:6
6By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil.
King James Version.
Proverbs 19:23
23The fear of the LORD tendeth to life: and he that hath it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil.
King James Version.
Psalms 31:19
19Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men!
King James Version.
Luke 7:16
16And there came a fear on all: and they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up among us; and, That God hath visited his people.
King James Version.
Proverbs 8:13
13The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.
King James Version.
John 12:24
24Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.
King James Version.
2 Corinthians 4:16
16For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
King James Version.
Ecclesiastes 12:13
13Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
King James Version.
He also points to
Related messages
Also about humility, holiness, the Holy Ghost
Also about humility, God's presence, obedience
Also about holiness, God's presence, repentance