We read these statements almost everywhere. "I need a God-fearing man/woman". Or you read on someone's status "I am God fearing and hardworking". But do they really know what God fearing means.

Nigeria and the world at large are guilty of these, but no one likes to hear about Fear of God because it doesn't sound well in the ears. If we do we wont have corrupt leaders. If we do we will not have injustice and bribery in our society. The list goes on and on.

What is the fear of God? it is not exactly fear. It is reverential trust. It is awe. It is an understanding of how God is great." Oh I know there are a lot of reasons behind that, as you will soon see. But the truth of the matter, without trying to run away from it, is that "fear" does mean fear. And yet, the Bible very clearly wants us to love God and tells us that if we have God's kind of love, it will cast out fear.

What is the fear of God? Number one, I read in Proverbs 1:7 that it is the key to knowledge and wisdom. Turn to Proverbs 15:33 and you will also find the same thing in Psalm 111:10, that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge. Meanwhile For most people, the fear of God is the fear of the judgment of God and eternal death, which is eternal separation from God , but is that why we should fear God?

Look at our society today almost everyone is guilty of one of the following listed below:

1. ANGER: Strong passion or emotion of displeasure or antagonism , excited by real or supposed injury or insult to one ' self or others , or by the intent to do such injury.

2. ARROGANCE: Making undue claims in an overbearing manner; that species of pride which consists in exorbitant claims of rank, dignity, estimation, or power, or which exalts the worth or importance of the person to an undue degree; proud contempt of others; lordliness; haughtiness; self-assumption; presumption.

3. BRAGGING: Exhibiting self-importance, boastful talk.

4. COWARDICE: Lack of courage to face danger; extreme timidity; base fear of danger or hurt; lack of spirit.

5. DISLOYALTY: Lack of loyalty; lack of fidelity; violation of allegiance.

6. DOUBT: Lack of Trust and confidence. To suspect; to fear; to be apprehensive.

7. ENVY: A feeling of discontent and resentment aroused by and in conjunction with desire for the possessions or qualities of another.

8. GREED: An excessive desire to acquire or possess more than what one needs or deserves, especially with respect to material wealth

9. INJUSTICE: The practice of being unjust or unfair.

10. IMPATIENCE: The quality of being impatient; want of endurance of pain, suffering, opposition, or delay; eagerness for change, or for something expected; restlessness; chafing of spirit; fretfulness; passion

11. JEALOUSY: The quality of being jealous; earnest concern or solicitude; painful apprehension of rivalship in cases nearly affecting one's happiness; painful suspicion of the faithfulness of husband, wife, or lover.

12. RECKLESSNESS: Wild carelessness and disregard for consequences. Insufficient consideration.

13. SLOTH: Aversion to work or exertion; laziness; indolence.

14. UNTRUSTWORTHINESS: The trait of not deserving trust or confidence

15. VANITY: Inflated pride in oneself or one's appearance.

16. WEAKNES[/b]S: The quality or state of being weak; want of strength or firmness; lack of vigor; want of resolution or of moral strength; feebleness.

17. [b]WRATH: Forceful, often vindictive anger

Which one are you guilty of? Of course we are are human, and hence prone to commit some if not all of these vices.

Now read this

Proverb 8:13

The fear of the LORD is to hate evil;
Pride and arrogance and the evil way
And the perverse mouth I hate

When you fear God, you hate what He hates. You hate sin. You say, "What is the fear of God?" It is the hatred of sin. And what do we see in our culture? We see a giant toleration of sin. We see also a redefinition of sin-things that God says are wrong, people are saying that it is okay. Listen, if you fear God, what that fear of God is, is a hatred of sin. Not sinners, sin.

Proverbs 23:17-18

Do not let your heart envy sinners,
But be zealous for the fear of the LORD all the day;
For surely there is a hereafter,
And your hope will not be cut off.

May God judge us according to our human weaknesses.