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Daily Devotional: Fear of the Lord | A man with his head bowed holding a black hat on his chest. Daily Devotional: Fear of the Lord | A man with his head bowed holding a black hat on his chest.

Discussion Starters | Fear of the Lord

  • April 2024 Issue
Discussion Starters
  1. What does it mean to fear the Lord? How and why can godly fear exist alongside love, joy, and hope (see also Ps. 33:18)?
  2. Isaiah 11:6–9 describes what will happen when the fear of the Lord fills the earth. What will that day be like and why?
  3. What is the difference between good and bad fear? In what ways do we show that we fear God?
  4. Are we uncomfortable with God’s greatness? Do we try to reduce Him to our level with slogans, such as “God is my co-pilot”? How and why do we do this?
  5. Do we take seriously the sin of grumbling or complaining? When is it legitimate venting or lamenting? At what point are we calling God into question? How might we tell the difference?
  6. Have you ever thought about writing your own psalm? Using this psalm as an example, write a prayer for help in a tough situation. Then in faith express what will happen when God intervenes!
  7. How can we “write God’s law” upon our hearts? How might we consistently fear the Lord through the ups and downs of life? How can we teach our families to do the same?
  8. To fear the Lord is the same as to put our hope in His unfailing love (Ps. 147:11). What is the meaning of hope in the Bible? How might it affect our lives in the present moment?
  9. Read the Ten Commandments again. How is the fear of the Lord connected to each one? How do these commands show what respect for God might look like?
  10. Do we think of justice in association with partiality or favoritism (see James 2:1–4)? Modern English uses these terms somewhat differently. How and why does the Bible connect them?
  11. How has God’s Word shaped your life? Can you give a recent example? For individuals and churches, in what ways does inward knowledge become outward obedience? How can we pray more toward this end?
  12. As James 3:1–12 teaches, controlling our tongue is a major challenge. How can we bring our words under God’s control, including everyday speech and social media?
  13. How does peace with God (Rom. 5:1) bring us the peace of God (Phil. 4:6–7)? In what other ways does the good news of salvation have an impact on our daily lives?
  14. How familiar are you with the virtue of prudence? Biblically, what does this mean? How can we grow in it? How can we better put it into practice?
  15. Where are you in your journey to wisdom? One way to find out is to make a list of God’s attributes that you especially praise Him for and of things He’s done for you that you’re especially thankful for.
  16. Verses 13–18 give a contrasting invitation to the House of Folly. In what ways does this invitation differ from the first? Which features of both stand out to you and why?
  17. What is the key that Isaiah describes? What does it unlock? Why do you think the fear of the Lord leads to wisdom?
  18. Where is wisdom found? How does that answer help us better understand suffering and evil?
  19. How did Abraham respond to this difficult task? What does it look like for us to obey God without question and holding nothing back?
  20. What are some practical ways the fear of the Lord might impact your life? How would this play out in your personal life, your church, or your community?
  21. What kind of legacy do you hope to leave behind? Why? What life choices are you making to help make this happen? Where is the fear of the Lord in all this?
  22. Jehoshaphat removed the idolatrous high places, but they came back later (2 Chron. 20:33). In light of this, how can we make positive, lasting changes in our spiritual lives?
  23. How might we, men and women, cultivate our inward orientations and virtues? Our culture pushes us toward outward appearances, our brand, our image. How can the fear of the Lord help us resist this?
  24. What exactly is holy fear? How can the fear of the Lord overwhelm us and yet at the same time draw us nearer to Him?
  25. How firm is your loyalty to being Christ’s disciple? What are you willing to do or endure? Compare your answers to the cost of discipleship outlined in Luke 14:25–27.
  26. What are your motivations for giving or for doing good deeds? Are there deeper layers that need exposing? If applicable, ask the Spirit to help you confess any sins in this area.
  27. As the apostles’ behavior toward Paul illustrates, it’s difficult to change fearful habits. How can we retrain our hearts away from human fears and toward holy fear, that is, the fear of the Lord?
  28. John experienced his vision on the Lord’s Day, that is, Sunday (v. 10). In what ways have you experienced the fear of the Lord during your church’s Sunday worship services?
  29. In what ways is the fear of the Lord a foundational aspect of following Christ? How can we make it a fundamental dimension of our daily discipleship?
  30. Where do you stand with Christ? Will you rejoice when He returns (see 2 Thess. 1:7–10)? If in doubt, make your peace with God today by calling on the name of Christ our Savior (John 3:16).