ICEMANforChrist

Isaiah, Chapter 11, verse 2-3: 2 The spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him:  a spirit of wisdom and of understanding, A spirit of counsel and of strength, a spirit of knowledge and of fear of the LORD, 3 and his delight shall be the fear of the LORD . In Jeremiah 1:8 the Lord called the prophet and if we accept the call like him we will be empowered or prepared for our work from on high with wisdom and understanding and fear of the Lord.  In fact the Church has traditionally enumerated seven gifts of the spirit: wisdom, understanding, knowledge, counsel, fortitude, piety and fear of the Lord.  Fear of the Lord enamors the soul with an intense respect for the Church and the commandments of God.  This reverence frees the soul and lightens a person’s worldly fears and concerns.  This is what happens to the happy soul that accepts the “ Yoke ” of Christ.  29 "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL ...

2 SAMUEL, Chapter 23, Verse 3-4 3 The God of Israel spoke; of me the Rock of Israel said, “One who rules over humankind with justice, who rules in the fear of God, 4 Is like the light at sunrise on a cloudless morning, making the land’s vegetation glisten after rain.” The Rock of Israel (Hebrew: צור ישראל ‎, Tzur Yisrael ) is a concept in Judaism that alludes to God, and in Zionism and politics, to the cultural and historical heritage of the Jewish people and the foundation of the State of Israel. [1] God fearing leaders are life giving and not life taking for they have a Holy Fear of God. Traditionally in Judaism there are seven names given for God. The seven names of God that, once written, cannot be erased because of their holiness are the Tetragrammaton, El, Elohim, Eloah, Elohai, El Shaddai, Tzevaot. Tetragrammaton is YHWH or I am that I am. El simply means God and is used in the names of IsraEL, AngEL. Elohim means He is power of powers Eloah is the singu...

Psalm 25, verse 14: 14 The counsel of the LORD belongs to those who fear him;  and his covenant instructs them.  The Advent season coincides with the month of November/December in the Northern Hemisphere is normally cold, dark and the days are short.  Traditions such as Thanksgiving and Christmas have been established to help dispel the psychological fear that develops as a result of the darkness. However, in the Southern Hemisphere the days are long and warm. This is a good time if you have the means to take a winters break and go to a warmer climate to give you a chance to create a brighter spirit.  However, if this is not possible we can greatly reduce our fears by getting some sun for 10 or 15 minutes a day.  Try to walk at the brightest time of the day, or if you have a sun window to sit in the sun.  This would also be a good time to pray.  Through prayer the Holy Spirit strengthens us from the inside and the sun charges us from the ou...

2 Samuel, Chapter 14, Verse 14-15 14 We must indeed die; we are then like water that is poured out on the ground and cannot be gathered up. Yet, though God does not bring back to life, he does devise means so as not to banish anyone from him. 15 And now, if I have presumed to speak to the king of this matter, it is because the people have given me cause to fear . And so your servant thought: ‘Let me speak to the king. Perhaps he will grant the petition of his servant.

2 Samuel, Chapter 12, Verse 26-28 26 Absalom then said, “If not you, then please let my brother Amnon come with us.” The king asked him, “Why should he go with you?” 27 But at Absalom’s urging, the king sent Amnon and with him all his other sons. Absalom prepared a banquet fit for a king. 28 But Absalom had instructed his attendants: “Now watch! When Amnon is merry with wine and I say to you, ‘Kill Amnon,’ put him to death. Do not be afraid , for it is I who order you to do it. Be strong and act like warriors.” David’s family life after the murder of Uriah reads like a mafia tale with David being the Don and all his son’s vying for power.   Amnon was the heir-apparent to David's throne; Amnon though is best remembered for the rape of his half-sister Tamar, daughter of David with Maachah. Despite the biblical prohibition on sexual relations between half-brothers and sisters, Amnon had an overwhelming desire for her. He acted on advice from his cousin, Jonadab the son...

2 Samuel, Chapter 12, Verse 18 On the seventh day, the child died. David’s servants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they said: “When the child was alive, we spoke to him, but he would not listen to what we said. How can we tell him the child is dead? He may do some harm!” Even today advisers and courtiers of powerful men and women dread to tell bad news or to tell the unfortunate truth to their leaders. David has fallen by killing Bathsheba’s husband Uriah and the child of their unholy union has died. David and even modern leaders forget the law of sacrifice. The law of the sacrifice is simple: Those leaders who stop seeking new challenges; stop growing, inevitably stop leading. John Maxwell states, “When we stop sacrificing, we stop succeeding.” [1] If you want to become a great leader, you must be willing to make sacrifices. 1.       There is no success without sacrifice. Every person who has achieved any success in life ha...

2 Samuel, Chapter 10, Verse 19 When Hadadezer’s vassal kings saw themselves vanquished by Israel, they made peace with the Israelites and became their subjects. After this, the Arameans were afraid to give further aid to the Ammonites. God was with David and he now defeats the Syrians and the Ammonites. The life of David was that of a warrior and this was David’s last victory before his fall with Bathsheba and the murder of Uriah from David’s hand. All life is a battle and sometimes we fail but like David let us always return to the Lord. Do not be afraid of anything that you are going to suffer. Indeed, the devil will throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will face an ordeal for ten days. Remain faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. (Rv. 2:10) Let us build up our gratitude to the Lord for his saving graces. “Lord Jesus Christ, you are the strength or the weak and the confidence of those who trust in you. Be my secure...

2 Samuel, Chapter 9, Verse 7 “Do not be afraid ,” David said to him, “I will surely be kind to you for the sake of Jonathan your father. I will restore to you all the lands of Saul your grandfather, and you shall eat at my table always.” David is showing compassion to Mephibosheth; Jonathan’s disabled son following the civil war between Israel and Judah. In the end David reigns over all of Israel. Israel with David’s leadership then quickly defeats the Jebusites taking Jerusalem; defeats the Philistines and brings the Ark to Jerusalem and God makes his Covenant with David. Thus David’s heart was full of gratitude. David now can return the favor of his old friend Jonathan to his son and restores his lands and David orders his servants to cultivate Mephibosheth’s lands, providing him with food, income and a place in the court. Gratitude cultivates generosity. This is the law of the Picture. [1]   The law of the picture summarizes what is often observed in human nat...

Daniel, Chapter 1, Verse 9-10 9 Though God had given Daniel the favor and sympathy of the chief chamberlain, 10 he said to Daniel, “I am afraid of my lord the king, who allotted your food and drink. If he sees that you look thinner in comparison to the other young men of your age, you will endanger my life with the king.”

2 Samuel, Chapter 3, Verse 11 Ishbaal was no longer able to say a word to Abner, he feared him so.

2 Samuel, Chapter 1, Verse 14 David said to him, “How is it that you were not afraid to put forth your hand to desecrate the L ORD ’s anointed? My new book is now available on AMAZON in the kindle version only; hard copies will be available soon. Thank You! I prepared it for the new year of Mercy. Enjoy and BE NOT AFRAID!

1 Samuel, Chapter 28, Verse 20 Immediately Saul fell full length on the ground, in great fear because of Samuel’s message. He had no strength left, since he had eaten nothing all that day and night. Christ is the strength of the weak and the humble confidence of those who trust in him. Christ says to us, “ My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord; I know them, and they follow me. (Jn. 10:27) Saul was in great fear because the spirit of God had long ago left him and he no longer heard the voice of God. In desperation now that Samuel had died was to have the witch of Endor act as a medium to conjure up the spirit of Samuel to help save him from the Philistines. Saul broke his own laws by seeking the aid of a sorcerer. The Israelites were a Holy people and Saul could not understand the Ends never justify the means. No we must be calm and listen to the voice of he that was the epitome of fairness and justice that took upon Himself our sins to the cross and thus bearing our guilt to ma...

1 Samuel, Chapter 28, Verse 5 When Saul saw the Philistine camp, he grew afraid and lost heart completely.     Are we like Saul? Have we lost heart completely? Have we seen the camps of our enemies and come to despair. God will not abandon us like we have abandoned him. Do not despair but call out to the Lord and listen. Pay attention and if today you hear His voice harden not your hearts. 

2 Maccabees, Chapter 7, Verse 29 Do not be afraid of this executioner, but be worthy of your brothers and accept death, so that in the time of mercy I may receive you again with your brothers.” 

Psalm 3, Verse 7 I do not fear , then, thousands of people arrayed against me on every side.

1 Samuel, Chapter 23, Verse 15 While David was in the wilderness of Ziph at Horesh he was afraid that Saul had come out to seek his life.

1 Samuel, Chapter 23, Verse 7 He said to him: “Have no fear , my father Saul shall not lay a hand to you. You shall be king of Israel and I shall be second to you. Even my father Saul knows this.”

1 Then he told them a parable about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary. He said, 2 “There was a judge in a certain town who neither feared God nor respected any human being. 3 And a widow in that town used to come to him and say, ‘Render a just decision for me against my adversary.’ 4 For a long time the judge was unwilling, but eventually he thought, ‘While it is true that I neither fear God nor respect any human being, 5 because this widow keeps bothering me I shall deliver a just decision for her lest she finally come and strike me.’” 6 The Lord said, “Pay attention to what the dishonest judge says. 7 Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones who call out to him day and night? Will he be slow to answer them? 8 I tell you, he will see to it that justice is done for them speedily. But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” With the events in France due to terrorism this verse has particular meaning. Will the Son o...

1 Samuel, Chapter 23, Verse 1-4 1 David was informed that the Philistines were attacking Keilah and plundering the threshing floors. 2 So he consulted the L ORD , asking, “Shall I go and attack these Philistines?” The L ORD answered, Go, attack them, and free Keilah. 3 But David’s men said to him: “Even in Judah we have reason to fear . How much more so if we go to Keilah against the forces of the Philistines!” 4 Again David consulted the L ORD , who answered: Go down to Keilah, for I will deliver the Philistines into your power. Again we see David protecting the people; even the people who are the friends of Saul. The same Saul who; out of his envy, is seeking David and his follower’s deaths. David’s faith makes his actions beyond those of rational fairness; no David’s action show the very mercy of God.

1 SAMUEL, Chapter 22, Verse 23 Stay with me. Do not be afraid; whoever seeks your life must seek my life also. You are under my protection.” David said this to Abiathar : the sole survivor of Eli’s household which Saul killed for giving aid to David. David now has in his service the only priest of the Lord left in the land and exclusive access to the ephod for consulting the Lord. David later appoints Abiathar co-high priest with Zadok in Jerusalem. Yet, when I read this verse I hear the Lord saying this to us all-Stay with me-do not be afraid. Today go to the Blessed Sacrament and spend some time with the Lord. There our Lord will pull us to Himself and transform us into warriors and conquerors. Draw near to Him and He will transform your disenchantment with the world and help you along the road to holiness and sainthood. Our lives are songs; God writes the words and we set them to music at pleasure; and the song grows glad, or sweet or sad, as we choose to fashion the ...

Wisdom, Chapter 6, Verse 7-8 7 For the Ruler of all shows no partiality, nor does he  fear  greatness, because he himself made the great as well as the small, and provides for all alike;   8  but for those in power a rigorous scrutiny impends. God does not fear to make men great; but for those who are made great they must be responsible, humble and fair for those in command are thoroughly judged by God. We must be of the mindset as spoken by Charles Mayes:  “Make sure the thing your living for is worth dying for.”  And as leaders we must make sure that when we send others into harm’s way that it would be only if we ourselves would be willing to die to get it done. As confirmed members of the body of Christ it is our duty; no, our sacred honor to give meaning to the words of the psalmist: “Defend the lowly and fatherless; render justice to the afflicted and needy. Rescue the lowly and poor; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.” (Ps. 82:3-4) ...

1 Samuel, Chapter 21, Verse 13 David took note of these remarks and became very much afraid of Achish, king of Gath. One wonders why was David so afraid. According to David Roper this was David’s testing. Just about the time I think I've got it all together, some unsightly emotional display, some inappropriate reaction, some other embarrassing behavior blows my cover and I have that horrible experience of being found out. It's humiliating! But humiliation is good for the soul. Through it God deals with our self-admiration and pride. Without it we could never make the most of our lives. The trouble with us is that we want to be tremendously important. It's a terrible trait, the essential vice, the utmost evil. It's the sin that turned the devil into the demon he became. Obscurity and humility, on the other hand, release God's greatness. It is the basis of our life with God and our usefulness in this world. Thomas à Kempis wrote, "The more humble a ma...