“BUT FOR FEAR!”

John 12:36-43                         (ESV)

“36 While you have the LIGHT, believe in the LIGHT, that you may become sons of LIGHT." When JESUS had said these things, HE DEPARTED and HID HIMSELF from them.

37 Though HE HAD DONE SO MANY SIGNS before them, they still did not believe in HIM,

38 so that the word spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: "LORD, who has believed what he heard from us, and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?" 

39 Therefore they could not believe. For again Isaiah said,

40 "HE has BLINDED THEIR EYES and HARDENED THEIR HEART, lest they SEE with their eyes, and UNDERSTAND with their heart, and turn, and I would heal them." 

41 Isaiah said these things because HE saw HIS glory and spoke of HIM.

42 Nevertheless, many even of the authorities BELIEVED IN HIM, “BUT FOR FEAR” of the Pharisees they DID NOT CONFESS it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue;

43 for THEY LOVED THE GLORY THAT COMES FROM MAN MORE THAN THE GLORY THAT COMES FROM GOD!”

A few days ago when I wrote about these verse, my mind was focused JESUS HIDING HIMSELF from those who refused to acknowledge HIM for WHO HE was.  ASI was posting the devotional to different social media sites, another verse from the same Scriptures jumped out at me.  “Nevertheless, many even of the authorities BELIEVED IN HIM, “BUT FOR FEAR” of the Pharisees they DID NOT CONFESS it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue; for THEY LOVED THE GLORY THAT COMES FROM MAN MORE THAN THE GLORY THAT COMES FROM GOD!”

That Scripture has convicted me ever since!  Now I have a different perspective than most because of where I’ve been and what GOD has brought me through.  Surviving a Brain Hemorrhage in 2007 was something that I hope to never get over.  I still tear up when talking about how GOD orchestrated getting the Neurologist to my city. When I slow down enough to calculate how many things had to fall into place for the brain hemorrhage to be corrected and how GOD arranged for very little Brain Damage to occur during “the bleed”, I sometimes cannot help but weep!  

There are times when I am hesitant to brag on GOD and HIS healing abilities, but then I remember being in Rehab and being able to take my first few steps on my own and I cannot help but  tell the entire world if necessary!  In Acts 4:19-20 Scripture records “But Peter and John answered them, "Whether it is right in the sight of GOD to listen to you rather than to GOD, you must judge, for we CANNOT BUT SPEAK of what we have seen and heard."  

When I am presented with the opportunity to Praise HIS NAME, can you blame me if I get a little carried away?  One might think that the further I move past the event, the more I would become FEARFUL of boring people with the details of it.  When I see the Scriptures above and how the crowd was FEARFUL, I am humbled.  Verse 42 and 43 of John 12 says “Many even of the authorities BELIEVED IN HIM, “BUT FOR FEAR”” of the Pharisees did not confess JESUS.  They let what people might think of them alter their convictions for the LORD.  

“BUT FOR FEAR” has limited my witness many times.  I pray that I will not let what “this world” says or thinks alter my testimony in the future.  Because of the journey I have been assigned, “BUT FOR FEAR” must take its place with the devil in the pits of hell!!!