A Wall of Fire

November 8, 2004

Zechariah 2:5 "For I, says the Lord, will be to her (Jerusalem) a wall of fire round about, and I will be the glory in the midst of her."

My Lord, I continue to be amazed as to how much You love us, and how many different ways You protect Your own.  You dwelt in the midst of Your holy city, Jerusalem, and at the same time You were (are) a wall of fire around her (us) protecting from seen and unseen enemies. 

I believe this applies to us today as well.  To anyone who trust in You, an individual like me, a church, a body of believers, a city, or a country.  Our soldiers in Iraq need a wall of  fire protecting them from car bombers, snipers, mines, etc.  Our nation need a wall of holy fire around our borders so no enemy can penetrate it again like they did on Sept 11, 2001.  Our churches need that wall of fire to keep out the enemy and his lies and arrows of discouragement so they cannot do his dirty work in your people. 

Our city and country need Your protection in so many ways; our leaders, from local mayors, police, up to the congressional leaders, the President, his cabinet, the military.  O God be that wall of fire that protects - may the enemies see it and flee.  and may Your glory continue to abide in us that all may see and even the wicket must acknowledge you.

Thank You for Your daily protection.  I know we will all be amazed at how many times Your hand of protection was there, saving us from dangers we never were aware of.  May we always give You praise, in everything, and remember you are our Wall of Fire!

A Sure Foundation

Isaiah 28:16 Therefore thus says the Lord God, "Behold, I am laying in Zion for a foundation a Stone, a tested Stone, a precious cornerstone of sure foundation; he who believes (trusts in, relies on, and adheres to that stone) will not be ashamed or give way or hasten away (in sudden panic).

Acts 4:11 This Jesus is the STONE which was despised and rejected by you, the builders, but which has become the HEAD of the corner (the Cornerstone).

I Peter 2:4-6  Come to Him (then, to that) Living Stone which men tried and threw away, but which is chosen and precious in God's sight.  Come and like living stones, be yourselves built into a spiritual house for a holy (dedicated, consecrated) priesthood, to offer up those spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable and pleasing to God through Jesus Christ.  For thus it stands in Scripture (referring to Isaiah 28:16)

My Lord, You are the only sure foundation - all else is shifting sand.  How you have stood steady and secure through all the storms and earthquakes of my life.  The winds and rains have come and the winds of adversity have blown hard.  But I'm still standing on that solid Rock.  I have trusted IN, relied ON You and You have made me into a living stone in Your spiritual house.  All else may fail around me, but I know I am safe and secure in You.

Praise be to Christ Jesus, the Chief Cornerstone.

Update

Thanks to you, mom's faithful and occasional readers.  I apologize for the sporatic and few posting in the last six months.  Dad died in March and we've been buried in maintenance issues related to rental properties that Mom and Dad own.  I hope to start posting additional journal entries in the fall when temperatures drop and (I hope) we're not as busy.

A Refiner and Purifier

Malachi 3:3  "He will sit and judge like a refiner of silver, watching closely as the dross is burned away.  He will purify the Levites (and me too) refining them like gold or silver, so that they may once again offer acceptable sacrifices to the LORD."

(foot note in New Living) In the process of refining metals, the raw metal is heated with fire until it melts.  The impurities separate from it and rise to the surface.  They are skimmed off, leaving the pure metal.  Without this heating and melting there could be no purifying.  As the impurities are skimmed off the top the reflections of the worker appears in the clear, pure surface.  As we are purified by God, His reflection in our life will become more and more clear to those around us.

Alkali was also used as a strong soap to whiten cloth.  This, too, is a symbol of the purifying process. 

Father, I am so grateful that You are the One who purifies me and judges the results.  You are the only one who could judge fairly and accurately.  My desire is to endure the process willingly and with dignity.  Turn the heat high so all the dross and impurities may float up and be cast out forever.  Wash me clean by the strong powerful cleansing of Christ's blood.  May You see Your reflection in my life and may others also recognize You in me. 

A Quickening spirit

October 31, 2004
I Cor. 15:45 - "Thus it is written, the first man, Adam, became a living being (an individual personality); the last Adam (Christ) became a Quickening Spirit (life-giving Spirit restoring the dead to life."

Genesis 2:7 says after You formed Adam from the dust of the ground, he was lifeless until You breathed into his nostrils the breath or spirit of life.  Then man became a living being.  At this point man was an eternal being, BUT when he sinned, he had to die for his sin.  "But God" (again, I love that phrase)...But God, in Your mercy knew in advance this would happen.   You had a plan all along. 

Jesus, Your Son would become a man, live a sinless life, and become the perfect sacrifice to pay not only for Adam's since, but for everyone of us through eternity.  When we believe Jesus is Your Son, accept his payment for our sin and repent, then You breath that Quickening Spirit into us.  Your Holy Spirit in me will never leave.  He is my physical and spiritual life, my energy in every way.  He is the air I breathe, the food that sustains me.  Life-giving and life-restoring and most important, life-keeping!

Lord, I praise You for the presence of your Quickening Spirit that abides in me.  May I never quench or stifle Him.  Enable me to hear His voice and to obey in every way.  May I always allow His power to work on me, in me, and through me.  Praise to your Quickening Spirit!