"Whatever It Takes" -2

"If she be a wall, we will build upon her a palace of silver: and if she be a door, we will inclose her with boards of cedar." (S.O.S. 8:9)

  "The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work. For we are both God's workers. You are God's field. You are God's building. Because of God's grace to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have -Jesus Christ. Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials -gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. But on judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person's work has any value. If the work survives, the builder will receive a reward. But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of fire." (1 Corinthians 3:8-15)

  I'm sorry if I might have overreached; as it was, I had really no idea I was going to be saying what I said; only that it was obvious that God will always protect those that are His. To that point: What is it that we might consider as being protected? Obviously protection must somehow be more than flesh and blood, or comfort and riches; it surely must be something that does not included sickness or death! What does it mean for you, that you are protected by God? 

  There was something very interesting that happen to Abraham between the birth of Ishmael and Isaac, which was God's Covenant between Him and Abraham. Yes, circumcision was put of it, but the main part of the covenant was the name given, Abraham, the father of many nations. As Paul illustrates in his letter to Rome, saying: "And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcisied: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also: and the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcisied." (Romans 4:11-12) 

  Breaking down this verse, there are two very distinct issues being presented, one that speaks to her as a wall, the other a door; both of which are useful and needed with the building of a fortress: the wall of protection, and the door to get into the fortress. Either or, they are both very important to what is needed to the church, as you cannot build a fortress that is left empty! And if you do have a door, then the door must that which is based upon a covenant of entry, one that is forever and free from decay!  

   Regardless of what you might think of this, it is both for the Jew and Gentile alike; either one is called on the same standard and by the same covenant: FAITH! If you believe in His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, you will be saved! Does that not seem like something simple and easy to understand? 

  As much as I would like to say we are all going to be okay, it grieves me to no end that there are so many within the churches today that do not have Jesus Christ as their foundation! It is going to be a strange and weary time for many that might be holding onto anything else but Christ; because He alone is the Anchor of our souls...

"But God commandeth his love toward us, in that, while we yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son; much more, being reconciled we shall be saved by his life. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement." (Romans 5:8-11)