As the Chaplin for D37 Racing series I find myself talking to hundreds of people and many of them have built this amazing wall around their heart. Each one is different but the purpose is basically the same, no more pain. No one is going to take advantage of me. I am not going to love someone and not have it reciprocated, not one more person is going to physically or mentally hurt me. Does this sound familiar? Can any of you relate to that? I know I can.
I wonder, if we as humans that have been made in Gods own image can so easily feel betrayed. How does God feel about being betrayed? I mean do you know any of the stories of Israel and how they built walls and turned their back on God, only to have him forgive them again and again.
Why do we turn to isolation when we are struggling in life? Why do we not reach out to others and even to God? What is it that turns our thoughts to desperation?
I think one of the biggest reasons we build walls in our life is anger. We let our anger at others or maybe even ourselves cause us to build up our defenses and shut out those that have hurt us. Sometimes we scheme on how to get back at them and trust me, those thoughts only lead to ulcers and bad hair days. Let it go, tear down the walls of anger and repay evil with good!
1 Thessalonians 5:15-18
See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you
In order to tear down the walls in our life we have to know how to be content. Walls are made from fear and doubt, not love and contentment! The hardest thing for our human nature to do is to ask for help, to reach out and acknowledge that we have fallen short or made a mistake. Many times it is because it was not our fault. We truly were victims of circumstance, but there is no reason to remain a victim.
Philippians 4:11-13
Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me
You see as we acknowledge the need or issue we start to build bridges back to our family and friends, back to God. It is so important that we remember that we are a community. That walking with God, with Jesus, is about relationship. It’s not being religious, doting your eyes and crossing your tees. Its honesty, its faith, its doing the right thing because it brings you joy!
James 5:16
Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working
When we tear down relationship walls and build up bridges of faith and love in our life it is a very humbling thing, but that is exactly what God wants from us. He wants a Humble and Contrite heart
2 Chronicles 7:14
If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land
Israel was going thru some hard times. They had King after King that just would not do what was right. They did things that were horrible and choose to disobey God in all there actions. But finally King Hezekiah comes to reign and he cleanses the temple and sends word to all the land that Passover would be observed. When they celebrated that Passover it involved so many offerings that they had to make more priests to handle the duty as the country had been living in sin for so long.
2 Chronicles 30:8-9
Do not now be stiff- necked as your fathers were, but yield yourselves to the Lord and come to his sanctuary, which he has consecrated forever, and serve the Lord your God, that his fierce anger may turn away from you. For if you return to the Lord, your brothers and your children will find compassion with their captors and return to this land. For the Lord your God is gracious and merciful and will not turn away his face from you, if you return to him
Many People don’t realize, but the truth is that as the Lamb was slain in the first Passover, and that blood was placed upon the doors of the Jews so that the spirit of death would Passover Israel. So was the Blood of Jesus shed so that you would live again. Its not just symbolic, God has always demanded a sacrifice for sin. Remember God wants to have you in his life so bad that he gave his own son so that you could have a relationship!
And so we are back to today, Easter, the day that we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. On Passover he was hung on a cross after being tried and beaten. He was pierced for our inequities, he died for our sins. He was the last Passover lamb and it is why we call him the Lamb of God. It’s now Sunday morning and Mary and his disciples are weary, but Mary has to prepare her master for what she feels will be his eternal rest and Boom.
Mathew 28:1-6
Now after the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. Suddenly there was a severe earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descending from heaven came and rolled away the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were shaken and became like dead men because they were so afraid of him. But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here, for he has been raised, just as he said. Come and see the place where he was lying”
The stone was rolled away. The tomb was empty all of the pain and misery that Mary and the disciples have been feeling is now fading away. Can you imagine the walls that Jesus followers might have been building as they were faced with the possibility that it was all a lie, or at least not what they thought it would be. Doubt, fear persecution were all starting to show on their face and Boom, the stone was rolled away. Haven’t we all faced this in our life? Maybe we still face this in days to come? But fear not
Isaiah 41:10
Fear not, for I am with you;
be not dismayed, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help you,
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand
As we wind up today I want to encourage you on how to apply this to your life
The only walls we should have in our life are the ones that protect us from Evil. But what God wants from us, is to stand outside the wall, and to be the shield for the Lost. To stand in the Gap between Good and Evil and to fight for those that are not able to fight for themselves. The war for our souls will not be fought with weapons of mass destruction; it will be of apathy and lack of character. To fight you will need the sword of the spirit, the helmet of truth and the breastplate of righteousness. Stay in Gods word and pray and Victory will belong to the Lord.
Ezekiel 22:30
“I looked for a man from among them who would repair the wall and stand in the gap before me on behalf of the land, so that I would not destroy it, but I found no one.
I do not want that to be the case for our generation. When God looks down let him see us that are faithful. Trust in him and fight for our family and our faith.
Lets Pray
I wonder, if we as humans that have been made in Gods own image can so easily feel betrayed. How does God feel about being betrayed? I mean do you know any of the stories of Israel and how they built walls and turned their back on God, only to have him forgive them again and again.
Why do we turn to isolation when we are struggling in life? Why do we not reach out to others and even to God? What is it that turns our thoughts to desperation?
I think one of the biggest reasons we build walls in our life is anger. We let our anger at others or maybe even ourselves cause us to build up our defenses and shut out those that have hurt us. Sometimes we scheme on how to get back at them and trust me, those thoughts only lead to ulcers and bad hair days. Let it go, tear down the walls of anger and repay evil with good!
1 Thessalonians 5:15-18
See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you
In order to tear down the walls in our life we have to know how to be content. Walls are made from fear and doubt, not love and contentment! The hardest thing for our human nature to do is to ask for help, to reach out and acknowledge that we have fallen short or made a mistake. Many times it is because it was not our fault. We truly were victims of circumstance, but there is no reason to remain a victim.
Philippians 4:11-13
Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me
You see as we acknowledge the need or issue we start to build bridges back to our family and friends, back to God. It is so important that we remember that we are a community. That walking with God, with Jesus, is about relationship. It’s not being religious, doting your eyes and crossing your tees. Its honesty, its faith, its doing the right thing because it brings you joy!
James 5:16
Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working
When we tear down relationship walls and build up bridges of faith and love in our life it is a very humbling thing, but that is exactly what God wants from us. He wants a Humble and Contrite heart
2 Chronicles 7:14
If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land
Israel was going thru some hard times. They had King after King that just would not do what was right. They did things that were horrible and choose to disobey God in all there actions. But finally King Hezekiah comes to reign and he cleanses the temple and sends word to all the land that Passover would be observed. When they celebrated that Passover it involved so many offerings that they had to make more priests to handle the duty as the country had been living in sin for so long.
2 Chronicles 30:8-9
Do not now be stiff- necked as your fathers were, but yield yourselves to the Lord and come to his sanctuary, which he has consecrated forever, and serve the Lord your God, that his fierce anger may turn away from you. For if you return to the Lord, your brothers and your children will find compassion with their captors and return to this land. For the Lord your God is gracious and merciful and will not turn away his face from you, if you return to him
Many People don’t realize, but the truth is that as the Lamb was slain in the first Passover, and that blood was placed upon the doors of the Jews so that the spirit of death would Passover Israel. So was the Blood of Jesus shed so that you would live again. Its not just symbolic, God has always demanded a sacrifice for sin. Remember God wants to have you in his life so bad that he gave his own son so that you could have a relationship!
And so we are back to today, Easter, the day that we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. On Passover he was hung on a cross after being tried and beaten. He was pierced for our inequities, he died for our sins. He was the last Passover lamb and it is why we call him the Lamb of God. It’s now Sunday morning and Mary and his disciples are weary, but Mary has to prepare her master for what she feels will be his eternal rest and Boom.
Mathew 28:1-6
Now after the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. Suddenly there was a severe earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descending from heaven came and rolled away the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were shaken and became like dead men because they were so afraid of him. But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here, for he has been raised, just as he said. Come and see the place where he was lying”
The stone was rolled away. The tomb was empty all of the pain and misery that Mary and the disciples have been feeling is now fading away. Can you imagine the walls that Jesus followers might have been building as they were faced with the possibility that it was all a lie, or at least not what they thought it would be. Doubt, fear persecution were all starting to show on their face and Boom, the stone was rolled away. Haven’t we all faced this in our life? Maybe we still face this in days to come? But fear not
Isaiah 41:10
Fear not, for I am with you;
be not dismayed, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help you,
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand
As we wind up today I want to encourage you on how to apply this to your life
The only walls we should have in our life are the ones that protect us from Evil. But what God wants from us, is to stand outside the wall, and to be the shield for the Lost. To stand in the Gap between Good and Evil and to fight for those that are not able to fight for themselves. The war for our souls will not be fought with weapons of mass destruction; it will be of apathy and lack of character. To fight you will need the sword of the spirit, the helmet of truth and the breastplate of righteousness. Stay in Gods word and pray and Victory will belong to the Lord.
Ezekiel 22:30
“I looked for a man from among them who would repair the wall and stand in the gap before me on behalf of the land, so that I would not destroy it, but I found no one.
I do not want that to be the case for our generation. When God looks down let him see us that are faithful. Trust in him and fight for our family and our faith.
Lets Pray
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