January 18, 2013 … Those Who Stand With God

Daily Berry Patch Devotions in 2013 - Day 18

Passage of the Day: Ezekiel 22: 30 [in the context of verses 30-31] … 
  30 “I looked for someone who might rebuild the wall of righteousness that guards the land. I searched for someone to stand in the gap in the wall so I wouldn’t have to destroy the land, but I found no one. 31 So now I will pour out my fury on them, consuming them in the fire of my anger. I will heap on them the full penalty for all their sins, says the Sovereign LORD.” 
============

Contextual Reference Passage: … To study today’s highlight passage in context, go to Deuteronomy, Chapter 8 … by using this link … 
 ============

Reference Passage #1: Psalm 106: 19-23 : [NLT] … {Moses standing in the gap for God! } …  
19 The people made a calf at Mount Sinai; they bowed before an image made of gold. 20 They traded their glorious God for a statue of a grass-eating ox! 21 They forgot God, their savior, who had done such great things in Egypt — 22 such wonderful things in that land, such awesome deeds at the Red Sea. 23 So He declared He would destroy them. But Moses, his chosen one, stepped between the LORD and the people. He begged him to turn from his anger and not destroy them. 

Reference Passage #2: Ephesians 6: 10-13 : [NLT] … {Paul calling us to stand for God’s will in our world of evil. } …  
10 A final word: Be strong with the Lord’s mighty power. 11 Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies and tricks of the Devil. 12 For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against those mighty powers of darkness who rule this world, and against wicked spirits in the heavenly realms. 13Use every piece of God’s armor to resist the enemy in the time of evil, so that after the battle you will still be standing firm. 

My Journal for Today: As I write this journal entry today, I am on the campus of Wabash College, my alma mater, where I graduated with a A.B. Degree in 1966. Yes, it was a long time ago; but I remember those days all too vividly. They were days when I walked away from God into a self-induced pursuit of sexual idolatry which lasted 22 years of my life and almost resulted in the walls of my marriage, family, and career to come crumbling down around me. And I am here on this campus today – a man transformed by the grace of God, supporting the efforts of two young men who’ve decided to stand in the gap at Wabash College against their spiritual enemies who’re coming against their fellow students in the form of a vast array of sexual temptations in our culture, … temptations which threaten to take Christian men down and wreak havoc on families, churches, and whole communities.

And I’m here on this campus this week to stand in the gap with these two young men and do all I can to support their efforts to form a Christian discipleship organization to do battle against the wiles and wherefores of the enemy, Satan, who opposes all for which they stand in Christ’s Name.

Do you look around you, as did Ezekiel in his day (see my devotional verse for today in Ezekiel 22: 30), seeing the walls of righteousness crumble all around God’s people? Do you hear, as do I, God calling to the hearts of His people to STAND IN THE GAP for righteousness, and to do battle against the well-organized and powerful forces of evil raising havoc in the world? In Psalm 106, copied above, we read of Moses being one who stood in the gap against the unrighteousness exhibited by God’s people when they fell prey to those who would build a calf of gold to worship. In Ephesian 6: 10-13, also copied above, we read of the Apostle Paul calling on God’s people to stand in battle in his times of evil, … wearing God’s full armor and carrying a well-sharpened and practiced sword of the Spirit.

What about it? Are you standing in the gap to support God’s efforts to re-establish His kingdom of righteousness in this world? Jesus certainly stood in the gap for you and me, didn’t He? And so, should we not do the same in our times, … that is, to be willing to even die for His Name’s sake?

Today, on the campus of Wabash College, I’ve come to stand in the gap – as much as I can – asking others to join with me to support two young me who’re willing to do battle for Jesus in a very unpopular, politically incorrect, gap, standing with their Lord against the forces of evil in their lives on the campus of Wabash College.

Whom can you stand with in our times to do battle, … maybe against the evils of abortion, … maybe, like us, against the strong beachhead of internet p0rnography, … maybe against some other form of evil in our world? But wherever God is leading you to stand, let me pray that we will stand in the gap for our Lord … TODAY!!!

My Prayer for Today Yes, LORD, that is my prayer … that Your people with stand with and for You and do battle in Christ’s Name and for Your glory in our times; and this I pray in Your Holy Name; and that is the Name of Jesus! … Amen