For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it: and profited in the Jews’ religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers. But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by His grace, to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood: neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus.
Galatians 1:13-17
Waste
She Has Done a Good Work
Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, there came unto Him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on His head, as He sat at meat. But when His disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, “To what purpose is this waste? For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor.” When Jesus understood. He said unto them,
“Why trouble ye the woman? For she hath wrought a good work upon Me. For ye have the poor always with you; but Me ye have not always. For in that she hath poured this ointment on My body, she did for My burial.
Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.” Matthew 26:6-13
Given For Jesus
“And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on His head. And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, ‘Why was this waste of the ointment made? For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor.’ And they murmured against her. And Jesus said,
‘Let her alone; why trouble ye her? She hath wrought a good work on Me. For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but Me ye have not always. She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint My body to the burying.
Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.’
And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went unto the chief priests, to betray Him unto them. And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money. And he sought how he might conveniently betray Him.” Mark 14:3-11
Words, Wounds, and Waste
“The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.
He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster.” Proverbs 18:8-9 (KJB)
Broken Down Walls
There has been talk of tearing down walls; too many walls; high walls; low walls; brick walls; rock walls; all kinds of walls. Maybe there are some walls which need to be torn down, but not the walls of protection. Not the walls that are there to keep us from the enemy, those who would destroy us; those who desire to see us cease to exist.
It was when the nation of Israel had sinned against God, broken His law; His sabbaths, and committed lewd acts against the Most High, that He sent the enemy to destroy their walls. The wall was destroyed and for seventy years in captivity the walls lay in ruin, trampled by wild donkeys, and wild beasts of all sorts.
There was a man by the name of Nehemiah who had a burden for Jerusalem after he had received report of the city’s condition. His heart was broken, and the king gave him leave to go and lead in the rebuilding of those walls. Here is what Nehemiah has written,
“Then said I unto them, Ye see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste, and the gates thereof are burned with fire: come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach. Then I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me; as also the king’s words that he had spoken unto me. And they said, Let us rise up and build. So they strengthened their hands for this good work.” Nehemiah 2:17-18 (KJV)
As Christian men and women; let’s keep the walls that protect us, and restore some of those walls that have been broken down. And like Nehemiah let’s lead our family, our churches, communities, and nation in building those walls that call us back to God – correct doctrine, right worship, pointing people to Jesus Christ the Son of the Living God; and living by the Word of God.
The wall of God’s protection is quickly coming down. We can pray, read and study God’s Word; and then apply it to daily living to strengthen those walls.
-Tim A. Blankenship
The Fire and Hammer 