From the heart of God:
I call forth the sun to shine…
And the stars to display their beauty as each takes its place in the night sky.
Day and night has its own beauty…
Things only seen in the sunshine and things only seen in the dark.
Seasons change.
There is day and night so that you may see…
Different aspects of My beauty and love.
Do not be afraid of the dark.
Darkness will come, but look up!
Eyes on Me, the Author and Perfecter of your faith (Hebrews 12:2).
Though the earth tremble and mountains fall into the sea (Psalm 46:2), My love for you is unfailing. Look there. Trust there. And cling to hope.
You will hope once again.
Great light will shine forth in darkness.
As the world cries out and screams in fear, “The sky is falling, the sky is falling” (see this here as well),
My people will have a quiet confidence in Me (that I will give – take it – you must take it to have it).
Cling to My Word and to My Promises, that the people may know that I have done this. I cause the storm (Psalm 107:25), and I am able to make it perfectly calm (v. 29). Be those who hear and do the Word, that your house may stand (Matthew 7:24). Be ready to give an answer for the hope that you have in the midst of the storm (1 Peter 3:15). They will see a great light. Let it be Me. Shine for My glory, that they may glorify My name.
Arise, shine, for My glory has arisen. Be a lighthouse standing firmly in your place, letting your light shine TRUTH – proclaiming, “This is the ROCK, this is solid ground.” – as a warning to navigate carefully, as My Word is unmovable and irrevocable. It is.
The world is continually trying “to make crooked the straight ways of the Lord” (Acts 13:10), but the world does not change My ways. No matter how many times they change their opinion, My word stands true and unchanging and CONSTANT. So I will send forth my prophets to make straight the way of The Lord. Who will listen? Who will go for Us (Isaiah 6:8)? Who will hear and respond?
Who will not just hear and give the word, but hear and live it:
– hear correctly – through “honest and good” hearts (correct filters),
and
– “hold it fast and bear fruit with perseverance” (Luke 8:15): LIVE IT, not giving out what they are NOT.
This is mentorship: personal life change.
Produce ‘change’. “Prepare the way of The Lord, make his paths straight” (Luke 3:4 ESV) and give courage to scared, intimidated Christians. I am BIGGER and stronger. Now go and act and do not fear (an instruction to be obeyed). A courage they do not even know is inside of them, a Daniel spirit within them (placed there by Me, by the power of the Holy Spirit), will rise up. They will be unafraid to be different – to be different from this culture (Luke 21:17)- because they see the PEACE reward and the eternal rewards, looking to the day ahead (Hebrews 11:26, 1 Corinthian 1:7, 2 Peter 3:12, 13, 14). They will have the courage to stand up and be resolute, to resolve ahead of time and be faithful to it, to believe and know Me and then stand with Me, not against Me.
So-called Christ-followers are today standing up against My truth clearly set forth in My word.
They must know the truth. The truth will set them free. Currently they are in total bondage: bondage of the flesh and mind and are truly miserable in that state.
Proclaim freedom to the captives. Freedom has come and been made available, but they prefer being fed by Egypt (their captors) and don’t seem to mind the bondage of spirit that goes along with it (Numbers 11:5, Numbers 14, Acts 7:39).
Freedom may be uncomfortable, but it comes with great Peace and Power and Promises for what is to come. Stop living for this day and live for the day to come (Hebrew 12:25, 26).
“And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.” 1 John 3:3
So, stand on the watchtower and ramparts (walls), listening for God to speak. The word IS the rampart – the outermost wall, the first line of defense. He watches His Word to perform it (Jeremiah 1:12), so we must follow His example. Watch His Word, build the walls, do not allow the book of the law to be lost in the house of God (2 Kings 22), build up (good) walls, armor on (Ephesians 6:10-20), sword ready (Ephesians 6:17)…with a ready word (keep watch to see what He will speak- Habakkuk 2:1).
“I will stand on my guard post
And station myself on the rampart;
And I will keep watch to see what He will speak to me,…” Habakkuk 2:1
Do not live with broken down ramparts, daily walking over the rubble. Rebuild.
How? Working together, not alone, but also not allowing the ‘tares’ (Matthew 13:24-30) to help and nullify the work and the strength of the ramparts. Refuse their offer to help as they plan to sabotage (see Ezra 4).
How? What can we do? Nehemiah’s example!
One man, moved by God, organizing a movement that quickly got it done. Mission accomplished (in 52 days rebuilt broken down walls!).
There is power in one, led by the Spirit, walking in obedience.
Will we answer the call?
(Remember you can hover over the scripture references and see the verse in most cases.)
Hi friends, today’s post is much longer than most, and I wanted to explain a bit about why that is. This was originally written in my journal on April 5, 2013, and I was reminded of it this past week. I have previously posted portions of this word (and if you have gone through Watch the Ramparts* you may recognize a few lines as well), but I have never posted it in its entirety (although in September of 2015 I felt like I was supposed to post it all and never decided to be brave enough to). I pray that it speaks to your heart this week.
So thankful for you. Let me know if I can help you in any way!
And if you aren’t receiving these weekly devotionals in your inbox and would like to, just let me know by clicking here.
Traci
*want to know more about Watch the Ramparts? Let me know. I’d love to tell you more about it. Watch the Ramparts: Rebuilding Our God-Given Protective Boundaries is a Six-Week Prayer Strategy Devotional designed to develop the strength, security, and self-discipline necessary to live without wavering in this unstable world.
