GUARDING THE GATES OF OUR HEART

BY NORMAN R LINDSAY

LCSM Publications, 3401 W Willow Knolls Drive, Unit 201, Peoria, IL 61614

Written text Copyright © 2010 by Norman R. Lindsay.

All rights reserved.

Citations not otherwise individually acknowledged are located at www.sermonillustrations.com, accessed May 24-June 3, 2013. This is a paid-subscription-based resource for ministers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

All Scripture references are taken from the New International Version, ©Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society, unless otherwise indicated. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

KJV: King James Version, also known as the Authorized Version.

NAU: New American Standard Version, 1995 edition, ©Copyright 1995 by the Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

NKJV: New King James Version, ©Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

NLT: New Living Translation, ©Copyright 1966 by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

NRS: New Revised Standard Version, ©Copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

RSV: Revised Standard Version, ©Copyright 1952 by Thomas Nelson, Inc., Camden, New Jersey. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Emphasis in bold italics in Scripture quotations added by author.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PREFACE

CHAPTER 1: REBUILDING THE ALTAR

CHAPTER 2: REBUILDING THE CITY

CHAPTER 3: THE FOUNTAIN GATE

CHAPTER 4: THE VALLEY GATE

CHAPTER 5: THE GARBAGE GATE

CHAPTER 6: THE EPHRAIM GATE

CHAPTER 7: THE MANASSEH GATE

CHAPTER 8: THE WATER GATE

CHAPTER 9: THE HORSE GATE

CHAPTER 10: THE SHEEP GATE

CHAPTER 11: THE FISH GATE

CHAPTER 12: GATE OF THE ELDERS

CHAPTER 13: THE TOWER GATE

CHAPTER 14: THE EASTERN GATE

SOURCES CONSULTED

ENDNOTES

PREFACE

The idea for this book grew out of my teaching a series of lessons on this subject to a variety of audiences over the last number of years. Much of the credit for this project developing into a book belongs to the congregations where I have been privileged to pastor, especially the last two, Sitka Assembly of God and South Anchorage Assembly of God. Their patient endurance and encouragement gave me the confidence to pursue the additional process of putting these lessons into a single volume.

The idea of studying out of Nehemiah came easily for me. Using the twelve gates as an analogy for the entrance passages to our heart simply developed out of the natural allegory that seems to reside in this exciting book set during the period of captivity for Israel.

I trust you will find that there is sufficient biblical evidence to support the ideas I develop over the next few chapters. And, may the Lord allow His ever faithful Holy Spirit to illuminate His Word to your own heart.

This volume is not intended as a commentary for the Book of Nehemiah, although I will refer to passages from that book frequently. However, this is not an exposition of the book. Obviously, using the biblical text as a companion will make the reading of this book more effective. However, much of the applicable text is included along with my comments.

I need to offer another disclaimer regarding the twelve gates. As I will explain in the text, twelve is a somewhat arbitrary number, since the number of gates in the walls surrounding Jerusalem varied over the centuries. Nor does the text itself ever claim to be allegorical. Generally speaking, I am not inclined to see allegories in the biblical text, unless there is contextual or obvious reason to do so. Here I have made an exception to that rule.

In this case, I have chosen to use twelve gates to relate to the various ways we protect the entrance and exit passageways of our heart. My rationale for doing so is explained in the first two chapters of this book. The passage in Proverb 4:23 is my primary justification for making the comparison of our heart to the twelve gates of Jerusalem.

Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. (Proverbs 4:23)

Ancient Jerusalem was protected by sturdy stone walls that allowed the watchmen to maintain close observation of those coming and going through the city gates. Therefore, the gates were of utmost importance. If a gate were neglected or torn down, anyone could come into the city unchecked. And those within the walls could venture out of the city to their own destruction.

The task of the watchmen, then, was critical to the security of the city. No one could enter or exit without their knowledge.

So it is with our lives. The gates of our heart must be carefully guarded to assure the right things come into and go out of our heart. This study defines twelve “gates” or entry/exit points of our heart. Each of these must be carefully guarded.

Then I said to them, "You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace." (Nehemiah 2:17)

The nation of Israel had been in captivity to Babylon for seventy years. Many of the people who had been transported to Babylon had assimilated the religions and philosophies of their captors. Those left behind in Jerusalem had come to a point of despair and hopelessness. Out of this pit of self-pity came two men of God with insights which can be of great value to us today. Ezra was a priest and a scribe whose task was to keep the people focused on the things of the Lord.

Nehemiah was the personal attendant to the King of Persia. His might be seen as a more secular position. But the heart's cry of these two men was in harmony, “Lord, restore Israel to its former glory. Restore the altar of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the city of the Lord”

Nehemiah, the cup bearer for King Artaxerxes, found himself in the most dreadful of situations. Here he was, responsible for the very safety of the King at his dining table, and Nehemiah could not keep his mind off the terrible ruin that had befallen his beloved homeland.

He had recently heard of the devastation that had occurred in Jerusalem. The altar was torn down. The temple was destroyed. The walls were broken down. The gates had been carried away and burned. The "cream of the crop" of the population had been exiled, like himself.

And those who had not been made captive had been encouraged to intermarry with the conquering Babylonians and the neighboring countries in order to eliminate the pure bloodline of Judah.

So, what is Nehemiah to do? He stands before the king in such a state of depression that King Artaxerxes asks the nature of his sadness. Nehemiah was now compelled to admit the truth. He could no longer stand aside and ignore the ruined condition of his beloved nation. What did he desire? A new Jerusalem rebuilt population. But before the population could be reestablished, the city itself must be rebuilt. Nehemiah wanted nothing more than to see Jerusalem repopulated with people worshiping Jehovah.

Nehemiah discovered that before they could reestablish the gates, they must rebuild the walls; before they could rebuild the walls, they must reconstruct the temple; before they could rebuild the temple, they must reassemble the altar. The principles Nehemiah discovered regarding his homeland should be helpful to us as we strive to prepare our temple for the worship of our Lord. So, in the following chapters, let us apply this pattern to our own lives.

We too often treat our spiritual condition like the Soviet defense blunder of a few years ago. In June 1989 a 19-year-old German named Mathias Rust created quite a stir when he flew a Cessna 172 airplane more than 400 miles into Soviet airspace. Rust's five-hour trip ended when he landed his plane near the Kremlin in Moscow. Soviet officials then scrambled to find out how a teenager could slip past their air defenses.

Apparently radar had picked up the craft, but it was presumed to be a Soviet plane and no attempt was made to identify it. Later, air force jets twice flew around the intruding Cessna. The investigation concluded that air defense commanders showed an inexplicable lack of concern and indecision regarding the flight of the invading plane short of military action.1

Like those Soviet defenders, we can sometimes fail to cut short temptations which invade our minds. But these intruders are far from harmless; they can destroy a life. If we are not careful, we may, likewise, ignore the infiltration of our spiritual being, until the enemy has well-established himself in our life.

There are a number of ways we must go about guarding our lives. The following chapters will identify twelve of these areas of our lives that we must guard.

Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. (Proverbs 4:23)

As the writer of this Proverb reminds us, from our heart, or our innermost being, flow the various issues of life. We cannot afford to have our heart breached by the enemy so that we are destroyed from within. We must guard every gate of our heart, being very alert to everything and everyone who desires to gain entrance and exit from our heart.

But as I stated earlier, there are some other things we must address before we can effectively guard our heart. In effect, guarding our heart is the final step of preparation in this series of restorations. Before we can rebuild the temple, we must rebuild the altar—building that personal relationship with the Lord without which no person can inherit eternal life.

And, if that relationship has been marred or severed, we must rebuild the altar before proceeding with any other spiritual protection. It does little good to guard the gates of a city, if the walls are broken down. There is little point in rebuilding the walls, if the houses and temple are in a shamble inside the city. The temple holds very limited value, if there is no altar. So, the altar is essential to the entire rebuilding of the city.

CHAPTER 1: REBUILDING THE ALTAR

THE NECESSITY OF THE ALTAR

Everyone needs the altar. There are no exceptions. We are all from the same mold. Yes, we are uniquely created. But our uniqueness does not remove the fact we are all offspring of Adam. And because we are, we are all born with the tendency to sin. We all carry that sin-nature originating with Adam’s disobedience.

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (Romans 3:23)

That if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. (Romans 10:9-10)

Not only have we all sinned and find ourselves in need of an altar of cleansing; it is not a one-time event. Granted, when we come to the altar, we are made entirely clean. But, as the Apostle Paul often reminds us, especially in Romans 7, we live in a body that loves to draw us back toward our old sinful nature. So, we all need the altar repeatedly.

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and

purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:7-9)

My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one  who speaks to the Father in our defense—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.(1 John 2:1-2)

THE NATURE OF THE ALTAR

THE ALTAR IS FOR THE WORSHIP OF JEHOVAH

The primary purpose of the altar is for the worship of Our Lord. There certainly are other reasons we come to the altar. But if there were but one reason to come to the altar, it would be to worship Jehovah.

"This, then, is how you should pray: "'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. (Matthew 6:9-10)

The following story is from the life of Louis XIV of France:

One Sunday when he and his royal party arrived at church, no one was there except Archbishop Fenelon, the court preacher. Surprised to see all the vacant seats, the King inquired, "Where is everybody?" Why isn't anyone else present this morning?"

The minister answered, "I announced that Your Majesty would not be here today, because I wanted you to see who came to the service just to flatter you and who came to worship God."

Most people do not have opportunities to be in meetings where such dignitaries are in attendance. Yet, many go to church for reasons other than communing with the Lord, enjoying Christian fellowship, and being instructed from the Word. They may not be there to impress royalty, but their motives for coming are just as vain and selfish. Some think it's good for business or that it enhances their social standing. Others put in an appearance to display their piety; and some merely attend out of a sense of duty. But not one of these actions truly brings honor to God.1

To worship is:

>    To quicken the conscience by the holiness of God.

>    To feed the mind with the truth of God.

>    To purge the imagination with the beauty of God.

>    To open the heart to the love of God.

>    To devote the will to the Purpose of God. —Archbishop William Temple^2

I wash my hands in innocence, and go about your altar, O LORD, proclaiming aloud your praise and telling of all your wonderful deeds. I love the house where you live, O LORD, the place where your glory dwells. (Psalm 26:6-8)

You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. (Psalm 51:16-17)

The LORD is God, and he has made his light shine upon us. With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession up to the horns of the altar. (Psalm 118:27)

THE ALTAR IS FOR MAKING PETITION

In addition to worship, the altar is for making petition to the Lord. Jesus taught us, when we pray, to request:

Give us today our daily bread. (Matthew 6:11)

A tired-looking woman entered a grocery store and asked the owner for enough food to make a Christmas dinner for her children. When he inquired how much she could afford, she answered, "My husband was killed in an accident. Truthfully, I have nothing to offer but a little prayer."

Although the man was unmoved at first, he thought of a clever response to the woman's simple request. "Write your prayer on a piece of paper and you can have its weight in groceries," he said sarcastically. To his surprise, she plucked a folded note out of her pocket and handed it to him saying, "I already did that during the night while I was watching over my sick baby."

Without even reading it, he put it on one side of his old-fashioned scales. "We shall see how much food this is worth," he muttered. To his dismay, nothing happened when he put a loaf of bread on the other side. But he was even more upset when he added other items and it would not balance. Finally he blurted out, "Well, that's all it will hold anyway. Here's a bag. You'll have to put these things in yourself. "I'm busy!"

With a tearful "Thank you," the lady went happily on her way. The grocer later discovered that the scales were out of order. As the years passed, he often wondered if that was just a coincidence. Why did the woman have the prayer already written before he asked for it? Why did she come at exactly the time the mechanism broke? Whenever he looks at the slip of paper which bears that mother's petition, he is amazed, for it reads, "Please, dear Lord, give us this day our daily bread!"3

God has some pretty creative ways of answering our petitions. But answer them, He will.

He appointed some of the Levites to minister before the ark of the LORD, to make petition, to give thanks, and to praise the LORD, the God of Israel: (1 Chronicles 16:4)

Hasten, O God, to save me; O LORD, come quickly to help me. (Psalm 70:1)

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. (Philippians 4:6)

THE ALTAR IS FOR REPENTANCE

The initial reason for coming to the altar is for repentance. Worship may become your primary motive for approaching the altar. You may find yourself frequently coming to petition the Lord for your needs. However, until we have come to the altar of repentance, the other reasons for approaching the Lord fall short of their intended mark. Jesus taught us to pray: Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. (Matthew 6:12)

For me to fail to forgive myself or anyone else who has offended me is to imply that I have a higher standard of forgiveness than God, because whatever it is that has so hurt me that I can't forgive it, God already has. —Dr. Hal Lindsay^4

Years after her concentration camp experiences in Nazi Germany, Corrie ten Boom met face to face one of the most cruel and heartless German guards that she had ever contacted. He had humiliated and degraded her and her sister. He had jeered and visually raped them as they stood in the delousing shower. Now he stood before her with hand outstretched and said, "Will you forgive me?"

She writes: "I stood there with coldness clutching at my heart, but I know that the will can function regardless of the temperature of the heart. I prayed, Jesus, help me!

Woodenly, mechanically I thrust my hand into the one stretched out to me and I experienced an incredible thing. The current started in my shoulder, raced down into my arms and sprang into our clutched hands. Then this warm reconciliation seemed to flood my whole being, bringing tears to my eyes. 'I forgive you, brother,' I cried with my whole heart.

For a long moment we grasped each other's hands, the former guard, the former prisoner. I have never known the love of God so intensely as I did in that moment!" To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover the prisoner was you.5

Corrie Ten Boom thoroughly illustrates forgiveness in this story. Few of us will be called upon to forgive more than she was required to do. And, did you notice that Corrie discovered she simply could not forgive until the Lord gave her a supernatural ability to love and forgive her former enemy.

"The Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who repent of their sins," declares the LORD. "As for me, this is my covenant with them," says the LORD. "My Spirit, who is on you, and my words that I have put in your mouth will not depart from your mouth, or from the mouths of your children, or from the mouths of their descendants from this time on and forever," says the LORD. (Isaiah 59:20-21)

For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent and live! (Ezekiel 18:32)

Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and that he may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you—even Jesus. (Acts 3:19-20)

THE ALTAR IS FOR PROTECTION

Not only can we run to the altar in repentance, we can also grasp the horns of the altar for protection from our enemy. There are times we have no other recourse but to run to the altar and find refuge there. Jesus taught us further to pray:

And lead us not into temptation, (Matthew 6:13a)

But Adonijah, in fear of Solomon, went and took hold of the horns of the altar. Then Solomon was told, "Adonijah is afraid of King Solomon and is clinging to the horns of the altar. He says, 'Let King Solomon swear to me today that he will not put his servant to death with the sword.'" Solomon replied, "If he shows himself to be a worthy man, not a hair of his head will fall to the ground; but if evil is found in him, he will die." (1 Kings 1:50-52)

Where else can we go to find protection from the many arrows that would pierce our soul? Granted, we can establish a vast variety of protecting our lives, our health, our families, and our wealth. But most of us have learned that no amount of care can guarantee we won’t become ill. No matter how many locks and bars we put on our doors and windows, we discover thieves will find a way to steal our belongings. No matter how much effort we put into protecting our relationships, they are still vulnerable to attack. And who can forget how quickly our investments can evaporate during times of economic upheaval.

The only sure protection is the Lord himself. We must run to the altar before we find our situation compromised. Why wait until we are in crisis to call out to the Lord? We need His protection all the time.

THE ALTAR IS FOR DELIVERANCE FROM THE EVIL ONE

Granted, most of our challenges are of our own making. Our own flesh tends to be our largest enemy. But we do have an enemy who is sworn to our destruction. So, Jesus, again, taught us:

but deliver us from the evil one.' (Matthew 6:1 3b)

When the news reached Joab, who had conspired with Adonijah though not with Absalom, he fled to the tent of the LORD and took hold of the horns of the altar. King Solomon was told that Joab had fled to the tent of the LORD and was beside the altar. Then Solomon ordered Benaiah son of Jehoiada, "Go, strike him down!" (1 Kings 2:28-29)

Did you notice the contrast between this passage and the one above regarding Adonijah? In the previous passage, Adonijah clings to the altar in presumed innocence. King Solomon gives him the benefit of the doubt. If he is crying out to God for mercy, then mercy shall be granted.

Not surprisingly, Joab follows the same pattern, expecting the same treatment. Nonetheless, as Joab clings to the altar, Solomon orders him to be killed on the spot. This seems contradictory until you recognize that Joab had proven himself to be a scheming rebel. King Solomon was convinced that Joab came to the altar to save his life, in spite of having been proven a deceiving traitor.

So, when we cry out for deliverance, it must be with a sincere heart before God. He has little time for those who simply use Him to further their own agenda.

THE ALTAR IS FOR EXALTATION OF JEHOVAH

It is not possible for us to give too much adoration and exaltation to our Lord. He is deserving of far more honor than we could ever give Him. He is worthy of far greater exaltation than we are capable of giving.

For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. (Matthew 6:13c KJV)

Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the LORD: "I will sing to the LORD, for he is highly exalted. The horse and its rider he has hurled into the sea. The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him, my father's God, and I will exalt him. (Exodus 15:1-2)

David praised the LORD in the presence of the whole assembly, saying, "Praise be to you, O LORD, God of our father Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all. Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name. (1 Chronicles 29:10-13)

Exalting the name of our Lord is a significant part of the value of the altar to us. The name of the Lord is so precious that devout Jews, even today, refuse to pronounce His name in fear they may profane His name. They take that commandment very seriously. Perhaps, we should be more inclined toward such a treatment of the Lord’s name ourselves.

Not only is His name to be exalted, the Lord’s very person is to be exalted in everything we say, do, and are. He deserves our highest praise and honor.

Having looked at the necessity and nature of the altar, let us now turn our attention to the nearness of the altar.

NEARNESS OF THE ALTAR

HE IS AS NEAR AS OUR PRAYER

In the times of the Old Testament, the people were limited when it came to the issue of coming to the altar of the Lord. Only the high priest was allowed into the Holy of Holies, where the Seat of Mercy was found. And the high priest could only enter this sacred place once a yearand then only after he had gone through a thorough ritual cleansing.

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. (James 4:7-10)

But we have ready access to the Mercy Seat. We can go there any time of any day, and we are not even the high priest. We can do this because Jesus became High Priest on our behalf. And when he died, Scripture tells us the veil of the temple was torn from top to bottom without being touched by human hand. The writer of Hebrews describes this event as Jesus allowing His body to be torn, becoming the sacrifice for us, so that we could enter the Holy of Holies at any time.

HE STANDS READY TO HELP US

Jesus is always there at the altar waiting to receive us to meet our every need. He, being the perpetual High Priest, has no need to cleanse Himself. He does not have to wait for the Day of Atonement. Every day is the Day of Atonement when we have Jesus in our heart.

Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. (Hebrews 4:16)

HE LONGS FOR US TO REACH OUT TO HIM

God is not only ready and waiting for us at the altar. He is longing for us to seek Him. He wants us to discover that He is much closer than we think. He is only a prayer away—it is really true. When life throws us those circumstances where there is no time to pray, when we cannot find the words sufficient to explain our current need, all we have to do is cry out the name of Jesus. He is there, eager to meet our need.

God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. (Acts 17:27)

WHEN WE SEEK HIM SECRETLY HE WILL ANSWER OPENLY

But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. (Matthew 6:6)

We sometimes are prone to believing that the louder we cry out to God, the more likely He is to answer. When Jesus was preparing His disciples to learn to pray, as they had asked, He taught them the process is not a public display to impress people. It is private, between you and God. He even suggested we go into a room or closet and close the door. That way we are not distracted by outside noises or disturbance. Nor are we interrupted by the daily events of life. We are alone with Our Lord, emptying our heart before Him, trusting Him to not only meet our every need but to warm our hearts with His presence as well.

When we seek the Lord in this manner, without public fanfare, He promises to reward us openly. So often in Scripture we find individuals who quietly went about their worship of God. In some cases, such as Joseph, it took years. But God heard and answered very publicly his cry for justice.

Yes, we need to see our city and nation rebuilt. But we will not see the city rebuilt until the temple has been restored, the walls replaced, and the gates reset. And, most importantly, none of these are of any lasting value until the altar has been rebuilt.

>    LET US REBUILD THE ALTAR IN OUR LIFE.

>    LET US REBUILD THE ALTAR IN OUR HOME.

>    LET US REBUILD THE ALTAR IN OUR CHURCH.

>    LET US REBUILD THE ALTAR IN OUR CITY.

>    LET US REBUILD THE ALTAR IN OUR NATION.

REVIEW:

Why was Nehemiah so sad when he stood before the King?

What was the King's response?

How does Nehemiah's dilemma relate to your life?

What is the suggested sequence for rebuilding and guarding the gates of our lives?

Why is rebuilding the altar so important to the sequence of events?

CHAPTER 2: REBUILDING THE CITY

If we are going to effectively guard the gates of our life, we must first build the altar—building that personal relationship with the Lord without which no person can inherit eternal life. And, if we have allowed that relationship to become marred or severed, we must rebuild that altar before proceeding with any other spiritual protection. We must then rebuild the temple.

REBUILDING THE TEMPLE

This phase of rebuilding is a two-pronged effort. We must focus on both our physical body, as the temple of the Holy Spirit, and on the Body of Christ, the Church.

We must build relationships with others who are part of Christ's Church as we together build our relationship with God.

For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ.(1 Corinthians 12:12)

Once we have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ, we are part of the Universal Church of Jesus Christ, the Body of Christ. And, as the Apostle Paul loves to remind us, there are no insignificant parts to this Body. Nor are there any parts to the Body of Christ we can ignore or reject.

We know what happens to us as humans when we neglect, ignore, or abuse parts of our body. It is no different in the Body of Christ. When one part suffers, the Body suffers.

For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12:13)

Then our sons in their youth will be like well-nurtured plants, and our daughters will be like pillars carved to adorn a palace. (Psalms 144:12)

What a picture of godly heritage for our young people. According to the Psalmist, we should desire that they reach their potential, that they make a difference in their world, and that they be strong and that they become a pleasant addition to God's garden.

Of course, there can be a wrong kind of pillar as well. This is the result of following our own plans and dreams instead of listening to the Lord concerning His purposes for our lives.

And God overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground. But Lot's wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt. (Genesis 19:25-26 KJV)

During his lifetime Absalom had taken a pillar and erected it in the King's Valley as a monument to himself, for he thought, "I have no son to carry on the memory of my name." He named the pillar after himself, and it is called Absalom's Monument to this day. (2 Samuel 18:18)

And we cannot forget how Jacob used a stone for a pillow that night he saw angels descending and ascending on a heavenly staircase. What we sometimes overlook is that the same stone Jacob used for a pillow he set up as a pillar unto the Lord. It would seem to me that God wants us to understand that our very dreams can become monuments to the Lord, if we give them to Him. Giving our dreams to God makes for a strong foundation for our lives.

And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it. (Genesis 28:18 KJV)

A pillar not only gives clear purpose to our temple, it adds definition. A pillar helps define the way the building is laid out. Dedication to the Lord will give our lives clear purpose and direction.

By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. (Exodus 13:21)

Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. (1 Corinthians 11:1)

And a well-established pillar makes our temple strong, able to withstand the storms of life and the attacks of the enemy.

Today I have made you a fortified city, an iron pillar and a bronze wall to stand against the whole land—against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests and the people of the land. (Jeremiah 1:18)

As you come to him, the living Stone--rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him—you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For in Scripture it says: "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame." (1 Peter 2:4-6)

The Apostle Paul tells young Timothy that God’s family, the Church of the living God, is the very pillar and foundation of truth. We cannot adequately know truth, according to this passage, unless we know the family of God. So much for being a Lone Ranger Christian!

If I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God's household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth. (1 Timothy 3:15)

And we must take care of our own body, which is the temple of Holy Spirit. To abuse our body, to neglect caring for our body is to imply that the Holy Spirit dwells within us. When we stop to meditate on the overwhelming idea that the Creator of the Universe has chosen to make His abode in our own heart, it is sobering beyond description.

Our first response to the reality of Jesus dwelling in our heart is often one of unworthiness. This certainly is accurate and appropriate. None of us are worthy, nor ever could be by our own efforts, to be the dwelling place of the Almighty. But we, much like Paul tells the Romans in chapter 6, recognize that we are a marred vessel in which the Spirit of the Living God has chosen to pour in His Presence. Therefore, we are sometimes tempted to say, “Since I could never be good enough, never perfect, I might as well sin so that the grace of God will have its full impact in my life.”

Paul is quick to reply that such an attitude would be both an inappropriate and, at the same time, terribly sad response to God’s decision to live in us. With humility, we recognize that we are the dwelling place of the Spirit of God. Thus, we do our very best to provide a place suitable for the King of Kings to live.

Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If any man destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him, for the temple of God is holy, and that is what you are. (1 Corinthians 3:16-17)

REBUILDING THE WALLS

Having rebuilt the altar and reconstructed the temple, we must then start rebuilding the walls—building protection against the enemy to the best of our ability; being wise as serpents and gentle as doves.

“Moreover, I will make your battlements of rubies, And your gates of crystal, And your entire wall of precious stones. All your sons will be taught of the LORD; And the well-being of your sons will be great.” (Isaiah 54:12-13)

The Great Wall of China has successfully protected her from not only her enemies but from outside cultures for literally centuries. Not until the globalization of transportation and communication of this generation has China begun to interact with the rest of the world. Walls have worked quite successfully for China. Some would say they have worked too well. They have kept China deeply merged in a culture that is distinct from the rest of the world. Only in recent years has she begun to emerge from this isolation.

Since I grew up on the farm, many of my illustrations have come from observing life as it unfolds there. Fences, on the farm, are just as much for keeping the cattle or chickens in as they for keeping the predators out. The reality is that there was far more danger of the animals becoming injured or lost by leaving the pasture than there was of something coming into the pasture to harm them.

God’s walls or hedges, as Job called them, are as much for keeping us in as they are for keeping others out. We, like sheep and cattle, are prone to wondering, straying away from the flock. When we do, we often get in trouble. I could tell many stories of farm animals who decided to explore the world outside the pasture. Many of those stories end in tragedy for the animal.

I remember one cow, in particular, who absolutely hated being in the barn. For the most part, our cattle stayed in the pasture. They came to the barnyard to eat in the winter; but otherwise they spent little time in the barn itself.

This particular cow simply preferred the feeling of ranging freely in the lush meadows. But we needed to do some medical treatments on the herd. She had other ideas. After much threshing and bawling and kicking, she simply lowered her head and ran right through the wall of the barn. I had never seen that before; nor have I since then. There was damage to the cow but much more to the barn.

It certainly is no different for us. When we choose to stray outside god’s boundaries for our lives, we pay dearly for our rebellion. We need those walls and fences to keep us where God wants us and to keep the enemies from destroying us.

Chickens are much more satisfied with the indoors. When night comes, they are ready for their roost. They are quite content there, readily sleeping on slats strung in rows across wooden beams. Everything changes in a heartbeat when a fox or other predator decides to help himself to an easy meal. We didn’t have the resources to provide cement foundations around our henhouse. So the predator had little difficulty digging under the door or walls to get to the chickens.

However, one thing I can say for chickens, that cannot always be said of children of the King; when one chicken sensed the presence of an unwanted visitor, that hen would put up such a fuss that soon the entire brood was squawking to the top of their lungs. Obviously, with that much racket going on, we would hear from the house and come to their rescue.

Why do we think as fellow sheep in the Great Shepherd’s flock, that it is none of our concern when we see a wolf coming after one of the flock? We are prone to take the attitude of Cain, in Genesis. “Am I my brother’s keeper?” The short answer is “yes”—at the very least to the extent of caring enough to alert the Shepherd of the danger we see.

REASSEMBLING THE GATES

Once we have rebuilt the altar, restored the temple, and reassembled the walls, we are finally ready to focus on the gates. Now we must concentrate on making decisions of what comes in and goes out; we must place watchmen over the city to warn of those attempting to sneak in or out.

"Now as for you, son of man, I have appointed you a watchman for the house of Israel; so you will hear a message from My mouth and give them warning from Me. (Ezekiel 33:7 NAU)

Gates, in ancient days, were for protecting the citizens, keeping the good inside and the evil outside. They were a place for congregating and a place where leaders came to conduct business. They were a place where decisions were made, where transactions occurred, where covenants were made.

Gates refer to the access points to a stronghold. When a city provides gates, it is to monitor who goes in and out of the city. In the case of our lives, gates refer to our decision-making, those places in our life we allow or deny access into the vulnerable areas of our innermost person.

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, (2 Corinthians 10:3-5)

I am convinced that there is more than passing significance in the names and purposes of the 12 gates. At the same time, I would not want to place this study on the level of typology. The allegory here is of my choosing, although I believe there is plenty of supporting biblical evidence. Regardless, these are good illustrations of the gates to the various aspects of our lives. I trust you will benefit from the insights I will note as we study this subject together.

The ancient city of Jerusalem had a variable number of gates throughout its history. Because of attacks, destruction, and renovation by a succession of leaders each with his personal idea of how to best protect the city, there is no fixed number of gates to ascribe to the city.

However, since the prophetic writings regarding the New Jerusalem identify twelve gates, twelve is the number we will use for this study. History describes these gates positioned around the four walls of the city generally as having three gates on each side.

As noted above, the number and names of the gates varied over the centuries, especially as the walls were broken down and repaired. This makes it very difficult, even for the archeologists, to determine the exact names and locations of the ancient gates.

Since we do read, however, in both Ezekiel and Revelation of twelve gates being present in the Heavenly New Jerusalem, twelve will be our template for this study.

Twelve is typically used as a foundation number in Scripture. As such, it implies that the protection of these access points to our life is foundational—of greatest importance to all that we are. Regarding this analogy, Paul writes:

Built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. (Ephesians 2:20)

In John’s description of the New Jerusalem, he notes that the foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The passage then includes twelve precious stones as the twelve layers of the foundation. The description ends with the gates.

The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. (Revelation 21:19-21)

The fact that precious stones are used to identify the twelve gates implies to me the gates of of great value. We must treasure and value those gates.

We will now take a quick tour of the city walls, surveying each of the twelve gates. A brief summary of the purpose for each gate is included.

>      Fountain Gate: Fresh water was drawn and taken into the city through this gate. Here we quench our thirst, refresh our soul. Without fresh water we soon die.

>      Valley Gate: This is the lowest point of the Old City of Jerusalem. Here we guard ourselves against vulnerability during times of death, disappointment, or discouragement.

>      Refuse Gate: This gate was used for removing trash and garbage from the city. Here, we discard the harmful thoughts, attitudes, and actions regarding impurity, success, judgment, lack of forgiveness, or bitterness.

>      Ephraim/Ash Gate: The singular of Ephraim, Ephrah, means ashes. But most lexicons and translators have determined the full meaning of Ephraim to be doubly-fruitful or doubly-blessed. A few have explained the dual ash heaps imply the meaning doubly-fruitful.

This is a personal reminder of what God has transformed us from and to. We must not let the enemy rob us of our recollection of who we were before Christ’s redemption for us. Here we are reminded that He gives beauty for ashes.

>      Manasseh/Forgetful Gate: Manasseh means forgetful. At this gate we decide what is important to remember and what to forget. This is an area many struggle with. Hopefully the chapter dealing with the Manasseh Gate will be helpful.

>     Water Gate: This is different from the Fountain Gate. Here is where the herds of animals were watered. Watering of animals is always an opportunity for conflict. Remember the Old Testament examples of Moses and of Rebecca? Here we must guard our attitudes toward others. Jesus, in Matthew 25, gives us the proper response to others, the one which will receive a "well done" response from our Lord.

>      Horse/Guard Gate: This is the place where the government was protected. We must guard our government by praying for them and exercising our constitutional rights and responsibilities if we expect to continue enjoying the freedom it gives us. It is also where the mounted troops would rally to go out to battle the enemy.

>      Sheep Gate: Here shepherds brought their flocks at the end of the day. In cities that had no gates, the shepherd would sleep in the gateway itself, so that no sheep could escape and no predator could enter the fold. Here we guard against peer pressure; because we know the voice of our Shepherd, we come and go through this gate at His command only. [John 10]

>     Fish Gate: This was the gate of commerce. People bought and sold produce and livestock here. Here we guard our places of business against the principles and attitudes of this world. We apply, instead, the principles of God’s Word in our business affairs.

>     Gate of the Elders: Ancient Israel used the Elder Gate to conduct business transactions that required witnesses. It was a place of judgment, a precursor to court systems. It was also a place where the elders would tell their stories, passing history to the next generation. Not only must we honor covenants and transactions we make, we must not be a people or a society which no longer honors its elders. We can learn much from Native Americans and from eastern cultures on this issue.

>      Tower Gate: This is the high point on the wall. Here the watchman can clearly see the full circumference of the city. It is here that we can see the big picture.

Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.(Ecclesiastes 12:13)

>     Eastern/Muster Gate: Here Israel was summoned for congregational assemblies and for preparation for battle. This is the place to rally when we hear the sound of the trumpet; rallying for the Lord into battle and rallying with the Lord into the Promised Land!

WHAT DO THE GATES PROTECT?

Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. (Proverb 4:23)

We must, therefore, guard all twelve gates of our life in a manner that will keep our life safe from the influences that can destroy or undermine our purposes. As the writer of Proverbs reminds us, the heart is the very "wellspring of life." Out of our heart come the very issues of life. Therefore, it is of critical importance that we guard our heart. We must keep it from every form of evil we can identify. And we must ferret out every example of evil, lurking from every direction, eager to devour the vitality of our life.

THE WATCHMAN GUARDS THE CITY

"Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me. (Ezekiel 3:17)

The watchmen of old were mandated to guard the entrances of their cities. They were responsible for who entered and exited. They were to warn the citizens of approaching enemies or strangers. They also were in a position to advise residents whether or not it was safe to venture out the city gates.

These sentinels of old were stationed at each vantage point to monitor the coming and going through each gate around the circumference of the city walls.

Beyond the constant watchful eye of the Holy Spirit, the primary watchman for my life has to be me. I may depend on others to alert me to opportunities and dangers. But I must be the one who takes responsibility for watching over my heart. I must decide what comes into my life.

I love Psalm 24. Every time I hear or read it, my mind goes back to Sitka and hears 50 students reciting Psalm 24, in unison, from memory. This Psalm reminds us who is King of our heart none other than the King of Glory.

Lift up your heads, O you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O you gates; lift them up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. (Psalm 24:7-9)

And Jesus himself reminds us, in John 10, that He is the Great Shepherd who always is given entrance by the alert watchman. He is the one who only enters by the gate—not sneaking in over a broken wall or unguarded gate. He is the one who knows every sheep by name. He is the one who leads His sheep lovingly, tenderly, but firmly.

"I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. (John 10:1-3)

Jesus also reminds us that He stands at the door of our heart knocking. I still have a cross section of a tree, complete with bark that I had given my great grandmother before she died. The picture on that piece of wood is of this passage from Revelation 3:20. It illustrates the door on which Jesus is knocking as having no access to the latch on the outside. The only way He can come in is if I open the door.

By the way, even though this passage is a great text to draw people to a decision for Christ, it is written primarily to the believer. It is you and I who must open the doors of our heart to Him. When we do, He will come in and dine with us. When Jesus is in the great room of my heart, I need not fret about who may come to the gates of my life. He will help me decide who should be allowed in and who should be rejected.

Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. (Revelation 3:20)

We must personally decide what we allow into our lives. It is our personal responsibility to guard the gates of our life. We cannot delegate this task to anyone else. It is of too grave importance.

And we must decide who or what comes out of our life. Jesus taught us that it is fairly easy to know what is in a person's heart. If you listen long enough and carefully enough, you will learn the nature of a person's heart. This is especially true during times of crisis. Otherwise calm and collected individuals sometimes completely lose control of their behavior during a crisis.

Just let a person hit the wrong nail with a hammer, and listen to what happens. Those choice words didn't just pop into his head. They had been lurking inside his heart waiting for the right opportunity to come out.

And it isn't always the words themselves that we notice but the emotion behind them. I once gave an illustration of our dog. It didn't matter what harsh, hurtful words I chose if I spoke in a soft, inviting voice, she would come running. If I used words of kindness and love, but spoke them in a gruff, angry tone, she would cower and slink away.

"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness. (Matthew 23:27-28)

In the same manner, we are responsible for what comes out the gates of our life. This, Jesus reminds us, is largely dependent upon what we allow into our life. An evil person will not be venturing out of our city unless we have allowed the evil one into the city to begin with. Only as evil influences are allowed into our life will evil come out our gates.

So, we must plant sentinels at all the critical points surrounding our life, protecting ourselves from all the evils that lurk without and within.

Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. (Proverb 4:23)

The heart refers to our inner man, our mind, our will, and our emotions. These are all critical to our behavior. Psychologists tell us that our beliefs set the tone for our emotions and those, in turn, establish the pace for our behavior.

We must, therefore, guard all twelve gates of our heart in a manner that will keep our life safe from the influences that can destroy or undermine our purposes. As the writer of the above Proverb reminds us, the heart is the very "wellspring of life." Out of it come the very issues of life. Therefore, it is of utmost importance that we guard our heart. We must keep it from every form of evil we can identify.

Let me suggest some ways we can guard our hearts.

ARE WE WILLING TO LEAVE OUR COMFORT ZONE?

Being a watchman is not necessarily easy to do. You have to climb a lot of steps to get to the top of the wall. So, we must, first of all, be willing to leave our comfort zone. We have to genuinely care about the condition of our heart and of those around us. Nehemiah’s actions were spurred by his care and concern for Jerusalem and his people.

When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. (Nehemiah 1:1-4)

The verses that follow in that chapter record Nehemiah’s prayer of intercession. He was so deeply moved by the reports of destruction and ruin that he humbled himself and began to cry out to God for an answer to this horrible situation.

Don’t be surprised when you cry out to God over a situation, if He uses you to bring about a solution to the dilemma. He did with Nehemiah. Here was this gentle butler to the King whom God raised up and toughened up to become the construction superintendent over the rebuilding of Jerusalem.

ARE WE A PEOPLE OF COMMITMENT?

To effectively guard our heart, we must be people of commitment. Nehemiah was willing to do whatever it took to see Jerusalem restored. He was willing to leave everything to follow the Lord’s purpose. He could easily have argued that he was unqualified.

Moses tried that and failed to sway the Lord. You see, God knows us better than we know ourselves. He doesn’t make mistakes. If He calls us to a task, He knows we are prepared for that task. So, we are secure to follow His plan for our life.

DO WE BELIEVE THE LORD FOR SUCCESS?

One of the most important things we must possess to effectively guard our heart is a willingness to believe the Lord for success in His plan. Remember, it is His plan. How can it fail? If it is not His plan, why are we doing it? God never calls us to fail. We may stumble and even fall. But we will not fail. The only way we can fail at God's plans for us is to simply give up and stop trying to fulfill His plan. Instead, just as Nehemiah encouraged the exiles from Israel, God will make us successful.

I answered them by saying, "The God of heaven will give us success. We his servants will start rebuilding, but as for you, you have no share in Jerusalem or any claim or historic right to it." (Nehemiah 2:20)

ARE WE READY TO IMPLEMENT GOD’S PLAN?

WE MUST HAVE A VISION

We may be prepared by the Lord for the task, but are we ready to implement His plan? Being ready means having a vision for what God intends to do through us. I am convinced that many great works for the Lord never get accomplished simply because we are not ready to face the task and get started.

And I told them of the hand of my God which had been good upon me, and also of the king's words that he had spoken to me. So they said, "Let us rise up and build." Then they set their hands to do this good work. (Nehemiah. 2:18)

Where there is no vision, the people are unrestrained, But happy is he who keeps the law. (Proverbs 29:18 NAU)

WE MUST EXPECT OPPOSITION

Being ready also means expecting opposition. Nehemiah faced plenty of opposition. Initially, it came from close to home, from his associates who didn't believe they could accomplish the task before them. But even after he rallied the people of Jerusalem behind him, Nehemiah faced more opposition.

Neighboring governors Sanballat and Tobiah were jealous of Nehemiah’s efforts. Isn’t it amazing how many people will criticize us for things they are unwilling to do themselves. Beside, Sanballat and Tobiah were concerned that if Jerusalem were rebuilt, Israel might become a strong enemy.

So they plotted a way to stop the rebuilding effort. The enemies of our soul are always busy finding ways to discourage, distract, and defeat us. And when those efforts don’t succeed at defeating us, they will outright lie about us. Does that sound familiar? We shouldn’t be surprised that our enemies resort to falsehood. They are desperate. They know the consequences if we succeed. So they will do whatever it takes to discredit us.

This raises a very important issue for us. Should we defend ourselves when doing the work of the Lord? Nehemiah’s response was twofold. He told the people to come equipped to build and to do battle. When the enemy attacks, our sword is ready. Otherwise, we spend our time rebuilding.

That approach implies that we do not need to take the battle to the enemy. But when we are attacked, we should be prepared to defend ourselves. We are told Nehemiah’s troops never took off their clothes to sleep nor did they lay down their swords. In other words, they were always ready, no matter the time of day or night. Whatever they were called upon to do, they were ready.

These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of his country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict the more glorious the triumph.1

And it happened, when all our enemies heard of it, and all the nations around us saw these things, that they were very disheartened in their own eyes; for they perceived that this work was done by our God. (Nehemiah 2:16)

WE MUST BE IN UNITY

Being ready also means being in unity with those who are part of the same team. I am talking about the kind of unity Jesus prayed for in John 17. He prayed that we might be one just as the Father and the Son are one. Not one in person, but one in spirit and purpose. The ancient theologians used the turn one in essence when comparing the Godhead.

But there is a right and a wrong kind of unity. Nimrod’s followers in ancient Babylon had the wrong kind of unity. They wanted to build a tower so tall God couldn’t flood them out again (Genesis 11). You remember how God thwarted their efforts. He confounded their language so that they could not understand one another.

Can you imagine showing up for work that morning ready to lay bricks only to discover that you couldn’t understand a word the mortar carrier was saying. And the carpenter couldn’t understand you. To make matters even worse, the foreman was giving orders in total gibberish. Unable to continue amidst all the confusion, the work on the tower temple ceased.

On the other hand, in Acts 2 we read of 120 people who were in unity. This time, it was for a good purpose—to seek God and His Holy Spirit. We are told they were in one place with one purpose. God had warned, in Genesis 11, that a people united are practically unstoppable—even when that unity is for the wrong purpose. How much more unstoppable are the people of God when in unity seeking God and His purpose.

WE MUST HAVE A MIND TO WORK

One last aspect of being ready is to have a mindset toward work. It is almost amusing today to observe this generation applying for jobs. They are hardly interested in the purpose of the position—only the perks. They really aren’t concerned about the work part of the job, just the benefits.

Nehemiah’s forces were effective (they rebuilt the walls in 52 days) because they had a focus on work—on getting the job done. They didn’t dwell on the difficulty, the opposition, the inconvenience. They focused on the finished walls.

We sometimes allow ourselves to be discouraged and emotionally drained when we see all the rubble around us. We have so many broken bricks to move before we can rebuild the walls. If we are not careful, we will let the magnitude of the rubble keep us from pursuing the new wall.

So we built the wall, and the entire wall was joined together up to half its height, for the people had a mind to work. (Nehemiah 4:6)

ARE WE A PEOPLE OF STRENGTH?

Another aspect of being prepared to guard the gates of our life is to be a people of strength. So often, we allow the task at hand to drain our emotional energy. We simply give up at the enormity of the job. We wanted to work. We really intended to build the walls. But we simply ran out of strength.

Sometimes, God seems almost cruel in His demands of us. For example, Aaron was not allowed to grieve over his two sons who died in the tabernacle because of their disobedience. At first glance, we see only cruelty here. But when we carefully look at what was going on in Israel, we recognize that God was not saying grieving is wrong. He was telling Aaron, “Now is not the time to grieve. Israel needs you to be strong, firm, and focused on Me. When this crisis is past, you will have plenty of time to grieve.”

During the time of dedication, after the completion of the walls, Nehemiah gathered the people for a celebration. There are times, as Jesus reminds us in Matthew 17, that fasting is the order of the day. There are other times when celebration and feasting are in order. This was one of those times. Nehemiah gave them an important insight regarding celebration. He told them that when the joy of the Lord was in their hearts, their strength was renewed.

Nehemiah said, "Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength."(Nehemiah 8:10)

You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. (Psalms 16:11 NKJV)

"Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. (John 16:24 NKJV)

We will have the strength we need to be the watchman over the gates of our lives—when we allow our hearts to be full of the joy of the Lord. After a brief review, we will look at the first of these twelve entry/exit points of our lives more carefully.

REVIEW:

Why was it important to rebuild the temple before rebuilding the walls or the gates?

What does the temple represent in our lives?

Can you identify some walls God has placed in your life?

What are the two purposes of a wall or a fence?

What are the two things we must decide about each gate in our lives?

What does it mean to be ready to guard the gates?

CHAPTER 3: THE FOUNTAIN GATE

Refreshing Our Soul

Shallum the son of Col-hozeh, the official of the district of Mizpah, repaired the Fountain Gate. He built it, covered it and hung its doors with its bolts and its bars, and the wall of the Pool of Shelah at the king's garden as far as the steps that descend from the city of David. (Nehemiah 3:15 NAU)

Located on the southern portion of the Eastern wall, this gate was the source of fresh water for the city. It was here that we would find people coming to supply their homes with water for drinking and cooking. There was another gate, located just to the North of this gate, which was used for watering animals. But at the Fountain Gate, pure, fresh water could be drawn to restore the weary worker and traveler. Here, one found a place of rest and restoration.

FRESH WATER IS THE MAINSTAY OF LIFE

Water is a very mainstay of life. Without water we cannot live. We know that a person can go days, even weeks, without food. But we cannot live very long (most experts say three days) without water. So it is with our spiritual journey here on earth. We can exist without a lot of the things we think we need for living a successful life. But we cannot live long at all without the One who is the very Source of Life.

Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. (Proverb 4:2 3)

For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light. (Psalm 36:9)

The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, turning a man from the snares of death. (Proverb 14:27)

C.S. Lewis explains it this way:

What Satan put into the heads of our remote ancestors was the idea that they could "be like gods"—could set up on their own as if they had created themselves—be their own masters—invent some sort of happiness for themselves outside God, apart from God.

And out of that hopeless attempt has come nearly all that we call human history—money, poverty, ambition, war, prostitution, classes, empires, slavery—the long terrible story of man trying to find something other than God which will make him happy.1

Charles H. Spurgeon summarizes his view of life in the following quote:

The great King, immortal, invisible, the divine person called the Holy Ghost, the Holy Spirit: it is he that quickens the soul, or else it would lie dead forever; it is he that makes it tender, or else it would never feel; it is he that imparts efficacy to the Word preached, or else it could never reach farther than the ear; it is he who breaks the heart; it is he who makes it whole.2

FRESH WATER IS THE MAINSTAY OF HEALTH

And life cannot be sustained by stagnant water. That is why the Dead Sea is called the Dead Sea. Nothing can live there; because the water in it is stagnant. It has water flowing in but none flowing out. Therefore, it is stagnant, polluted—full of impurities and sources of threat to our health. Our water must be pure water, fresh water—the only water which can sustain life and keep us healthy.

Your doctor will tell you to be careful where you get the water you drink. If it is from an impure source, it may introduce bacteria into your system that is incompatible with the probiotic form of bacteria necessary for digestion. Impure water is the primary reason for digestive problems when we visit other countries. We need pure water to live a healthy life.

When there is no life flowing through our inner being, we tend to look at everything on the negative side. Some people are so pessimistic they can see no good in anything. They are very much like the people my mother-in-law used to describe. They would complain if you hung them with a rotten rope.

Or perhaps, they may be like the people described in the following quotes. “My neighbor is such a hypochondriac that he filled his water bed with chicken soup.”3 “The trouble with being a hypochondriac these days is that antibiotics have cured all the good diseases.”4 Now those are examples of true pessimists.

Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water." "Sir," the woman said, "you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? (John 4:10-11)

Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12)

James Hewitt explains in the following article how difficult attempting to translate the Bible can be. In the language of the Agta, Christ can be either Someone to be embraced or Someone to fear.

The Epistle to the Hebrews is difficult to translate because so much of the content concerns the Jewish culture and religious rituals that are totally foreign to the Agta people who live in the northern Philippines. However, some parts of the epistle really make sense to them, like the verse in Hebrews 4:12, "The Word of God is living and potent."

Depending upon the context, the Agta word madagat can mean stinging, venomous, or potent. A poisonous snake is madagat, but so are some medicines that can heal. My translation assistant explained his understanding of how the Word of God is potent: "It depends upon how we approach it. If we disregard it, it's like the poisonous snake. But if we live by it, its potency is like medicine."5

FRESH WATER IS THE MAINSTAY OF SUPPLY

In colonial America, the primary means of transporting goods was up and down the fresh waterways. Rivers were the Interstate Highway System of early America. Steamboats and horse-drawn barges were a constant presence in those waterways of the 18th and 19th centuries. These were the cargo ships and planes of their day. They moved the supplies from the places of agriculture and manufacturing into the hands of the local merchants. Thus, the needs of the people were met.

Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." (John 7:3 8)

To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. (Revelation 21:6)

This water we receive, once we have come to Christ, is no longer an external thing. It is something that resides within us. Jesus said, concerning Holy Spirit to his disciples, "He is with you. He shall be in you."(John 14:17)

Once more, the analogy is of a fountain, a spring continually flowing forth with fresh water. The Spirit of God is an artesian well which constantly flows with the character of Christ, making Him real in a continual manner.

When those rivers of living water flow from our being, the very nature of Christ will flow from us into the lives of those we touch, who need what only Christ can supply.

FRESH WATER IS THE MAINSTAY OF CONFORMING TO A CHRIST-LIKE LIFE

Just as a river flows within its banks, making its journey to the sea, our lives, when led by Holy Spirit, conform to God’s directions. The Apostle Paul reminds the church at Galatia of the benefits of having Holy Spirit flowing out of our life.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23)

When you know who you are, you don't have to impress anyone. When Jesus was taken before the high priest, who asked, "What do you have to say for yourself?" Jesus was silent. Why? It was the wrong question! Jesus was not concerned about defending Himself.

When the high priest then asked Him if He was the Son of God, Jesus said, "I am." Why did He answer when He had refused the previous question? This was the right question! Jesus knew it was now time for humanity to know who He is.

Before Pilate, who asked, "Are you the King of the Jews?" Jesus replied, "Yes, it is as you say." Right question!

In the Luke account, Herod asked Jesus question after question, but there was no reply. Wrong questions! Herod’s questions had nothing to do with the Kingdom of God. So, Jesus saw no reason to answer him.

When you have discovered your identity, you need to say little else. Toyohiko Kagawa, the Japanese Christian who spent his life working with and for the poor, was speaking at Princeton.

When he finished his talk, one student said to another, "He didn't say much, did he?" A woman sitting nearby leaned over and murmured, "When you're hanging on a cross, you don't have to say anything."6

In Romans chapter 7, Paul shows, quite vividly, the struggles of our flesh against what the Law of God teaches. In contrast, in chapter 8, Paul encouraged the church at Rome that Holy Spirit gives us power to overcome the struggles of life. When the Spirit of God is living in us, He enables us to overcome the desires of the flesh. Notice how the following chapter of Romans transitions this thought.

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. (Romans 8:1-4)

If we learn to follow the guidance of the Spirit instead of the desires of our flesh, we will find ourselves becoming victorious over the struggles of life. It is quite simple but not all that easy! In order to live an overcoming life, all we have to do is listen to the voice of the Good Shepherd and ignore the desires of our own flesh. But in order to accomplish that, we must train ourselves consistently and relentlessly to listen to that still, small voice—that quiet whisper with which God speaks to us by His Spirit.

Only as we listen closely, carefully, and intently will we understand and follow the desires of God for our lives. As often as we do so, we will find ourselves living a life free of the obstructions of sin. But as we weaken to our own desires, we will find the results to be quite the opposite.

Corrie Ten Boom seemed to always have a way of saying things to simplify them for us. “The first step on the way to victory is to recognize the enemy.”7

And Reginald Wallis adds this: “The triumphant Christian does not fight for victory; he celebrates a victory already won. The victorious life is Christ’s business, not yours.”8

>    Christ won the victory over our enemy.

>    We celebrate our enemy’s defeat.

>    But we can only celebrate that victory if we are drinking daily at the Fountain of Life.

For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me, the Fountain of Living Waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water. (Jeremiah 2:13 KJV)

REVIEW:

What is the fountain of life?

How does it apply to your life?

CHAPTER 4: THE VALLEY GATE

Guarding Our Vulnerability

Moreover, Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the Corner Gate and at the Valley Gate and at the corner buttress and fortified them. (2 Chronicles 26:9 NAU)

So I went out at night by the Valley Gate in the direction of the Dragon's Well and on to the Refuse Gate, inspecting the walls of Jerusalem which were broken down and its gates which were consumed by fire.(Nehemiah 2:1 NAU)

The Valley Gate was located along the Southeast section of the wall of Jerusalem. By its name we can understand that it was at one of the lower points of elevation of the city. This made the relative safety of that position quite vulnerable. They were unable to clearly see the enemy approaching. They received little warning of attacks and were not able to defend themselves adequately when the enemy did come. This position, therefore, was one of the most vulnerable gates of the city.

Therefore, those entering and exiting the Valley Gate were dependent on watchmen at other locations to warn them of pending danger—both in opening the gate to those approaching and in allowing citizens to exit the city through this gate.

It is because of this vulnerability that particular attention must be paid to the valleys of our life. It is at these times of emotional low we are most susceptible to the attacks of the enemy. It is also at these points that we must be ready to depend on the support of others to help us defend against these unexpected intrusions. Therefore, we must guard our hearts during these times of vulnerability.

We are especially vulnerable when we experience disappointment, discouragement, and despair. We often find our energy level depleted, our focus blurred, and our defenses fallen to the dust. Things that normally would be as easily deflected as water from the feathers of a duck, we now find ourselves in intense struggle to resist.

Sometimes short-lived; sometimes long-lasting; sometimes so strong we are utterly overwhelmed by it; sometimes it is nothing more than a lingering sadness. We call it grief.

Grief is the process of dealing with change. It may be planned or unplanned, welcome or unwelcome. Change almost always includes both loss and gain. Just as surely as we grieve the loss, we must embrace the gain. And grief is more than our response to death. Grief occurs with disappointment, discouragement, even the accomplishment of a goal. Often the gain that comes from change is much less obvious until later—sometimes much later. And I must caution you, talking about grief almost always brings our own personal grief to the surface.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. (Psalm 23:4)

Especially at times of grief, we must guard our heart. For it is at times of such deep emotion that we are most vulnerable. We find ourselves entertaining thoughts we normally would have quickly dispelled. While we find our energy focused on our grieving, we must not allow ourselves to let down our guard to remove the watchman from the wall, thus allowing thoughts, feelings, or intentions to slip in unnoticed and unchecked.

This is a time of recognizing, in an especially clear way, the need for calling on others to intervene for us, to watch our gates for us so that we do not fall prey to the enemies of our soul.

Grief tends to follow predictable stages, although the time and intensity of each step will vary from one person to another. In fact, the steps actually repeat themselves in a spiral effect each cycle less in duration and intensity than the previous, until the grieving has brought healing.

Many contemporaries have picked up the groundwork laid by Elizabeth Kubler-Ross in On Death and Dying and have applied their own principles to her study.1 But perhaps C. S. Lewis said it best in reflecting his own struggles with grief at the death of his wife, "Nothing stays put. One keeps on emerging from a phase, but it always recurs."2

It is essential for us to understand that these stages of grief are arbitrary. Stages are simply a way of understanding and describing the cycle of changes that occurs within us following the loss of a loved one or some other form of grief.

Thus, we must recognize that these stages are somewhat like wrapping a present which, once we have struggled with the loose ends of the ribbon, we finally manage to tie into a neat little package. The only problem is that the ribbon keeps coming untied and the bow often falls to the floor. Sometimes, the entire package falls apart in our hands. So we go back to the table and begin again until it turns out right. With patience and persistence, we will be able to wrap a "package" which will allow us to get on with life.

DENIAL FOCUSES ON THE WILL

It may last for moments or for months, but everyone experiences it. We deny the reality of the loss. This is a struggle of our will. We refuse to accept reality. We manufacture facts. We deny facts. We pretend it is not real. This is our body's shock mechanism withholding the brutal reality we face until we are better able to deal with it.

Probably no one could cope with the news of a sudden death or a terminal illness without the denial stage. Our mortal bodies simply could not endure the pain. Denial allows us time to absorb the news and begin to accept reality. It also allows time to muster coping skills for the difficult times that lie ahead.

Some face denial by becoming emotionally detached, as if they have no feelings concerning the cause of their grief. They often temporarily cut themselves off from family and friends.

Others busy themselves with meaningless activities which, to onlookers, seem unrelated to the loss. "Busyness" helps them forget. But all to the same end—by responding this way, the grief is not real; so the will triumphs—but triumphs to what avail and for how long?

The only way we can get beyond this stage of grief is to face reality head-on. The only way we can successfully do that is one day at a time, one moment at a time, with God's help. We must learn to not borrow trouble from tomorrow; rather to believe for each moment, God's grace is sufficient for us.

And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. (2 Corinthians 12:9 NAU)

EXPRESSING FEELINGS FOCUSES ON EMOTIONS

The first stage was a struggle of the will, the second a struggle of our emotion. We may first express this with deep sorrow and anguish—waves of uncontrolled, unexpected weeping beyond words or expressions. Mere words do not comfort us. The greatest solace is for someone to lend their shoulder for us to cry upon.

I remember when close friends and cohorts in my first pastorate lost their three-month-old in a tragic automobile accident. I had dedicated the lovely little girl to the Lord just weeks before that. When I walked into the hospital room, where the mother lay struggling with her own injuries, all the words I had rehearsed simply vanished in the air. All I could do was lend my shoulder for the husband and father to cry upon.

Later, he confided in me that he couldn’t remember anything I said that day. But he gratefully remembered my being there with a shoulder for him to cry on. I have experienced the same. I suspect you have, as well. Just being there during this time of intense pain and confusion is priceless in its value to the one who is grieving.

I also remember another family, who suffered similar devastating grief at the loss of their 3-month old son as the result of an automobile accident. When our Rhonda died, they made a special effort to be there for us. They stated that we would know they understood our grief. We had experienced the same type of loss. Let me caution you, here, to resist telling the grieving person you understand what they are going through. You don’t! You may have experienced something very similar. But each situation is unique; and each of us has a different filter the experience must be passed through to process it in our own way.

But we often surprise ourselves that this stage of grief contains another emotion much stronger and potentially much more harmful. It is anger. Anger can result from the frustration of having lost control. During the first few days following a painful loss, we should allow a grieving person to vent her emotions through anger without chastising her. Anger is a release of emotions that, if repressed, can lead to severe problems later.

The time to become concerned with anger or the other stages of grief is if the stage becomes prolonged or obsessive. Anger subsides more quickly when it is allowed to run its course with minimal reaction from others. It is generally better not to try placating, reasoning with, or shaming angry persons, even if they are angry with God. We can, however, gently offer the Word of God as something upon which they can reflect. It likely won’t assuage the current anger. But it will certainly help them later as they meditate upon it.

A gentle answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger. (Proverbs 15:1 NAU)

Anger usually finds three directions of focus.

Outward anger is focused toward the one who has departed or has caused our grief. At this point, we must learn how to "be angry and sin not" (Ephesians 4:26-27). That passage implies it is not the anger that is wrong; it is, rather, what we do with anger.

Often, the source of grief causes justifiable anger. The death of a child due to the carelessness of a drunken driver, the senseless death of a parent who refused medical treatment, the severing of a marriage due to unfaithfulness—these all have legitimate basis for anger.

The Apostle Paul is teaching us that anger is God-given. He created us with a built-in warning system. Anger is simply a reminder from our emotional being that something is not as it should be; and we need to do something about it.

Paul would have us see that being angry is not the problem. We simply need to make sure we process our anger in a healthy manner so that the result is healing not further grief.

Inward anger is directed toward ourselves, perhaps the hardest of the three to handle; simply because it is much harder to isolate and identify our anger toward ourselves. Often we let “if only” dominate our thinking at this point. We tell ourselves, and anyone who will listen, if only I had been more loving. If only I had pa d more attention If only I hadn't said those words in haste. If only I were more attractive. The list of “If only” statements with which we chastise ourselves is endless. It would be very easy to slip from this phase of grieving into depression, which we will talk about a little later.

As Joseph consoled his brothers, regarding his being sold into Egypt, we may have made bad choices. But God is more than able to redeem our foolish choices and blunders to bring about His ultimate good. We must learn to not be so hard on ourselves. I have concluded that I am often my own worst enemy.

"Now do not be grieved or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. (Genesis 45:5 NAU)

Upward anger is expressed toward God. This anger must be just as firmly identified and processed. We know God is incapable of doing wrong! So if we are angry with Him (and who can honestly say he has not been?), the problem must be with our understanding of Him, not with God himself.

This realization doesn't make our anger go away. But it does help us process it more effectively. There is probably no form of bitterness that is more intense and destructive than anger toward God.

In some situations, we can honestly say we have reason to be angry. But the question we must ask ourselves is “Does the blame for this grief fall on God's doorstep; or is someone else truly responsible for our grief?”

Then God said to Jonah, "Do you have good reason to be angry about the plant?" And he said, "I have good reason to be angry, even to death." (Jonah 4:9 NAU)

Job, the ancient sufferer, felt justified in his anguish toward God. So did Jonah, the wayward prophet. But in both cases, God reminded them that their anger toward him was misplaced. Not that they were unjustified in their angst. They were simply forgetting that they were directing their emotion toward the One who can do no wrong, the One who never fails, who never forgets, who never makes a mistake. God always has a plan to redeem our pain for His glory (Romans 8:28).

I have often counseled that the question to ask during such times is not "Why?" but "Who?" I likely will never, in this life, know the reasons for some of the things that have brought me grief. If I choose to dwell on why they happened, I will get trapped in a loop that has no ending point.

I must break that cycle by directing my trust, my hope, my love, and my worship toward the One who can make a difference. He doesn’t always reverse the situation that brought us grief. We don’t often hear of departed loved ones being returned to the home. We may not see God restoring things or relationships we have lost. But He does bring good out of the tragedy. He does, indeed, give beauty for ashes (Isaiah 61:3).

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28 NAU)

And each of these forms of anger exhibits itself in a different manner in our response to this unexpected turn of events in our life. So, we cling to the hand of the only One who can see through our emotions to our grieving heart. He, alone, can bring us safely to the distant shore called joy. It seems unattainable at the moment. But, never fear. God has yet to allow anyone to slip through His fingers (John 10:28-29).

REARRANGING REALITY FOCUSES ON THE INTELLECT

Having struggled with our will and our emotion, we then begin to struggle with our intellect. The will said, "I refuse to accept it. It isn't real"—and failed to change the facts. The emotion said, "I don't like it. It isn't fair"—and likewise failed. The intellect says, "I don't understand it. This entire process wasn't necessary."

We will relive that final chapter a thousand times in our mind with a hundred different endings—all different from the one we must now face. But, once more, just as our will and our emotion fail to change the truth, so does our intellect.

In fact, it is at this stage that those facing divorce or a terminal illness will resort to bargaining with God in hopes of having the loved one or relationship restored. This is where foxhole conversions take place. This is when people promise God to dedicate their lives to Him if ____ (fill in the blank).

I am sure we have all done this, in one form or another. We are so desperate to change reality that we will literally agree to anything or anyone that promises things will return to the way they were before our grief began. This stage of grief often finds itself grasping at straws, trying everything anyone offers that might reverse the situation.

We hear of people trying what we consider totally foolish remedies trying to reverse a terminal illness. Are we wrong to examine the options and make choices that may prolong life or reverse cancer? Of course not! However, we must make sure we are honestly evaluating the situation, not simply grasping at straws.

And as we do step out in faith that God will intervene, it is with the understanding He is still God. He may choose a course of action that is different from our understanding. Here we must realize He is God! I am not! I do not understand everything He does. He stands on a much higher mountain than I. So he sees much more clearly. I can trust Him to do what is right.

Depression is the result of internalizing, not facing and processing the facts surrounding our grief. Our initial reaction to the reality of grief tends to be hurt. Then we likely become very emotional, which masks our hurt. Next we look for ways to avenge ourselves—which hides our anger and hurt. Finally we become depressed –and, thereby, hide our revenge, our anger, and our hurt.

If you find yourself feeling sad, hopeless, internally angry, and irritable all the time, don’t be afraid or embarrassed to ask for professional help. Christian doctors and counselors are able to help many people through these dark valleys.

Several of the Psalms clearly exhibit the personality of a depressed person. [For some examples, see Psalm 42, 43, 69, 88, 102] Does this surprise you, coming from the Word of God? It shouldn't. After all, what better way to let us know there is hope for hurt, anger, despair, or depression than to show us pictures of the afflicted Psalmist; then allow us to see him lifted out of those depths into the rapturous heights of praise and worship?

Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him for the help of His presence. (Psalm 42:5 NAU)

Re-living Memories is an important part of the grieving process. Let me say that it is in this rearranging reality stage of grief that we have opportunity to bring into focus memories that will keep the loved one in our heart forever. It is also at this point that we could glamorize death—making it larger than life. That is a self-defeating view.

Our focus must be on life—on living, not on death and dying. While we want to honor the memory of those who have gone, whether in death or separation, we don’t want to overemphasize the positive, affirming memories to the exclusion of those hurtful things that may have led up to the separation or death. To do so, is to miss the lessons we should have learned during that time.

Nor should we allow ourselves to dwell on the negative memories we may have of a person or relationship. We must be honest in recognizing that most people have at least a few redeeming qualities. Let us not forget those attributes when our memories are all we have left.

ACCEPTANCE FOCUSES ON THE PRESENT REALITY

Death, from the human perspective, is irreversible. The same is true for many of the other forms of grief we experience. We cannot change it. We can only learn from it, grow from it, and live with a new appreciation for life. Once we have traveled the full journey of grief, we reach a place of acceptance.

>    our will not oblivious to reality;

>    our emotion in tune with reality; and

>    our intellect correctly interpreting reality.

We will have come to that place where we can get on with life. Regardless of how we choose to process grief, we cannot change it. We can only learn from it, grow from it, and live with a new appreciation for life.

>    We have struggled with our will in allowing this grief to be real—it is.

>    We have struggled with our emotion in facing the effects of this grief—it still is not fair; and it still hurts.

>    We have struggled with our intellect in rationalizing the necessity of this grief—we may never know.

A large part of the ability to accept death, for a Christian, is the belief that we will be alive with God after death here on earth. So, for us, death is not the end—not so final. For, there is hope of life after death, an opportunity to meet with our loved one once more after this life is over. This becomes one of our greatest sources of strength in passing through the stages of grief.

Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. (Psalm 23:6 NAU)

REBUILDING OUR BROKEN WORLD FOCUSES ON THE FUTURE

For those left behind, now begins the process of rebuilding from the shattered fragments of our broken world. Gordon MacDonald, author of the very popular Ordering Your Private World, also wrote a book called Rebuilding Your Broken World. In it, he addresses the inevitable reality for each of us: "The fact is, almost every one of us will encounter some issue that introduces us to brokenness at a far greater intensity than we ever thought possible."3

Something or someone will come along and literally shatter our world. When, not if, that happens, what will we do? MacDonald urges us to be prepared, focused, and disciplined enough in our "private world" to persevere when facing such crisis. Facing the pain, to free our broken heart to heal, is essential.

Having traversed the full circle of grieving, we begin to put the splintered pieces back together to rebuild our broken world.

Below are some simple exercises that help with this healing process.

— Reflection on the circumstances surrounding the loss. How will we learn and benefit from what we have suffered. In the business world, we would call it "debriefing." It is a good idea to assemble key people who have been through the process together and allow each one to share their feelings and thoughts regarding what you have just experienced. This is not a time for judgment. It is a time for validation. We may not all have the same perspective on what we have endured. But we must allow each person to realize that their feelings and thoughts are valid, whether we agree with them or not.

— Reflection on the beauty around us. Bask in the wonder and mystery of creation. Notice the little things in life—the beauty of a baby’s smile; a child’s first steps; the metamorphosis of a caterpillar into a butterfly; the marvel of a feathered family growing through its fascinating phases.

Shortly after my sister died, I remember watching from our living room window a family of robins going through the various stages of life in a Minnesota summer. That was mysteriously reassuring and healing to me.

And while our daughter was undergoing chemotherapy during her second bout with leukemia, Judy and I found ourselves, on several occasions, visiting a nearby river where we watched various waterfowl in their seemingly carefree life. Those memories are etched on my mind in contrast to the sometimes unbearable pain we were experiencing.

—    Reflection on your own worth. What can you do to make a difference to those around you? How can you help others who are going through the pain you have endured?

Perhaps the saddest commentary on suffering the grief of a loss of someone or something very dear to us would be that this sorrow be in vain. How meaningless, how futile would be our grief if we do not somehow grow as a result of it. We all suffer the pain of grief. The bottom line is measured by how much we learn about ourselves, about our loved one, about God, about death, and about life.

Who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. (2 Corinthians 1:4 NAU)

Let us guard our Valley Gate so that we do not allow despair, disappointment, or discouragement to cloud our judgment. We must trust others to help us be perceptive of what is acceptable to go through the gates of our heart at this susceptible time. During these vulnerable times we need a watchman more than any other times of our life.

REVIEW:

What is the lesson we learn from the Valley Gate?

Can you remember the stages of grief outlined in this chapter?

What are the three primary targets of our anger during times of grief?

What are some ways we can go about rebuilding our broken world?

CHAPTER 5: THE GARBAGE GATE

Getting Rid of Harmful Waste

So I went out at night by the Valley Gate in the direction of the Dragon's Well and on to the Refuse Gate, inspecting the walls of Jerusalem which were broken down and its gates which were consumed by fire.(Nehemiah 2:13 NAU)

This gate was used to dispose of the garbage and waste of day-to-day living. It was the passage by which the inhabitants of ancient Jerusalem were able to rid themselves of those byproducts of the essentials of life—those leftovers and remains of living. If they were to be negligent in this essential task, the dangers to their health and safety would become quickly evident.

So, out of this gate would go bones, left-over food, body-waste, dead animals—anything that might contaminate those who came in contact with it. Though it was a distasteful, unpleasant, even smelly job, it had to be done. Otherwise, the health of the city was threatened.

GUARDING OUR THOUGHTS AND WORDS

Thomas Traherne gives an important perspective on the value of our thought process "As nothing is more easy than to think, so nothing is more difficult than to think well."1 We must guard the words we speak to others. Should we fail to guard this gate, what comes out is anything but healthy or edifying.

Burning lips and a wicked heart are like a potsherd covered with silver dross. (Proverb 26:23 KJV)

We love to repeat the old proverb (certainly not Biblical), "Sticks and stones may break my bones; but words can never harm me." We all know that statement is not true. Just reflect back on the last time someone said something unkind about you or spread an untruth concerning you. So much for, "words can never harm me."

And, as the Golden Rule reminds us, the feelings we have regarding the things we experience will likely very much resemble the feelings and responses of those we injure. If untruth bruises my spirit, it will hurt those I would slander just as much. If an unkind word toward me causes me to draw back from a friendship, my friends most likely feel the same about me when I choose unkind words.

Vern McLellan had a crude but clever way of stating it. “He who thinks by the inch and talks by the yard deserves to be kicked by the foot.”2

Thoughts we have toward others often do as much harm to us as they do to the person toward whom we have them. Doctors and medical studies have increasingly concluded that the bitterness, anger, stress, and unresolved conflicts we have with others are a major source of physical health difficulties.

We not only must be careful about the words we speak, we must also be careful in the things upon which we allow our mind to dwell. As Paul reminds us in Philippians 4, we are to meditate on the positive, productive, affirming things of life.

Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. (Philippians 4:8 NAU)

When we allow our minds to dwell on negative things, we will find ourselves becoming pessimistic about life. As one person explains, “A pessimist is a man who looks both ways when he's crossing a one-way street.”3 I have to confess, I guess I am a pessimist; because I learned the hard way to look both ways when crossing one-way streets in Sidney, Australia. A near miss from stepping off the curb looking the wrong direction made me almost paranoid after that.

And thinking about things to which our natural mind would be drawn can only bring pessimism. As Oswald Chambers states, “The man who thinks must be pessimistic; thinking can never produce optimism.”4

That statement would be true if we were to exclude the things of God from our meditating. Generally speaking, when we allow ourselves to dwell on a problem or situation, we begin to get agitated and frustrated.

I once had a supervisor, when I was working as a computer programmer, who would encourage us to stop fretting about a difficult programming problem. He said that if we would give our mind all the facts, it would come to a solution without us fretting. Surprisingly, this often worked. I would wake up in the middle of the night with the answer; or it would come to me in a dream.

I doubt my supervisor gave much credit to the Lord in those things; but I am convinced when we focus our mind on the things God tells us to, life is much easier to face.

We must purge our minds of the things that defeat God’s purposes for us. As part of the New Testament revival, as people came under conviction by Holy Spirit, they would bring their books of magical spells to the elders to burn. We are told these books were used as part of their drug-enhanced preparation for interacting with spirits. I think we can safely assume they were not calling upon the Holy Spirit in these rituals.

I suspect we, likewise, may have some sources of input to our mind that need to be purged. It might be the television programs we are watching, the movies we attend, the video games we play, or the novels we read. Let’s purge our minds of those evil things that would bring us down. And Let us fill our minds with the good things of the Lord.

And many of those who practiced magic brought their books together and began burning them in the sight of everyone; and they counted up the price of them and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. So the word of the Lord was growing mightily and prevailing. (Acts 19:19-20 NAU)

GUARDING ATTITUDES TOWARD ACHIEVEMENTS

What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ. (Philippians 3:8)

Perhaps nothing is more dangerous than this rubbish. Dwelling on our accomplishments is toxic if left in our city for any length of time. The longer we keep ungodly ambition near us, the greater the danger of spiritual contamination. We can justify, compare, and explain all we want. The results are the same. Godless ambition is fatal. It must be removed quickly and completely to avoid the inevitable decay of our spiritual being.

There is a story that comes to us out of the long ago of a king who organized a great race within his kingdom. All the young men of the kingdom participated. A bag of gold was to be given to the winner, and the finish line was within the courtyard of the king's palace.

The race was run, and the runners were surprised to find in the middle of the road leading to the king's palace a great pile of rocks and stones. But they managed to scramble over it or to run around it and eventually to come to the courtyard. Finally all the runners had crossed the finish line except one. But still the king did not call the race off.

After a while one lone runner came through the gate. He lifted a bleeding hand and said, "O King, I am sorry that I am so late. But you see, I found in the road a pile of rocks and stones, and it took me a while, and I wounded myself in removing them." Then he lifted the other hand, and in it was a bag. He said, "But, Great King, I found beneath the pile of rocks this bag of gold."

The king said, "My son, you have won the race, for that one runs best who makes the way safer for those who follow."5

Obviously, the point of this story is not to encourage us to never attempt to achieve anything with our lives. Rather, we must guard against using our achievements as a measure of our worth. Our value, in God's eyes, cannot be measured by the things we do but by the person we are. We must focus more on being than on doing.

GUARDING ATTITUDES TOWARD JUDGMENT

"Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. (Luke 6:37a)

“By their fruit you shall know them.” We all love to be “fruit inspectors.” Why is it that we can feel so smug, so spiritual when we point our finger at a brother or sister and note their shortcomings? Most likely, it is because if we can make the other person look more sinful, we look more holy in our own eyes. Unfortunately, the truth is that when we judge one another, according to both Jesus and St. Paul, we only point out the means by which we ourselves will be judged.

Jesus further taught us that it is pretty difficult to do eye surgery on our brother to remove a splinter while we have a plank in our own eye. I, for one, want the person doing surgery on me to be totally fit, especially his eyes. So much for me as a judge! I do not qualify. I am not objective enough. I have too many faults of my own to judge someone else.

This is not to imply that we should not encourage one another to righteous living—to improve their walk with the Lord. But we must not do so judgmentally. As Paul admonished the Galatians,

"Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted." (Galatians 6:1)

The emphasis here is on gentleness. Otherwise, Paul warns, you may be tempted by the same weakness you are pointing out in your brother. Have you noticed how often we are prone to looking for a specific fault in others we have found particular challenging in our own conduct? Here, again, we must set up a guard. We cannot afford to allow a judgmental attitude to destroy our own life.

GUARDING ATTITUDES TOWARD UNFORGIVENESS

Forgive, and you will be forgiven. (Luke 6:37b)

And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins." (Mark 11:25)

I need to coin a new word, “unforgiveness.” Our lack of forgiveness stands in the way of our ability to accept forgiveness. I am not sure I can explain just why this is true; but I am sure that it is correct, because Jesus said as much.

This imperative from Jesus, if you note the context of this passage, not only affects our ability to accept forgiveness from our Father, it also speaks to the effectiveness of our prayers.

Not only is forgiveness important, forgiveness often, though not always, includes forgetting. "A retentive memory is a good thing, but the ability to forget is the true token of greatness."6 And the following eighteenth-century saint, Anne-Louise Germaine de Stael, had a good understanding of spiritual growth and the importance of forgiveness. She states, “As we grow in wisdom, we pardon more freely.”7

Again, as with other gates we will observe, unforgiveness can cause physical health problems. It can take on various forms; but it appears to attack the digestive system and the emotions most of all. A good resource on this subject is a little book called Forgive and Forget, by Lewis Smedes.8

GUARDING OUR ATTITUDES TOWARD RICHES

People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. (1 Timothy 6:9-10)

An old Latin proverb states, "A golden bit does not make a better horse." The renowned philosopher at the time of Christ life here on earth, Lucius Annaeus Seneca, declared, "Money has never yet made anyone rich."9 And another great pearl of wisdom, "A great fortune is a great slavery."1^0

An old Dutch proverb states, “A miser’s money takes the place of wisdom.”1^1 Just as with focusing on achievements, an unhealthy approach to wealth can be destructive. It causes us to put our energy and attention toward a goal that is never satisfied and not God-honoring. In addition, it causes us to jeopardize our relationships with our family, our friends, and our God.

REVIEW:

What is the function of the Garbage Gate?

What is the danger of improper thoughts toward others?

Why is achievement a danger that must be removed through the Garbage Gate?

Why are we warned to guard against being judgmental?

Who is harmed by unforgiveness?

Money is the root of all evil, right? Why? Why not?

CHAPTER 6: THE EPHRAIM GATE

The Double Portion

So the people went out and brought them and made booths for themselves, each on his roof, and in their courts and in the courts of the house of God, and in the square at the Water Gate and in the square at the Gate of Ephraim. (Nehemiah 8:16 NAU)

This gate is about trading beauty for ashes. It is a reminder that where we should have received ashes (the singular form of Ephraim), instead, we received beauty and a double portion.

AN UNFAIR TRADE

The Creator of the Universe chose to be born in a stable, so that we who could do nothing for ourselves could enjoy the splendor and riches of the New Jerusalem.

For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. "And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger." (Luke 2:11-12 NKJV)

The One who owns it all gave up everything, so that we who had nothing could inherit the treasures of Heaven. What a glorious truth for us to try to wrap our minds around.

Who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. (Philippians 2:6-8 NKJV)

The One who was adorned in Deity took on the humble garments of humanity, so that we might exchange our filthy rags for robes of righteousness.

and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength. (Revelation 1:13-16 NKJV)

But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away. (Isaiah 64:6 NKJV)

The sinless Son of God became sin so that we, who had no righteousness, might receive the righteousness that comes from God himself.

For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (2 Corinthians 5:21 NKJV)

Jesus, who reigns in Heaven, gave up all His authority to come to earth; so that we, who have authority over nothing, might become kings and priests with Him.

And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen. (Matthew 28:18-20 NKJV)

And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth. (Revelation 5:10 NKJV)

The Judge over the entire Universe was sentenced to Hell so that we, who deserve eternal punishment, might know the joys of Heaven forever.

But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5 NKJV)

For God so loved the world that He gave His Only Begotten Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16) [See also Hebrews 4]

THE DOUBLE PORTION

The plural form of Ephraim (the im ending) is thought to mean double fruitfulness, as I explained in chapter two. According to Genesis 41:52, Joseph named his second son Ephraim as a reminder of God's blessing in making him fruitful a second time. It was also prophetic, unbeknown to Joseph at the time he named his younger son, that Ephraim would receive the double portion as the primary heir of his father.

When Joseph's dying father Jacob, had Joseph's two sons brought before him to bless them before he died, Jacob (Israel) blessed Ephraim with the double portion instead of the older son Manasseh. Joseph was troubled by this apparent mistake. But Jacob assured him it was no mistake. Ephraim would receive the double portion.

Ephraim was not the only biblical character who supplanted his elder brother by receiving the double portion. His grandfather, Jacob, who pronounced this double blessing had received the double portion instead of his older brother Esau. In his case, it was done deceitfully. In Ephraim's case it was open and deliberate.

The concept of a double portion was an ancient way of designating the eldest son as primary heir of the father's goods and authority. That practice is not uncommon yet today. In some biblical examples, this double portion was applied to a spiritual heritage instead of a tangible one.

In the Old Testament, we read of Moses placing his anointing upon seventy elders from the twelve tribes of Israel (Numbers 11). Verses 16 and 7 record God's instructions to Moses regarding the assembling of the seventy elders. The Lord would take some of the anointing of the Spirit that was on Moses and place it on the elders so they could share the burden of leadership. There is no indication by the text or the context that this process diminished the anointing of Moses in any way.

At first glance, this passage might suggest Moses chose the seventy, but God initiated the call. The seventy already functioned as elders of Israel. The pouring out of the Spirit upon each one left no doubt that God had called him as leader (v. 26).

In response to Moses’ prayer for a leader to succeed him, the Lord told Moses that the Spirit was already upon Joshua (Numbers 27:15-23). It is important to note the transition of divine communication. As long as Moses was present, God spoke through him. As soon as Moses was dead, God began to speak to Joshua directly (Deuteronomy 31:14).

Joshua had earlier received the call and anointing as leader to succeed Moses. After Moses’ death, Joshua needed a fresh call of God to enable him for the task, much like Solomon in 2 Chronicles 1. Moses was such a significant leader of Israel; his death seemed to paralyze Joshua and the people of Israel. Perhaps, this is why God told Joshua, specifically, “Moses is dead. He is not coming back” (Joshua 12, paraphrased). This statement may have been the catalyst necessary to motivate Joshua to leadership action. God's promise to Joshua was He would be with Joshua as He had been with Moses.

The New Testament provides several instructive examples of spiritual anointing as well. The primary model is Jesus’ choosing of the twelve apostles (Acts 1:8; Matthew 28:18-20; John 14:12).

Several of The Apostle Paul's protégés illustrate the double portion anointing for ministry: Timothy, Titus, Priscilla, Aquila, and Apollos are but a few.

However, the relationship between Elijah and Elisha is one of the best examples of placing a spiritual mantle on a young minister. Elijah, proceeding from a less than affirming time in his own ministry, received word from God to anoint Elisha as prophet to succeed himself (1 Kings 19:15-21). He found Elisha plowing with twelve oxen in a field (v. 19).

Elijah placed his own mantle on Elisha, symbolizing this divine call. It is instructive to note the priority Elijah placed on the anointing for office he was to make. The Lord first told him to anoint a new king over Aram and a king over Israel. He was also to anoint Elisha as prophet of the Lord (vv. 15-16). Verse 19 states that Elijah went directly from this divine encounter to anoint not Hazael or Jehu as king but Elisha as prophet.

"Please, let a double portion of your spirit be upon me." (2 Kings 2:9b NAU)

There are at least six principles we can observe in the biblical examples of preparing the next generation's leaders. The outline and much of the thoughts of this section are taken from my doctoral dissertation on preparing pastoral leadership for the Indigenous Church.1

LEADERS ARE CHOSEN BY GOD

You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you. (John 15:16 NAU)

In most cases, being chosen by God for the double portion was a simple matter that God chose you to be born first in the family. In exceptional situations, as noted in the paragraphs above, God reversed that order so that the firstborn son was not the one with the double portion.

Elisha recognized two distinct things when the prophet Elijah placed his mantle upon Elisha’s shoulders.

>      Perhaps without hearing a word, Elisha understood he had become Elijah’s spiritual son.

>     He also knew he had received a call to the prophetic office.

The sons of the prophets quickly recognized the spirit of Elijah now rested on Elisha. Their response was to honor Elisha as they had honored Elijah (2 Kings 2:15).

Elijah, knowing he was about to ascend into heaven, inquired of Elisha what he really desired from Elijah. Elisha did not hesitate to ask for a double portion of Elijah’s spirit 2 King 2:9). The double portion requested by Elisha implied the portion representing the ―proper share of the firstborn."2 Elisha’s request was likely “to assure his position as rightful successor to Elijah.”3

LEADERS RECEIVE SPIRITUAL GIFTING

Pursue love, yet desire earnestly spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. (1 Corinthians 14:1 NAU)

So also you, since you are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek to abound for the edification of the church. (1 Corinthians 14:12 NAU)

Although Elisha had an acknowledged calling and anointing for ministry, he had to grasp Elijah’s mantle to activate the authority and power accompanying his anointing (2 Kings 2:13). When Elisha struck the water with Elijah's mantle, the waters divided back and forth (v. 14).4 This event gave the student prophets a visible evidence of the Spirit of God at work through Elisha.

THERE IS USUALLY A MENTORING RELATIONSHIP

"No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you. (John 15:15 NAU)

This final mission was especially urgent for Elisha. He refused to leave Elijah's side. The student prophets twice foretold Elijah's soon departure Nonetheless, “Elisha alone could discern prophetically the deeper will of his master Elijah (or even more importantly, the will of his master's God).”5 Elisha's vow reflected his level of commitment:

“As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” (2 Kings 2:4, 6 NAU)

Elisha later heard those same words spoken to him during a time of crisis for the Shunammite woman. And hearing those same words he had earlier spoken to Elijah must have had a great impact on him this second time (2 Kings 4:30).

Elisha's obvious affection for Elijah is apparent in his repeated cry of “my father, my father” at Elijah's departure (2 Kings 2:12). Repetition is typical Hebraic construct to reflect emphasis.6 "Father" may also have referred to the head of household, family, or clan. It can signify the patron of a class or profession, or a term of respect and honor as well.7

THE LEADER RECEIVES DELEGATED AUTHORITY

And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:18-20 NAU)

As Elijah and Elisha approached the Jordan River, on that final day together, at least fifty sons of the prophets joined them (2 Kings 2:7). The term "sons" referred to members of a group a class, or a guild (v. 3).8 The school of prophets likely was a guild of students who learned under Elijah when he was in their community. It is clear they maintained a strong apprentice relationship with Elijah and now with Elisha.

When he approached the river on his return, Elisha’s question, “Where is the LORD the God of Elijah?” was not expressing doubt or lack of faith. He was simply invoking the name of the same God whom his mentor served (v. 14). The waters quickly separated.9

This same pattern occurred at the crossing of the Jordan River where Joshua reminded God of how He had parted the waters of the Red Sea for Moses (Joshua 4:22).1^0

LEARNING FROM THE MENTOR

"Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. "For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30 NAU)

Elijah made his mark as a bold, outspoken prophet of Israel. He prepared numerous other prophets through the schools of Bethel and Gilgal. Elisha paid close attention to Elijah from the time he left the family farm to follow Elijah. Elijah poured himself into those student prophets, often testing their resolve. Elisha refused to yield to distraction. He not only remained faithful to his teacher, he became the head of the school upon Elijah’s departure. Elisha, in turn, trained, with distinction, other prophets of the Lord.

It is ironic that the sons of the sons of the prophets rejected Elisha’s advice immediately after acknowledging him as their spiritual father (2 Kings 2:15-16). Elisha had warned the students, “Do not go looking for Elijah” (v. 16, paraphrased). They urged Elisha until he was too ashamed to refuse. They then sent fifty men to look for Elijah (v. 17).

When they returned without Elijah, Elisha reminded them of his initial advice to them—an opportunity for him to explain his former reluctance. In this short time, Elisha had already established his role as teacher and was continuing the mentor/student cycle (v. 18).

MULTIPLICATION OF MINISTRY

Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father. (John 14:12 NAU)

Elijah likely displayed pride and admiration as he asked for Elisha’s final request. Elijah’s training surfaced in Elisha’s quick reply in asking for a double portion of Elijah’s spirit (2 Kings 2:9). The popular idea of Elisha performing twice the number of miracles as Elijah are considered by some commentators as “literary motifs and features, not strict exegesis of the meaning [of a] double portion.”1^1

The reason Elisha boldly asked for a double portion of Elijah’s spirit and took Elijah’s mantle to strike the water was because Elisha had seen the Spirit of god similarly work through Elijah during their times together. And he desired that same thing in his own life and ministry.

But you will be called the priests of the LORD; You will be spoken of as ministers of our God. You will eat the wealth of nations, And in their riches you will boast. Instead of your shame you will have a double portion. And instead of humiliation they will shout for joy over their portion. Therefore they will possess a double portion in their land, Everlasting joy will be theirs. (Isaiah 61:6-7 NAU)

We, likewise, have received a double portion, the honored blessing. The words of Jesus continue to challenge us today as we face the task of reaching the next generation.

but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth." (Acts 1:8 NAU)

REVIEW:

Jot down a thought about each of the 6 aspects of biblical leadership we observed in this chapter.

CHAPTER 7: THE MANASSEH GATE

Deciding What to Forget and What to Remember

This gate is not mentioned by name in Scripture. Because the gates were known by various names at different times in Scripture, it is possible that this gate is identified in Scripture by a different name. Historians do, however, list a Gate of Manasseh among the ancient gates of Jerusalem.

Manasseh, according to both Easton’s and Fausset’s Bible Dictionary, means one who causes to forget. He was thus named as Joseph’s statement that he was forgetting those hard years leading up to his position as prime minister of Egypt.

Although Manasseh’s younger brother, Ephraim, received the birthright blessing from his grandfather, Jacob, Manasseh was still remembered among the tribes of Israel. And Manasseh is listed among the ones sealed in Revelation 7:6. Moreover, he was rightly named, since he had to learn what to forget and what to remember after his disappointing blessing from his grandfather.

Life consists of an endless list of events and circumstances which fall into two categories, those we need to forget and those we must remember. The Apostle Paul makes a challenge to the Philippians to forget those things which were behind them. But Jeremiah encourages us to seek out the old paths. So, how do we determine what to remember and what to forget?

The key to this question can be found in focusing on the reason for our remembering and our forgetting. If we remember in order to keep an offense against us fresh and ever-present, we are heading for difficulty. If we forget because we find remembering too unpleasant, once more we are not sailing toward calm waters.

But, if we remember in order to keep the promises and provisions of God ever before us, we have chosen wisely. If we forget because remembering brings no healing or peace, then we, most likely, are being wise.

WHAT TO FORGET

Croft Pentz gives an important insight to the subject of forgetting. He states, “A retentive memory is often a good thing, but the ability to forget can be a token of greatness.”1 Pentz continues, “It would be nice if we could forget our troubles like we forget our blessings.”2

What a shame that Pentz’ comments are far too often true. When someone asks us to list our troubles, we have no difficulty going on and on with the list. When asked to innumerate our blessings, we suddenly have “brain freeze.”

One thing we can do to help us determine what to forget and what to remember is to establish priorities. This minister certainly had an excellent real-life illustration on forgetfulness.

Because the groom was an amateur golf champion, I had decided to use a golf illustration—complete with golf ball—in the wedding meditation. I recruited the best man to bring a golf ball and hand it to me at the appropriate time in the ceremony.

The following day, as the processional began, I asked the best man if he had remembered the ball. Smiling, he reached into his pocket. Then his expression suddenly changed. Yes, he'd remembered the golf ball, but he'd forgotten to bring the bride's ring.3

My cousin tells about an incident in her teaching experience that gives a great lesson on the importance of learning to forget.

“I was working with one of my kindergarten students one day not long ago when I accidentally knocked something of hers off the table with my elbow. I told her I was sorry and reached to pick it up. She looked at me and said very sweetly, ‘It's okay, I forget you.’ I thought it a simple but profound statement, and it touched my heart. No wonder Jesus loved children so much. Wish I was a better ‘forgetter.’”4

Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:13-14) [See also vs. 8-10]

Paul, in this passage, is referring specifically to the lifestyle he left behind when he began to follow Christ. He tells us that he, of all people, had reason to be proud of his past and of his heritage. But there was none of those things that had real value to Paul any longer. He considered his past—his accomplishments, his background, his resources as meaningless and valueless outside the power of Jesus Christ.

Instead, Paul strove toward an eternal goal—one not tied to the values of this world. As Jesus taught us in Matthew 6, we must place our focus on spiritual things, eternal things. Then the needs of this life will be sufficiently met.

DEALING WITH REJECTION

Being defensive is defenseless. There is no way to win with the wrong attitude. If I am wrong, my focus needs to be on making things right. If I am right, I have no need for defense. God has promised to even the score for me. That is such an important lesson to learn. But it is also a very difficult one to perfect in practice.

When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.(1 Peter 2:23)

We may not be able to change the past; however, we may be able to redeem the situation. Often, situations that start out to be wounding to our pride end up as a learning moment for us. That is, providing we are open to growing in the Lord.

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ. (Colossians 2:6-8)

I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. (John 17:14-16)

Rejection is a two-way street. It is not unusual for a situation that causes me to feel rejection to gender the same feeling in the other person. We have all learned that pointing a loaded finger at another is dangerous. We far too often end up shooting ourselves.

I often remind people, when dealing with conflict; the primary goal is not to assess blame. It is not nearly as important to determine who is at fault as it is to find out what went wrong and how to keep it from occurring again.

Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand. (Romans 14:4)

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. (Philippians 2:3)

If I focus on my own responsibility in a conflict, I am not nearly as likely to point my finger at another. Nor can I be a conscience for anyone else. I have all I can handle taking care of my own issues without taking on the responsibility of being a conscience for another.

Making things right is far different from obtaining our rights. And we must remember that making things right primarily means facing our own responsibilities not finding the faults that are sure to exist in our brother or sister. Holy Spirit is more than able to remind them of their faults. I don’t need to be Holy Spirit or their conscience.

Should we be involved in discipline of one another? Yes, of course. Scripture is quite clear about that. At the same time, it is equally clear that we are not to judge. And don’t give me the old “fruit inspectors” argument. That is just another way of describing judgment. Remember, I cannot know another person’s heart. I may think I do; but far too often I am wrong.

I decided to give up mind reading a number of years ago. I used to think I could tell people exactly what they were thinking. It took my patient wife, Judy, to teach me that I didn’t know nearly as much as I thought I did. I will leave judging to God and focus my attention on encouraging people to do right.

Furthermore, we often forget that church discipline is always redemptive, not destructive, in nature. It is easy to see this if we compare 1 Corinthians 6 with 2 Corinthians 2. The same individual Paul challenges the church to discipline in 1 Corinthians 6, he later encourages them (in 2 Corinthians 2) to draw back into fellowship to avoid total destruction of his soul.

"If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that 'every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.' (Matthew 18:15-16)

Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. (Galatians 6:1)

"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. (Matthew 7:1)

Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother's way. (Romans 14:13)

We will do ourselves and the Body of Christ much service if we learn to express our concerns without judgment. We must learn to approach others with a description of how we feel rather than what they have done. In reality, they didn't make us feel anything. That is something we choose—usually so quickly it is unconscious to us.

In reality, many of the things that make me angry or upset are not the other person's fault. Instead, it is often that I am discovering a flaw, a weak spot, in my own armor.

Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. (2 Peter 1:2)

FORGIVENESS

For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. (Matthew 6:14-15)

Scripture gives us several reasons why forgiveness is essential. I will share only a couple of them. One reason is that we may receive forgiveness from our Heavenly Father. Jesus taught:

For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. (Mark 11:23-25 KJV)

Clara Barton, the founder of the American Red Cross, was reminded one day of a vicious deed that someone had done to her years before. But she acted as if she had never heard of the incident. "Don’t you remember it?" her friend asked. "No," came Barton’s reply, "I distinctly remember forgetting it."5

Here is another good example of selective forgetfulness.

Our friends were out of town for the weekend and their 5-year-old, Luke, was staying with us. At dinner, out of the blue, he said, “You know, one time I broke my mom’s lamp.”

I asked if she was angry when it happened. "She was disappointed," Luke replied, which I assured him was understandable. We continued for a minute or so, then Luke said, "But I don’t understand....Mom says it’s all forgotten.... But I still remember it. Why can’t she?"

Because you have a nice mom, Luke.6

Forgiving does not necessarily mean forgetting. But you can rest assured that if you do not forgive, you will not forget. The second reason for forgiveness, we learn from Scripture, is to remove hindrances to our prayers.

Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers. (1 Peter 3:7)

While the preceding passages are general in nature, this verse from Peter’s writings clearly indicates that husbands and wives who allow barriers to be erected between them will find the effectiveness of their prayers hindered. That is definitely something we do not want to forget.

WHAT TO REMEMBER

Some things in life we cannot afford to forget. How we came to know Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, is one of those. Relationships are vitally important, no matter what else we forget. It is heartbreaking to watch individuals with some form of memory impairment not even recognize the person with whom he or she has spent most of their life.

Situations like those are beyond the control of the forgetful individual. However, there are countless things we really must put forth the effort necessary to remember them.

One pastor reports the following humorous observation on forgetfulness in the Christian Reader.

Two elderly women in my church were discussing the problems of growing older. One commented, "The worst thing is when your memory starts to go. I've known you all my life, and I can't think of your name. What is it?"

The second lady thought for a moment and said, "Do you need an answer right now?"7

This is what the LORD says: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Jeremiah 6:16)

Charles Spurgeon tells the plight of a Scottish village that really causes me to ponder the serious point he makes concerning forgetting warnings to our own jeopardy.

A writer in the Edinburgh Review said, "A Swiss traveler describes a village situated on the slope of a great mountain. Huge crags, directly overhanging the village, and massive enough to sweep the whole of it into the torrent below, have become separated from the main body of the mountain in the course of ages by great fissures and now barely adhere to it. When they give way, the village must perish; it is only a question of time, and the catastrophe may happen any day.

"The villagers, for more than one generation, have been aware of their danger. They have been encouraged to move, yet they live on in their doomed dwellings, from year to year, fortified against the ultimate certainty and daily probability of destruction by the common sentiment, 'Things may last their time and longer.’

"Like the dwellers in this doomed village, the world's inhabitants have grown careless and secure in sin. The scoffers of the last days are around us, saying, 'Where is the promise of hi coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.’

"But in saying this, they are too confident. Nothing is permanent that has sin about it, nothing secure that has wrath above it, and flames of fire beneath it. Sin has once deluged the world with water; it shall deluge it again with waves of fire.

"Sodom and Gomorrah are the types that foreshadow the doom of those that live ungodly in these latter times, and he who can walk this reeling world unmoved by all the tokens of its fiery doom, must either have a rock of refuge where his soul may rest secure, or else must have fallen into a strange carelessness, and a sad forgetfulness of God."8

Sir Thomas More further explains, “The world does not need so much to be informed as to be reminded. So the Bible says again and again ‘Forget not!’ and 'Remember! Remember! Remember!’”9

What are the ancient paths of which the prophet Jeremiah speaks? Where do they lead? How do we follow them? The Psalmist responds:

That they should put their confidence in God And not forget the works of God, But keep His commandments, (Psalm 78:7 NAU)

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path. (Psalms 119:105)

God's Word directs and illuminates our path, making it clear which way we should go. That is the old path that Jeremiah encourages us to seek out for our journey.

MAKING MEMORIES

When the whole nation had finished crossing the Jordan, the LORD said to Joshua, "Choose twelve men from among the people, one from each tribe, and tell them to take up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan from right where the priests stood and to carry them over with you and put them down at the place where you stay tonight." So Joshua called together the twelve men he had appointed from the Israelites, one from each tribe, and said to them, "Go over before the ark of the LORD your God into the middle of the Jordan. Each of you is to take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, to serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, 'What do these stones mean?' tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever." (Joshua 4:1-7)

Joshua instructed the Israelites to build a memorial at the crossing of the Jordon River into the Promised Land. The reason, he explained, was so that when the next generation looked at the memorial and asked its purpose, the older generation would be able to explain how God had been faithful in delivering Israel from Egypt, through the wilderness, and into the Promised Land.

I believe making memories is one of the most important responsibilities of families. I have attempted to allow making memories to be a priority in my family and have encouraged others to do likewise. There are multiple reasons for this. But one of the most important is that we never know how many opportunities we have left to make memories. We never know who will be missing from our next family reunion. We never can predict who will meet with a fatal accident or a fatal disease. Thus, we must make the most of every opportunity.

Bless the LORD, O my soul, And all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget none of His benefits; Who pardons all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases; Who redeems your life from the pit, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion; Who satisfies your years with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle. (Psalm 103:1-5 NAU)

REVIEW:

Think about a couple of things you need to forget.

How will you go about forgetting these things?

What are some things you now realize that you need to remember?

Again, how will you go about making sure this happens?

CHAPTER 8: THE WATER GATE

Guarding Our Attitude toward Others

He read from it before the square which was in front of the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of men and women, those who could understand; and all the people were attentive to the book of the law. (Nehemiah 8:3 NAU)

This was the gate that was used for watering the animals. Here all the herdsmen and shepherds came together with their herds and flocks mingled together as their caretakers and owners brought water for them to drink. The interaction of those who jockeyed for the best positions in order to care for their animals with the least amount of work provided a genuine opportunity to observe human character at work.

At the Water Gate we develop our attitudes toward one another. The following passage is Jesus’ very pointed illustration of what our attitudes need to be.

For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' "Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.' They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?' He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.' (Matthew 25:35-45)

There are several categories of people Jesus spoke to us about in this passage. He is concerned about our attitude toward each of these. Let us briefly look at each one to see how we can best guard our attitude toward that particular group of people.

ATTITUDE TOWARD THE HUNGRY and THIRSTY

I tell you the truth, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward. (Mark 9:41)

I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength. Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles. Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only; for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid again and again when I was in need. Not that I am looking for a gift, but I am looking for what may be credited to your account. I have received full payment and even more; I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:11-19)

How do we best express the love of Christ? What does expressing our love really mean? Here are some answers passed on by some professional people who posed this question to a group of 4 to 8 year-olds. The answers they received were broader and deeper than anyone could have imagined. See what you think:

>      "Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well." —Tommy, age 6 (A boatload of truth in that one.)

>      "When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That's love." —Rebecca, age 8 (Now, that is love.)

>      "When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouth." —Billy, age 4 (That is one wise 4-year-old.)

>      "Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs." —Chrissy, age 6 (Never too young to learn what sharing is really about.)

>      "Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen" —Bobby, age 7 (Wow! I like that one.)

>      "If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate," —Nikka, age 6 (we need a few million more Nikka's on this planet)

>      "Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken." —Elaine, age 5 (Kids are always watching, especially when we think they are not.)

>      "I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones."— Lauren, age 4 (Love sees through different eyes than the rest of us.)

>      "When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you." —Karen, age 7 (what an image that generates.)

>      "You really shouldn’t say 'I love you' unless you mean it." —Jessica, age 8 (Wise beyond her years.)1

Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat upon them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes." (Revelation 7:16-17)

Until that day, it is our responsibility to reach out to those who may not have received the level of blessing we have experienced. God’s blessings are not for hoarding. They are for sharing. I love seeing the Body of Christ increasingly involved in caring for those who are genuinely hungry and thirsty. What better way is there to demonstrate God’s love?

ATTITUDE TOWARD THE HOMELESS

By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. (Hebrews 11:9-10)

His name is Bill. He has wild hair, wears a T-shirt with holes in it, jeans and no shoes. This was literally his wardrobe for his entire four years of college. He is brilliant. Kinda esoteric and very, very bright. He became a Christian while attending college.

Across the street from the campus is a well-dressed, very conservative church. They want to develop a ministry to the students, but are not sure how to go about it. One day Bill decides to go there. He walks in with no shoes, jeans, his T-shirt, and wild hair. The service has already started and so Bill starts down the aisle looking for a seat.

The church is completely packed and he can't find a seat. By now people are looking a bit uncomfortable, but no one says anything. Bill gets closer and closer and closer to the pulpit and when he realizes there are no seats, he just squats down right on the carpet. (Although perfectly acceptable behavior at a college fellowship, trust me, this had never happened in this church before!) By now the people are really uptight, and the tension in the air is thick.

About this time, the minister realizes that from way at the back of the church, a deacon is slowly making his way toward Bill. Now the deacon is in his eighties, has silver-gray hair, a three-piece suit, and a pocket watch. A godly man, very elegant, very dignified, very courtly. He walks with a cane and as he starts walking toward this boy, everyone is saying to themselves, You can't blame him for what he's going to do. How can you expect a man of his age and of his background to understand some college kid on the floor?

It takes a long time for the man to reach the boy. The church is utterly silent except for the clicking of the man's cane. All eyes are focused on him. You can't even hear anyone breathing. The people are thinking, The minister can't even preach the sermon until the deacon does what he has to do. And now they see this elderly man drops his cane on the floor.

With great difficulty he lowers himself and sits down next to Bill and worships alongside him so he won't be alone. Everyone chokes up with emotion. There seems to not be a dry eye in the entire congregation.

When the minister finally gains control he says, "What I'm about to preach, you will never remember. What you have just seen, you will never forget." —Rebecca Manley Pippert, retold by Alice Gray. 2

ATTITUDE TOWARD THE POOR

Bob Lupton makes an important observation about those we might consider unworthy of our help. It really helps put things in a better perspective.

People with a heart to serve others want to know that their gifts are invested wisely. At least I do. I don't want my alms squandered by the irresponsible and ungrateful. And since I'm often in a position to determine who will or will not receive assistance, I've attempted to establish criteria to judge the worthiness of potential recipients.

A truly worthy poor woman: a widow more than 65 years old, living alone in substandard housing; does not have a family or relatives to care for her; has no savings and cannot work; has an income inadequate for basic needs; is a woman of prayer and faith; never asks anyone for anything but only accepts with gratitude what people bring her; is not cranky.

A truly worthy poor young man: has completed school, unemployed but not living off his mother; diligently applies for jobs every day; accepts gratefully any kind of work for any kind of pay; does not smoke, drink, or use drugs; attends church regularly; will not manipulate for gain either for himself or his family; is dependable and morally pure; does not act "cool" or "hip" like his peers in the street; has pride in himself and is confident; may sleep in alleys but is always clean and shaved.

A truly worthy poor young woman: lives in public housing but only temporarily; has illegitimate children conceived prior to Christian conversion; is now celibate; tithes her welfare check and food stamps; is a high school dropout but manages well with limited resources; places a high value on education and nutrition for her children; walks everywhere (grocery store, church, school, welfare office) with her children to save bus fare and keeps her sparsely furnished home spotless; occasionally runs out of food by the end of the month but will not beg from friends even if her children are hungry, because this violates welfare rules.

A truly worthy poor family: is devout, close-knit; has a responsible father working long hours at minimum wage wherever he can find work; has a mother who makes the kids obey, washes clothes by hand, and will not buy any junk food; lives in overcrowded housing; will not accept welfare or food stamps even when neither parent can find work; always pays the bills on time; has no automobile; has kids who do not whine or tell lies.

I want to serve truly worthy poor people. The problem is they are hard to find. Someone on our staff thought he remembered seeing one back in '76, but he can't remember for sure.

Someone else reminded me that maybe to be truly poor means to be prideless, impatient, manipulative, desperate, grasping at every straw, clutching the immediate with little energy left for the future.

But truly worthy? Are any of us truly worthy?3

The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me. (Matthew 26:11)

"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, (Luke 4:18)

Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." (Matthew 19:21)

I have not been blessed because I am such an exemplary human being. I am blessed because God is such a gracious, merciful, loving Father.

So, I care for the poor because I have been given so much. I reach out to them to comfort and encourage them. I dare not condemn them as unworthy. Who am I to judge their heart? If they are hungry, they need food. If they are thirsty, they need water. If they are homeless, they need shelter.

The homeless are a different demographic than they were a generation or two ago. Today, it is common to see people with advanced degrees, those who have held positions of high responsibility, who now find themselves without a home or a job. We do not know what brought them to this condition. But we know the One who can help them out of it.

ATTITUDE TOWARD THE SICK

When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick. (Matthew 8:16)

Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. (Matthew 10:8)

Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. (James 5:14-15)

We not only must reach out to those who have fallen into the mud of society. We must also care about those who are sick. It could easily be me who cannot overcome an illness. I cannot afford to judge a person who is ill. How can I know what brought on their illness. How can I presume to judge them for lack of faith or purity?

My responsibility is to reach out to them, care for them, and nurture them. Nor should I fail to pray for them as well. We know that Jesus’ stripes are for our healing. And Peter reminds us that provision was made in the past for our healing but is available in the present (1 Peter 2:24).

ATTITUDE TOWARD THE PRISONER

I am so thankful there is a growing ministry to those who find themselves living behind bars. I am convinced the greatest rewards will go to those who minister to the ones who can give them absolutely nothing in return except thanks—and sometimes not even that.

William Booth, cofounder, with his wife Catherine, of the Salvation Army, had such a heart for those who did not seem to know how to get out of their rut in life. Booth cried:

While women weep, as they do now, I'll fight; while little children go hungry, I'll fight; while men go to prison, in and out, in and out, as they do now, I'll fight; while there is a drunkard left, while there is a poor lost girl upon the streets, where there remains one dark soul without the light of God, I'll fight! I'll fight to the very end!4

So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, (2 Timothy 1:8)

yet I appeal to you on the basis of love. I then, as Paul—an old man and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus—I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, who became my son while I was in chains. Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me. I am sending him—who is my very heart—back to you. (Philemon 1:9-12)

Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering. (Hebrews 13:3)

As the above authors remind us, our care of prisoners, as with poor or homeless, is not judgmental. Our efforts are redemptive not punitive. We reach out because it could easily be us looking at the world through bars. Jesus died for them. How can I not love and care for them?

REVIEW:

What are the categories of people Jesus named in this passage in Matthew 25?

How should we guard our attitude toward those persons?

What if they are in that condition because of their own foolishness?

What would Jesus do?

“The King will answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.'” (Matthew 25:40 NAU)

CHAPTER 9: THE HORSE GATE

Guarding Our Leaders

Above the Horse Gate the priests carried out repairs, each in front of his house. (Nehemiah 3:28 NAU)

and above the Gate of Ephraim, by the Old Gate, by the Fish Gate, the Tower of Hananel and the Tower of the Hundred, as far as the Sheep Gate; and they stopped at the Gate of the Guard. (Nehemiah 12:39 NAU)

The Horse Gate is identified by historians with the Guard Gate. This gate was associated with the prison. This was also from whence the palace guard kept watch over the king and other leaders. They were the Secret Service of ancient Israel. It was their job to make sure the King and his cabinet of officials was safe from enemy intrusion.

I sometimes teach a study on caring for our leaders, taken from the life of Moses, specifically Exodus 18. There is not sufficient space to include that study here. It will have to wait for another time. Nonetheless, let us highlight some of the ways we are instructed to protect and care for our leaders.

PRAYING FOR OUR LEADERS

I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. (1 Timothy 2:1-2)

The mandate in this passage is that we pray

>    For Our national leaders,

>    For all in authority over us,

—    Making specific requests for them,

—    Making intercession on their behalf, and

—    Giving thanks for them.

The result of praying for our civic and spiritual leaders is that we live

>    peaceful,

>    quiet,

>    godly, and

>    holy lives.

Where there is no unified vision, everyone does what is right in his or her own eyes. Unity is one of the consequences of praying for our leaders. That might be one of the reasons Jesus prayed for unity among us when he interceded for us in the Garden.

Where there is no vision, the people are unrestrained, (Proverbs 29:18 NAU)

very man did what was right in his own eyes. (Judges 17:6b NAU)

The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, But a wise man is he who listens to counsel. (Proverbs 12:15 NAU)

Every man's way is right in his own eyes, But the LORD weighs the hearts.(Proverbs 21:2 NAU)

If what we are hoping for never comes to fruition, we begin to lose faith. One Proverb says it even makes our heart sick. If our hope is grounded in the Lord, truly in Him and not just what He does for us, we will never be disappointed.

Hope deferred makes the heart sick, But desire fulfilled is a tree of life. (Proverbs 13:12 NAU)

Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life. (Proverbs 13:12 KJV)

Now while the bridegroom was delaying, [The Ten Virgins] all got drowsy and began to sleep. (Matthew 25:5 NAU)

When hope is deferred, we all become weary and lethargic. Thus, while we are numb from distraction and discouragement, our spiritual and emotional oil burns out. But the wise are prepared for such events and replenish their oil from the supply they bring with them.

When our vessel is full of the Oil of the Spirit, we are like the congregation I read in the Sunday morning news, a short while ago, speaking of a storefront Pentecostal church in Harlem. “Religion here is not some sober, introspective journey or Sunday chore, but a raucous communal celebration that spills throughout the week.”1

Remember, regarding the passage I diagrammed above, when the Lord makes a promise, He keeps it.

Not one of the good promises which the LORD had made to the house of Israel failed; all came to pass. (Joshua 21:45 NAU)

"Blessed be the LORD, who has given rest to His people Israel, according to all that He promised; not one word has failed of all His good promise, which He promised through Moses His servant. (1 Kings 8:56 NAU)

All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. (Hebrews 11:13 NAU)

We are talking about praying for our leaders. Bill Hybels tells the following story to illustrate how important our relationship is to the Lord.

My dad was a very busy man who traveled all over the world. In order to get him at work, you had to go through a switchboard unless you knew the private number, which rang a phone right on his desk. He gave the number to a few select business partners, but all of his children had it. I still know that number…. We knew no matter how busy he was, we could call him any time on that direct line.

I have the same thing. The church has graciously provided me with a private line. It rings right on my desk. A few board members and elders have it for emergency purposes. My kids have that number.

In order to maximize my time, I have a car phone. Only a few people have that number, but my kids have it. They can call me any time, for anything. You know what? No voices sound sweeter to me than my kids' voices. When one of them says, "Hi, Dad," it won't matter what I'm juggling, because they are an absolute priority.

Now multiply that out exponentially—and listen to me: No one's voice sounds sweeter to God than your voice. "Hello, Father." There's nothing going on in the cosmos that would keep him from directing his full attention to your conversation or your request.2

Yes, we can always get through to God. There is never a busy signal, never an automated menu, never a voice message. God is always there. And He ALWAYS keeps His promises. So, let us never fail to pray for our leaders.

SUBMITTING TO OUR LEADERS

The Apostle Paul, living under one of the cruelest of the Roman Caesars, taught us the value of respecting and submitting to our civic authorities. If Paul thought it important to submit to rulers like Nero and his successors, how much more should we submit to our leaders, even when we don’t necessarily agree with their position.

Granted, there are issues on which we must take a stand; because there is a Greater Ruler who calls us to a higher standard. Even then, we must resist with respect and, as much as possible, without violating the laws of our land.

Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. For he is God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience. This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing. (Romans 13:1-6)

We are also to show respect and honor to our employers. Submitting to our employer is one of the expectations of our employment. If we don’t, we may not get paid. Or even worse, we may lose our job. Whether we like to accept it or not, our employment pays the bills. If we are disrespectful to our employer, we may find ourselves turning to God in despair. And our respect toward our employer is clearly seen by those around us. The same is true of our disrespect.

Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.(Hebrews 13:17)

The short book of Jude warns us about those who reject authority. He puts them in the same category as those who slander heavenly beings.

In the very same way, these dreamers pollute their own bodies, reject authority and slander celestial beings. (Jude 1:8)

And, let us be submissive and respectful to our spiritual authorities as well. They, far more than our civic leaders, are watching out for the pitfalls that may entrap our spiritual being.

The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching.(1 Timothy 5:17)

Paul further exhorts us to be submissive to our marriage partner. And be careful to note that this exhortation is to men and women alike in the beginning verses of the passage.

and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ. (Ephesians 5:21 NAU)

Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. (Ephesians 5:22 NAU)

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, (Ephesians 5:25 NAU)

TRUSTING IN OUR LEADERS THROUGH GOD

One of the more difficult things God asks us to do is to trust another human being to fulfill the will of God for us. That can be a bit scary, actually. On the other hand, our trust is not in the person alone. We trust that God will lead them. Our trust is primarily in God, not the person.

If we find ourselves under the care of a spiritual leader who is not being sensitive to God, there are guidelines given in the Pastoral Epistles to deal with such a leader. Even then, it must be done with a gentleness and humility. Too often, a haughty attitude on the part of the exhorter destroys any good that could come from attempting to correct a brother or sister. We tend to forget that the process of correction is to be redemptive not destructive.

Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. (1 Peter 2:13-14)

Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. (Psalm 20:7)

We soon forget that God is able to use even an evil leader to bring about His purposes. How many times in the Old Testament did the Lord use godless leaders to bring about His purpose for Israel? And do not forget that God used the Roman rulers in the first century of the Church to spread Christianity throughout the civilized world.

REVIEW:

What is our responsibility to civic leaders?

What if the leader is ungodly and repressive toward Christians?

What is our responsibility to our spiritual leaders?

Must we blindly follow a spiritual leader without regard to whether or not he or she is hearing the voice of the Lord?

CHAPTER 10: THE SHEEP GATE

Learning to Follow Our Leaders

Then Eliashib the high priest arose with his brothers the priests and built the Sheep Gate; they consecrated it and hung its doors. They consecrated the wall to the Tower of the Hundred and the Tower of Hananel. (Nehemiah 3:1 NAU)

Now there is in Jerusalem by the sheep gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew Bethesda, having five porticoes. (John 5:2 NAU)

The Sheep Gate is legendary. This is the gate the shepherds of old would bring their various flocks into the city walls at night for protection from wild animals and thieves. In parts of the world, shepherds still follow that practice today.

As they approach the city gates, there appears to be one gigantic, confusing mass of sheep. But as the shepherds begin to call out in each distinctive voice to their particular sheep, the sheep begin to follow their own shepherd.

John 10 is our favorite story of Jesus as the Great Shepherd leading, watching over, and protecting His flock—even with His own life.

FOLLOWING THE RIGHT LEADER

As the above illustration demonstrates, those who belong to the Lord will follow only Him. They will not follow the voice of any other shepherd.

David, the author of Psalm 23, himself a shepherd, and the son of a shepherd, later to be known as the “Shepherd King” of Israel, stated explicitly, “The Lord is my Shepherd.” To whom did he refer? He referred to Jehovah, the Lord God of Israel.

His statement was confirmed by Jesus the Christ. When He was God incarnate amongst men, He declared emphatically, “I am the good Shepherd.” But who was this Christ? Our view of Him is often too small—too cramped—too provincial—too human. And because it is, we feel unwilling to allow Him to have authority or control—much less outright ownership of our lives.1

>    Following the Good Shepherd

"I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. (John 10:1-5)

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. (John 14:6 NAU)

>    Imitators of God

Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children. (Ephesians 5:1)

The apostle Paul, in writing to the church at Ephesus, encouraged them to be like God, to imitate God himself. That is an impossibly tall task for us, isn’t it? Who of us can be like God? On the other hand, since God has sent His Spirit to dwell within us, we have no excuse for not being like God.

>    Imitators of Spiritual Leaders

You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. (1 Thessalonians 1:6)

As Paul, in his first epistle, addressed the church at Thessalonica, he applauded them for their imitation of him and of the Lord. In his writing to the church at Corinth, Paul encourages them to the same. It takes a confident individual to encourage others to follow Christ by following him or her. On the other hand, that is the best way to encourage others to follow Christ.

Therefore I urge you to imitate me. (1 Corinthians 4:16)

>  Imitators of the Church

For you, brothers, became imitators of God's churches in Judea, which are in Christ Jesus: (1 Thessalonians 2:14)

And who is the Church other than the corporate Body of Christ—all those who have determined to follow him. So, we encourage one another along the path as we all do our best to follow our Leader, Jesus Christ.

KNOWING THE SHEPHERD'S VOICE

The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice." (John 10:3-5)

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. (John 10:27)

How do we learn to distinguish the voice of our Shepherd? By listening to Him over and over. Soon we will recognize that voice anywhere. His voice will clearly rise out of the multitude of voices bombarding us. We will sense that unique loving tone that is missing in all the other voices.

Prenatal doctors now encourage expectant mothers to read or sing aloud to their unborn child. Fathers often get in on the act as well. I am intrigued by how young an infant can recognize its mother’s voice. Often the voice of a stranger causes the baby to cry or withdraw. But as soon as it hears Mother’s voice, everything is alright.

The more time we spend listening to the voice of our Shepherd, the more we are able to recognize His voice. Listening to His voice coming from His written word and through the voice of Holy Spirit is essential training for following our Shepherd.

PROTECTED BY THE SHEPHERD

"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. "I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. (John 10:11-15)

How could anyone not want to follow a Shepherd who is willing to lay down His life for the lambs under His care? The parable of the lost sheep in Luke 15 is so telling. Jesus explains in this passage that the Shepherd cares so much for the one who is lost that He leaves the ninety nine in the fold and goes after the one who is lost.

If we cared for the lost sheep nearly as much as Jesus does, we would spend more time going after the lost sheep rather than pampering the ones who are safe. The sheep in the fold need attention but not nearly as much as the one whose very life depends on being found before the predator gets to him or her.

PROVIDED FOR BY THE SHEPHERD

The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. (Psalms 23)

The Good Shepherd always takes care of His flock. No matter the nature of the need, He will always meet it. If the lamb needs extra nurturing, He will feed it with a bottle. If it has injured itself, he will put salve on the wound. If it has been threatened by a predator, the Shepherd will stand guard, placing His own life between the enemy and His lamb.

"I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. (Matthew 16:18 NAU)

My former district superintendent, employer, and good friend, Roland Peretti, frequently reminded us of the principle that the Church belongs to God. And He will build His Church; the gates of Hell will not overcome it, will not be victorious over it, and cannot withstand it. God will build His church.

REVIEW:

What is the purpose of the gate we studied in this chapter?

How does that name impact our daily life?

In what ways is Jesus Shepherd of our lives?

CHAPTER 11: THE FISH GATE

Guarding the Places of Commerce

Now the sons of Hassenaah built the Fish Gate; they laid its beams and hung its doors with its bolts and bars. (Nehemiah 3:3 NAU)

"On that day," declares the LORD, "There will be the sound of a cry from the Fish Gate, A wail from the Second Quarter, And a loud crash from the hills. (Zephaniah 1:10 NAU)

The Fish Gate was the place of commerce, the location for buying and selling of merchandise, produce, and livestock. It was here that one's personality and integrity rose to the surface. A merchant's reputation was, and still is, largely based on his integrity. Could you trust him or her to be honest in business dealings?

Here we guard our places of business against the principles and attitudes of this world. We apply, instead, the principles of God's Word to our business affairs

Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor. Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. (Romans 13:7-8)

PAY OUR TAXES

One of the most disappointing things I see today is followers of Christ bragging about avoidance of taxes. Jesus paid taxes, even though He is the Owner, Ruler, and Creator of everything on earth. I might add that Jesus paid taxes to a less than stellar government. He taught his followers to do the same. And he made it clear that our effort should not be to see how many ways we can "beat the system" and avoid paying taxes we genuinely owe.

Nonetheless, we should be good stewards and take every legitimate tax deduction we are allowed. But we should not be dishonest—not even to the intent of the tax law much less the actual tax code. Outsmarting the Internal Revenue Service is not a worthwhile ambition.

BE HONEST IN BUSINESS AFFAIRS

Do not use dishonest standards when measuring length, weight or quantity.(Leviticus 19:35)

Use honest scales and honest weights, an honest ephah and an honest hin. J am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt. (Leviticus 19:36)

This requirement concerning weights and standards covers measurement of length as in garment material, weight as in spices or precious metal, and number as in vegetables or baked goods. The ephah measures bulk solids such as grain; the hin measures liquids such as oil or wine.

This passage pretty much covers the bases when it comes to showing honesty in our business dealings. God left little to our imagination. He wants us to be honest in all aspects of business. In other words, we should be above reproach in every form of measurement we experience including our time.

And did you notice the motivation He gave for them to deal honestly? He reminded them how He had dealt honestly with them in bringing them out of Egypt. The Lord wanted them to remember how He had taken care of them in Egypt and had seen their suffering and brought them safely through the Red Sea. If He cares enough to take care of them under those conditions, He certainly cares enough to take care of them if they will be honest in business.

BE HONEST WITH OUR EMPLOYERS AND CUSTOMERS

When you arrive at work late do you round your timecard to the previous quarter hour or the next one? When you leave early? When counting items to sell, do you short count when you think no one will know, or do you add a few extra to be sure?

Jesus would teach us, along with the Apostles’ writings, both the employer and the employee are to be servants. The employee is to serve the desires of the employer; and the employer is to concern himself with the welfare of the employee.

“You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave—just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” (Matthews 20:25-28 NKJV)

Notice that Jesus reminded His disciples that He is asking nothing of them that He has not already modeled for them. He, the Master of the Universe, came to become a part of His creation—not to be served by us but to serve us—even to the ultimate act of humility and sacrifice, giving His life for us.

Though he was God, he did not demand and cling to his rights as God. He made himself nothing; he took the humble position of a slave and appeared in human form. And in human form he obediently humbled himself even further by dying a criminal's death on a cross. (Philippians 2:6-8 NLT)

If servanthood is the secret to spiritual greatness and becoming all that God has ordained for us, we need to find out the best way to be good servants. And I know of no better way to do that than to review the key signals found in the Word of God regarding servants. Jesus, again, is our best example.

SERVANTS ARE CHOSEN BY THEIR MASTER

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. (John 15:16)

Harry Emerson Fosdick has a way of making a valid point in a homespun sort of way “It is this way. The Lord, he is always voting for a man; and the devil, he is always voting against him. Then the man himself votes and that breaks the tie. No man need stay the way he is.”1

We may think that we sought the Lord until we found Him. In reality, it was the other way around. As we previously noted in Luke 15, the Shepherd goes looking for the lost sheep. If the sheep knew how to find the Shepherd, she wouldn’t be lost.

Yes, we must respond to Him when He calls for us. We must allow Him to rescue us from the precipice. I have seen many lost animals run from us once we found them. Being sought by the Shepherd is no guarantee we will make it safely to the fold. We must yield to Him in response to His call.

A GOOD SERVANT WILL BE A FRIEND TO HIS MASTER

Sometimes, being a friend is not the easiest choice to make. Yet, when we are willing to leave behind our own desires for the sake of another, the consequences can be long-lasting, even life-changing.

Charles Dickens' classic Tale of Two Cities presents a wonderful illustration of John 15:13.

Set during the French Revolution, it is the story of two friends, Charles Darnay and Sydney Carton. Darnay is a young Frenchman who has been thrown in a dungeon to await the guillotine. Carton is a wasted English lawyer whose life has been one of careless reprobation.

In a beautiful allegory of Christ's atonement for us, Carton slips into the dungeon and exchanges clothes with the prisoner, allowing Darnay to escape.

The next morning, Sydney Carton makes his way up the steps that lead to the guillotine. His final words are triumphant “I see the lives for which I lay down my life, peaceful, useful, prosperous and happy, in that England which I shall see no more—it is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known.”2

“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down ones life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.” (John 15:13-15 NKJV)

Since we have such a friend, the Good Shepherd who lays down His life for His sheep, we have good reason to be such a friend ourselves.

A SERVANT FRIEND WILL TRUST HIS MASTER

Scripture records, in both the Old Testament and the New, Abraham believed God; and his believing was counted as righteousness by God. Since God uses an accounting term here, we get the picture of God looking at Abraham’s acts of faith and determines they should be marked as assets on the righteousness column of the ledger.

In spite of his many tormenter friends and his wife, not to mention Satan himself, Job held firmly to his integrity. I love that statement. I try to hold firmly to my integrity. But, no matter how hard I try, I slip from time to time and cause mars to appear in my integrity. So I try all the harder to keep my integrity pure.

Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him. (Job 13:15 NKJV)

Ted Engstrom gives a succinct definition of integrity followed by an excellent illustration:

Simply put, integrity is doing what you said you would do. It means you keep your promises. When you promised to be faithful to your mate, integrity says you'll stay with that person no matter what—for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health.

If you promised the Lord that you would give Him the glory, integrity means you keep on doing that whether you're reduced to nothing or exalted to the highest pinnacle on earth.

If you promised a friend that you would return a call, integrity means you return it.

If you promised your child that you would spend Saturday together, integrity means you keep that appointment. A promise is a holy thing, whether made to a chairman of the board—or to a child.3

A TRUSTING SERVANT IS FAITHUL TO HIS MASTER

“Hear now My words: If there is a prophet among you, I, the LORD, make Myself known to him in a vision; I speak to him in a dream. Not so with My servant Moses; He is faithful in all My house. I speak with him face to face, Even plainly, and not in dark sayings; And he sees the form of the LORD. Why then were you not afraid to speak against My servant Moses?” (Numbers 12:6-8 NKJV)

Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus; Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house. For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house. For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God. And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after; But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end. (Hebrews 3:1-6 KJV)

“Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing.” (Matt 24:45-46 NKJV)

Trust in our Master is much more than verbal assent to a philosophy. Trust enables us to act on behalf of our Master. If I trust my Master, I will not draw back from following Him. Nor will I resist following His orders. Because I trust Him, I know whatever He asks me to do will ultimately turn out for my benefit.

Will Rogers, that great homespun philosopher of a couple generations ago, said: “Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there.”4

Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin. (James 4:17 NAU)

A FAITHFUL SERVANT SPEAKS TO HIS MASTER FACE TO FACE

We will not become the friend of God like Abraham nor be counted faithful like Moses unless we spend time alone with the Lord. We must never forget the priority Jesus gave to Martha when she complained about her sister, Mary. Sitting at the feet of Jesus is never wasted time. It is essential to our very being.

Don't team up with those who are unbelievers. How can goodness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness? What harmony can there be between Christ and the Devil? How can a believer be a partner with an unbeliever? And what union can there be between God's temple and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God said: "I will live in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they will be my people. (2 Cor. 6:14-16 NLT)

A GOOD SERVANT FOLLOWS HIS MASTER FULLY

1 Samuel 14:11-14 When the Philistines saw them coming, they shouted, "Look! The Hebrews are crawling out of their holes!" Then they shouted to Jonathan, "Come on up here, and we'll teach you a lesson!" "Come on, climb right behind me," Jonathan said to his armor bearer, "for the LORD will help us defeat them!" So they climbed up using both hands and feet, and the Philistines fell back as Jonathan and his armor bearer killed them right and left. They killed about twenty men in all, and their bodies were scattered over about half an acre. (1 Samuel 14:11-14 NLT)

What a picture of following our Master. Israel, as so many times throughout history, found themselves in a mess. Their sworn enemy, the Philistines, had such a hold over Israel that they were not allowed to have weapons. They were not even allowed to have the tools to sharpen their farming equipment. They had to take the tools to Philistine to have them sharpened.

So at the time of this event, only King Saul and Jonathan had swords. Not a very well equipped army.

To make matters worse, the Philistines had divided their ranks into three divisions. Now Israel couldn’t know which direction to expect an attack. Jonathan seemed to have the idea that sitting around waiting for the enemy to destroy them was not a great plan. So he convinced his armor-bearer to join him in a test of the Philistines attitude and the Lord’s provision.

Jonathan and his aid found themselves not only at a great disadvantage regarding weapons; they were required to climb up a steep embankment where the Philistines had a clear view of them. In fact, the enemy called out to them, taunting them for their foolishness. Furthermore, the Philistines did their best to draw Jonathan and his armor-bearer into a skirmish. The Philistines knew there would be no contest. Jonathan didn’t stand a chance.

I strongly suspect if I had been the armor-bearer in this situation, Jonathan would have been on his own—all alone facing the enemy. But this young man knew Jonathan. He knew he could trust him. If Jonathan said the Lord was on their side, then He surely must be. So, the soldier followed Jonathan into an impossible situation.

The results were anything but predictable. The two of them, at great disadvantage, climbed that rugged ridge, using both hands to climb. This left them totally vulnerable to the enemy. That Jonathan and his armor-bearer killed twenty Philistines that day was nothing less than following the leader into God’s victory.

No, dear brothers and sisters, I am still not all I should be, but I am focusing all my energies on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us up to heaven. (Philippians 3:13-14 NLT)

W.B. Hinson liked to tell the story of a cobbler who lived in Edinburgh. One day the newly installed minister of the shoemaker's church made his first call at the shoe shop. As the pastor talked, he used some lofty theological language. The cobbler replied with understanding and deep spiritual insight that left the preacher astonished.

"You should not be cobbling shoes," he said. "A man with such thoughts and such a manner of expressing those thoughts should not be doing secular work." The cobbler was quick to reply, "Sir, take that back!"

"Take what back?" asked the preacher.

"That I am doing secular work," responded the shoemaker. "Do you see that pair of shoes? They belong to widow Smith's son. Her husband died last summer. She is supported by her boy, who keeps a roof over their heads by working outdoors every day. Bad weather is coming. The Lord said to me, `Will you cobble widow Smith's boy's shoes so he won't catch cold and come down sick this winter?' And I said, `I will!'

Now you preach sermons under God's direction, I trust. And I will cobble that boy's shoes under God's direction. One day when the rewards are given out, He will say to you and me the same sentence, `Well done, thou good and faithful servant.'"5

What kind of servant am I? Am I a friend of God? Am I faithful to God? Do I furnish my temple for God? Do I follow Him fully?

Have Thine Own way, Lord

Have Thine Own way.

Thou art the Potter.

J am the Clay.

Mold me and make me

After Thy will.

While J am waiting

Yielded and Still.6

REVIEW:

What area of our heart are we guarding in this Horse Gate or Gate of the Guards?

In What specific aspects of our life must we guard this particular gate?

Have you discovered any areas of this Gate of the Guards that you previously didn’t recognize as important to guard? If so, please elaborate.

CHAPTER 12: GATE OF THE ELDERS

The Jeshanah Gate

The Gate of the Elders does not occur as a proper name in the Bible, although there are numerous references to this gate throughout Scripture. The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia identifies this gate with the Corner Gate of the Old City, locating it on the northwest corner of the wall.1 Some translators have identified this as the Old Gate. It is more properly understood as Gate of the Old, thus the Elder Gate.

This gate is where the elders would congregate to do business, to hold court, to tell stories, and to spend time. By the time you get to be an elder, you learn that what is really important in life is people.

I have often heard it said by fellow ministers “I would really enjoy pastoring, if it were not for dealing with people.” Being a Pastor is about tending sheep. It is the word shepherd. You can't shepherd a building, a property, or even your office. You can't shepherd a constitution and bylaws. You can't shepherd a policy manual. You can’t even shepherd a ministry. You can't shepherd a sermon or a lesson. You can only shepherd sheep.

Let us look at some of the ways we learn to value people, especially those who have earned the right to be called an elder.

HONORING OUR PARENTS

"Honor your father and mother"–which is the first commandment with a promise– "that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth." (Ephesians 6:2-3)

The following illustration from a young mother gives a great reminder of how much we owe our own parents.

Not until I became a mother did I understand how much my mother had sacrificed for me. Not until I became a mother did I feel how hurt my mother was when I disobeyed. Not until I became a mother did I know how proud my mother was when I achieved. Not until I became a mother did I realize how much my mother loves me.2

I believe most of us can relate to that young mother. It is only when we began raising our own children that we began to understand the principles our parents did their best to instill in us.

But you say that if a man says to his father or mother, 'Whatever help you might otherwise have received from me is a gift devoted to God,' 6he is not to 'honor his father ' with it. Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition. (Matthew 15:5-6)

An interesting, but disturbing, practice had begun among the temple followers of Jesus' day. In order to avoid their responsibilities to the Fifth Commandment, in regard to their aging parents, they would take a portion of the resources that should have gone to caring for their parents and would earmark it as a gift to the temple. Therefore, legally, they could not use that money for any other purpose, even if they kept it in their own account, drawing interest, no doubt.

It would be no different than placing all your assets in a charitable trust earmarked for a benevolent purpose and telling your family you have nothing with which to help them. We have people today doing that in order to qualify for public assistance. How can we look at ourselves in the mirror when we are that dishonest and devious?

God cannot prosper a people who twist and take advantage of loopholes in order to line their own pockets. God says, "If you owe it, pay it." Period! This includes care for our aging parents.

I highly regard and applaud those who have taken into your home your elder parents, sometimes requiring much assistance with medical and caring concerns. God will honor you for that.

Illinois Bell reported not long ago that the volume of long-distance calls made on Father's Day was growing faster than the number on Mother's Day. The company apologized for the delay in compiling the statistics, but explained that the extra work involved with billing of calls to fathers slowed down the process of gathering statistics. You see, most of those calls to fathers were collect.3

This story about two teenagers comes from Jack Moore. It illustrates the perspective some of us may have exhibited in relationship to our parents.

One teenager was talking to another, "I'm really worried. Dad slaves away at his job so I'll never want for anything, so I can go to college. And Mom spends every day washing and ironing and cleaning up after me. She takes care of me when I'm sick."

The other kid says, "So what are you worried about?" The first teenager says, "I'm afraid they might try to escape."4

Let us pray that our children are gaining a better viewpoint on parenting than those two. And one of the ways our children learn to honor their parents is the way they see their parents honoring their grandparents.

RESPECTING OUR ELDERS

RESPECTING OUR ELDERS AS THEY TEACH US

There is much we can learn from our elders. I can think of few things more worthwhile than spending time listening to an elder talk about the things he or she has learned and experienced. In many cultures, this is the primary mode of learning.

Remember the days of old; consider the generations long past. Ask your father and he will tell you, your elders, and they will explain to you. (Deuteronomy 32:7)

Canada plans to have a national park on Ellesmere Island, the northernmost point in North America, just 480 miles from the North Pole. The park is very controversial. The permafrost there is so fragile that a footprint can last for decades. That sounds a lot like Longfellow's poem:

Lives of great men all remind us

We can make our lives sublime,

And, departing, leave behind us

Footprints on the sands of time.

On Ellesmere Island a visitor truly does leave footprints. In the larger sense we all leave footprints that last for decades. Some leave footprints that last for centuries. A few leave footprints that last forever.5

While his own life may have fallen short of perfection in some aspects, Benjamin Franklin was certainly right when he wrote, “There was never yet a truly great man that was not at the same time truly virtuous.” We cannot then completely agree with the man who said “great men have great faults."

While only Jesus Christ was perfect, true greatness must be built upon character and integrity.6

RESPECTING OUR ELDERS AS THEY HEAR US

There are very few things that will bring more encouragement and strength to a young Christian than to sit with elders and have them receive a report of the ministry you are doing. They can be such great encouragers. And they are not timid about pointing out things you should consider for the future.

When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and elders, to whom they reported everything God had done through them.(Acts 15:4)

Bruce Larsen reminds us, “One of the best ways to demonstrate God's love is to listen to people.”7

In most cases, when an elder corrects or exhorts, he or she does so with a gentleness and non-judging attitude that comes from reaching a point in life where you have nothing to prove to anyone. So, you are able to just be yourself and help others in whatever manner they will receive it.

RESPECTING OUR ELDERS AS THEY AFFIRM OUR MINISTRY GIFTS

Don't you love reading the Pastoral Epistles and observe how lovingly, yet firmly, the Apostle Paul encouraged and admonished the young pastors, especially Timothy and Titus.

I have always had a desire to be that kind of person. I haven't always succeeded. But my desire is to pour my life into the lives of young ministers so that they can benefit from my experience—both the successes and the failures. I love nothing more than helping a young pastor avoid a pitfall into which I have previously fallen headlong.

Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through a prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on you. (1 Timothy 4:14)

A.W. Tozer gives us a good insight into true spiritual service. “Religious work can be done by natural men without the gifts of the Spirit, and it can be done well and skillfully. But work designed for eternity can only be done by the eternal Spirit.”8

RESPECTING OUR ELDERS AS THEY LEAD THE CHURCH

If we fail to follow the leaders with whom we find ourselves working, then we likely will not be effective leaders. One of the primary qualifications of an effective leader is to be a good follower.

Even in a team environment, there has to be a team leader. Management by consensus is cumbersome at best and ineffective at worst. And teams who refuse to allow the team leader to direct their mutual efforts toward the desired result will often find themselves bogged down in disagreements and lack of forward movement. John Ruskin gives us a great insight to working effectively with others,

"Taking up your cross is carrying whatever you find is given you to carry, as well and stoutly as you can, without making faces or calling people to come back and look at you. All you have to do is keep your back straight and not think of what is on it—above all not boast of what is on it."9

The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching.(1 Timothy 5:17)

Great leaders seldom see their success in what they personally achieve. They see it as the result of pouring themselves into others. President Calvin Coolidge said it this way, “No person was ever honored for what he received; honor has been the reward for what he gave.”1^0

I have always enjoyed the studies and discoveries of Blaise Pascal. Perhaps one of the reasons is because he not only was a great philosopher and theologian; he was also a great mathematician, considered by many to be the father of the modern computer. He has a way of really putting things into perspective. Pascal states, “The saints have their power, their glory, their victory, their luster, and need no worldly or intellectual greatness.... God is enough for them.”1^1

RESPECTING OUR ELDERS AS THEY PRAY FOR US

Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord.(James 5:14)

“Few persons in Chicago were better known in certain religious circles than she, for she was continuously going to the missions, street meetings, conventions, camps, conferences, lectures and every kind of religious gathering within her reach. She was the living personification of aggressive evangelism, instant in season and out of season, ever exhorting sinners to flee the wrath of God and urging believers to plunge in the fountain of cleansing.”

So quotes a memorial article (Moody Monthly, September 1921) for ‘Auntie Cooke.’ She arrived in Chicago in 1868—in her words, ‘a perfect stranger,’ but it didn’t take her long to become involved in God's work, helping the YMCA on Madison Street. She attended Moody's church when he was young. Cooke described him years later as a 'diamond in the rough’—most truly, with the one desire to do good burning through everything, his very earnestness moving people, but withal such a lack in his teachings of the divine unction and power.

During a St. Charles camp meeting in 1871, she felt burdened for Moody—he needed an anointing of power from the Holy Spirit. She and her friend, Mrs. Hawxhurst, who usually sat on the front row, told Moody they were praying for him to be baptized with the Holy Ghost and fire. Moody was unsure this was a need; nevertheless, he asked the two ladies to meet with him in Farwell Hall every Friday afternoon to discuss this matter and pray.

Apparently his hunger increased. Cooke reports that on the Friday before the Great Chicago Fire, ‘Mr. Moody's agony was so great that he rolled on the floor and in the midst of many tears and groans cried to God to be baptized with the Holy Ghost and fire.’

Following the fire, Moody went to New York shortly thereafter to raise funds for the rebuilding of the church and YMCA building. In New York, while walking down Wall Street, the young preacher finally received the spiritual blessing they had prayed for. Moody felt such a sense of the Holy Spirit's filling that he cried, ‘Hold, Lord, it is enough!’

‘I went to preach again,’ Moody himself testified. ‘The sermons were no different; I did not present any new truths, and yet hundreds were converted. I would not now be placed back where I was before that blessed experience if you should give me all the world.’

Auntie Cooke continued in vigorous service and died in Chicago in 1921.1^2

Ours may be the role of an Auntie Cooke. We may not be long remembered or much acclaimed. But if we can strengthen and encourage someone who, in our stead, can make a great difference, we have earned the honor we desire the most—the applause of our Heavenly Father.

Let us make a concerted effort to honor the elders among us. They possess such wisdom and experience from which we can so richly benefit. What a shame it would be if we were to miss the opportunity to glean the wisdom of our elders.

REVIEW:

Who are some of the elders we should honor?

What are some ways we can honor elders among us?

If you are an elder, how have you used your age and wisdom to help young Christians?

CHAPTER 13: THE TOWER GATE

Seeing the Big Picture

"Behold, days are coming," declares the LORD, "when the city will be rebuilt for the LORD from the Tower of Hananel to the Corner Gate. (Jeremiah 31:38 NAU)

In the preceding chapter, we noted that the Gate of the Elders was likely the same as the Corner Gate. Being located on the northwest side of the wall meant this tower, build upon the wall, stood higher than the rest of the city—even before the tower was added.

From the tower, the watchman could see much further and much more than from any other location in the city. It is important to note that the watchman is not any taller, any wiser, or any more insightful than anyone else. He simply has a higher vantage point. So he can see more. Thus, the watchman can warn of pending danger, announce returning warriors, warn of approaching storms.

The LORD looks down from heaven on the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God. (Psalm 14:2)

Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days, keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies. Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their cry; (Psalm 34:12-15)

Seeing the big picture means having an understanding of the real purpose and meaning of life. One who can truly recognize the reason God placed him or her on earth has a distinct advantage over others.

When we begin to search Scripture, it doesn’t take long to determine that the real purpose of life is quite fundamental.

THE PURPOSE OF LIFE—From the Old Testament Perspective

I tried cheering myself with wine, and embracing folly—my mind still guiding me with wisdom. I wanted to see what was worthwhile for men to do under heaven during the few days of their lives. I undertook great projects: I built houses for myself and planted vineyards. I made gardens and parks and planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. I made reservoirs to water groves of flourishing trees. I bought male and female slaves and had other slaves who were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me. I amassed silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces. I acquired men and women singers, and a harem as well—the delights of the heart of man. I became greater by far than anyone in Jerusalem before me. In all this my wisdom stayed with me. I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor. Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 2:3-1 1)

The Preacher here draws a sharp contrast. In the early chapters, Solomon elaborates the futility of seeking pleasures and achievements. Not that pleasure and success are bad. They simply do not satisfy. Why? They do not focus on the real purpose of life. In the closing portion of Ecclesiastes, Solomon brings a clear, focused understanding of life—far different from what he described in the early chapters.

Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man.(Ecclesiastes 12:13)

FEAR GOD

Fear the LORD your God, serve him only and take your oaths in his name.(Deuteronomy 6:13)

The LORD commanded us to obey all these decrees and to fear the LORD our God, so that we might always prosper and be kept alive, as is the case today. (Deuteronomy 6:24)

Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience. (2 Corinthians 5:11)

We have often qualified fear, as shown in these passages as simply a holy reverence for God. We know who He is; therefore we respect what He is capable of doing to us. I believe it goes deeper than that. I believe what we are taught in the apostle John’s first epistle is key to understanding the fear of God.

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. (1 John 4:18 NAU)

The more we love, the less reason there is for fear. Love leaves no room for fear. The reason this is true has to do with trust. The more we love a person and spend time with them, the more we trust them. The more we trust them, the less reason there is to fear them.

KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS

And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, (Deuteronomy 10:12)

"Now fear the LORD and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshiped beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD." (Joshua 24:14-15)

But be sure to fear the LORD and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you. (1 Samuel 12:24)

but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments. (Exodus 20:6)

And speaking of love versus fear, Jesus taught us that loving God and keeping His commandments are inextricably linked together. I cannot love God without obedience to Him. I cannot obey God without truly loving Him. Notice these two passages.

"If you love me, you will obey what I command. (John 14:15)

If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, (John 15:10)

So much for the idea that it doesn’t matter what you do with your life so long as you have made a profession of faith. Jesus makes it very clear that our love for God and our obedience to Him cannot be separated.

PURPOSE OF LIFE—From the New Testament Perspective

Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself. (Matthew 22:37-3 9)

These words were Jesus’ response to the Pharisees. They had observed how Jesus put the Sadducees in their place regarding the resurrection of the dead. So they thought they would send one of their brightest scholars to trip Him up. This expert asked Jesus, “Master, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

Jesus did what scholars have been doing for centuries. He summarized the commandments into two simple categories. Love God. Love humanity. Note carefully the Decalogue, the Ten Commandments. The first half deals with how we honor God. The second half focuses on how we honor our fellow human.

Of course, we have the difficulty of the fifth commandment. If we are to divide the ten evenly, five in each list, that would place honoring our parents under the category of honoring God. I believe that is exactly what God intended. The way we treat our parents reflects directly on how we honor God. He is, after all, our Heavenly Father.

LOVE THE LORD WITH ALL YOUR HEART

Some people want to see God with their eyes as they see a cow and to love him as they love their cow—they love their cow for the milk and cheese and profit it makes them.

This is how it is with people who love God for the sake of outward wealth or inward comfort.

They do not rightly love God when they love him for their own advantage.

Indeed, I tell you the truth, any object you have on your mind, however good, will be a barrier between you and the inmost truth.1

The heart is the seat of emotions. It is that part of us that feels and reacts. In the Old Testament, it was often spoken of as the belly. We are sometimes cautioned to not become emotional when we worship. We are told that true worship is not emotion.

In reality, we cannot fully worship God if we do not worship with emotion. Our heart is the core of our being expressing itself to the One who made it. So, let us honor God by worshipping Him with all our heart.

"Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. (Matthew 12:34 NKJV)

These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. (Matthew 15:8 NKJV)

For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. (Matthew 6:21 KJV)

Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. (Matthew 5:8 KJV)

LOVE THE LORD WITH ALL YOUR SOUL

The soul is the basis of a person's being. It is the essence of our carnal person—our humanity. Literally, it refers to the breath of a person—what enables humans to remain alive.

We are to love God with all our being, all our humanity. With every breath we take, we should be thinking in terms of expressing our love to God. Saint Augustine, who led a very carnal life prior to his coming to Christ, offers the following:

Too late loved I thee, O thou Beauty of ancient days, yet ever new! Too late I loved thee! And behold thou wert within, and I abroad, and there I searched for thee; deformed as I was, running after those beauties which thou hast made. Thou wert with me, but I was not with thee.

Things held me far from thee–things which, unless they were in thee, were not at all. Thou calledst and shoutedst and didst pierce my deafness. Thou flashedst and shonest and didst dispel my blindness. Thou didst send forth thy fragrance, and I drew in breath and panted for thee. I tasted, and still I hunger and thirst. Thou touchedst me, and I burned for thy peace.2

For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?(Matthew 16:26 KJV)

Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims; abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; (1 Peter 2:11 KJV)

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12 KJV)

And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Thessalonians 5:23 KJV)

Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well. (3 John 1:2)

LOVE THE LORD WITH ALL YOUR MIND

The mind is the basis of our decisions and thoughts. We must honor God here, most of all. The things we allow our minds to dwell upon determine, in large degree, the direction our lives go. If we would have a life that is honoring to God, then we must think upon those things that honor God. Miguel de Unamuno offers this observation:

The living God, the human God, is reached, not by the way of reason, but by the way of love and of suffering. It is not possible to know him in order that afterwards we may love him; we must begin by loving him, longing for him, hungering for him, before knowing him.3

but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. (Romans 7:23)

The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. (Romans 8:6-7)

Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things. (Philippians 3:19)

and constant friction between men of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain. (1 Timothy 6:5)

Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother's way. (Romans 14:13)

For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:3-5)

C.H. Spurgeon gives a great illustration of the importance of the accuracy of a compass. The parallel to our lives is unmistakable.

The compass on board an iron vessel is very subject to aberrations. Yet, for all that, its evident desire is to be true to the pole. True hearts in this world and in this fleshly body are all too apt to swerve, but they still show their inward and persistent tendency to point toward heaven and God.

On board iron vessels it is a common thing to see a compass placed aloft, to be as much away from the cause of aberration as possible: a wise hint to us to elevate our affections and desires. The nearer to God, the less swayed by worldly influences.4

SUMMARY

He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God?(Micah 6:8 NAU)

>      With all our mind, we decide to do justice.

>      With all our soul, we live and love kindness.

>      With all our heart, we demonstrate an humble walk before our God.

Jesus summarized our purpose in life very simply: Love God; love one another. It is that simple. But it is not that easy. It takes our entire heart, mind, and soul committed to God in all these 12 gates of our life we have been studying. Just remember, what we are powerless to do by our flesh alone, God will do in us.

Unless the LORD builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; Unless the LORD guards the city, The watchman keeps awake in vain. (Psalm 127:1 NAU)

REVIEW:

In the Old Testament, how would we describe the big picture of life, our purpose for being here?

In the New Testament, what are we told about our purpose in life?

How did Jesus simplify understanding our purpose?

Does Jesus’ explanation have any Old Testament basis? If so, where would you find it?

CHAPTER 14: THE EASTERN GATE

Congregating at the Sound of the Trumpet

Kore the son of Imnah the Levite, the keeper of the eastern gate, was over the freewill offerings of God, to apportion the contributions for the LORD and the most holy things. (2 Chronicles 31:14 NAU)

The Eastern Gate was the place the twelve tribes of Israel would congregate when they heard the sound of the trumpet. Throughout the history of ancient Israel, we read of numerous trumpet calls. This instrument made from a ram’s horn has a distinctive, penetrating resonance. If you have been privileged to hear someone play the shofar, you will not soon forget its unique sound.

Israel was instructed to blow the trumpet in varying ways to distinguish the purpose for the call. Sometimes, the call was to come together for a celebration. Other times, it was to summon soldiers to battle. Still others were for a time of receiving critical information during a period of crisis.

Therefore, Israelites learned to recognize the specific purpose of the trumpet blast so that they would be prepared for the specific purpose of the assembly.

RALLYING WHEN WE HEAR THE ALARM

The LORD said to Moses: "Make two trumpets of hammered silver, and use them for calling the community together and for having the camps set out. When both are sounded, the whole community is to assemble before you at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. If only one is sounded, the leaders—the heads of the clans of Israel—are to assemble before you. When a trumpet blast is sounded, the tribes camping on the east are to set out. At the sounding of a second blast, the camps on the south are to set out. The blast will be the signal for setting out. To gather the assembly, blow the trumpets, but not with the same signal. "The sons of Aaron, the priests, are to blow the trumpets. This is to be a lasting ordinance for you and the generations to come. When you go into battle in your own land against an enemy who is oppressing you, sound a blast on the trumpets. Then you will be remembered by the LORD your God and rescued from your enemies. (Numbers 10:1-9)

During the years the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness, they were a nomadic people. They moved their tents, along with everything else they owned, as the leaders gave direction. And the process always began with the sounding of a trumpet. This was their signal that it was time to take action. The action that was to be taken depended on the specific sound of the trumpet.

RALLYING TOGETHER FOR THE LORD

and each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked. But the man who sounded the trumpet stayed with me. Then I said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, "The work is extensive and spread out, and we are widely separated from each other along the wall. Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, join us there. Our God will fight for us!" (Nehemiah 4:18-20)

When the three hundred trumpets sounded, the LORD caused the men throughout the camp to turn on each other with their swords. The army fled to Beth Shittah toward Zererah as far as the border of Abel Meholah near Tabbath. Israelites from Naphtali, Asher and all Manasseh were called out, and they pursued the Midianites. Gideon sent messengers throughout the hill country of Ephraim, saying, "Come down against the Midianites and seize the waters of the Jordan ahead of them as far as Beth Barah. " So all the men of Ephraim were called out and they took the waters of the Jordan as far as Beth Barah. (Judges 7:22-24)

One of the reasons Israel was called by the trumpet was to congregate them for some aspect of serving one another as they served their Lord. For the people who returned with Nehemiah, it was a signal they needed to pause their building of the walls long enough to assist a neighboring group who were being threatened by the enemy.

That is why they were instructed to carry a weapon in one hand and a tool in the other. There would not be time enough to go home and grab a weapon. By the time they did that, the battle would be over. That reminds us of Jesus’ example of the five foolish virgins and five wise ones. There was no time for them to go purchase oil for their lamps. They must be ready when the trumpet sounded.

We cannot afford to allow one another to be vulnerable to the enemy. When we see a brother or sister in jeopardy, we must come to their rescue. This is the one of the greatest sources of our strength in facing our enemy.

I am fascinated by ducks and geese. So the following article is of particular interest to me. In autumn, geese head south, flying in a V formation.

“As each bird flaps its wings, it creates an ‘uplift’ for the bird following. By flying in a "V" formation, the whole flock adds 71% greater flying range than if the bird flew alone.

Lesson 1: People who share a common direction and sense of community can get where they are going quicker and easier because they are traveling on the thrust of one another. [Remember Nimrod in Genesis 11?]

When a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of trying to fly alone and quickly gets back into formation to take advantage of the ‘lifting power’ of the bird immediately in front.

Lesson 2: If we have as much sense as a goose, we will stay in formation with those who are headed the same direction.

When the lead goose gets tired, it rotates back into the formation and another flies at the point position.

Lesson 3: It pays to take turns doing the hard tasks and sharing leadership—with people, as with geese, we are interdependent of each other.

The geese in formation honk from behind to encourage those up front to keep up their speed.

Lesson 4: We need to make sure our honking from behind is encouraging—and not something else.

When a goose gets sick or wounded or shot down, two geese drop out of formation and follow it down to help and protect it. They stay until it is able to fly again or dies. Then they launch out on their own, with another formation, or catch up with the flock.

Lesson 5: If we have as much sense as geese we too will stand by each other in difficult times as well as when we are strongest.1

Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. (Hebrews 10:25)

RALLYING TO CELEBRATE

One of the primary reasons for the sounding of the trumpet was to bring the people all together for a celebration. Celebrating together is of significant importance to the Body of Christ. Some see it as foolishness and waste of time. In reality, it is one of the more important things we do together. Few things encourage us more than celebrating together. The writer of Hebrews stated that coming together is of great importance— especially as we see the coming of our Lord drawing near.

Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. (Hebrews 10:25)

Zadok the priest took the horn of oil from the sacred tent and anointed Solomon. Then they sounded the trumpet and all the people shouted, "Long live King Solomon!" (1 Kings 1:39)

And in that day a great trumpet will sound. Those who were perishing in Assyria and those who were exiled in Egypt will come and worship the LORD on the holy mountain in Jerusalem. (Isaiah 27:13)

RALLYING TO BATTLE

The trumpet also was sounded for times of battle. If you pay particular attention to the passages that mention the blowing of the trumpet, you will notice that there is a different, distinctive sound for each occasion. That way, there would be no confusion as to the purpose of the assembly. Can you imagine the trumpet sounding for battle; but the soldier thought it was a call to celebration. He comes dressed in his finest evening wear with no weapon.

When the trumpets sounded, the people shouted, and at the sound of the trumpet, when the people gave a loud shout, the wall collapsed; so every man charged straight in, and they took the city. (Joshua 6:20)

Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet, summoning the Abiezrites to follow him. (Judges 6:34)

So Israel learned to know the meaning of each trumpet sound. When the call to battle sounded, they were able to grab their weapons, gird their garments, and assemble at the Eastern Gate. When the trumpet echoed a call to celebration, the people came together prepared to enjoy one another as they celebrated God’s provision for them.

RALLYING TOGETHER WITH THE LORD

The Apostle Paul reminds us that we do not work alone. And we do not work for the Lord. We labor together with Him. We dare not forget that anything we accomplish we do with the ability God gives us. As I have stated before, God has no Lone Rangers. We must work together to build His kingdom. And all we do is through His strength.

For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building. (1 Corinthians 3:9)

Not only do we labor together with the Lord, one day soon we will join together with Him. This is the day our fathers longed for, the day many died for, the day you and I wait for.

in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. (1 Corinthians 15:52)

For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17)

That final trumpet is the one I am waiting for. Our Lord will return for all of us who are waiting for the sound of that last trumpet. Regardless of where we are or what we are doing when we hear the trumpet, we will rush toward the Eastern Gate where we will meet with our Lord in the air.

Then we will be with Our Lord throughout eternity. We will never need another trumpet call, because we will never leave Him. And He will never leave us. We will have the greatest privilege ever afforded humankind. We will live and reign with our Savior and Lord forever.

Therefore encourage each other with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:18)

REVIEW:

Name some of the ways we rally at the sound of the trumpet. Then apply the importance of rallying in each of the ways.

SOURCES CONSULTED

Booth, William. "William and Catherine Booth." Christian History 26.

Dickens's, Charles. Tale of Two Cities. New York: Modern Library, 1996.

Draper, Edythe, ed. Draper's Book of Quotations for the Christian World. Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 1992.

Engstrom, Ted W. The Making of a Christian Leader. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan Publishing House, 1976.

Grimm, Roy. Christian Reader, 34.

Hewett, James S. Illustrations Unlimited. Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc, 1988.

Hybels Bil. “God's Attitude toward Prayer.” Preaching Today, Tape no. 97.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, 1st Ed. Edited by James Orr, M.A., D.D., General Editor, John L. Nuelsen, D.D., LL.D., Edgar Y. Mullins, D.D., LL.D., Morris O. Evans, D.D., Ph.D., Managing Editor and Melvin Grove Kyle, D.D., LL.D., Revising Editor. IBT Electronic ed. 5 vols. Grand Rapids, Mich.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1997.

Keller, W. Phillip. A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23. Minneapolis, Minnesota: World Wide Publications, 1970.

Kubler-Ross, Elizabeth. On Death and Dying. New York: Macmillan, 1969.

Lewis, C.S. Mere Christianity. New York: Collier Books, 1952.

Lindsay, Norman. "Assessment of Pastoral Preparation of Alaska Natives in the Assemblies of God." Springfield, Missouri: Assemblies of God Theological Seminary, 2006.

Lupton, Bob. "Fcc Urban Ministry." Leadership 12, no. 4.

MacDonald, Gordon. Ordering Your Private World. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1984, 1985.

_____ . Rebuilding Your Broken World. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1988.

Maxwell, John. “What Children Owe Their Parents (and Themselves),” Preaching Today, tape 140.

McLellan, Vern. The Complete Book of Practical Proverbs and Wacky Wit. Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 1996.

Moody, Dwight. Christian History, no. 25.

Palau, Luis. "Experiencing God's Forgiveness." Christianity Today, vol. 34, no. 1.

Pentz, Croft M. The Complete Book of Zingers. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 1990.

Phillips, Bob. Phillips' Book of Great Thoughts & Funny Sayings. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc, 1993.

Shannon, Robert C. 1000 Windows. Cincinnati, Ohio: Standard Publishing Company, 1997.

Smedes, Lewis B. Forgive and Forget: Healing the Hurts We Don't Deserve. New York: Pocket Books, 1984.

Spurgeon, C. H. The Quotable Spurgeon. Wheaton: Harold Shaw Publishers, Inc., 1990.

"Sunday Morning News." Fox News Online, 01-14-07 2007.

Thielemann, Bruce. "Christus Imperator." Preaching Today, no. Tape 55.

Tozer, A. W. Keys to the Deeper Life. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan Publishing House, 1988.

Warner, Jacqueline J. "Lite Fare." Christian Reader.

ENDNOTES

PREFACE

1http://www.airspacemag.com/history-of-flight/rust.html, accessed May 24, 2013.

CHAPTER 1

1http://www.sermoncentral.com/illustrations/sermon-illustration-randy-aly-stories-18069.asp, accessed May 24, 2013.

2Edythe Draper, ed. Draper's Book of Quotations for the Christian World (Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.,1992), Archbishop William Temple, entries 12 122-25.

3Various versions of this story have appeared on the Internet. None have so far been verified. But the lesson remains true.

4http://www.news-journal.com/features/local/forgiveness-a-gift-from-god/article_f8438d7b-8f53-51c9-850e-a03b7c35881e.html, accessed May 24, 2013.

5James S. Hewett, Illustrations Unlimited (Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 1988), 218.

CHAPTER 2

1Bob Phillips, Phillips' Book of Great Thoughts & Funny Sayings, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc, 1993), 193.

CHAPTER 3

1C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity (New York: Collier Books, 1952).

2Draper, entries 5792-94.

3Phillips,164.

5James S. Hewett, Illustrations Unlimited (Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 1988), 44.

6Ibid., 298-99.

7Draper, entries 11670-73.

8Ibid.

CHAPTER 4

1Elizabeth Kubler-Ross, On Death and Dying (New York: Macmillen, 1969).

2Robert C. Shannon, 1000 Windows, (Cincinnati, Ohio: Standard Publishing Company, 1997).

3Gordon MacDonald, Rebuilding Your Broken World (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1988).

CHAPTER 5

1Draper, entries 11216-19.

2Vern McLellan, The Complete Book of Practical Proverbs and Wacky Wit (Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 1996).

3Draper, entries 85 85-87.

4Ibid.

5Bruce Thielemann, "Christus Imperator," Preaching Today, no. Tape 55.

6Draper, entries 4068-71.

7Ibid.

8Lewis B Smedes, Forgive and Forget: Healing the Hurts We Don't Deserve, (New York: Pocket Books, 1984).

9Draper, entries 7808-11.

1^0Ibid., entries 11792-96.

1^1http://www.special-dictionary.com/proverbs/keywords/miser/, accessed May 24, 2013.

CHAPTER 6

1Norman Lindsay, "Assessment of Pastoral Preparation of Alaska Natives in the Assemblies of God," (Springfield, Missouri: Assemblies of God Theological Seminary, 2006).

2Brown, Driver, and Briggs; see also Harris, Archer, Jr., and Waltke.

3Hildebrandt, 177.

4Brown, Driver, and Briggs.

5The Old Testament Study Bible: 1 & 2 Kings, vol. 7, The Complete Biblical Library, 328.

6Ibid., 333.

7Strong’s Commentary accessed in BibleWorks, Norfolk, VA.

8Brown, Driver, and Briggs.

9Ibid.

1^0The Old Testament Study Bible: 1 & 2 Kings, vol. 7, The Complete Biblical Library, 333.

1^1Ibid., 331.

CHAPTER 7

1Croft M. Pentz, The Complete Book of Zingers (Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 1990).

2Ibid.

3Greg Asimakoupoulos, "Rolling Down the Aisle," Christian Reader.

4My cousin Shawna McDaniel.

5Luis Palau, "Experiencing God's Forgiveness," Christianity Today 34, no. 1.

6Roy Grimm, “Lamp? What Lamp?” Christian Reader, vol. 34.

7Jacqueline J. Warner, "Lite Fare," Christian Reader.

8C. H. Spurgeon, “Sin Obscures the Imminent Danger,” The Quotable Spurgeon (Wheaton: Harold Shaw Publishers, Inc., 1990).

9Shannon, “Forgetfulness.”

CHAPTER 8

1http://www.jmm.org.au/articles/20899.htm, accessed May 24, 2013.

2More Stories for the Heart compiled by Alice Gray (Portland: Multnomah Press, 1997), 32-33.

3Bob Lupton, “FCC Urban Ministry,” Leadership, vol. 12, no. 4.

4William Booth, "William and Catherine Booth," Christian History, vol. 26.

CHAPTER 9

1"Sunday Morning News," Fox News Online, 01-14-2007.

2Bill Hybels, “God’s Attitude toward Prayer,” Preaching Today, Tape no. 97.

CHAPTER 10

1W. Phillip Keller, A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 (Minneapolis, Minnesota: World Wide Publications, 1970), 15-16.

CHAPTER 11

1Draper, entries 1143-46.

2Charles Dickens's, Tale of Two Cities (New York: Modern Library, 1996).

3Ted W. Engstrom, The Making of a Christian Leader (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan Publishing House, 1976).

4McLellan, “Action.”

5W.B. Hinson, “A Breath of Fresh Air.” Preaching Today, tape 114.

6"Have Thine Own Way, Lord" is a Christian hymn with lyrics by Adelaide A. Pollard and music by George C. Stebbins was first published in 1907, in the "Northfield Hymnal with Alexander's Supplement." Later that year, it also appeared in two other popular hymnals, Ira Sankey's "Hallowed Hymns New and Old" and Sankey and Clement's "Best Endeavor Hymns."

CHAPTER 12

1International Standard Bible Encyclopedea, 1st Ed., ed. James Orr, M.A., D.D., General Editor, et al., IBT Electronic ed., 5 vols. (Grand Rapids, Mich.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1997).

2Hewett, 382.

3Ibid., 203.

4John Maxwell, “What Children Owe Their Parents (and Themselves),” Preaching Today, tape 140.

5Shannon, “Influence.”

6Ibid., “Virtue.”

7Draper, entries 7111-15.

8Draper, entries 10178-81.

9Shannon, “Pride.”

1^0Draper, entries 5895-98.

1^1Ibid., entries 5299-5301.

12”Dwight Moody,” Christian History, no. 25.

CHAPTER 13

1Draper, entries 4799-4801.

2Ibid., entries 4804-05.

3Ibid., entries 4802-03.

4Spurgeon, “Keeping Your Heart in Line,” The Quotable Spurgeon.

CHAPTER 14

1http://www.kubik.org/lighter/geese.htm, accessed June 3, 2013.

Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PREFACE

CHAPTER 1: REBUILDING THE ALTAR

CHAPTER 2: REBUILDING THE CITY

CHAPTER 3: THE FOUNTAIN GATE

CHAPTER 4: THE VALLEY GATE

CHAPTER 5: THE GARBAGE GATE

CHAPTER 6: THE EPHRAIM GATE

CHAPTER 7: THE MANASSEH GATE

CHAPTER 8: THE WATER GATE

CHAPTER 9: THE HORSE GATE

CHAPTER 10: THE SHEEP GATE

CHAPTER 11: THE FISH GATE

CHAPTER 12: GATE OF THE ELDERS

CHAPTER 13: THE TOWER GATE

CHAPTER 14: THE EASTERN GATE

SOURCES CONSULTED

ENDNOTES