Stand in the Gap!

I am so excited that I have my first guest blogger on Sandalfeet! And, I am even more excited because my guest blogger is my husband! I am so blessed to watch how God is using this man. Scott prepared this devotional for a men’s Bible Fellowship social event. I think it is a great word for all of us, but especially for men. If you are a man reading this, I pray it encourages you and challenges you. If you are a woman reading this, I pray it encourages and challenges you as well and I pray that you will forward it on to men in your life.

***********************************************
 
Ezekiel 22:30(1) (Ezekiel = Strength of God in Hebrew):
 
“I looked for someone who might rebuild the wall of righteousness that guards the land. I searched for someone to stand in the gap in the wall so I wouldn’t have to destroy the land, but I found no one."
 
This reminds me of my military basic training 25 years ago.  They would make us do sit-ups locked arm and arm.  Why? Because if everybody doesn’t do the sit up, it pulls you down.  See, one person not doing his part affects the entire group.  And I am sure some of you have seen war movies where the soldiers go shoulder to shoulder in an infantry line, protecting a bunker or an area.  They stay together so the enemy cannot advance through the line.  
 
This wall of righteousness to me looks the same.  It is a picture of our responsibility not just to those behind the wall or to those protected by the wall (our family, our church, our business, our friends), but also to those standing with us. We hold them up, pull them forward, and they do the same for us.
 
The picture of military training and war is also applicable.  A war was raging when God spoke these words to Ezekiel - a war of good versus evil - both a spiritual and physical war2.  There was a great need for a wall.
 
In Ezekiel 22:28-29, it says:
 
"[Y]our prophets ...  [announce] false visions and making lying predictions. They say, ‘My message is from the Sovereign Lord, when the Lord hasn’t spoken a single word to them.  The people of the land have practiced extortion and committed robbery. They have oppressed the poor and needy, and have extorted from the sojourner without justice.”
 
These were bad times – so bad that when God found no one, this was His response:
 
“So now I will pour out my fury on them, consuming them with the fire of my anger. I will heap on their heads the full penalty for all their sins. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!”  Ezekiel 22:31
 
Today, I believe we live in a very similar time, and I believe God is still looking.  He is still hoping we will stand up and fight the war; that we will stand in the Gap. 
 
But first, the question we have to ask ourselves is, are we able and willing to stand in the Gap?  
 
1.  To be able, we need to make sure we are standing in the Gap in the right wall?  
 
You see, it is not that people in the world today do not stand for things. They stand for lots of things - same sex marriage, abortion, legalized drugs – those are just some of the hotly debated topics today.  Just look at the man below.  He marched for hours on Easter Sunday (which also happened to be National Pot Day) protesting a ban on smoking pot.  He is certainly standing for something, and he is committed – a lot more committed to his cause than a great number of “Christians” I know are committed to Christ.
To me however, this picture is an illustration of how far we have fallen.  How our leaders have failed.  How they, and we, have completely abandoned God. But again - it is not a lot different from the day of Ezekiel.  
 
In verse from Ezekiel 22:26, God described the leaders’ actions:
 
“Your priests have violated my instructions and defiled my holy things. They make no distinction between what is holy and what is not.… They disregard my Sabbath days so that I am dishonored among them.”
 
I believe at the heart of what is wrong with our nation today is we have forgotten the holiness and authority of God.  We don’t hold Him on high.  We have tried to water Him down to be on our level, and as a result, the enemy is attacking our communities, our churches, our homes, our families, and our nation. Everything!  

So when we are standing, it is critical that we are standing in the Gap in the right wall – the wall Ezekiel told of in verse 30 - a wall of righteousness.  Not a wall with your buddies to protect yourself and your interests.
 
To stand in the Gap in a wall of righteousness, we have to be righteous.  And there is only one way - in Christ. 
 
God is the definition of righteousness (holy, just, loving, perfect); and man is definition of unrighteousness.  But what most of us are really good at is self-righteousness: Glorifying ourselves because of what we do; instead of God for what He has done.
 
In Philippians 3:9, Paul said: "I become righteous through faith in Christ." 
 
Paul said these words after talking about all the things he once thought made him righteous:
 
-he was pure blooded citizen of Israel and a member of the tribe of Benjamin (bloodline of King Saul)
-he was a member of the Pharisees (great knowledge)
 
We all at times count ourselves righteous because of what we do or who we are –
 
-because we make money and support our family
-because we go to our kids soccer games or show up for family dinner every night 
 
And all that is good, but by far the most important thing we can do is be a reflection of the righteousness of Christ, filling that Gap in the wall of righteousness.
 
Paul said of those self-righteous things: "I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done."  Philippians 3:8
 
So we must remember, it is a wall of righteousness. Standing in the Gap is less about us and more about Christ.
 
2.  Are we willing to take it seriously? 
 
I hope so, because it is serious. We are in a war and the enemy is very real. 
 
Ephesians 6:12 says:
 
"For we are not fighting against flesh- and- blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.”
 
The enemy will always take advantage of the Gap you leave when you are not there.
 
We all remember Hurricane Katrina and the destruction caused by breaches in the sea wall in New Orleans.  They thought they were spared because the hurricane was not as powerful as expected. But there was a problem.  The entire area was to be protected by a seal wall.  A sea wall designed to protect from flooding, but it did not work because of gaps (they called them breaches) in the wall.  It destroyed large areas of the city.  It didn’t matter that well over 90% of the wall was secure.  The gaps let the water in!  In life, even a small gap can cause lots of damage. 
 
The commission appointed to investigate what when wrong during Katrina concluded that:  
 
“The System did not perform as a system: the hurricane protection in New Orleans and Southeast Louisiana was a system in name only ... The system’s performance was compromised by the incompleteness of the system [and] the inconsistency in levels of protection..."
 
I think we sometimes have the same problems.  We focus on the things of the world, don’t pay attention to what matters, don’t take it serious, and we are incomplete and inconsistent.  Maybe we pray at dinner and go to church on Sundays, but we are not complete in Jesus, and as a result, the water is flooding our lives and destroying our communities, our churches, our homes, our families, and our nation.  
 
We need to ask ourselves:
 
-Are we hitting our knees in prayer each morning?
-Are we discipling our children and others?
-Are we leading our families in the Lord?
-Do we have our eyes on Jesus?
 
This is a 24/7 job.  You have heard the saying “if you are not paying attention to your wife, watch out because the devil will bring someone that will.”  Well, this is true in all parts of our life.
 
It is a BIG job.  It can be very hard - there will be pain and suffering, even pain and suffering for those protected by the wall (our family, business, etc.).  Because just like a sea wall that is complete and consistent with no gaps, sometimes the water goes over the wall, and this overflow water may test us and cause us some grief, but it is rarely fatal.  The engineers don’t solve for this problem.  But when there is a gap, like in Katrina, then there is massive and fatal destruction.
 
So don’t be discouraged when things are not going well in your family, in your business, whatever it is - don't stop standing. When water has come over the top of the wall - stay firm in the Gap.  Pray.  Remember God's timing is perfect. 
 
When Moses was at edge of Red Sea and the enemy was bearing down and people were complaining, Moses said to the people, “Don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the Lord rescue you today."  Exodus 13:14  And God showed up!
 
And Daniel (3), who had been fasting for 21 days and crying out to God in prayer to save his people from persecution, when he saw an angel of The Lord, the angel said to him “Don’t be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day you began to pray for understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your request has been heard in heaven. I have come in answer to your prayer." Daniel 10:12
 
What a beautiful picture of prayer and God’s timing!
 
I know in my life, I spent a ton of time standing in the Gap in a wall, but it wasn’t a wall of righteousness.  I even used to love that song “You’ve got to stand for something, or you will fall for anything.”  I loved that song and thought I lived it. You see, I had a code – the Spenser Code.  My son’s name is Spenser – named after the TV character Spenser for Hire.  Spenser was a good man - I loved his Code.  But he did not know Christ – nothing about him was in Christ.  That is the way I was.  I thought I was a man of purpose and respect.  I didn’t see my sin!
 
But I am thankful now that by the grace of God I can live in the righteousness of Christ.  I never want to go back to my old life – so I am going to fight to my death to stand in the Gap. 
 
For me, I have this beautiful picture in my mind of Christ locking arms with us, standing with us in righteousness.
 
We just have to do our part:
 
Stand firm, pray, be complete, be consistent in ChristDon't let that water flood your family, your church, your business, and your friends.Don't let the enemy attack through the Gap.And don't do it alone. Lock arms with each other and with Christ. 

It is His righteousness that provides the wall of protection!
 
Amen?
 
******************
NOTES:
 
(1)Prophetic Chapter re: I) prophecies of Israel's sin and impending judgment; II) prophecies against other nations; and III) prophecies concerning the restoration of Israel, uttered after the destruction of Jerusalem at the hands of Nebuchadnezzar.
 
(2)Ephesians 6:12-13 says:
"For we are not fighting against flesh- and- blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm."   God’s armor:  (1) belt of truth; (2) helmet of salvation; (3) breastplate of righteousness; (4) shield of faith; (5) shoes of peace; and (6) the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God
 
(3)Spiritual warfare with Persia and Greece; Daniel’s prophecies re: Greek empire were all fulfilled over a 300 year period.   

No Comments


Recent

Archive

Categories

Tags

Abortion Alcohol Ashkenazi Beer Blogger Blog Christian blogger Daniel Loeb Drinking Gay Marriage Holocaust Intoxicated Church Intoxicate Margaret Sanger New Year Paul Singer Private Sin Public Sin Sandalfeet Ministries Sandalfeet Spirits Tim Gill Wine #Emerge #LiveUnashamed #TurnOffTheDark 'Tis the Season 1 Corinthians 13 1 Peter 3:18 1 Timothy 1:12-16 180 the documentary 1973 1and3 2 Chronicles 7:14 2 Corinthians 2:5-11 2015 2016 Vote 2016 2019 2020 2023 2024 40th Birthday 62nd National Day of Prayer 63rd National Day of Prayer 8 A Few Thoughts About the Starbucks Red Cup A Generation in Crisis A Savior is Born A Shining Star Aaron Abbott and Costello Abraham Acts 16:31 Adultery Advent Calendars Advent Devotional Advent Wreath Advent Against the Grain Agape Alabaster Jar Alaska Airlines Albaster Jar Albie Pearson Alcohol All I Ever Needed to Know I Learned in Kindergarten Amanda Guyger Amber Gugyer American Church Ami Chapman Anglican Church Annie the Movie Are You Hurting Your "Friends"? Are You Hurting Your "Friends"? Are You Soaking Ascension Ash Wednesday Ashkenazi Ashley Madison Asma Al-Assad Assemble Aurora Auror Austin & Ally Austin Autumn Awaken Band-Aids Baptism of the Holy Spirit Barak Bashar Al-Assad Bathsheba Be a Voice for the Voiceless Beautiful Gate Beer Being Fed Beirut Attacks Bethel Music Bethseda Better Days Are Ahead Bible Fellowship Bible Museum Bible Study Bible Billy Graham Bishop TD Jakes Bitter Cup Blogger Boaz Bobbie Houston Boko Haram Born In A Manger Boston Marathon Botham Jean Brandt Jean Brian barcelona Bride BringBackOurGirls Brittany Maynard Broken People Broken things Burdens Busyness C.H. Spurgeon Caleb Castille Calling Canada Cancel culture Casting Crowns Catherine Mullins Change Charles H. Spurgeon Charles Spurgeon quotes Charles Spurgeon Charleston Church Shooting Charleston Chasing the Dragon Chick-fil-A Chicken Child Choose What is Better Christ-follower Christian Radio Christian blogger Christian blog Christian podcast Christianity Christian Christine Caine Christmas All Year Long Christmas Christy Nockels Church Climb a Tree Coffee Bar Colossians 3:13 Comfort Zone Comfortable Community Confirmation Contentment Content Cool Christianity Coop Coronavirus Corrie ten Boom Country Club Covid-19 Covid19 Craving God Ministries Creation Creator Cross Crown of Thorns D.C. DIY DOMA Dads and Daughters Dads Daily Devotional for Lent Daily Devotional Dallas Damascus Dandelions Daniel Loeb Darkness Darlene Zscheh Daughters Of the Deep Daughters Days of Elijah Deborah Defiance Deliverance Democrat Demon Possessed Man Dennis Bratcher Desensitization Deuteronomy Devotional for Lent Devotional Disorder Dominican Republic Don't Act Like a Chicken Don't Give Up Don\'t Give Up Don\\\'t Give Up Don\\\\\\\'t Give Up Donald Trump Doubt Dr. Tony Evans Drag Queen Reading Hour Drag Queen Drinking Dry Bones Dylann Roof ED Commercials Earthquake Easter Eight Practical Tips Election 2016 Election Elephant in the Room Elohim Emanuel A.M.E. Church Emanuel AME Emerge: It's Time To Turn Off The Dark Emerge: It's Time To Turn Off The Dark Emerge: It's Time to Turn Off the Darkness Emerge Emerging: Out of the Shadows of Voluntary Darkness Emerging Emily Lett Empty Tomb Encounters Entertainment Ephesians 1:3 Ephesians 2:8-9 Ephesians 2:8 Ephesians 6:12 Epiphany Erin Olson Erin Olson Dallas Erin Olson Sandalfeet Erin Olson Erin and Scott Olson Erin Esau Esperanza International Esther Evangelism Explosion Evangelism Evil Exodus 1:17 Ezekiel FORGIVEN If we are forgiven why can’t we forgive? How you can know if you are living in unforgive Facebook Live Facebook Faith Fall Family Relationships Family Fasting Father's Day Father's Day Festival of Unleavened Bread Fetter Firing Squad First Fruits First Great Awakening For Your Glory and For Me Forever 21 Forever Forgiveness - Unforgiveness : Revealed Through Your Fruits Forgiveness - Unforgiveness: Revealed Through Your Fruits Forgiveness Bible Study Forgivenes Forgivness Four Friends Friendship Friends Fruits of the Spirit Fruits Fruit Galatians 5:22-23 Garden of Gethsemane Gather Your Neighbors Gather Gay Marriage Gendercide General Revelation Genesis 3:15 Gentleness George Zimmerman Gerasenes Get Out of the Tree GetOurGirlsBack Gideon Gifts Give Credit To Whom Credit Is Due Give Gluten-Free God With Us God is Love God is With Us God is good God's Not Dead God's Will God's Word God's Not Dead God Golden Chord Good Friday Goodness Grace Greg Laurie Growth HIS Bridge Builders Habbakuk Haitian Earthquake Haiti Happy New Year Harvest America 2016 Harvest America Harvest What Does it Mean? Harvest Hate He is Risen Healing Healthy Habits Heart Heaven Kissed the Earth Hebrews 10:14 Hebrews 10:24-25 Hebrews 12:1 Helper Heroes of the faith Hillary Clinton Hillsong United Hipster Christianity His Redeemer Lives His Revelation Holocaust Holy Spirit Holy Week Holy Homeschool Home Hope Defined Hosanna in the Highest House of Prayer Human trafficking Hurricane I Can Only Imagine I Can ISIS Immanuel Impatience In N Out Instagram Intercession Intercessory prayer Intoxicated Church Intoxicate Is It Our Garden Moment Isaac Isaiah 7:14 Isaiah 9:6 Isaiah Israel It Takes A Village It'S Time To Turn Off The Dark It'S Time To Turn Off The Dark Jack Graham Jackie Pullinger Jacob Jael James MacDonald Jehovah-Jireh Jen Hatmaker Jeremiah 29:11 Jeremiah Jerry-Maguire Jessie Jesus Movement Jesus Revolution Jesus clubs Jesus is the Reason Jesus is the reason for the season Jesus' miracles Jesus' will Jesus Jim Cymbala Jimmy Valvano quote Jimmy Valvano Job 23:10 Job Joel Osteen John 10:10 John 14:6 John 15:1 John 3:16 John 8:12 John Hagee Join With The Angels Jonah Joy To The World Joy Judge Deborah Just Ask Erin Karen Wheaton Kari Jobe Kickstarter Kids Ramp Kindness King David King Herod King Hezekiah Kingdom Community Kingdom Winds Kirk-Cameron Lakewood Church Laodiceans Laodicea Las Vegas Leadership Legacy Lent Daily Devotional Lent Devotional Lenten Devotional Lenten Season Lent Let it Be Jesus Life Light In the Dark Light of the World Light Lioness Arising Lisa Bevere Listen to Him Liv and Maddie Live Unashamed Living Under an Open Heaven Lord's Prayer Lord's Supper Lot's wife Lot's wife Love Luke 10:42 Luke 11 Luke 2:46 Luke 2:7 Majestic Inspirations Majesty Malachi 1:2 Manchester Mandisa Manna Marathon Margaret Sanger Marilyn Monroe Mary Anoints Jesus Mary Magdalene Mary and Martha Matthew 12:21 Matthew 20 Matthew 21 Matthew 28:19 Matthew 5:9 Matthew 7:24-27 Mat May 7th May 7 Middle-class Mike Fechner Miracles From Heaven Miracles Missions Moms Mom Mordecai Moses Mother's Day Mother's Day Motherhood Motrin Movies Museum of the Bible Museum Music Muslim My Hope America with Billy Graham My Hope America NYC Names of God Narrow Gate Narrow Path National Day of Prayer National Prayer Walk Your Neighborhood National Prayer Walk Nehemiah Neighborhood New Beginnings New Blog New Year New York City NewSpring Worship Niagara Falls Nigerian Schoolgirls Nigeria No Longer Slaves Notes Obedience Oceans Of Mess and Moxie Office Shooting Olive Branch Olive Oil Olson On the Day of the Solar Eclipse One Thing is Necessary One Word One Year Later Open Heaven Operation Christmas Child Oregon's Death With Dignity Act Oregon's Death With Dignity Act Overcome Palm Sunday Parables Parents Pareto Principle Paris Attacks Paris Passion Passover Pastors Patience Paul Singer Peace On Earth Pecking Order Pentecost Perfect Timing Persection Peter Pick up Your Cross Planned Parenthood Podcaster Podcasts Podcast Pool of Bethesda PowerPoint Praise you in the Storm Praise Prayer Closet Prayer Room Prayer Works Pray Preparing for the Harvest Presence of God President Obama Presidential Race President Prestonwood Baptist Church Prestonwood Devotionals Prestonwood Easter Prestonwood Pregnancy Center Prestonwood Women's Ministry Prestonwood Priceless Priscilla Shirer Pro-gay Prodigal Son Progressive Christianity Progressive Promised Land Prophetic Word Proverbs 10:12 Proverbs 22:6 Proverbs 31 Psalm 118:1 Psalm 121 Psalm 31:19 Queen Esther Race Racism Rahab Raised to Life Rashness Rebuild America Red Cup Refrain Reinhard Bonnke Repent Republican Repurpose Reset 2016 Revealing Darkness Revelation 4:8 Revelation Rick Santorum Robert Fulghum Robin Hill Lane Robin Williams Roe v. Wade Romans 4:7-8 Romans 8:28 Ronnie W. Floyd Rooster Ruth SCOTUSA SYATP 2015 SYATP Sabbatical Year Sabbatical Samaritan's Purse Samaritan's Purse Same-Sex Marriage San Bernardino Sandafeet Sandalfeet Blog Sandalfeet Ministries Sandalfeet Minsitries Sandalfeet Santa Claus Santa Satan Say His name Scarlet cord Scott Olson Dallas Scott Olson Scott and Erin Olson Season Second Coming of Christ Second Great Awakening Second Kings See You At The Pole Self-control Senior Adults Senior Church Goers September 11 Serve Sex trafficking Sexual Abuse Shame Share the Message Shifting the Entertainment Atmosphere Sifting Silence Silent Night Simeon Simon Simplify the Season Sisera Sit At His Feet: Choose What is Better Sit At His Feet: Choosing What is Better Sit At His Feet Soak Social Media Sodom Solar Eclipse Solemn Solomon Sound The Trumpets Special Revelation Spenser Olson Spirit Rising Spirits Spiritual Atmosphere Spiritual Checkup Spiritual Food Spiritual Needs Spiritual Orphans the Book Spiritual Orphans: A Generation in Crisis Spiritual Orphans Spiritual Warning Signals Sprint Stand United Star of Hope Starbucks Start Serving Stop Complaining Stay Gold Stepping Out of the Boat Stormie Omartian Storms Storytellers Stress Strongholds Such a Time As This Supreme Court ruling Surrender Swim Upstream Syrian Conflict Syria TD Jakes Temple Construction Temple Temptation Tenacity Testimony Thankfulness Thankful Thankgiving Thanksgiving The American Humanist Association The Depot Podcast The Gathering The Great Commission The Katinas The King is Among Us The Mission of Motherhood The Ramp The Sisterhood The Tabernacle The Waiting Place The Weeping Prophet Theophany Third Child This I Beiieve Thomas S. Kidd Three Wise Men Tim Gill Time with God Timing Tony Evans Trafficking Transfiguration Trayvon Martin Triumphal Entry Twelve Days of Christmas Unashamed Unbelief Unforgiveness United 2015 Upstream Uzzah VBS 2012 VBS Vacation Bible School Valentine's Day Valentine's Day Vessel Vicky Valle Victor's Crown Virginia Grounds Virtual Academy Voice Institute Voluntary Darkness War Room Washington We Are Called to Forgive Weekend Project Weeping Prophet Whale What If What's in a Name Wheat and Weeds Who's on First? Who's on First? Wide Gate Wide Path Will You Stay Silent? Wine Wise Men Woman at the Well Woman-at-the-well Woodlawn Word for the Year Word of God Word of Life Words Works Worry Creates Pause Worship Music Worship Writing in the Sand Wubble Bubble Ball Wubble Bubble Yahweh Yes You Can You Are Not the Boss of You Your Love For Us Youth Zacchaeus Zechariah 9 Zechariah 'Tis the Season abortion adoption america anger authenticity author baby names blessing blog blood moons category 5 hurricane child abuse child trafficking children christians conversation crystal buck culture issues culture war culture densensitization depression divorce don't scroll don\'t scroll don\\\'t scroll east everlasting faithandforgive.com faithandforgive.org faithandforgiveness.org family family vision statement family mission statement stay-at-home mome flu epidemic flu vaccine flu forgivegod.org forgiveness forgive four blood moons fruit of the Spirit garth brooks god's approval governor abbott hand of God hand-of-god heart condition heroines hope housewarming shower hurricane harvey kinsman Redeemer legalism lost lukewarm marriage media ministry mobile sonograms mustard seed myhopeamerica.org nasa nineveh orphans orphan pandemic parable of the mustard seed parenting peace persecution posture prayer prestonwood baptist choir pro-choice pro-life prodigals prophecy pythonic-spirits python radical obedience radical reconciliation revival sadness sharethemessage.org spiritual health spiritual maturity spiritual-warfare steps of salvation stomach virus students thanks the Bible the Seed the depot podcast with erin olson the gift of conversation theatre shooting this blood time in His presence tragedy trials trust truth unanswered prayers unplanned pregnancy waiting watch why is it so hard to be a christian today? widow's oil workplace ministry