Anchor Or Millstone?

[dave c]

HEALING SHELTER MINISTRIES #129k Re-Written 01NOV08 http://groups.msn.com/AHealingShelter/welcome.msnw

Gatekeepers—Part Eleven: Anchor Or Millstone?

by rev dave c

Hebrews 6:13 When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, 14 saying, "I will surely bless you and give you many descendants." 15 And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised. 16 Men swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument. 17 Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. 18 God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. 19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, 20 where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek (NIV).

The eternal significance of Jehovah’s covenant with Abraham lay in his, and in his children, inheriting the Kingdom of God as well as in receiving divine blessings in any particular here and now. The patriarch was told that he would have descendents more numerous than the stars in heaven and this promise brought Father Abraham great joy. This same promise was made to his son, Isaac, and to his grandson, Jacob (Ex 32:13). God assured them that from out of their line would come many nations and the kings of nations. A thousand years later, King David was born. In another thousand years, Jesus Christ, the Lord of Lords and King of Kings, was miraculously conceived in the womb of a virgin by the power of the Holy Spirit (Mt 1:18-23).

For two thousand years Believers have been taught by Scripture that we, as the Church, are the true spiritual descendents of Abraham and that we are legal heirs to God’s blessings now (Ro 4:9-25)—and to His Kingdom for all eternity (Ga 3:6-9). While we seem ready enough to accept the Lord’s blessings of who, and when, and where we have been born in this time and space of unimaginable material abundance, we have obviously forgotten that “many descendents” are an essential part of the original covenant between God Almighty and His People as we literally throw onto the garbage heap the pathetic little bodies of mutilated millions of our pre-born children. Hebrews 6:19 tells us that God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised so that we who have fled [the World can] take hold of the hope offered to us. While all true descendents of Abraham have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure—if we support those who support abortion on demand, or if we maintain the consent of silence, can we claim that we are the children of Abraham, and so the children of God? Or are we the spiritual descendents of Cain who arrogantly slew his own brother (Ge 4:1-16)? Are we the descendents of Esau who traded his birthright for a moment’s gratification (Ge 25:21-34)? Or are we the descendents of Judas who, for 30 pieces of silver, sold-out the Lord Jesus with a kiss (Mt 26:14-49)?

Matthew 18:5 "And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me. 6 But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea (NIV). While the hope of the promises of God serve as an anchor for the soul of the righteous in Christ Jesus to secure him, or her, safely during times of storms—the sins of the profane transgressor become a millstone around his neck that drags him to the very depths of depravity and eternal death. The sins of some men are obvious, reaching the place of judgment ahead of them; the sins of others trail behind them (1Ti 5:24; NIV).

We are blessed to live in a country and during an era where we have the legal privilege and the moral obligation to vote in every election for which we are able and qualified. This week we will be deciding the path our nation will be taking, not just over the next four years, but for generations to come as we set a course that will dramatically affect our children’s lives and the lives of our children’s children’s children. Economics rise and fall in endless cycles of prosperity and poverty. Wars wax and wane as self-interests over-rule a need for peaceful coexistence. What is socially acceptable today, becomes the passé nonsense of tomorrow. But the Word of God...the laws of God...His commandments...His righteous judgment stands forever. This is either the hope that is an anchor for our souls—or it is the millstone around our necks in condemnation for our smug disobedience.

Second Chronicles 7:13 & 14: "When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land (NIV). My Christian brothers and sisters who are called by His name, it is time to humble ourselves and pray and seek His face and turn from our wicked ways—God tells us that He will then hear us from heaven and forgive us our sin and He will heal our land. “Lord, beginning with my own, please grant us a broken heart, and give us a broken and contrite spirit. Please help us to repent of placing our own fleshly desires and agendas ahead of Your holiness. Father, please transform our lives, the Church, and this nation in, through, and because of the name of Jesus Christ and with the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.”