War Strategies [The Making of Heroes Part III]

I have never understood how one could delight in destroying another. Never.

How butchery of such character could ever evoke enjoyment will ever be to me a hellish mystery.

Yet since the whole world is thinking about war, why shouldn't we?

Why shouldn't we?

Our war is the most important anyway.

This is a war in which I am invested. It elicits such emotion in my heart as nothing else can.

And I find myself becoming drawn to its weaponry.

Not for gruesome results, but for glorious results.

It's war-prayer.

And let me tell you, this kind of prayer is unlike any you've probably prayed before.

Passionate, agonizing, tear-inducing, heart-wrenching prayer. For another.

Prayer is going to move the world by moving the Hand that moves the world.

But it never will until we learn how to pray. Really pray…

James says, "the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much."

And I pause to ponder Who is righteous. 

Apart from Him, no one.

"There is none righteous, no, not one."* 

A door-slamming statement if I ever heard one. If it weren't for this one thing. 

My God delights to clothe me in His righteousness.**

Wonder of wonders. Grace of all grace.

He calls me His treasure. And instructs me to ask. 

God's heroes are born in the closet of prayer.

Why is the most powerful tool the one we least utilize?

*Romans 3:10, emphasis mine

**Isaiah 61:10

His Scars, My Shame

{Jeremiah 50}

The search is on with fury. A frantic company seeks to uncover the unpleasant record, yet it has vanished.

The company of fallen angels with their commander are disgusted. 

They have been vanquished once again by One greater than themselves.

My Savior pardons those He reserves. He pleads for His remnant. 

As He stands before the Father’s throne, He presents His hands, scarred so long ago, etched with my name.

And He pleads for me…

Not because I am worthy, but because He has reserved me to become worthy.

Because His scars cover my shame…

Remember No More

{Jeremiah 31}

“And their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.”*

A quote from Hebrews with direct correlation to Jeremiah 31. Paul mentions this verse twice within two chapters.

no. more.

Let that sink in for a moment.

In the Greek it’s a double negative, in the sense that it’s strengthening the force of denial. 

Not at all. By any means. Ever. From this moment on.

He cannot even bring it to mind. It’s gone forever…

And yes, there’s a myriad of other details in this chapter that justifiably could be mentioned, but I think these three words say it all. Because when God forgives and makes you clean, the truth of absolute pardon can change your life forever.

He remembers no more. Your sinful past is obliterated. 

And He means it.

*{Hebrews 8:12}

To Walk Worthy...

He wants me to be worthy.

I stop and stare at the words again.
“…that ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing…”*

A few verses later.

“…having made peace through the blood of His cross, by Him to reconcile all things unto Himself… to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in His sight…”

Me? Worthy? Unblameable? I think not.

By no stretch of the imagination am I without fault. I don’t deserve anything.
I am overcome by a complete sense of my unworthiness.

Nevertheless…
Despite how undeserving I feel myself to be, He wants me to be worthy.
He has given His very blood to cover my wretchedness.

How can I spurn the gift that cost my Savior His life?

So I claim His pure white garment of righteousness to fully cover my unworthiness.

He will continue to transform my life “til we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.”**

And I will walk on those golden streets worthy—not because of any virtue in myself, but because I walk in His worthiness…

What incomprehensible love and grace my Father bestows!


*{Colossians 1:10}
**{Ephesians 4:13}