December 16, 2020 – Click here to listen
The Bible says in Proverbs 25:28 – A person without self-control is like a city with broken-down walls. In biblical times cities were fortified with huge walls to keep out marauders. When the Jews were captured and hauled to Babylon, Jerusalem had huge fortified walls, a beautiful temple and magnificent city. Seventy years later The Spirit of God moved King Cyrus to release some of the Jews to go and rebuild the city, the temple, and the walls.
It had to be a sad sight for those who were first to return to see the once magnificent city and temple in ruins and its walls torn asunder and laid to rubble. Solomon described this scene in the previous verse. A person without self-control is like a city with broken-down walls In this case the entire nation had lost self-control and the result was not pretty.
Yes, God turned His back on His chosen people and judged them because they slid into a morass of evil, worshipping idols and even sacrificing their children to them. Prostitutes filled the pagan temples and orgies were prevalent with homosexual encounters not uncommon. Greed corruption and ignoring and taking advantage of the poor were the order of the day
It seemed that nothing was out of bounds. They forgot God and His laws and did whatever evil their hearts could conjure up. They had lost all self-control and corrupted their bodies and souls. How this must have hurt God after all He had done for this nation.
Sound familiar?
God’s anger was aroused, and His divine protection and blessings were lifted as judgment, and the Persians defeated them and hauled them to Babylon as slaves. Will something similar happen to out nation (which has likewise been blessed, but has lost its way?)
By and large modern day society does not seem to believe in God’s wrath or judgment. They obviously have not studied God’s word. Their worldview seems to be that God is devoid of judgment because Jesus came and now everything is all about love. However, the Bible states unequivocally that in order to be able to take advantage of the sacrifice that Jesus made we must humble ourselves before him, ask for forgiveness and repent (turn away from our sins.) Many acknowledge Jesus as the Son of God but so does every demon in hell. When we sin, we must repent, exercise self-control going forward and ask for forgiveness when we backslide. That is the way provided by God to find Him and enjoy His rest.
Yes, God is loving, but He also requires that the law be respected, (His laws.) Self-control and following those laws allow us to lead lives closer to what we were designed for and allows us to enter God’s rest. God fortifies the walls surrounding us and helps protect us from our enemy Satan.
If you think you have slipped too far, then forget that as satanic nonsense. When the Jews reentered where Jerusalem once shone in the sun they despaired at the sight of the ruins and the massive undertaking that looked impossible to achieve. Without men like Nehemiah they would have likely given up and quit. But Nehemiah had faith and the walls were restored. Start with faith and rebuild the walls of your character.
No matter how low you have sunk in your spiritual walk, it can be restored to its former glory and beyond. The key is to go to Jesus and follow Him and not the world. It will take some self-control which Satan will tell you is impossible but remember this verse and believe it. I made it my life’s verse.
Phil. 4:13
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me . . .