temporary & portable walls

February 8, 2018

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Temporary and portable walls…I believe they could be one of the greatest problems in the church. Not so much the physical ones, though I can’t seem to get those to work very well either. I am referring to the spiritual temporary and portable walls we use so often. We love the privacy they give us when we are struggling spiritually and we are even more thrilled with them when we can move them out of the way for all to see our moment of great success. This faith façade we erect with our brothers and sisters in Christ is keeping us in the dry wastelands of spiritual drought. What could your life look like if you not only kept the roof off before God, but also the walls down before your brothers and sisters in Christ.

“Continued revival is continued brokenness; but brokenness is two-way, and that means walls kept down as well as roof off. But man’s most deep-rooted and subtle sin is the subtle sin of pride: self-esteem and self-respect. Though hardly realizing it, while we are careful to keep the roof off between ourselves and God through repentance and faith, we soon let those walls of respectability creep up again between ourselves and our brethren. We don’t mind our brethren knowing about the successes we have in our Christian living…by no means do we easily bear testimony to our brethren of God’s faithful and gracious dealings in areas of failure. Why not? Just because of pride, although we would often more conveniently call it reserve! The fact is, we love the praise of men as well as of God, and that is exactly what the Scriptures say stops the flow of confession before men.” – Norman Grubb

John 5:44

How can you believe since you accept glory from one another but do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?

John 12:43

for they loved human praise more than praise from God.

James 5:16

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

Let this be your prayer today…

Today, make known to me, and take from my heart, every kind, form and degree of pride.

Today, empty me of self, and awaken in me the deepest depth and truth of that humility which can make me capable of your revealing light.

Today, do not allow attribution to me, for the good that you perform in me and through me, but rather, that all honor be to you.

Today, may your presence in me, and your work through me, testify of your holiness and saving grace.

Help me to die to self each day, and continuously seek your glorification in all that I think or do.

This I ask in the name of Jesus Christ, the exemplar of humility.

Amen. – Author of Prayer Anonymous