Previous Challenge Entry (Level 3 - Advanced)
Topic: Love (04/27/06)
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TITLE: The Destroyer | Previous Challenge Entry
By Sherril Wendling
05/03/06 -
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And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; but rather be afraid of Him who can destroy both soul and body in hell (Gehenna).
Matthew 10:28 (AMP)
“Everyone rise and turn to Hymn Number Two Eighty-three. Let’s lift our voices together in praise of the Destroyer!” I don’t know about you, but I’ve never seen a church service begin this way. The word ‘destroyer’ always brings me to Revelation, with its blasting trumpets and thunders and woes. I shudder to think of Apollyon, loosed from the abyss to torment what’s left of the world just before the end.
But there’s a more terrifying destroyer than the devil and his crew. Our Creator holds in His hand not only the hairs of our heads, but the eternal destiny of our souls. Remember the amazing day when He came to you as Redeemer? “Yes, Jesus,” you whispered, “I accept Your blood as the price for my shortcomings.” Did you know when you prayed that, you were making an appointment with the Divine Destroyer? That’s right. The tender heavenly Father, Who sent His Son to die for you, wants you up on that cross, too.
Welcome to heaven’s university! You’ve been accepted in the Beloved, and there’s no dropping out. He’s after a bride for His Son, a core of Kingdom people who think His thoughts and live by His heartbeat. Like an unguarded computer, your mind holds piles of contaminated files, created and stored there from the day you were first plugged into Planet Earth. The Destroyer will hack in and begin to delete everything that muddies Jesus’ beautiful image in you. But you’re no machine; this is going to hurt, and hurt some more. Can this be love, this awful obliteration of Self?
Only your Maker can treasure you this way. His consuming fire will not let up until you tremble with awe, cry for mercy, overflow with forgiveness and weep for what moves Him. No need for that pair of gold earrings you ogled at the mall; they’ll never sparkle like the joy of giving food to a needy child. That sunny afternoon at the beach will be pre-empted from prime time as Holy Spirit delivers an aching urge to pray. And He’s been known to give strange promotions, like the man led to abandon his plush office in downtown Cleveland to oversee a tiny mercy mission over in Afghanistan. (Do you know how hot it gets in Afghanistan?)
Whatever your present level of glory, your next appointment with the Divine Destroyer will be a terribly wonderful thing. I promise. You simply can’t meet up with Him and stay the same.
Father, Please come to us as the Beloved Destroyer! Carry us to the place in Your heart that burns with jealous love. Consume anything that clouds our clear view of Your beautiful, holy Son, Jesus. Make us fit to become His holy bride. Amen.
©2006
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