In my last post I shared how as humans our hearts need continuous recalibration and re-alignment to God’s heart, word, will and purpose. This lent season allows us to do just that. With fifteen days left in this lent season, we press into the heart of our heavenly Father for this hour’s renewal (Zephaniah 3:17). The solemn lent season gives believers the opportunity to prepare our hearts to experience deep renewal and fresh outflow of resurrection power through the Holy Spirit. Jeremiah 17:9-10 is a good reference scripture on our need as believers to participate in a time to re-align our hearts to God’s heart, word, will and purpose for mankind. We know God does not need re-alignment- He is unchanging in His character (Hebrew 13:8).
As part of my lent resources this year, I am reading my beautiful wife’s new book; Crushed to Restored: Principles of Restoration from the Book of Nehemiah. With deep admiration for the power of God that worked through her hands to pen the words in the book, the Holy Spirit has been unveiling God’s heart through the symbols of our faith that my anointed Queen carefully explained and taught in the book. In one of the chapters, she writes about symbols relative to our faith journey in Jesus Christ with the names of the different gates of the wall of Jerusalem Nehemiah lead his team to rebuild. I have been glued to the pages of the book and my Bible in Nehemiah. At home or the office, I find myself glancing over my wife or her picture in my office; as I admire and thank God for the depth of His power in her life through the book.
In one of her explanations and teaching in the book; she examines the symbol of the Cross in one of the gates. She writes, “the Sheep Gate is where lambs were brought in for sacrifice in the temple. The Sheep Gate is symbolic of the Cross where the Substitute Lamb Jesus Christ made the greatest sacrifice for our sins. This unprecedented sacrifice on the cross changes everything.” This is exactly the heartbeat of lent. We take time to reflect on the symbol of the Cross in our lives as believers and renew our commitment to our Savior as we thank God for sending His Son, thank the Son for making the greatest sacrifice for us and thank the Holy Spirit for abiding in us to live for God in light of the Cross.
Beloved, brothers and sisters, you can see and understand why you need a copy of this book. It is filled with not just nuggets but meat from the resident power in God’s Word on the pages of the book that will meet you right where you are. It is a guarantee because God’s Word never returns to Him void without accomplishing its purpose (Isaiah 55:11). Click the link to order a copy for you and a friend: Crushed to Restored Book. God bless you!