(Audio)
A nation of firm purpose you keep in peace;
What is the firm purpose that can keep us in peace? It is the purpose of not only hearing but acting on the words of Jesus, not just associating ourselves with him using our words, but actually doing the will of his Father.
A strong city have we;
he sets up walls and ramparts to protect us.
We enter into the strong city through Jesus. He is himself the gate for the sheep (see John 10:9). There is no way around him. There is no way to simply talk our way in. If we want to get through the gate we must be able to fit. We must therefore be conformed to Christ. We must take on his shape. The shape we must imitate is the constant posture of humbling ourselves (see Philippians 2:8).
He humbles those in high places,
and the lofty city he brings down;
It is not enough to say 'Lord, Lord,' and yet it is something we do well to say constantly. The secret is that to say it is not an excuse that exempts us from being active. The name of Jesus spoken in faith itself contains the power to transform us. It itself is the beginning of our basis for doing the Father's will.
Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit (see First Corinthians 12:3).
We want to build on the rock. We want a stability within ourselves that neither suffering nor any other circumstance can strip away from us. The formula isn't so fantastic that we should be afraid to attempt it. Rather, we proclaim that Jesus is LORD using the gift of the Spirit within us. This same Spirit, using this act as a starting place, begins to conform all of our actions to the will of the Father, provided we allow him to do so. When we slip back into building sandcastles we can begin again, confessing, and moving by grace into the Father's will.
Open to me the gates of justice;
I will enter them and give thanks to the LORD.
This gate is the LORD's;
the just shall enter it.
I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me
and have been my savior.
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