2 Corinthians 1:9
Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead,

If you wanted to summarise the fall of mankind there is no better summary than these words: trust in ourselves.

​You will recall that the Hebrew word picture for trust is: inside the fence. We know from our studies around this word that the fence is the blood sacrifice of Yeshua.

So, the question is: what does this fence look like when we trust in ourselves?

Trust in ourselves is actually the enemies counterfeit of living inside the blood sacrifice of Yeshua.

The palings that make up the fence of trust in ourselves are:

• the lust of the eyes


• the lust of the flesh


• the pride of life.

Beware the counterfeit because it is actually a prison!!!

Colossians 1:27
To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

From a Hebrew perspective glory is all about weightiness or heaviness.

The idea of heaviness is also linked to making an impression.

For instance, in ancient times kings and queens endowed themselves with the finest clothes and jewelry with the intention of impressing their subjects.

When Christ is in you He is daily leaving the impression of His footprints in your life.

Consequently, as we walk out relationship with others, on a daily basis, we are leaving an impression on their lives.

The desire of my heart is that the impression I leave on the lives of others reflects that glorious impression that Christ has made upon me. 

From the top of Castle Rock, which is the top of Edinburgh Castle, you can see a long, long way in every direction.

It is no surprise then that the word picture meaning for "rock" in Hebrew is: support that controls your seeing and understanding.

The word picture meaning for "tower" is: chaos destroyed to benefit the household".

Maybe these are the images Yeshua (Jesus) had in mind when He said these words:

Matthew 7:24-25
“Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock."

Psalm 18:2
The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.

Recently my wife (Jenny) and I were blessed in fulfilling a 30 year dream to travel in Europe, the UK and Ireland.

One of the many highlights for me was visiting Edinburgh Castle which sits atop Castle Rock.

The sheer rock face that surrounds much of the castle is 80 metres high. In its 1100 year history this castle has survived 26 sieges and our guide informed us it had never been overtaken.

​What impacted me about this living history was its connection to the Hebrew definition of the word rock used in Psalm 18. Rock here literally means crag or cliff.

Be assured the Lord is your Castle Rock, His defences have not been and never will be penetrated.
​

​I am greatly indebted to my loyal encourager Brian Fleming for forwarding this link to me earlier in the week:

​If you are struggling to find that place of Full Assurance In Trusting HIM, I recommend you follow the above link and soak in this powerful worship, adoration and declaration. It may just be the stepping stone you need to move you closer to  Full Assurance In Trusting HIM.

I have been pondering over the past couple of weeks the deep reality that faith is a journey not a destination.

Abraham, who we acknowledge to be the so called father of faith, demonstrates this truth more so than anyone else in Scripture. Many decades after Abraham was "called to go out" he was still grappling with the enormity of what  Full Assurance In Trusting HIM meant in practical daily living.

In my own journey of Full Assurance In Trusting HIM, I have come to realise that one of the greatest barriers to entering into the fullness of this Faith is my habit of focusing on the circumstances rather than focusing on HIM.

As a family we find ourselves in the midst of some of the most difficult circumstances we have thus far encountered. My daily challenge has been to tear my eyes away from the circumstances and to enter into that place of Full Assurance In Trusting HIM.

​Like Abraham, my hearts desire is to remain committed to the journey.

Proverbs 3:5 & 6

Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Daniel 3:23

And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.

Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished; and he rose in haste and spoke, saying to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.”

“Look!” he answered, “I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.”

Have you ever found yourself in the midst of the burning fiery furnace of life circumstances?

The last 10 days have felt like that for me and my family.

It begs the question: Can we be blessed (Son covered) under such circumstances?

​The account of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego delivers a resounding yes to that question.

My prayer is that you will be Son covered today in the midst of your life circumstances.

​

You will recall that the ark was lined inside and out with a substance called pitch.

No doubt you are thinking: "What on earth has pitch got to do with Noah being blessed?"

Well, it just so happens that in Hebrew the word pitch is derived from the same root word as atonement.

Consequently, we discover that the ark was lined inside and out with a symbol of atonement and in Scripture the most powerful picture of atonement is found in the blood and more specifically the blood of Yeshua.

"But", you say, "that still doesn't explain what pitch has to do with Noah being blessed".

Okay then, let us look at the word blessed in Hebrew.

The word picture meaning for blessed is: "the son covered".

Noah, whose name means "life protected" together with his family, experienced what it means to be "son covered" when they entered into the ark. When they entered into the ark they entered into the covering of the atoning blood of the Son.

To be Son covered is to live inside the protection of the atoning blood of God's grace!!!