WATER OF LIFE

I will raise my fist against you.
I will melt you down and skim off your slag.
I will remove all your impurities.
Isaiah 1:25

God is talking about what He will do with the rebellious and unfaithful Jerusalem. The slang for slag is a promiscuous woman and throughout the Bible God use a promiscuous woman as a symbol of the Israelites unfaithfulness to Him.

In the Japanese translation of the Bible the word aku is used for slag. The kanji characters for aku mean ash water. This is the name the Japanese also call the foam you take off boiling meat or vegetables (like when removing the bitterness out of spinach). Speaking of ash, slag is also found in volcanos. IN DREAMS VOLCANOS ARE SYMBOLIC OF PENT UP ANGER AND EMOTION> The Bible only once mentions a volcano, and God is about pour out his wrath on the pagan Assyrian king:

Topheth—the place of burning—has long been ready for the Assyrian king; the pyre is piled high with wood. The breath of the Lord, like fire from a volcano, will set it ablaze. Isaiah 30:33

The dictionary says that slag is dross and that dross is scum and their all the waste, foreign material, and impurities taken out when heating and refining a metal. Part of the refining process is bring this slag to the surface and scrape it off. God mentions in the Bible many times about refining us like silver and gold. This means he brings things to the surface (oftentimes through trying circumstances in our lives) that we have to deal with, i.e. surrender to him, pray about, die to self, etc.

I will bring that group through the fire and make them pure. I will refine them like silver and purify them like gold. They will call on my name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘These are my people,’ and they will say, ‘The Lord is our God.’” Zechariah 13:9

I find it a struggle to try to be a Christian when he is refining me and bringing these slagful things to the surface because it’s there for everyone to see, for example, in my recent struggles with authority, anger, fairness, and favoritism. It’s hard to be a kind, peaceful, loving Christian when all these things are coming to the surface during the times of greatest heat and pressure.

God doesn’t care so much about other peoples perception of me as a Christian; instead, he cares about transforming me into the image of Christ and demonstrating his power and glory through that process—so I have to remember this as I stumble, fumble, get angry, and make mistakes. I guess the point is don’t be ashamed of your struggles but instead let God bring them to the light to be healed.

The difference is that as a surrendered Christian, God is taking these areas of me and transforming and healing them, and on the other hand, speaking from personal experience, a non-Christian will try to do it unsuccessfully with their own power and end up circling around and battling the same issue for years.

Many will be purified, cleansed, and refined by these trials. But the wicked will continue in their wickedness, and none of them will understand. Only those who are wise will know what it means. Daniel 12:10

Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. Ephesians 6:14

Pastor Prince, in his book Spiritual Warfare, explains that the belt of truth is used to overcome darkness in our lives. The areas we have fear, worry, and even self-pity. “As long as you are in the dark or ignorant about something you will be fearful” (Spiritual Warfare). Truth really is like a belt that keeps us secure. God showed me the difference between favor and favoritism and my fears, doubts and worries departed because I was no longer living in the dark under the misconception that favoritism is okay.

We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. Instead, we will speak the truth in love…Eph 4:14-15

Sometimes I talk about ’speaking the truth’ when it’s just plain facts. An example of a fact is, according to the Union agreement, every worker must get a fifteen minute paid break for any stretch of work over four hours.

Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Ephesians 6:17

Facts are the belt of truth, whereas, God’s Truth, the Word of God, is the sword of the Spirit. A LOT OF STUFF CAN BE TIED BACK INTO God’s word. It’s a fact, according to EOE rules that favoritism is wrong but it’s also truth according to God’s Word.

My perception of truth was one of wielding it like a shield or a sword. But facts aren’t a shield or sword, they do dispel the darkness but they aren’t a shield or a sword.

His truth, the Word of God, is a shield and buckler (a small round shield held at arm’s length). Psalms 91

In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Ephesians 6:16

We are commanded to stand our ground in regards to the facts but they are not our shield or sword. Faith is our shield, and WHEN SPOKEN, God’s truth, His Word, is both a sword and a shield. “SPEAK THE Word of God into your fear. I discovered that you cannot reason away fear. You cannot analyse it away. Whatever your fear is, use the sword of the WORD OF God. DECLARE, it is written, For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but on of power and of love and of a sound mind.” (Spiritual Warfare)

Recently, I found even watching a sermon on the TV in the break-room can be a declaration of God’s truth into the workplace as everyone comes in for their break and hears God’s word being spoken. I was watching a sermon about Abraham, Sarah, Hagar, and Ishmael. I knew God was speaking into my career situation; about me having to be patient and wait on God’s promise and not try to make his promise come true through my own means.

Abraham and Sarah had waited ten years and received confirmation at least a couple times from God in various miraculous ways but they still tried to ‘help’ make God’s promise come true. Sarah suggested Abraham conceive a child through, Hagar, her Egyptian maidservant. However, the TV pastor pointed out that Hagar wouldn’t have even been their servant if Abraham hadn’t lied to the Pharaoh and told him Sarah was his sister.

And sure enough, when Abram arrived in Egypt, everyone spoke of Sarai’s beauty. When the palace officials saw her, they sang her praises to Pharaoh, their king, and Sarai was taken into his palace. Then Pharaoh gave Abram many gifts because of her—sheep, goats, cattle, male and female donkeys, male and female servants, and camels. Genesis 12:14-16

Hagar was probably one of the female servants that Abram received so if he hadn’t told this lie they wouldn’t have had Hagar to use as a surrogate mother ten years later. Why is this a big deal? Because Hagar gives birth to Ishmael, who is the father of the Arab nation which has been fighting against Israel to this day. That’s a pretty big a consequence for their sin.

So what did God show me in this? That not only can we speak truth into the darkness but we can speak lies over other people and experience serious consequences. My wife and I got into an argument and I said some things about her that weren’t true and then I realized what God was showing me through this sermon, so of course I apologized and said they weren’t true.

Lastly, I took a sick day when I was exhausted and needed a mental health day because of the chaos at work. Is this about standing my ground (based on the facts) or do I have a lack of faith (in his strength and protection)? I’m still trying to figure this one out.

Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. NLT

Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. NIV Col. 3:5,6

Capitalism is a system that rewards greed and materialism and we are exporting this system of idolatry to as many countries as we can—whether they like it or not—by military and economic force, and they, like us, will suffer for it.

They followed worthless idols and they themselves became worthless. 2 Kings 17:15

Israel was destroyed for being idolaters so why do we think we safe from His wrath? The Israelites rationalized it away because they figured God would never destroy his holy city of Jerusalem and the great temple they had built to Him in the city. We AMERICANS RATIONALIZE IT AWAY SAYING WERE A Christian nation and because we support Israel. SUPPORTING Israel will save us no more than the temple saved Israel from destruction.

“‘Don’t be fooled into thinking that you will never suffer because the Temple is here. It’s a lie! Do you really think you can steal, murder, commit adultery, lie, and burn incense to Baal and all those other new gods of yours, and then come here and stand before me in my Temple and chant, “We are safe!”—only to go right back to all those evils again? Jeremiah 7:8-10

THE Israelites said they were God’s chosen people and we say were a Christian nation—these are deceptive labels and don’t reflect the condition of the heart of the people. We have no more trust in God than the Israelites did before they fell. The Israelites were threatened by the Assyrians and turned to Egypt for help instead of God. Egypt is a symbol for the world and worldly ways. We place our trust in worldly systems (e.g. capitalism and military might) and when things go wrong we look to the stock market and macroeconomic formulas instead of answers from God. Sure there are other countries whose wicked ways are just as bad or even worse than the USA but they haven’t heard the gospel and turned away from it. And should we not be punished just the same as the Israelites were for turning away from God?

Dear friends, if we deliberately continue sinning after we have received knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice that will cover these sins. There is only the terrible expectation of God’s judgment and the raging fire that will consume his enemies. For anyone who refused to obey the law of Moses was put to death without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. Just think how much worse the punishment will be for those who have trampled on the Son of God, and have treated the blood of the covenant, which made us holy, as if it were common and unholy, and have insulted and disdained the Holy Spirit who brings God’s mercy to us. For we know the one who said,
“I will take revenge.
I will pay them back.”
He also said,
“The Lord will judge his own people.”
Hebrews 10:26-30

The following passage explains Israel’s sins that caused her destruction:

They forsook all the commands of the LORD their God and made for themselves two idols cast in the shape of calves, and an Asherah pole. They bowed down to all the starry hosts, and they worshiped Baal. They sacrificed their sons and daughters in the fire. They practiced divination and sorcery and sold themselves to do evil in the eyes of the LORD, provoking him to anger. 2 Kings 17:16,17

And this is exactly what is happening today in the USA:

Made for themselves cast idols in the shape of calves = the bull stock market. (see related blog here)
Asherah and Baal = false god worship. (see detailed blog here)
Bowed down to the starry host = evolution. (see detailed blog here and here)
Sacrificed their sons and daughters = abortion and the pill. (see detailed blog here)
Practiced divination - the art or practice that seeks to foresee or foretell future events = macroeconomics. (see related blog here)
Practiced sorcery - the power gained from the assistance or control of evil spirits = psychology. (see psychology is the occult blog and others on personality type here and here)

AND BECAUSE OF THESE, THE WRATH OF God is coming. Col. 3:6

[ A Warning against Prejudice ] My dear brothers and sisters, how can you claim to have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ if you favor some people over others? James 2:1

So what is the difference between earning the favor of your boss and your boss showing favoritism? Favor is friendly approval, kind regard, and goodwill. Favoritism is the practice of giving unfair preferential treatment to one person or group at the expense of another. We should seek the favor of our boss but not favoritism. The key here is goodwill: friendly, helpful, or cooperative feelings or attitude, a willing effort, cheerful consent, approval and support. (Goodwill is also easier to build out of a good reputation.)

Loyalty is a strong value in group centered cultures like in Hawaii. Part of that loyalty is locals giving preference to other locals. Favoritism can be found in the workplace too. There can be a pyramid-like structure or hierarchy of favor with those who are in favor receiving the best shifts, shorter shifts, best locations, less work, and getting to leave work early or take time off, and getting the inside information. (The same thing can even happen in the church with the flow of information and access to the pastor.)

It’s kind of ironic because God showed me this ‘pyramid’ concept at work when I was watching TOY Story 3 at the movie theatre with the kids from the youth center. In the movie, THE NEW TOYS GET PUT IN THE TODDLER AREA OF THE CHILD DAYCARE BECAUSE THE TODDLERS ABUSE THE TOYS THE WORST> Its the same in the youth center, the new people and the people out of favor get put in the shifts, areas, and assignments which are the most stressful. The solution they found in the toy story movie was to get rid of the pyramid of favoritism and work as a team where everyone shared the load.

This solution resonates with my old inequality philosophy, but God showed me scriptures on favoritism because favoritism is a sin. According to the world favoritism is also wrong and that’s why there are rules against it in the workplace. But we all know that what is practiced and what is preached is often very different.

Of course I’m just as guilty as the next guy. My classroom can be a microcosm of it all. When I’m at work with my kids I might let them stay on the swings or in the computer lab a little longer than the other kids or I might show favor to kids who behave better. And how is that any different than the local culture of loyalty? Its not. Aren’t the tests and trials God puts in my life to show me something in myself too? I have to be faithful in the small things, when no one is watching, and God will give me and trust me with bigger things. Finally, Jame’s point with the above scripture is that we are love each other especially with grace and mercy.