2005 Me (32 weeks with Andrew), Heidi-Mari, Josua, CJ and Danika
I learned about the Top 25 Faith Blogs by Moms through a very respected Christian blog I follow. I love to vote for causes a believe in and immediately jumped on the site to vote. While scrolling down the list of blogs I was surprised to recognize some of the encouraging Christian blogs I read on a regular basis, and have been following for several years. I got even more excited when I read I can vote for as many blogs as I want to every 24 hours. Call it naive but I thought of Faith Blogs as Christian blogs and believed this is what this ‘Top 25 Faith Blogs’ was all about! So although my eyes saw some strange symbols and read alarming words while scrolling down, I didn’t give much attention to what I saw and just looked out for blogs (their pictures, since I’m a Visual Learner) I know. It is only after I entered my own blog, and more calmly and attentively looked through the list that I actually registered what I was seeing and reading. Pagan and witchcraft blogs! What? Pagan and witchcraft blogs by Moms! Excuse me, aren’t Mothers supposed to protect their children against evil?
 |
Through this voting campaign I got shocked more and more during the past few days. I literally saw a spiritual war playing off in front of my eyes. Pagan and witchcraft Moms who announced they will be the top 25 Faith Blogs by Moms, especially since they are so offended by Christians and the Christian Mom Blogs, who believe they have the only ‘right faith’! They proclaimed war against the Christians, advocating fellow pagan and witchcraft blogs, even Moslem and Jewish blogs, “since they are not Christian blogs” to use their exact words. I must say I did admire their ability to stand together and encouraging each other to vote for each other.
As I pondered on this, I tried to pinpoint what was the most disturbing in learning about these pagan and witchcraft blogs by moms. Only then I realized it is because mothers are raising the next generation.
Imagine all these pagan and witchcraft mothers raising sons and daughters who will influence the world tomorrow. The idea was almost to scary to behold!
I immediately got under the conviction of my own responsibility. My responsibility to raise godly men and women who will change the world for God and His glory. I need to be so confident about my faith in God and Christ Jesus, that as I reached out to my children in every day life, it will rub off on them too. And then when they do get confronted with other faiths will have no doubts.
To do so I need to guard my home, my marriage and children, against the influence of the World and influences of the Evil One at all costs!
And it reminded me of the study manual “Gate-Keeper of the Home” by Nancy Campbell from Above Rubies ministries, on the Twelve Gates of Jerusalem that Nehemiah and the Israelites repaired and how the gates relate to building and guarding the gates of our homes!
image source
In Bible times the gates of a city represented the authority and glory of a city. When an army possessed the gates of a city, they took control of the city! It is our responsibility as women and mothers to watch over the gates of our homes. Our homes is our glory. In our homes we nurture and love our families, and we raise a new generation who will do mighty works for the Lord. We cannot vacate our posts and allow the enemy to possess the gates of our homes. We must stay on watch! What must we watch out for?
Jerusalem had 12 gates that needed to be repaired and Gate Keeper of the Home relates them back to the home.
The Sheep Gate
image source
This gate speaks to us of our great salvation and the blood of Jesus Christ that was shed for our sins. Jesus is “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” John 1:29
Nehemiah had a plan in building and repairing the gates. He started at the sheep gate and continued anti-clockwise around the walls of the city. He started at the right place. We all have to start at this gate. It is most important to honor the blood of Jesus Christ in our homes. We must teach our children that they cannot have salvation without the blood. We must lead our children to the cross and pray that each one will experience an encounter with Christ and receive forgiveness of sins through His blood.
The Fish Gate
image source
Training witnesses and be a light shining family. “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
The Valley Gate
image source
This gate speaks of humility and lowliness. This gate gets broken down very quickly in homes. Pride arises so easily. Everyone in the home - Father, Mother and the children all want their own way! How often do we as women get on our ‘high horse’? We know we are right. We demand our way! This isn’t the way of Jesus. He doesn’t ride the high horse. He rides the foal of a donkey. Will you follow His example and repair this gate?
The Dung Gate
image source
This was the gate through which they took out all the garbage to be burnt or buried. Without the Dung Gate they could not keep the city clean. Without a Dung Gate, we cannot keep our homes clean either. The same applies in the spiritual realm. If we do not use the Dung Gate to constantly throw out all that grieves the Holy Spirit, the atmosphere will soon become smelly and putrid.
Throw out stumbling blocks, anything that causes someone else in the home to be tempted to sin.
Throw out the planks. It’s time to allow God to change our hearts to His ways rather than trying to change our husband and others, to our ways!
Throw out the scoffer, the mocking spirit.
Throw out the strange gods, the things that take your family away from giving God preeminence in your home.
Throw out all enemies, anything that is negatively affecting your home, no matter how much you like it!
The Fountain Gate
image source
Life is busy. Often overwhelming. We run dry and feel we can barely keep going. Do not despair! God is a Fountain that never runs dry. He is an everlasting Fountain, pouring out abundantly of His life and love. You can constantly draw from Him.
Not only is God a Fountain, but He want you to be a fountain of His life and love. As you yield yourself to Him, the Holy Spirit will spring up in you like a fountain. He will overflow from your heart to pour out rivers of love, life and salvation to others.
The Horse Gate
This was the gate through which the soldiers marched out to battle and returned from battle. In the Word of God the horse always speaks of war and battle. It is imperative that we keep our horse gate continually reinforced and repaired! We are in a war! We are in a battle agains the enemy who seeks to creep into our homes with his subtle deceptions and evil connivings. He is the one who comes to ‘rob, kill and destroy’ and his greatest joy is to destroy our marriage and family life!
There are two aspects to motherhood. Firstly, motherhood is tender, caring, loving, comforting and nurturing. However, there is another side to motherhood. It is the war-like, watch-dog, lion-like, horse-prancing spirit that roars at any enemy that would come to devour her marriage or her children. The woman with this spirit is ready to fight. She will fight hard to protect her family. She will not give up until the enemy is demolished.
She will have banners of victory waving high - banners of uncompromising truth, righteousness, commitment, obedience, faithfulness, purity, love and forgiveness.
Come dear mother, banners are to wave high, not dragged on the ground. God has placed you on duty to hold up the banners at your home gate!
And there are 6 more gates - The Old Gate, The Water Gate, The East Gate, The Miphkad Gate, the Prison Gate and The Ephraim Gate.
This book changed my view of being a mother drastically!
image source
When Nehemiah came from Babylon to build and repair the walls and gates of Jerusalem, he was met with much persecution. He was laughed at. He was despised. He was mocked with cruel taunts. He was ridiculed. He was intimidated.
Can you relate to Nehemiah? I can! As I have taken up my stand to be on guard at my home, to embrace homemaking and mothering the precious children God want to give me, I have felt the sneers and rejection of family and friends. But this is all part of the great work. Satan knows what a powerful job a mother is doing and therefore he seeks to intimidate mothers on all sides. He wants to weaken us from our resolve so he can make inroads into our homes. Satan knows that he has no power to touch a home where there is a mother who knows who she is, and who has taken up her stand to guard the gates of her home. She is his biggest threat!
Through the truths shared in Gate-Keeper of the Home, I’m constantly reminded to put on a smile, keep a sweet spirit, lift my head high and keep on with my great work, in the midst of self-pity and despair. I am employed by the King of Kings! I’m training warriors for God’s army.
With love
Linnie
