Holding Our Feet to the Fire!

Proverbs 27:17
17 As iron sharpens iron,
So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.
NKJV

Proverbs 27:17 tells us that iron sharpens iron.........so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.

Who is the true "friend"? 

John 15:13

 13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.  NIV

The only greater love I have seen of late, is that of Jesus! For He laid down His life for you, me, for man-kind.

Then Jesus goes on to say, "you are my friends if you do what I command". "That you lay down your life for your friends." "I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. (verse 15) And it is Jesus Who chose us, He appointed us to go and bear-fruit that will last. And when we do, the Father will give us whatever we ask in His name. His command to us was to love each other. (John 15:12-17)

Isaiah 54:16-17

16 "Behold, I have created the blacksmith 

Who blows the coals in the fire,

Who brings forth an instrument for his work;

And I have created the spoiler to destroy. 

17 No weapon formed against you shall prosper,

And every tongue which rises against you in judgment 

You shall condemn.

This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD,

And their righteousness is from Me,"

Says the LORD. 

NKJV

The Amplified reads like this: Isaiah 54:14-17..You shall establish yourself in righteousness (rightness, in conformity with God's will and order): you shall be far from even the thought of oppression or destruction, for you shall not fear, and from terror, for it shall not come near you. 15 Behold, they may gather together and stir up strife, but it is not from Me. Whoever stirs up strife against you shall fall and surrender to you. 16 Behold, I have created the smith who blows on the fire of coals and who produces a weapon for its purpose; and I have created the devastator to destroy. 17 But no weapon that is formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue that shall rise against you in judgment you shall show to be in the wrong. This [peace, righteousness, security, triumph over opposition] is the heritage of the servants of the Lord [those in whom the ideal Servant of the Lord is reproduced]; this is the righteousness or vindication which they obtain from Me [this is that which I impart to them as their justification], says the Lord.

When people are in unity with the Lord, they will be in unity with one another.  Those to sharpen us should be that which waters us. In Proverbs 20:5, it reads, Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out.(NKJV) By discernment will those who live for God, carry His presences are those who will discern that which is another who is in unity. We  are to draw on that which will encourage and bring strength by God's word.

Our mentors should be those who walk the walk of faith in God everyday. A wise man will draw out of you that which is as fine wine. Our discipleship is that we should hold onto in Jesus. Allowing Him to bring those who will encourage in the path of life that is anything of life and goodness and never boring.

When we abide with those who live for God, those who continually seek the Lord are the wise and they can continue to give us that which the Father has given them, in the Word and through prayer.

Yes, they look like the Meek, but the also sound like the Prophet Who went  into the Temple of God and turned over the tables of money changers. His Voice is one that is the powerful, the holy, the Righteous, and full of majesty.

Psalm 29:3-4

3 The voice of the LORD is over the waters;

The God of glory thunders;

The LORD is over many waters. 

4 The voice of the LORD is powerful;

The voice of the LORD is full of majesty. 

NKJV

Holding our feet to the fire, is holding in that place where God is a consuming fire. It is that place as seen In Hebrews 12 and verse 27 indicating the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain. Our kingdom is that which cannot be shaken.......it is the kingdom of God. He presented us with grace by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. (verse 28)

When choosing the Lord to lead us, we find the mentors who He would  allow to mentor us. And it is His plan, not ours. They will be those who live the Beatitudes. They are those who abide in peace, righteousness, security, triumph over opposition that is the heritage of the servants of the Lord.

Benjamin Franklin was once quoted as saying: "Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn."

And do we not know that by experience with children? When allowing children into our daily lives like washing dishes, doing laundry or maybe taking out the trash, they learn! I remember when my mother taught me to do laundry. I was probably 14 but was folding clothes long before 14.
When we marry, we allow another into our life. We learn how to live with another person. But it must be on that which is in God and His Word.  When the thrill of marriage begins to fade, then we must know that God is to be involved. We must humble ourselves and submit to God in how do I put aside any anger, any unforgiveness as the days move into months of being in a hard place. When the excitement of being married seemed to leave unexpectedly, we each as individuals have to choose to speak and do the best for the other person. It is subduing any pride issues we may hold. And then hold God's light on the situation. It is done not in the flesh, but by the Spirit of God.

When we get involved in other's lives we learn. Allowing Jesus into our hearts will sharpen us so that we might go out and sharpen others. That kind of sharpening comes from spending time together around the Word of God, not at a bar, or at the movies, or even in a park, unless you have gone there to minister to another, to sharpen them in things of God.

Hold your feet to the fire of His Word and expect..........see those inner motives change for others and you will be out there sharpening others as well. When we get involve into other's lives, we learn.  We learn to participate in the things of God that makes for a family, the body of believer's for His glory. Sharpening another is finding that which is the treasure in them, that which shines likes a diamond, and all other is just debris and should fall away.

Father, today we pray in Jesus' name for that walk in sharpening others. Father, we know it to be that which is holding our feet to the fire of Your Word. We pray Jeremiah 23:28-29....that those who have Your Word, let him speak YOUR Word faithfully. "What is the chaff to the wheat?" "Is not MY word like fire" says the LORD. "And like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?"

For some it may be a new thing but may it still be to Your glory. Today we also pray for the discipline and self-control needed to carry out this plan. Lord, enable each to flow in that which is a gift of discernment to draw out of others what is of value and to let the other which is like chaff to go.

Teach us to clearly understand Your leading in ministry to people. Help bring them into our lives and enable us to continue to communicate with each other in the body of believer's  as we do with the new ones who come to us.

 We pray that they always communicate YOUR love for those YOU have put on our pathway. Lord, we pray we never grow weary while doing good, for in due season we will reap if we “do not lose heart”. (Galatians 6:9)

 Amen.

You can also visit my Youtube channel The Voice of Prayer for more teaching at http://bit.ly/1tNyBhV