Keeping A Hedge Around You And Your Family

I have the utmost respect for schoolteachers. It’s tough being a schoolteacher, especially an elementary school teacher. Recently I come across a humorous list of seven ways to know if you’re an elementary school teacher. You might be an elementary schoolteacher if:

1. You think caffeine should be available in intravenous form.

2. You can tell if it’s a full moon without ever looking outside.

3. You believe the teachers’ staff room should be equipped with a Valium salt lick.

4. You laugh hysterically when someone calls the teachers’ staff room a “lounge.”

5. You want to strangle the next person who says, “Must be nice to work 8 to 3:00 and have summers free.”

6. You believe “Shallow gene pool” should have its own box in the report card.

7. You would approve the aerial spraying of Prozac.

All joking aside, you’re probably a schoolteacher if you love children and love a challenge! We should pray for all of our schoolteachers and administrators. If you can read your Bible, hug a teacher!

Here in this passage of scripture, Job was a righteous man and was doing quite well in life. Indeed, when God can call your name to the devil for an example of a man God approves you know he had to be quite a fellow. Of course, that ticked the devil off and he accused the Lord of buying him. He said God hedged him in from all the trials and tribulations of life so no wonder Job loved God. Tear down that hedge and see what happens, said the devil.

Job 1:6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.

Job 1:7 And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.

Job 1:8 And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?

Nevertheless God allowed the devil to go after Job. If God did not have a hedge around Job before He did now. He placed a small one around him so that Satan could not touch his life. That was a good hedge to have and it was unconquerable since God placed it there.

Job 1:9 Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?

Job 1:10 Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.

Job 1:11 But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.

Job 1:12 And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.

It would be nice to think God builds a hedge of protection around everyone, but the truth is He is looking for people who have surrendered their lives to Him to become His servant. Do you want to have a divine hedge in your life? Then your goal should be to become a servant of God. When you hear the word “hedge,” what you think of? Most people think of a hedge made of plants. You may have a set of hedge clippers somewhere in your garage that you use to trim plants. But the word “hedge” in the Bible describes something more substantial than a bush. The Hebrew word really means “wall.” A hedge was a defensive wall often built around a city. The bottom part might be comprised of stones or hard packed dirt, and there might be thorny plants on the top of it.

BUILDING THE HEDGE AROUND YOU AND YOUR FAMILY BY:

I. THE POWER OF PRAYER

A. I cannot imagine my life without prayer. I know when I pray there is something powerful that begins to happen in the heavens. Jesus said to pray, thy kingdom come and thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Whatever is in Heaven, God desires for us to have it here on this earth with us now. There is no sickness in Heaven, pray thy will be done to heal us on earth. God is not broke in heaven, we should have what they have in heaven, supply every need according to his riches in Christ Jesus. If you want the Hedge around you, you will have to pray it around your life and believe God it is SO.