Dear Bros in Christ,

Proverbs 27:17 As iron sharpens iron, So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.
Brothers in Christ, this monthly devotional is sent and meant to be an encouragement to
all and to build up and edify in the Lord Jesus Christ. Oikodome means "Builder". The Lord
has put this on my heart to send out a monthly Iron Man Oikodome {oy-kod-om-
ay'} to build up and encourage the men who love and follow Jesus Christ in their walk with
Him.
Hebrews 3:13 "But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that
none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness."
PRAYER REQUESTS: If you have any prayer requests please send them and I will send
them out to the bros for prayer, if privacy is needed I will send in a discreet way.

JANUARY 2011

“PURE GOLD”
“The twelve gates were twelve pearls: each individual gate was of one pearl.
And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass (Revelation 21:21
NKJV).”

A Bro who was my very best friend always said “you are pure gold bub” whenever he liked
something you said or did or would just remind you of the friendship you both had with
each other he would say that you were pure gold to him. That was the highest compliment
when you heard that from him and he meant it too. He always made others feel like pure
gold when they were around him or talked to them. But he was the real “Pure Gold”! I took
great comfort and joy at his memorial service a few years ago this month as I heard
numerous close friends share story after story about how he used to say that to them and
the impact it had on them. I think when someone says you are pure gold they are saying
that you have great value to them and nothing could be better than you, like you are the
best, the purest, can’t be any better. They hold you in high regard, extreme value and your
worth to them and friendship is not in any diluted form but of pure form, not that you are
somebody or something in a prideful way but you are really something very special to
them and you are greatly valued in their heart and they express it in the purest form they
can ascribe to it and that is “Pure Gold” does not get any better than that. And that is the
way my friend expressed his love towards those he loved by referring to them as “Pure
Gold” that was his standard of measure of love to those who were close to him. And by the
way I can just imagine him standing in this street of gold up in heaven totally mesmerized
and saying these words “Pure Gold”… I can hear him now as I think of how his voice
sounded when he uttered these sweet words to those he loved and now he is being blessed
by the Lord who thinks he is Pure Gold.
And in many ways as we look at the Word of God we see Pure Gold as a high standard
throughout the Bible it occurs forty five times and is used mostly to describe most all the
items in the sanctuary that were either pure gold or overlaid with pure gold. God used the
best for the tabernacle and inner sanctuary articles. The purest materials were used, they
made pure gold (removed all the impurities/dross), and they gave their best and used their
best for the tabernacle and inner sanctuary because this was an offering to God so they
could make Him a sanctuary. When we read about the tabernacle and inner sanctuary we
cannot fathom how awesome this must have looked to see this much pure gold in one
place. I mean it must have been mind blowing to see that beautiful holy sanctuary, there is
not a word that can describe or be used to bear the awesomeness of this sight to behold.
We would all be awestruck I am sure of the beauty and splendor of Gods sanctuary and
“The Holy of Holies”. Just try to imagine this sight and the utter magnitude of standing
there and not being worthy to be there and even see it. How the best materials, the
brightest purest gold was the standard that was used not because it equals Gods
awesomeness or can compare to how Awesome and Mighty He is or be used to signify that
that level of purity meets Gods standards or sets standard of measure which we may
measure Him because nothing meets that criteria but because that was the standard that
He requested and required.

And to think upon this for a few moments and realize pure gold is that which God used and
required for His sanctuary and a standard that is equated with greatness and beauty and
splendor and majesty, pure gold this is what He asked and required when He spoke to
Moses to speak to the children of Israel. And you think how great and totally awesome the
Lord is and what a high and great standard that is and realizing the pureness and beauty of
this and knowing that Gods standards are high and yet we fall so short of His standards
everyday. And we could not meet this requirement by being pure in any sense of the
meaning of the word. But yet we are made as pure gold so to speak by removing the dross,
our sins, by the washing of the blood of Jesus Christ we receive cleansing & forgiveness of
our sins, we are made to meet Gods standard through Christ our Redeemer. We have a lot
to be thankful of bros; we are pure gold to the Lord, we are constantly in His thoughts, we
are held in high regard, we are precious to Him and to use my friend’s quote we are “Pure
Gold” I believe unto the Lord because He loves us so much. He values us because He is
always thinking about us; “Many, O LORD my God, are Your wonderful works Which You
have done; And Your thoughts toward us Cannot be recounted to You in order; If I would
declare and speak of them, They are more than can be numbered (Psalm 40:5 NKJV)”.

Even His offering that He spoke to Moses about to speak the children of Israel about that
they bring Him an offering; He reserves a likeness of this offering that was given but far
greater for us in heaven, not only to walk on the street of pure gold but be in the city of
Pure Gold and that is accomplished only through our Lord & Savior Christ Jesus and only
then can we be in this city of “Pure Gold” and walk on this street of “Pure Gold”.
“The construction of its wall was of jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass
(Revelation 21:18 NKJV)”.
“And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass (Revelation 21:21
NKJV).”

Bro He thinks of you always and values you more than you could ever imagine, think of the
value He has placed on you, so much so that He gave His life in your place, so you would
not have to feel the eternal pain and suffering for the sins you did commit… see you are
very valuable to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, more than Pure Gold.

Agape,
Daniel Wright
Iron Man Oikodome
Proverbs 27:17

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