Rebuilding the Temple

..."Blessed are You, O LORD God of Israel our father, forever and ever. Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, indeed everything that is in the heavens and the earth; Yours is the dominion, O LORD, and You exalt Yourself as head over all. Both riches and honor come from You, and You rule over all, and in Your hand is power and might; and it lies in Your hand to make great and to strengthen everyone. Now therefore, our God, we thank You, and praise Your glorious name. "But who am I and who are my people that we should be able to offer as generously as this? For all things come from You, and from Your hand we have given You. For we are sojourners before You, and tenants, as all our fathers were; our days on the earth are like a shadow, and there is no hope. O LORD our God, all this abundance that we have provided to build You a house for Your holy name, it is from Your hand, and all is Yours. Since I know, O my God, that You try the heart and delight in uprightness, I, in the integrity of my heart, have willingly offered all these things; so now with joy I have seen Your people, who are present here, make their offerings willingly to You. O LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, our fathers, preserve this forever in the intentions of the heart of Your people, and direct their heart to You;..." (1 Chronicles 29:10-18 NASB)

This was David's prayer of thanksgiving before the people after receiving their offerings for the building of the Temple.

As I've begun to see God pour out His Spirit on people around me & watching their faith grow and their willingness to sacrifice what is precious gold - their pride, dignity, time, convenience - to the building of this new "temple" (or movement) for the Lord, this my prayer.

Strengthen the Body

Again, we've all been called and all have a role in God's plan.

"Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all. But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift. Therefore it says,
"WHEN HE ASCENDED ON HIGH,
HE LED CAPTIVE A HOST OF CAPTIVES,
AND HE GAVE GIFTS TO MEN." And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love." (Ephesians 4:1-8, 11-16 NASB)

First of all, no one's role is to do nothing...
Secondly, "...until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ."
Because we are His body "being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part," it's our obligation to not only be an active joint but to supply what we've been given to the rest of the body ACCORDING TO THE PROPER WORKING.
When we're told to pursue love yet earnestly desire spiritual gifts, they're inseparable!
Love is what knits us together (and how the world knows we are His) and spiritual gifts are the empowerment we've been given to continually build up the body.
If we're not supplying, the body is weak and lacking.
It's our obligation to not only seek out our role in the body, but to seek out and build up the other parts.
If you have the gift of teaching, teach! If you SEE someone with the gift of teaching, LET them teach. Same with pastoral gifting, evangelism, prophetic gifts, etc.
Strengthen the body!

We Need Anointing

Last night Ken Fish shared that 90% of Christians have never led someone to the Lord & that of the remaining that have, most haven't within the last year.

Why? Well one reason is simply fear. Fear of man, fear of failure...
We've come to rely on our own wit, charm & knowledge of the bible in order to share the gospel, of which we're apparently becoming bankrupt.
But when the Lord says, "Speak to them. I will give you the words..." He ain't kiddin!

Even the apostle Paul didn't rely on those things when he first preached to Corinth, but relied soley on the Holy Spirit!

"And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling, and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God." (1 Corinthians 2:1-5 NASB)

This is the kind of evangelism we seek today!
Pray for more than just an opportunity to tell someone about Jesus. Pray for His anointing to demonstrate His POWER!

Religion

See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority; and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ; Therefore no one is to act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day- things which are a mere shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ. Let no one keep defrauding you of your prize by delighting in self-abasement and the worship of the angels, taking his stand on visions he has seen, inflated without cause by his fleshly mind, and not holding fast to the head, from whom the entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and ligaments, grows with a growth which is from God. If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as, "Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!" (which all refer to things destined to perish with use)-in accordance with the commandments and teachings of men? These are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against fleshly indulgence. (Colossians 2:8-11, 16-23 NASB)

Self-abasement=denying yourself of food, wealth, worth...choices

Religion is a dangerous business. In the right context it can be the bread of life to all who find it, but outside of God's design or when laid fully in the hands of men, rather than God, it becomes perverted.

1. Let us not assume the righteousness we found today should be the rule of law for another. Firstly, our convictions ought to be based on what God has done in us, not merely what has been taught. Therefore our convictions or understanding pushed onto another can cause strife rather than "alignment into our way of thinking."

2. Take heart when others don't understand your convictions and/or what God is doing in you and try to suggest or even put parameters around your behavior. What God has begun in you, He will bring it to fruition. What is not of God will eventually perish.

3. YET, choose WISELY whom you will trust, knowing that the heart is sick (yes, yours too). But measure all things by the Word of God and the conviction of the Holy Spirit. Those who truly desire wisdom will receive it.

Pursue Love

Pursue love, yet desire earnestly spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. For one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God; for no one understands, but in his spirit he speaks mysteries. But one who prophesies speaks to men for edification and exhortation and consolation. One who speaks in a tongue edifies himself; but one who prophesies edifies the church. Now I wish that you all spoke in tongues, but even more that you would prophesy; and greater is one who prophesies than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may receive edifying. (1 Corinthians 14:1-5 NASB)

1. "Pursue love, yet desire earnestly spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy." - Notice it doesn't say "Pursue gifts, yet desire earnestly love..." To pursue love is to pursue Christ while to pursue gifts is to pursue selfish gain. Yet to "desire spiritual gifts" is to hope in the outpouring of effects through love as He allows.

2. Notice how much time & direction is given to the subject of tongues. Why is there even a question about tongues in the church today? It's real & it's from God. It's merely a matter of how it's used. And again, to "pursue" tongues would be unbiblical.

3. "one who prophesies speaks to men for edification and exhortation and consolation" and "one who prophesies edifies the church" When the church or body of believers disregards the prophetic, it's shutting off a major avenue of edification from the Lord, for it says "He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward..." (Matthew 10:41 NASB)
(*Note also that some may claim that the word prophesy is merely "proclaiming the word of God", but this is specifically in context to spiritual gifts...)

So let us pursue love, not chasing after spiritual gifts, but rather welcome them as they're poured out as He wills.

Know Your Place

Oh for the day that we fully understand this about each other's giftings and callings...

"But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired. If they were all one member, where would the body be? And the eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you"; or again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you." On the contrary, it is much truer that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary; so that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another." (1 Corinthians 12:18, 19, 21, 22, 25 NASB)

...what kinda damage we could do for the Kingdom!

Hold Fast the Confession of Our Faith

Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father. Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it. "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you. (John 14:12-17 NASB)

How can we stand by and not believe this statement?
"he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do..."
But we don't. We discount the works of the Holy Spirit...or think "it's not for me. Why would He use me?" But He does & He will!!
"...but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong," (1 Corinthians 1:27 NASB)

So therefore...
"Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds," (Hebrews 10:23, 24 NASB)

Hold Fast the Confession of Our Faith

"Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father. Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it. "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you." (John 14:12-17 NASB)

How can we stand by and not believe this statement?
"he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do..."
But we don't. We discount the works of the Holy Spirit...or think "it's not for me. Why would He use me?" But He does & He will!!
"...but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong," (1 Corinthians 1:27 NASB)

So therefore...
"Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds," (Hebrews 10:23, 24 NASB)

Let Him Who Boasts

Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment. For I have been informed concerning you, my brethren, by Chloe's people, that there are quarrels among you. Now I mean this, that each one of you is saying, "I am of Paul," and "I of Apollos," and "I of Cephas," and "I of Christ." Has Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God. But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is written, "LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD." (1 Corinthians 1:10-13, 27-31 NASB)

I still see so many people subconsciously putting different leaders on pedestals. Trading one teaching for another, or worse yet, blowing with every new wind of change...

We are not called to worship or become "followers" of specific leaders or teachers, but to be led by them... No pastor, preacher, prophet or other should take the place of Christ. The goal is that through our God-given authorities we might glean from them all that Christ would have us to understand, while we grow in the depth and the knowledge of Him ourselves.
This, not to say that we are or shall ever be above or equal to those leaders, but instead that they've been placed strategically over us for a time so that might become all that Christ has called us to.

Let Him Who Boasts

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"Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment. For I have been informed concerning you, my brethren, by Chloe's people, that there are quarrels among you. Now I mean this, that each one of you is saying, "I am of Paul," and "I of Apollos," and "I of Cephas," and "I of Christ." Has Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God. But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is written, "LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD." (1 Corinthians 1:10-13, 27-31 NASB)

I still see so many people subconsciously putting different leaders on pedestals. Trading one teaching for another, or worse yet, blowing with every new wind of change...

We are not called to worship or become "followers" of specific leaders or teachers, but to be led by them... No pastor, preacher, prophet or other should take the place of Christ. The goal is that through our God-given authorities we might glean from them all that Christ would have us to understand, while we grow in the depth and the knowledge of Him ourselves.
This, not to say that we are or shall ever be above or equal to those leaders, but instead that they've been placed strategically over us for a time so that might become all that Christ has called us to.

Discipline-After God’s Heart

"My son, do not reject the discipline of the LORD
Or loathe His reproof, For whom the LORD loves He reproves,
Even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights. How blessed is the man who finds wisdom
And the man who gains understanding. For her profit is better than the profit of silver
And her gain better than fine gold. She is more precious than jewels;
And nothing you desire compares with her. Long life is in her right hand;
In her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are pleasant ways
And all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her,
And happy are all who hold her fast. My son, let them not vanish from your sight;
Keep sound wisdom and discretion, So they will be life to your soul
And adornment to your neck. Then you will walk in your way securely
And your foot will not stumble." (Proverbs 3:11-18, 21-23 NASB)

One thing that much of our generation hates is discipline, but worse when it comes in an undignified manor. We tend to "throw the baby out with the bath water" and disregard that discipline from our God-given authorities when done in harshness. We do the same when encouragement comes or even prophetic utterances over us, if delivered, again, in a less than dignified way.
But the key line is this: "How blessed is the man who finds wisdom
And the man who gains understanding..."
We can disregard both discipline & encouragement when we receive them as mere words of man, but the blessing comes when we receive it in way that allows the Lord's voice to be heard through it, regardless of its deliverer.

One of my favorite key verses came from David while being pursued by his enemies in 2 Samuel 16:5-10...
But the king said, "What have I to do with you, O sons of Zeruiah? If he curses, and if the LORD has told him, 'Curse David,' then who shall say, 'Why have you done so?'"

David was known as a man after God's heart...