What Are We Building

Today I want to say a few things briefly, as an invitation to thinking, We traditionally use Tuesdays to consider what we are building. To continue this theme, let’s consider for future discussion a few ideas.

What were you building yesterday? From the actions and speaking of yesterday, what things were you building? The answer can usually be found in what you woke up with today, If today was or was not what you wanted, what was it that you did yesterday that contributed to that? If we consider this point, we may conclude what may be good to repeat, or not, today.

What are you building today? If you want today to be more of the same as yesterday, then repeat your actions and speech. If not, change them. What are you building toward in the future? If you want the future to be the same or different, then either repeat what you are doing or change.

These are simple ideas, I know. But there may be more than meets the eye here if we dig deeper. In future posts, we will revisit these concepts.

Prayer
Father, King of the universe, we praise and thank You for all You have done, are doing, and will do. We ask that You help us to build like You. In Jesus name. Amen.

When We Win

Sometimes life challenges get the best of us, and sometimes we win. For example, I have been battling a virus in my computer from an investment website that I visit frequently. Last night I thought I had won, but it came back today. I was using Firefox, which normally works well. I had to move to Chrome and transfer all my bookmarks. The good news, I am encouraged that I finally won this battle. The virus left with the old browser. All of this caused me to to think through all of the battles and victories that come to me from God. There have been so many victories lately that it makes me a little nervous. When I stop and think about it, I wonder if there were victories all along, but know I am able to see them?

You are meant to live in victory. Never quit fighting and praying till you get your breakthrough!

Prayer
Father, I praise and exalt you as the Most High God. Thank You so much for all You have done for Your children. Father, I ask today that You give Your people what they need to win in the battles they are fighting today. In Jesus name. Amen.

Keep Building

When we walk through life, we are privileged to walk with those around us. We can do this best when we walk together. Have you ever had something difficult to do and you worked on that task with one or more other people that really went well, maybe even to the point of being fun? The scriptures say, in Psalm 133:1 Behold how good and pleasant it is fro brethren to dwell together in unity. God actually points out this point to us in this scripture. The question we can ask is, why does it work this way?

The answer is, it was designed to work that way. If we are going to try to walk with God, then we will likely have the best life when we try to fit into the design and not try to redo the design to fit our desires. In following the design, the result is walking together builds each other up.

Prayer
Father, we praise you for just being our King. We thank You for all that You do and ask that You help us to help each other. We believe in You and in Your design for our lives. Please help us to walk it out. In Jesus name. Amen.

Step By Step

Walking through life I wonder how we change. How do we stop doing what we should not do and start doing what we should do. Sometimes that can seem like a very long distance. It can happen where God gives us the grace to change instantly. Many times for me He has me walk it out, winning smaller victories that end up being the larger victory. That is where we find Paul in his second letter to the people at Corinth.

In 2 Corinthians 3 Paul is writing to believers who were in part struggling with who he was. He reminded them that their evidence of who he was was themselves and their hearts. The veil of blindness that covers the heart making it impossible to see Jesus in the law is removed when we turn to Jesus. The veil that covers our ability to see God is also removed, and if we keep our eyes on God, we will become more like Him, from glory to glory, being transformed. We must patiently wait for Him and call on Him daily to be transformed.

Prayer
Father, You are the Most High King of the universe. I ask that You would reach out to Your people today, and let them continue to behold Your glory. Please help us to be transformed through Your Spirit. Help us to become more like Jesus and less like who we were. In Jesus name. Amen.

Yet Another Reason To Sing

In Psalm 98, as in many of the Psalms, God helps to understand more about who He is and what He is doing. In this Psalm and others He also says what we should be doing, and why. One of our primary tasks is to praise God with our voices, in singing and joyful shouts. We also praise Him with instruments. What is interesting is why.

In this Psalm it says God has revealed His righteousness to the nations and made know His salvation. His victory is from His right hand and right arm. God remembers His mercy and His faithfulness (not ours – His never fails). Even the creation is rejoicing. Why? Because He come to judge the earth. There have been many times when I saw judgement mentioned in the bible I thought it was a bad thing. I now understand it to mean that God comes to set things in order. His judgements are good because they set things in order as they should be according to what He has laid out in scripture. To the degree that we are “plugged in” to that, His judgements will appear good to us because they will continue to set things in order. For those that choose not to follow His ways, the judgements are not such a good thing, because He will eliminate the possibility for those wrong things to continue. But the really cool thing is that this happens when we praise God. We know He is seated on the praises of His people. Literally we praise Him and He comes and sets things right!

Prayer
Father, help us to praise You at all times. Thank You for revealing You righteousness and making known Your salvation. Come and set things right. In Jesus name. Amen.

God Uses People

Today when I opened the bible I read John 1:6. It says that there was a man sent from God, and his name was John. This helped me. It helped me, it edified me, because I am but a man and know that I will always be. In speaking with a friend today he told me that he settled in his heart long ago that there were just certain things that he seemed to always mess up. He said God know that, but gives him his gift anyway. This also edified me, because I know God gives me the gifts he gives me, not because I am perfect or because I need to do something to earn it, but because that what God chooses to do. All of us – you me, others – all of us are given one or more gifts by God, even though He knows we are human and will mess some things up. He is a good dad, and will help us along the way. Be of good cheer, God picked you because you are human, not in spite of being human!

Prayer
father, please help us in our humanity. Please help us along the way. Please pick us up when we fall. Please help us to impact the world for Your kingdom. In Jesus name. Amen.

Edification, Or Not

The body of Christ needs building up. We all have a responsibility to do this for ourselves and for each other as believers. This is how our lives improve as believers, by becoming more like Jesus. Leaders, especially those that lead a congregation as a Pastor, have an even greater responsibility to be a source of edification. So, if you are a Pastor, how do you know if you are edifying those around you? Look around. How are the people doing? How are your relationships with others, including other leaders. That is how you are doing. And the same goes for the rest of us.

Prayer
Father, we ask today that we might be a source of edification to the others in the body of Christ. Help us to connect with you and others in a way that leads us here on earth to usher in Your kingdom. In Jesus name. Amen.

One More Reason

Today as I was thinking of the blog, it occurred to me that there is both edification and comfort to be found in considering the reason Jesus came and dies for us. One more reason. In Isaiah 61, the passage Jesus read in the synagogue that cause quite a stir, tells of the Messiah’s mission. I have always found verses the first three verses to be very compelling. However, it was another verse that today made me realize that there was yet another reason that I can find comfort, and can rebuild my spirit when I am down.

In verse seven it says that instead of shame, we will have double honor. Instead of confusion we will rejoice in our portion. We will, in our land, possess double, and have everlasting joy. This means while we are here on this earth this will come to pass. This caused me to be comforted. Somtimes when I see those that do not seem to want to serve God prospering when I am struggling, I get confused and feel shame. No more. It only means my promise is yet to come. Now that is worth rejoicing over!

Prayer
Father, thank You for sending Your Son to die and rise again for us. It seems crazy to me, and I could not do it, but I thank You for it. I thank You that I will see, in my land, the time when I have double what I ever had. Thank You. In Jesus name. Amen.

The Fullness

In Ephesians 4:7-13 we see the description of the five-fold ministry. According to Paul, the offices/gifts of apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor and teacher are meant to exist to equip the saints for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body. In a conversation I had with another believer they stated that they felt that the end goal was that each member of the body reaches the fullness of the stature of the Messiah, and that at that point we would all operate in all five offices. This point is important because we do need to know how long these offices are to exist if the point is to equip the saints.

First I disagree that we can all operate in all of these gifts. There is nothing in this passage that indicates this, although it is frequently preached from the pulpit. It is clear that the gifts (plural) were given by the Messiah to men (plural) in verse eight. That is what the scripture says, and although I love my brethren, when they disagree with the scripture, I have to agree with the scripture.

The second point is when can we expect to reach the fullness of the stature of the Messiah, as stated in verse 13? In 1 John 3:2-3 it says that when we see Him we will be as He is. Therefore, it would suggest that at the second coming we will be like Jesus. Until then, we are to work toward being pure. How? Through the work of the five-fold ministry, studying the scriptures, prayer, praise, etc. So, I suggest first that no one will ever have all five ministry gifts, because the purpose of them is to get us to the time when we are like Him, which is when He returns. There is no indication in this scripture that they will continue after that. Why is this important?

For me and my house, we need to see the five-fold in operation because we need to be equipped. Whatever we are missing is an opportunity for the enemy to attack and inflict damage. I do not want that for my family.

What do you want for your family?

Prayer
Father, You are the Most High King. You alone are worthy of all praise and honor. You alone can help man reach the the fullness of the stature of the Messiah through the gifts that Jesus died and rose again for, the five-fold ministry. Please Father, have mercy on us all. Please call forth these gifts on the earth in a mighty way today. In Jesus name. Amen.

What Are The Building Blocks?

The scriptures direct us to build each other up, to edify one another. In 1 Thessalonians 5:11 it not only directs us to do so, but assumes we already are doing so. But it makes me wonder, what are the stones?

In James 2 we are admonished not to prefer the rich over the poor; not to show partiality. If we do not show partiality, the the stones would be treating others fairly. Singing psalms and hymns is another way to build us up. Here the blocks are positive words that we hear that add to our faith and trust in God. The stones are those words and deeds that cause a person to be strengthened. To destroy someone, the opposite of building them up, is to say or do something that moves the person away from faith and trust in God.

I guess the only thing left to say is to ask oneself, or to ask God, “Lord, are the things I do and say building others up?”

Prayer
Father, we praise and honor You as the One True God. Thank ou for today. Please help us to raise each other up, as Jesus would. In Jesus name. Amen.