BLOG 6 - THE GLORY OF THIS LATTER TEMPLE!

I was actually stunned by what the LORD showed me about this verse last week, in Haggai 2:9: "'The glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former' says the LORD of hosts. 'And in this place I will give peace,' says the LORD of hosts.'"

We know that this temple was nothing in comparison to the temple that Solomon built. People came from far away places just to see the glory of Solomon's temple. The old men who had seen both wept with loud voices to see the inferiority of this temple. Yet, the LORD says very clearly, "The glory of this temple shall be greater than the former."

We can immediately conclude that the glory of this temple would be greater because Jesus, God in flesh came to this very place and revealed Himself as Messiah. But where is that temple today? It was completely destroyed by the Romans in 70 CE. Is God finished with His temple or is there still a building going on? Jesus said "destroy this temple and I will raise it up." He was speaking of His body. And He calls His people also His Body as well as the temple of the Lord. He said we would do greater works than Him. Is the temple that He is building through the work of His saints on earth not a "greater work" with "greater glory" than that earthly temple?

1 Cor. 3:9 says: "For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, you are God's building. According to the grace of God which He has given to me, as the wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one's work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is."

What a privilege to be God's fellow worker in building HIS HOUSE made of HUMAN HEARTS, a temple of far greater glory than Solomon's temple. PEOPLE are the gold, silver and precious stones that we build with. Haggai 1:8, the verse right before the verse about the glory of the latter temple says: "The silver is Mine and the gold is Mine". Yes, there is a temple of silver, gold and precious living stones, built without hands, built with prayer and love, as we love people into the kingdom of God with God's own love flowing through us by emptying ourselves and allowing God to fill us and pour out of us as He chooses.

Am I busy sweeping the house looking for that lost silver coin that belongs to the Lord? Will I call all my brothers and sisters together to rejoice with me when I find the lost piece? As a living stone, am I joined fitly together with my bothers and sisters to bear testimony to the love of a true disciple to the watching world? Am I gathering with those "accepted in the Beloved" or am I scattering? Are we a city on a hill bearing His light or bearing shame as the world sees more ugliness among Christians than among its own?

I fear and I tremble at the awesome and terrifying privilege we have been given as God's fellow workers. What will the test of fire reveal? What am I building with? I am so very thankful for His all sufficient grace and that I can rest in Him doing the work as I am only to yield my weak vessel to Him to cleanse, strengthen and use for His glory. As He fills me with His Holy Spirit, I know He will bear the fruit of His love in my life, and with His everlasting love, He will draw those who are His together and make us more gloriously beautiful than any earthly temple.

Agape.

BLOG 5 - WITHIN A YARD OF HELL

Recently, I felt the Lord give me these words as a continuation of the poem by C.T. Studd, missionary to China, India and Africa (You must read his biography. It's amazing!):

C.T. Studd:
"Some wish to live within the sound of church and chapel bell.
I want to run a rescue shop within a yard of Hell."

From Jesus:
Some cannot see those that wear our Lord's name
and ring that chapel bell
Are the broken, bleeding body of the Lord
that rescued me from Hell.
They need to be rescued as well.
They're living on the edge of Hell.
No other place on earth
is less or more of saving worth.
If I do not care if my brother is well,
I do not care for the only one
who can save any soul from Hell.

Agape

BLOG 4 - SOMETHING OLD AND SOMETHING NEW...

Something from the Old and something from the New, something from the Psalms and the Proverbs (or prophets) too, Keeps me walking all day long with a God's-eye view.
At least a chapter a day to keep temptation away, and in what ever I do, pray, pray pray.
What did Jesus show me today?

Exodus 28

It's all summed up in one word on every page: LOVE

God chooses Aaron and his sons to minister to HIM. How??? By bearing their brethren on their shoulders and over their hearts into the Holy of Holies before the Lord. How am I to minister to the Lord??? The same way. By carrying my brothers and sister's into the Holy of Holies to Jesus. Just like Aaron and his sons, we are chosen by God, apart of His royal priesthood, His holy nation, His own special people to proclaim His praises as we see Him work out His promises in the lives of our brothers and sisters. I do not know why the Lord chooses sinners like us to do His "greater works." It's only by His abundant mercy and grace for there is no good thing in us.

Lord help us to be diligent in this duty knowing it effects all eternity. Oh what a joy it will be in eternity to to hear all the stories of how amazingly God answered the prayers He placed in our hearts for each of our loved ones there.

BLOG 3 - THIS MORNING WITH JESUS FROM HAGGAI 1

O LORD, stir up our spirits to work on "the house of the Lord", YOUR HOUSE, THE TEMPLE OF GOD WHICH WE ARE, that You may take pleasure in it and be glorified. Let us not focus on panelling our own homes and filling our own money bags. It will all slip through our fingers and You will blow it away if we do not seek You and Your Kingdom first. As living stones, unite us fitly together that the hopeless around us may see how good and pleasant it is and see that YOUR LOVE is in our midst. For Your name's sake, for Your glory, for Your Body, for Your temple, for Your Bride- Let us not bear Your name in vain.

BLOG 2 - DISAPPOINTMENT IS HIS APPOINTMENT

Just a thought for today: A scripture that has kept me on track many times:
Psalm 119:92 says: "Unless your law had been my delight, I would then have perished in my affliction."

Notice that Disappointment is only one letter off from His-appointment when you change the "D" to an "H." (From the absolutely fascinating biography of C.T. Studd by Norman Grubb.)

BLOG 1 - BLOGGING FOR JESUS

Hello Bloggers,
I just want to use every opportunity to make a difference in the kingdom of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. So I thought I would check out the blogging world. This is all new to me. I have no clue if this will even work. If you read this let me know.
Agape,
Wonbyone2b1

Here's a prayer that I have had in my heart for quite some time that I would like to share:

Forgive us O Lord:
We have turned your church body into an institution.
We have turned your family into strangers.
We have turned the family meal (communion) into a ritual.

Cause us to be a family again of Your true brothers and sisters
who love to keep your commandments
by truly loving one another in word and deed,
regularly breaking bread with one another,
feeding His lambs,
even feeding our enemies,
conquering evil with good,
in rememberance of Him
who came eating and drinking.

By the blood and in the mighty name of Jesus.
Amen.
Can you say amen with me? Amen?