Word for Today, Wed, 13 Jul 2005: God's Promises
Posted by: masinick <masinick@...>
Dear friends,
It has been a while since I have had Internet access. School has
ended and my contracted position with the school also ended. For
a few weeks, it looked promising that after four years, I would
be able to enter the software profession once again full time.
Well, it didn't happen, not yet anyway. Meanwhile, not having a
full time job put the crimp on just about everything.
If any of you happen to know of any good companies needing
software product support, help desk support, or software quality
testing, those are areas of strength for me. I am also
interested in spending more time in ministry related activities,
so if I can blend my computer skills in areas of faith, all the
better.
When we left off, I had written to you a message or two about the
promises of God. I have some great free software called Bible
Time that works on computer systems that can run desktop software
called KDE. Bible Time was written by some people in Europe and
other areas of the world who love the Lord and want to use their
computer skills to spread the truth of the Bible.
The lesson below is a continuation of a series that is going
exhaustively through the promises of God. The latest series
concerns the promises that God has made concerning building His
church. Read the article below. The church, as defined below,
is not a building, the word refers to "a called out people". In
that context, the Bible also uses words like "set apart", Holy,
sanctified... Those are some of the attributes that Jesus is
building into His people who carry on His work. Are you one of
them?
Yours in Christ,
Brian
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More on the Lord Promising to Build His Church
I will build My church. (Matthew 16:18)
This promise has enormous implications for every follower of
Jesus Christ. "I will build My church. " Each of the five words
in this brief declaration reveals an essential truth of Christian
life and service.
First, this promise discloses who will build the church. "I
(Jesus) will build My church. " Jesus is the builder of the
church, not man. He wants to use us in the process, but He is the
builder. Paul understood this arrangement. "According to the
grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I
have laid the foundation" (1, ). By the grace of God, Paul served
the Lord. As he went about proclaiming Christ, the Lord was using
him to lay the foundation (Christ) in lives that were being saved
and individual churches that were being started.
Second, Jesus' promise reveals the certainty of His church being
built. "I will (assuredly) build My church. " There is no room
for doubt. Jesus will do what He is promising. The only question
for us is whether or not we will be available as a part of this
wondrous process. The Lord wants to make us usable for His work:
"sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good
work" (2, ).
Third, this promise indicates the manner in which the Lord wants
to work. "I will build (construct) My church. " As with any
construction project, there are both the quantitative and
qualitative aspects. The Lord saves souls, adding them to His
church in a quantitative increase. "And the Lord added to the
church daily those who were being saved" (Acts 2:47). The Lord
also enriches those He saves, bringing to His church qualitative
development. "And with great power the apostles gave witness to
the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them
all" (Acts 4:33).
Fourth, His promise settles the issue of ownership. "I will build
My (Jesus') church. " The church does not belong to the Pastor,
the Church Board, or the District Office. It is Jesus' church. He
paid the price to redeem us: "the church of God which He
purchased with His own blood" (Acts 20:28).
Fifth, this promise specifies exactly what Jesus is going to
build. "I will build My church (His people)." The church is not a
building. This word (church) literally speaks of "a called out
people." "But you are . . . His own special people, that you may
proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into
His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the
people of God" (1, ).
Dear Lord Jesus, I honor You as the builder of the church. I rest
in the certainty of Your task being accomplished, both
quantitatively and qualitatively. I see that the church, Your
redeemed people, belongs to You. Also, I humbly ask that You
equip me and use me as You fulfill this grand promise, Amen.
--
Brian Masinick, mailto:masinick@yahoo.com
Home page: http://www.geocities.com/masinick/
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