"Whatever It Takes" -2.0

 "If she be a wall, we will build upon her a palace of silver: and if she be a door, we will inclose her with boards of cedar." (S.O.S. 8:9)

  "Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; in whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto a holy temple of the Lord: in whom ye also are builded together for a habitation of God through the Spirit." (Ephesians 2:19-22)

  Because we are frail and are prone to failure, God, in His great and wonderful wisdom has made us a way to be strong and successful. We needed a way to be right; to be made holy and acceptable in His sight; more than that, we needed to be able to have fellowship with the God that loves us! To be saints, is not based upon a measure of our goodness, it is based upon the goodness of God! He makes us that which He has established and declared us to be; not based upon our works, but upon the work that He has done for us. 

  Now, to the "We" in the message above, we can associate this to the "Us" from Genesis 1:26, where God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness." Just in case you might have forgotten, God's plan of redemption was and has been put in place before the foundations of the world were established; which means, that God has always set out to make us in His image! (Revelations 13:8)

Matthew Henry finishes this verse off with this little ditty: "We will do it; Father, Son, Holy Ghost, all concur in contriving, carrying on, and crowning, the blessed work when the time comes. Whatever is wanting shall be set in order, and the work of faith shall be fulfilled with power. Though the beginnings of grace be small, the latter end shall greatly increase. The church is in care concerning those that are yet uncalled. 'Let me alone,' says Christ; 'I will do all that which is necessary to be done for them. Trust me with it.'" 

  There are several little things I have been blessed to hear over the last several days; things which I believe that have been said to cause me, as well as a whole host of others, to be put at ease, made to see things in a different light, and a prepared to sing praises in times of affliction. The main thing that we must remember, is that the church is not a building or any particular place where we meet: the church is the Body of Christ! In that regard, I heard that Pastor J. Vernon had said, 'The church was started by meeting in homes, and it shall end up by meeting in homes.'

  Additionally, Pastor Jeff was sharing on the fact that when we accept condolences over any trial or tragedy in our life, we rob God of the glory that He deserves. This is true also for the way we carry ourselves and walk around as though someone has stolen our little red wagon. As believers and saints of God, we should express a spirit of peace and joy, especially in times of difficulty and affliction. It is in those times that we are allowed to shine the glory of God; light is always the brightest in the darkest of times and situations! 

  Finally, Pastor Jon was sharing on the Book of Revelation, making to point that is made by almost every good teacher of the Word: It is The Revelation of Jesus Christ! Basically what that means, it is the Revealing of Christ! All throughout the Bible He is shown in one form of another; within the Old Testament He is shown in almost every aspect of creation; within the New Testament He is shown as He appeared to mankind; within the Book of Revelation, He is revealed in power and in glory! 

  Whatever it takes, He is going to prepare His bride for the wedding. As John says, as with the church: "And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take of the water of life freely." (Revelation 22:17) 

  Lord, please help us to pull as many as we can back from the grip that world has upon their lives...

"I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, that I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the services of God, and the promises; whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen." (Romans 9:1-5)