THE FOREVER BUILDING
Suggested Reading: 1 Chronicles 17-18
Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion).
Here is a view of the Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem. Above the Western Wall (or Wailing Wall), where you now see the trees and the golden Dome of the Rock, was once the location of Solomon's Temple.
GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.
Key Verses: 1 Chronicles 17:4
Go and tell my servant David, “Thus says the Lord: You shall not build Me a house to dwell in.”
What if David had gone ahead and built God’s house? Chaos would’ve resulted and, because of disobedience, the favour and the presence of God would be gone from David and Israel. We must make absolutely sure we’ve heard from God, and then we must move forward boldly, trusting that if God is not in the move, He will stop us if we are willing to listen and obey.
David’s son, Solomon, built the Temple. Solomon composed Psalm 127 in which he writes, “Unless the Lord builds the house, they labour in vain who build it” (verse 1). The Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed twice, the first time by the Babylonians and the second time by the Romans. How do we understand the word “forever,” which is repeated five times in our reading? According to Nathan the prophet, God desires a place in which to dwell. The Apostle Paul informs us that, “In Him (Jesus) dwells all the fullness of the Godhead (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) bodily” (Colossians 2:8-10). God promised David that his dynasty would be “forever.” Only in the Son of David, Jesus, is that true. Because of Jesus, we as believers in Him are the building in which God dwells.Ephesians 2:19-22tells us that we are “built together for a habitation of God.” Rejoice!!!
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Lord God, grant that I may ever be conscious that my fellow believers and I are Your dwelling place, Your temple. May I never dishonour Your temple, which is my spirit, soul and body. Also I pray that like King David I will know when to take initiatives and when to stop. Lord Jesus, great Builder of Your Church, use me for Your building, and also use the next generation. In Your Name I ask these mercies, Amen!!!
100 PERSONAL WORDS:
Looking down on me from my bookshelves as I type this are five faces. Three of them are on books. There’s Wilberforce, who led the heroic campaign to end slavery in the British Empire. There’s Lincoln, who took the lead in ending slavery in the United States. And there’s John A. MacDonald, a builder of Canada. I believe that all of these were servants of God to accomplish His purposes. The other two faces I see are peeking out from two wooden shoes. The shoes were presented to me in the Netherlands (Holland) on the occasion of a speaking tour, sponsored by EO, Christian TV. Inside the shoes are Caspar the Cop and his Uncle Jasper, puppets I used for years in ministering to children. Both Caspar and Jasper are very old now in puppet years, They’ve lost their hats somewhere. However in their time they did a fine job of grabbing the attention of children so I could share the story of Jesus in a way that was not boring and that they would remember for a lifetime. Caspar and Jasper do not have the stature of Wilberforce, Lincoln, and MacDonald, but they did their job. All of us have a place in God’s grand purposes. I recognize that all I have to do, like the puppets Caspar and Jasper, is to be available for God’s hand to use me at all places and at all times, and God’s will shall be done in and through me. Amen!!!
Yours to learn to obey God, being willing to build with Him as He directs,
David
P.S. Below is a photo of the bookshelf view that I desribed, including the puppets Caspar and Jasper. The mark on Jasper’s forehead is the glue that held his hat in place. Under wooden shoes is the Bible. I deliberately placed the shoes there as a message to me every morning as I do this blog. My understanding is that Holy Scriptures are the foundation of my life. This picture symbolizes the solid Rock of God’s Truth on which we take our stand every day in 100words.ca; also our daily walk with God, and finally a variety of methods of sharing God’s Word. The message never changes, but the methods do.
Thank you for your message this morning David. It reminds me that we always need to prepare our hearts and minds with the sensitivity of the Holy Spirit, that we might be prepared to hear a word from God. Following this, once we’ve heard a word from the Lord, it is important to act on what God would have us do. Satan will always be around to way-lay God’s best plans for us, so it’s good to keep our minds focused on Jesus and not become distracted. Trust, faith and obedience are three great antidotes to fear, we would do well to practice them as we move forward on what God would have us do. We would do well to always remember that we are co-heirs with Jesus, we are His children, He wants to have an intimate relationship with us, to walk with us, to hear from us, to live in us. Rest in Him, allow Him to live and to work through you. God always wants His best for us, He will not abandon His children, He promises to see us through no matter what the situation or circumstance.
Well stated Scott!! I always look forward to your comments each day!! They are always spot on!!! Have a great day blog buddies!!!
Thank-you Ruby, that was kind of you to say. 🙂
So much meaning from the faces on your books as well as your puppets, Casper and Jasper! All great communicators who have impacted history and lives with their passionate message about leadership under God’s prevailing authority and love for each of us. It is amazing how God first loved us and shares our mind, body and soul, that we are a temple and never far from His holy presence. All glory and honor are His, forever more! Have a great day to all!
Amen David!
The picture today of one shelf of your library got me to look for my own copy of Josh and Sean McDowell’s excellent book “The Unshakable Truth” (American spelling of “unshakeable”).
I have also recently discovered David Pawson’s teaching and his book “Unlocking the Bible”. which I recommend to all bloggers.
Shalom,
Graham.
2012 Holy Land Yellow Bus.
Thank you, David for your message and the reminder that God has a purpose for each one of us. God bless you everyone.
Hi David, You pointed out Psalm 127:verse 1: Unless the Lord build the house, they labour in vain who build it. This reminded me of a dear sister in the Lord who had a brother who fell into drink. She watched him in dismay,as he had been very anointed at one time. She decided to bring him into her home, and fix his problem. She worked and worked with him until, he was no longer drinking. He finally left her home and settled into his own place,only to fall back into the drink. She was exasperated as she tried so hard to change him,and the Lord took her this scripture to explain what had gone wrong. What a life lesson! God changes us from the inside out, so we must let God be God, and try to help peoplle by being that listening ear,and waiting for them to want to change, and in the meantime, keep praying and loving them unconditionally.
Dear Pastor David,
Thank you very much for this passage reading of 1 Chron 17. I just wrote a 5-page prayer to God after reading this passage. God spoke to me reminding me of His promise to me. Two months after God’s direct promise to me of healing me from cancer through Mark 5:34 & 36, God sent a sister in Christ to pray for me and she, acted as Nathan, received a vision from Him seeing me either sharing or teaching in a church setting 10 years from now. Being nurtured in a Baptist church, I never was encouraged to speak in tongues or see vision or witnessing any divine healing. So, I kept this in heart thanking God but also in fear that she might make a mistake as it was my first time getting to know a believer who receives vision from God in her prayers.
God used this passage again to remind me of how I should respond to Him in faith, like David, in believing and trusting Him fully for His carrying out of His promise to completion, and also in exalting Him with full praises and honor and glory. Who am I that God will be willing to take note of me? I’m nothing compared to King David that I too get to receive a vision of my future. I thanked God wholeheartedly for knowing my heart and concerns and comforting me and assuring me with such divine revelation. His greatness left me speechless…
Blessings in Him to you all,
Janet
Thank you for sharing Janet and continuing in prayer for you dear sister in The Lord.
I too come from a Baptist background but through many trials these past two years I have seen God’s working in me and mine more and more. I feel a freedom to worship that I never did before and as we listen for His leading a lot of our hang ups ( if I may say that) fade away. God bless you today.
thanks Catherine for your prayers and your encouragement.
I am bit late getting to this site today, but I did. I too have been waiting on the Lord to complete a promise He made to me over 12 years ago- and I have learned it isn’t a matter of faith. If God makes the promise, He will keep it. And it wasn’t about trust, because I know I can trust God to keep His word. I discovered the source of my doubt was whether what I heard was really from God. And in the beginning I was always asking for signs or reassurance what He said is what I heard. But there comes a point, you have to either believe it without any more doubts or reject it. In my case I decided I truly did believe it was the Lord, but I am impatient woman, so it always seem God was late, but eventually I learned the hard way that He is always on time. I hope that is helpful to you
thank you, Donna. Your sharing is helpful indeed, as He is faithful and trustworthy always. I had same thoughts like you questioning if l interpreted God’s voice correctly. But time will tell and prove His way, and like you, I was impatient and still learning how not to be. Having cancer now is like my life is put on a pause button and I am forced to rely on Him fully on what will happen to me next minute. My faith, patience and state of mind is put on trial and refined by Him, yet His presence in this has been sustaining me. I have nothing but gratitude for my Lord!
Janet
Many years ago I went to listen to a Christian speaker and he was witty and charming, but in my spirit I felt he was all talk and no substance. Ten years later I had a chance to hear this man again. He had been very ill with cancer, nearly dying, and he was completely changed. This time he spoke from a place in God’s heart instead of from his gift for gab. Sometimes it is our suffering and our weaknesses that reveal our Lord to others far better than our abilities. You might feel like your life is on hold now, but whatever happens next I am certain God is preparing you spiritually, emotionally and physically for it. Keeping you in my prayers
Thank you fellow bloggers and Pastor David….each day brings newness of what the scriptures reveal to us and your explanations, prayers and stories bring it alive.
ObeDIEnce…..I think I said this before, but whenever I see the word obedience I see DIE in the middle which reminds me to die to myself and seek more of Jesus.
Sometimes I rush ahead, but The Lord always STOPS me somehow and saves me from myself!!! More of HIM and less of me.
Blessings fellow saints.
Thank you fellow bloggers and David M. for your comments. It is essential that we keep our eyes on Christ. My thoughts and prayers are for each one of you. Let us to our eyes upon Jesus, Look full in His wonderful face and things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace!!!!! God Bless Each One!!!!
Please keep my Father-in-law in your prayers he is having radiation for throat cancer which has spread to his liver and kidneys. Thank you!!!!!
will uphold your father-in-law in prayers
Coleen will keep your father-in-law in my prayers…can we have his name?
Thanks for the song … Keep your eyes upon Jesus….
When my thoughts wander I like to sing this.
I watched 100 Huntley Street the day they interviewed you. They said they admired the fact that you aren’t judgemental. I’ve noticed that too. You said that your mother taught you that. I am trying to follow your example. After all, God is the judge. Thanks for reminding me of this. God bless you as you keep this blog going. I’m sure it will touch many lives.
A belated thank you, Colleen for your encouragement. I’ve been dealing with trapping; caught 3 groundhogs and a skunk. This is not my nature but has to be done for peace of mind. How earthly minded is that!
Wow what a blog … I’ve been so busy this past month I’m catching up. I always
feel it is better late than never. Like coming to know Jesus …for sure better late than never!!!! Amen Today’s subject matter is so profoundly true. We must listen and be patiant to wait on the Lord.
M.
PS
I don’t always have time for this wonderful blog But! I always have time for the Lord 🙂