BUILDERS FOR GOD – Monday August 28th 2017
Memorise:
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always
abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour
is not in vain in the Lord. 1st Corinthians 15:58
2:1 And
it came to pass in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes
the king, that wine was before him: and I took up the wine, and gave it
unto the king. Now I had not been beforetime sad in his presence.
2:2 Wherefore
the king said unto me, Why is thy countenance sad, seeing thou art not
sick? this is nothing else but sorrow of heart. Then I was very sore
afraid,
2:3 And
said unto the king, Let the king live for ever: why should not my
countenance be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers' sepulchres,
lieth waste, and the gates thereof are consumed with fire?
2:4 Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven.
2:5 And
I said unto the king, If it please the king, and if thy servant have
found favour in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me unto Judah, unto
the city of my fathers' sepulchres, that I may build it.
2:6 And
the king said unto me, (the queen also sitting by him,) For how long
shall thy journey be? and when wilt thou return? So it pleased the king
to send me; and I set him a time.
2:7 Moreover
I said unto the king, If it please the king, let letters be given me to
the governors beyond the river, that they may convey me over till I
come into Judah;
2:8 And
a letter unto Asaph the keeper of the king's forest, that he may give
me timber to make beams for the gates of the palace which appertained to
the house, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall
enter into. And the king granted me, according to the good hand of my
God upon me.
MESSAGE:
A
builder is a person who is capable of handling the design, planning and
construction of a building project.
A builder is obligated to execute a
building project in compliance with the specifications of the blueprint
he or she has been given. Throughout the Bible, terms like building,
foundation, house, temple, building block and cornerstones, are used
figuratively. For example, the Bible presents God as a Builder in Hebrews 11:10, while 1st Corinthians 3:11
presents the Christian faith as a building which has Jesus Christ as
the foundation. Consequently, ministers of the gospel are co-labours
with God and also builder (1st Corinthians 3:9).
Similarly, the duties and responsibilities of a minister of God can be
compared to that of a builder in many ways. A builder should be a wise
person who is skilled in the art and science of construction. Likewise, a
minister of the gospel should be skilful in the art of building the
souls of men. No ignorant preacher should be given this sensitive
assignment. A builder takes special care to lay the right foundation and
selects the right materials to make the building well suited for the
foundation. In like manner, ministers of God must be mindful of the
materials they use in building the Church of God. Christ is our Living
Foundation who requires the use of living stones for building the Church
(1st Peter 2:5-6).
Sometimes, a builder must first pull down an old structure and remove
the resultant debris before laying a new foundation. Ministers of the
gospel must also pull down every high thing that exalts itself against
the knowledge of God, and remove the debris of many errors,
indiscipline, false doctrines and damnable heresies.
There
is an aspect of the building profession that involves creativity and
craftsmanship. By these set of skills, much beauty, innovation,
artistry, colour and style is achieved in a building project. Similarly,
the introduction of creative ideas into various aspects of the work of
the gospel has produced enviable results across the world. However,
caution must be applied because the Bible views certain creative works
as whitewashed sepulchres (Matthew 23:27).
The decision to accept or reject any creative work is not driven by the
work itself, but is determined by the spirit that motivates the worker.
Fine craftsmen can prostitute their talents by producing beautiful
idols. The Church of God is a work in progress and every Christian is
duty-bound to make their contributions in compliance with the blueprint
of Jesus and according to God’s specifications. Let everyone take heed
and watch how they build on the foundation of Jesus Christ.
Prayer Point
Father,
please don’t let me suffer lost in life and ministry; let my efforts
and contributions to the advancement of the gospel be rewarded in Jesus’
Name.
Open Heavens Daily Devotional guide
was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the
Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical Church
in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer's Ministries.
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