}Building God’s House
}What
"building God's house" means
}(Chronicles 13:14
NIV) The ark of God remained with the family of Obed-Edom in
his house for
three months, and the LORD blessed his household and
everything he had.
}All the underlined
words are translated from the same Hebrew word bayith.
Therefore, the word bayith can refer to both
the physical house as well as the family/household associated with it. In other
words, God's house or bayith is His physical
church or His family.
}Who
then is God's family?
}They are His children
or all the believers in Jesus Christ.
}(John 1:12 NIV) Yet
to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right
to become children of God--
}Therefore, when we
say that we build God's house, we can refer to both building God's physical
church as well as building God's family in the sense of adding to the body of
believers and edifying existing believers.
}Is
it to have a beautiful church or to have His family built?
}Church you answer.
}Is it to have a
beautiful church?.........Yes or No
}To have His family
built?.....................Yes or No
}To have a good
environment for worship?
}Yes or No.
}But before we go any
further let us look what the word of God speaks about this.
}His concern is you.
}1 Chronicles 17:4-6
NIV) "Go and tell my servant David, 'This is what the LORD says: You are
not the one to build me a house to dwell in. {5} I have not dwelt in a house
from the day I brought Israel up out of Egypt to this day. I have moved from one
tent site to another, from one dwelling place to another. {6} Wherever I have
moved with all the Israelites, did I ever say to any of their leaders whom I
commanded to shepherd my people, "Why have you not built me a house of
cedar?"'
}These verses show the
priority of God. He is not interested in the building of His house so as to
have a luxurious dwelling place (house of cedar). He was just as contented when
He dwelled in a tent with the Israelites in the wilderness.
}God's primary concern
is always His people. He is interested in a grand temple if that can provide a
conducive environment of worship for His people.
}
}How
can we build God's house?
}We have
seen that there are two primary ways to build God's house.
}1. Build God's
physical church
}2. Build God's family
(ie body of believers)
}Let's go through each
of the two points to come up with practical ideas as to how we can build God's
house.
} Build God's physical
church
}Help out
personally in the building project for the church .
}Contribute
financially towards the church building project .
}Help to
pray for the church project .
}Give the
form the pledge forms to your friends.
}Even non
believer.( The time of Jesus the Roman Centurion help to build the temple of
God.)
}And Jesus
healed his servant by just speaking the word.
}Build God's family (ie body of
believers)
}Live a
good Christian life so that people can see the difference in Christians
}Pray for
salvation of friends/loved ones
}Share
Jesus with friends
}Meet the
needs of non-Christians in tangible ways so as to win their friendship
}Contribute
financially towards missions
}Bless
missionaries in other tangible ways so that they can better build God's house.
}Give and it shall be
given back to you.
}Luke
6:38
}English Standard
Version (ESV)
}38 give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed
down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the
measure you use it will be measured back to you.”
}When you are brave to
give to God. God will open every blessings to pour out on you.
}Do not be afraid just
give and believe that God will surely bless you.
}
}What 1 Chronicles teaches about the various ways to build
God's church?
}There are many ways
to build God's house. We were told that when David wanted to build God a house,
God told him that he was not to build it but instead his son Solomon. (1
Chronicles 17)
}(1 Chronicles 28:2-3
NIV) King David rose to his feet and said: "Listen to me, my brothers and
my people. I had it in my heart to build a house as a place of rest for the ark
of the covenant of the LORD, for the footstool of our God, and I made plans to
build it. {3} But God said to me, 'You are not to build a house for my Name,
because you are a warrior and have shed blood.'
}Providing resources
for the building of God's house
}(1 Chronicles 22:3
NIV) He provided a large amount of iron to make nails for the doors of the
gateways and for the fittings, and more bronze than could be weighed.
}We may give
financially towards missions or support specific missionaries who would go out
to build God's house.
}Encourage others who
have been called to build God's house .
}
}We are moving to a
new building.
}God’s vision is very
clear to our Church.
}He wants us to build
a people full of His anointing.
}He wants us to teach
the message of grace so that people will reign in life.
}And before we move in
He is adding to our Church.
}Righteous people full
of the wisdom of God to be our next in line for leadership.
}We are building the
Physical Church as well as the Spiritual Church.
}So that the body of
Christ can worship God in a comfortable way.
}What
happens when we build God's house?
}When we build God's
house, He blesses us bountifully.
}1 Chronicles 17:7-10
NIV) After David was settled in his palace, he said to Nathan the prophet,
"Here I am, living in a palace of cedar, while the ark of the covenant of
the LORD is under a tent." ……{7} "Now then, tell my servant David, 'This
is what the LORD Almighty says: I took you from the pasture and from following
the flock, to be ruler over my people Israel. {8} I have been with you wherever
you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you. Now I will
make your name like the names of the greatest men of the earth. {9} And I will
provide a place for my people Israel and will plant them so that they can have
a home of their own and no longer be disturbed. Wicked people will not oppress
them anymore, as they did at the beginning {10} and have done ever since the
time I appointed leaders over my people Israel. I will also subdue all your
enemies. "'I declare to you that the LORD will build a house for you:
}If you build God’s
house than He will reward you.
}He makes you rule
over many things.
}He will be with you to cut off all your enemies.
}He will prosper you.
}I will make your name
great.
}No wicked people can
oppress you.
}God will build a
house for you.
}Let us pray.
}Father in Heaven we
thank you that you have given us this building.
}We are building your
Church in this town Kuantan.Pahang.
}Father we are moving
to this new premise we pray that the finance will just flow.
}And even when you
touch your people to give they will surely give because they are your children.
}And surely your
blessings will over flow in their lives and our lives .
}We thank you and by
faith we believe that You have already provided. In Jesus name we pray .
}Amen.
