You’re Not Just Mixing Mud

Romans 15:5-7 KJV
[5] Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: [6] That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. [7] Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.

 FOUNDATIONS

• Real love
• Real Christians
• Hard questions
  • Are we moving Godward?
  • Are we enabling the dependent ?
  • Would we do this if we didn’t have a building?
  • Would we do this if we didn’t need the money?
  • Are we the planting of The Lord or potted plants?
  • Are we willing to lay down the things God never told us to do?
  • Are we Spirit led?

Next to him, next to them

Nehemiah 3:1-32 NIV
[1] Eliashib the high priest and his fellow priests went to work and rebuilt the Sheep Gate. They dedicated it and set its doors in place, building as far as the Tower of the Hundred, which they dedicated, and as far as the Tower of Hananel. [2] The men of Jericho built the adjoining section, and Zakkur son of Imri built next to them.
[3] The Fish Gate was rebuilt by the sons of Hassenaah. They laid its beams and put its doors and bolts and bars in place. [4] Meremoth son of Uriah, the son of Hakkoz, repaired the next section. Next to him Meshullam son of Berekiah, the son of Meshezabel, made repairs, and next to him Zadok son of Baana also made repairs.
[5] The next section was repaired by the men of Tekoa, but their nobles would not put their shoulders to the work under their supervisors. [6] The Jeshanah Gate was repaired by Joiada son of Paseah and Meshullam son of Besodeiah. They laid its beams and put its doors with their bolts and bars in place.
[7] Next to them, repairs were made by men from Gibeon and Mizpah—Melatiah of Gibeon and Jadon of Meronoth—places under the authority of the governor of Trans-Euphrates. [8] Uzziel son of Harhaiah, one of the goldsmiths, repaired the next section; and Hananiah, one of the perfume-makers, made repairs next to that. They restored Jerusalem as far as the Broad Wall.
[9] Rephaiah son of Hur, ruler of a half-district of Jerusalem, repaired the next section. [10] Adjoining this, Jedaiah son of Harumaph made repairs opposite his house, and Hattush son of Hashabneiah made repairs next to him.
[11] Malkijah son of Harim and Hasshub son of Pahath-Moab repaired another section and the Tower of the Ovens. [12] Shallum son of Hallohesh, ruler of a half-district of Jerusalem, repaired the next section with the help of his daughters.
[13] The Valley Gate was repaired by Hanun and the residents of Zanoah. They rebuilt it and put its doors with their bolts and bars in place. They also repaired a thousand cubits of the wall as far as the Dung Gate.
[14] The Dung Gate was repaired by Malkijah son of Rekab, ruler of the district of Beth Hakkerem. He rebuilt it and put its doors with their bolts and bars in place.
[15] The Fountain Gate was repaired by Shallun son of Kol-Hozeh, ruler of the district of Mizpah. He rebuilt it, roofing it over and putting its doors and bolts and bars in place. He also repaired the wall of the Pool of Siloam, by the King’s Garden, as far as the steps going down from the City of David. [16] Beyond him, Nehemiah son of Azbuk, ruler of a half-district of Beth Zur, made repairs up to a point opposite the tombs of David, as far as the artificial pool and the House of the Heroes.
[17] Next to him, the repairs were made by the Levites under Rehum son of Bani. Beside him, Hashabiah, ruler of half the district of Keilah, carried out repairs for his district. [18] Next to him, the repairs were made by their fellow Levites under Binnui son of Henadad, ruler of the other half-district of Keilah. [19] Next to him, Ezer son of Jeshua, ruler of Mizpah, repaired another section, from a point facing the ascent to the armory as far as the angle of the wall.
[20] Next to him, Baruch son of Zabbai zealously repaired another section, from the angle to the entrance of the house of Eliashib the high priest. [21] Next to him, Meremoth son of Uriah, the son of Hakkoz, repaired another section, from the entrance of Eliashib’s house to the end of it. [22] The repairs next to him were made by the priests from the surrounding region.
[23] Beyond them, Benjamin and Hasshub made repairs in front of their house; and next to them, Azariah son of Maaseiah, the son of Ananiah, made repairs beside his house. [24] Next to him, Binnui son of Henadad repaired another section, from Azariah’s house to the angle and the corner, [25] and Palal son of Uzai worked opposite the angle and the tower projecting from the upper palace near the court of the guard. Next to him, Pedaiah son of Parosh [26] and the temple servants living on the hill of Ophel made repairs up to a point opposite the Water Gate toward the east and the projecting tower. [27] Next to them, the men of Tekoa repaired another section, from the great projecting tower to the wall of Ophel.
[28] Above the Horse Gate, the priests made repairs, each in front of his own house. [29] Next to them, Zadok son of Immer made repairs opposite his house. Next to him, Shemaiah son of Shekaniah, the guard at the East Gate, made repairs. [30] Next to him, Hananiah son of Shelemiah, and Hanun, the sixth son of Zalaph, repaired another section. Next to them, Meshullam son of Berekiah made repairs opposite his living quarters.
[31] Next to him, Malkijah, one of the goldsmiths, made repairs as far as the house of the temple servants and the merchants, opposite the Inspection Gate, and as far as the room above the corner; [32] and between the room above the corner and the Sheep Gate the goldsmiths and merchants made repairs.

Malchijah is a biblical name belonging to several persons mentioned in the Hebrew Bible and means “Yahu is King” or “the king is Yahu”.

• You are next to someone who is next to someone next to the King
• “Follow me as I follow Christ”…
• Everyone in the line is a follower
• Ducks walk in a line

You aren’t next to just anybody…

Next to them, next to Him

You’re not just mixing mud

How do you see your work?

Three men were hard at work on a large building project. Someone asked them, What are you doing? I’m mixing mortar one said. The second man said,  I’m putting up this great stone wall. But the third replied, I’m building a cathedral for the glory of God. It doesn’t matter what our occupation is, we can just do the task to be paid or we can do it for the glory of God! The same is true of our service in the Church.

• The wall was not just any wall. It was the wall around Jerusalem, the city of peace.
• Jerusalem was not just any city. It was the Holy City of God where Zion was.
• Zion wasn’t just any suburb but it was the hill where the Temple dwelled.
• The Temple wasn’t just any building. It was the Temple where The Holy of Holies was located.
• The Holy of Holies wasn’t just any sacred place but it was where the Ark of Covenant and the Shekinah presence of God Almighy dwelt with humanity. It was The Place on planet earth that man could touch heaven and God could meet with man. It was the place where atonement was reached.

THE WORD SAYS

Deuteronomy 7:6-8 KJV
[6] For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God: the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth. [7] The Lord did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: [8] But because the Lord loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the Lord brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

 WHEN YOU ARE BUILDING A WALL, DON’T GET DISTRACTED BY THE MUD

 IT’S MORE THAN MIXING MUD

IT’S MORE THAN CARRYING STONES

IT’S MORE THAN PUSHING A WHEELBARROW

YOU ARE NOT JUST BUILDING A WALL, YOU ARE RESTORING THE GLORY

WHEN YOU GIVE A TENTH YOU ARE NOT JUST GIVING TO A CHARITY…

YOU ARE NOT JUST TEACHING A CLASS, YOU ARE REACHING FOR A SOUL FOR ETERNITY

YOU ARE NOT JUST PRAYING A PRAYER, YOU ARE REPAIRING YOUR WALL, YOU ARE MAKING A PLACE FOR GOD’S SPIRIT TO DWELL

When you get up on Sunday and dress up your family to go to worship, you are not just GOING TO CHURCH. You are BUILDING a house, a dwelling place for God on the earth. You are establishing a tradition, a pathway or a highway that your children’s children can get to know their God.

WHEN YOU WRITE A LETTER TO AN INMATE OR OPEN YOUR HOME FOR A SMALL GROUP

YOU ARE NOT JUST COMING TO CHURCH YOU ARE MAKING A PLACE FOR GOD TO REIGN

WE MUST GET THE MINDSET THAT DISCIPLESHIP HAPPENS ALL THE TIME WITH US. WE MUST BE ABOUT OUR FATHER’S BUSINESS. EVERYTHING WE DO IN OUR DAY BY DAY LIVES IS ABOUT DISCIPLESHIP.

MY HOUSE…

Traditions

Many traditions of Christianity are being left by the wayside. Traditions of man, as the scripture calls them, can often hinder a relationship with God rather than help it. There are however, traditions that are founded in scripture that we must hold fast to continue.

PEOPLE WHO SERVE GOD THROUGH THE LOCAL CHURCH AND ARE GIVING WITHOUT NEEDING TO BE SEEN ARE THE HAPPIEST PEOPLE ON PLANET EARTH

It’s hard to get depressed when you’re doing what God has called you to do, pouring your life out as a living sacrifice on the altar for Jesus.

Hebrews 10:23-25 NKJV
[23] Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. [24] And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, [25] not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

Think about a gym set for your children. You bring it home in a long cardboard box and you lay it out on the backyard. It is a hundred pipes, bolts, nuts, washers, fittings and braces but it is not ready to function. The box will say “some assembly required”. It is not until someone puts part (A) into part (B) and attaches with (F) bolt that it starts to attract children. The part (A) cannot say I am a gym set until it is securely attached.

The church as a local entity must strive to be an assembly line of the House that God is building. When we do then we will BE the church. In the meantime keep posting love and encouragement on FB and twitter but never leave the daily and weekly gathering so that He can assemble us to give the lost world a safe place to dwell.

• The main point to remember is that we must gather in order to assemble. The Kingdom of God is built on the fact that Jesus is God revealed to Peter by The Spirit. That house is being built up on the cornerstone with fitly joined stones which are you and I. The house will only be as strong as the weakest joints. It’s time to bond in relationships like never before. Just because we gather does not mean we are assembled. In the same way it is impossible for God to assemble us if we aren’t faithful to gather.

Everything you need is in the house

The word built is used six times in Nehemiah 3 and means rebuilt. George Morrison reminds us that for this restoration no new material was needed. In the debris of the ruined masonry lay all the material required. The builders gathered their stones from amongst the ruins. God builds the Church out of the ruined lives in the world. Every Christian must help gather them.

Everything you need to reach your community is in this house.

All the provision is here for the vision.

There are enough prayer warriors to pray us into the next harvest.

There are enough broken lives on your street to make up another small group with purpose and impact.

The Church of the Living God

The Church is His favored people, His crowning glory.

She is The mother of all mothers

She is a safe place to land.

She is a refuge from the troubled world.

Bring your cares and your troubles and leave them at the altar.

Protect the atmosphere here.

The gates of Hell will not prevail against this church.

She is The triumphant church.

She is winning!

She is bruising the serpent’s head.

She will swallow up everything he spews out.

She is with her husband. She is under His rule.

She is crowned with the stars (glory).

The moon is under her feet (carnal mind).

She is clothed in the Sun (God and His whole armor) (the light of DAY).

TO GOD BE THE GLORY!!

The two impartations of Pentecost

Acts 2:1,5-11 NKJV
[1] When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

[5] And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven.

[6] And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language. [7] Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, “Look, are not all these who speak Galileans? [8] And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born? [9] Parthians and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, [10] Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, [11] Cretans and Arabs-we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.”

Acts 4:32-35 NKJV
[32] Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. [33] And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all. [34] Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, [35] and laid them at the apostles’ feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need.

Acts 2:46-47 NKJV
[46] So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, [47] praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.

1. GIVING
2. UNITY

What Pentecost brought was not just a baptism in the Holy Ghost but the spirit of giving and the spirit of unity.

Hebrews 10:19-22 NKJV
[19] Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, [20] by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, [21] and having a High Priest over the house of God, [22] let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.