JANUARY 30

OUR PERSONAL PROMISES

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1Timothy 2:8

“I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting;”

Hebrews 12:23-25

“to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect,  to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.  See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven,”

Act 2:40

“And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.”

1 Corinthians 3:10

“According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it.”

Ephesians 5:26-27

“that He might sanctify and cleanse her (the Church)  with the washing of water by the Word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.”

Ephesians 3:21

“to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”

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This month we’re reading  the new devotional   “Becoming New”,  written by  Warren W. Wiersbe and compiled by his grandson.  Pastor Wiersbe was the President of Moody Bible Institute before the current President, Erwin Lutzer.  

LIVING STONES

Read 1 Peter 2:1-12;  Ephesians 2:19-22

The church God sees is not always the church that the members see.

  We may think we are rich when God sees us as “wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.” As in Revelation 3:17.   Or we may feel we are poor when God says we are rich, as in Revelation 2:9.  If we see the Church from God’s point of view, it will help us pray and serve more diligently to make the church more what God wants it to be today.  Both Peter and Paul describe the church as a temple, a dwelling place of God, and they give us the characteristics of that temple.

A LIVING TEMPLE (1 Peter 2:4-5).  Jesus Christ is the living cornerstone of the temple, and God’s born-again people are the living stones that make up the temple.  God quarried us out of the pit of sin, gave us eternal life, and “cemented” us by grace into this temple where he dwells.  When king Solomon built the temple, the large stones were “finished in the quarry” so they would fit into place at the building site (1 Kings 6:7).  This is a picture of how God prepares and calls His people to become a part of the living temple.  Whether we see it or not, God’s living temple is growing day by day as sinners repent and trust Christ.  We may not see it happening in our own church, but it is happening in His Kingdom Church somewhere in the world every day.  (Christians are not just part of local “churches” but are individual parts of the corporate church of Jesus Christ… everyone who has repented of their sins and accepted the free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ, living for Him and Him alone, is a member of the Church, which is the “Bride of Christ”).  Jesus said, “I will build My Church.”  (Matt 16:18) – and He is doing that!

A UNITED TEMPLE (Ephesians 2:21). 

Paul uses three metaphors to illustrate this unity of believing Jews and Gentiles in the church:  A nation, a family and a temple (Ephesians 2:19-22).  When we look at the church situation today, too often we see division and competition, but God sees the unity of His people (Ephesians 4:1-6).  Nations and families may look divided when they are actually united.  Jesus prayed that His church might present a united witness to the watching world in John 17:11, and 21-23, and we should join in that prayer.  If the children of God don’t love one another, how can we convince others that God loves them?

A STEADFAST TEMPLE (Ephesians 2;20; 1Peter 2:4-5). 

This spiritual temple is built on the foundation of Christ, which was laid by the apostles and the New Testament prophets, and Jesus Christ is the living cornerstone that unites the walls.  The church that my ancestors helped to found and where I grew up is no longer ministering, although the building is still there, but God’s church is still on earth and “all the powers of hell will not conquer it.” (Matthew 16:18).  The last book in the Bible describes Satan’s attempt to destroy God’s people, but when it ends, it is Jesus and His people who conquer the Evil one.

A HOLY TEMPLE.  (Ephesians 2:21).

Churches  and dedicated church leaders are often criticized and even condemned, but the churches go right on as God raises up people to preach the gospel and teach the Word to new generations.  Church history shows that the professing church has not always been true to its calling, but there will come a time when it will be presented in heaven as “a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish …holy and without fault.’ (Ephesians 5:27).  He is in the process of taking living stones and transforming them into His holy design.  Our challenge is to have eyes to see the Church from God’s point of view.

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