Psalm 127:1 (NLT) 1 Unless the LORD builds a house, the work of the builders is wasted. Unless the LORD protects a city, guarding it with sentries will do no good.
I’ve been in some sort of ministry my whole life. I grew up in a pastor’s home and for 43 years it has also been my full time vocation. I’ve seen it all – good, bad and ugly.
I’ve been a Janitor, Youth Pastor, Sunday School Teacher, Assistant Pastor and a Senior Pastor.
I watched ministries come and go and I’ve watched leaders rise to unbelievable pinnacles only to fall on their own sword.
I’ve seen ministry workers build upon their own personalities and talent only to see it all burn away when life is difficult and hard.
On the other hand – I’ve seen people with no real talent of speaking or singing who are filled with the Holy Spirit’s anointing - touching and ministering to people’s lives.
It begs the question of all of us – “Who and what fills your life?” Are you lead by your personality and talent and good looks or are you led by the power of the Holy Spirit in your life?
To be honest…I spent far too many years laboring in vain, trying to build the Lord's house. Trying to build the Lord's church. I used every gimmick that came down the pike, and there's a lot of them.
There are people that are cranking out programs every day, sending them out to churches. You can buy all kinds of programs: church growth programs, and financial programs.
We get letters all the time of some new program that they've devised for church growth or whatever.
I’ve done all of that to no avail. I was laboring in vein. I was spinning my wheels. It was just a futile effort.
There comes a day when all that we do will be burned with fire to do determine their real worth.
Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials—gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person’s work has any value. If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward. But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames. (1 Corinthians 3:12-15 NLT)
Unless God keeps our house. Unless the Lord build our house, you know, you're just worrying in vain. You can't do anything. We've got to just trust the Lord. We must be filled with God and with the Holy Spirit. I can’t trust my own abilities or talents but must wholly lean totally upon God.
I am hungry for more of God – for more of His Holy Spirit. I want to empty myself of myself and see more of God in me. I want to be full of Him and totally trusting in Him. I am ready to be used of God to touch a dying world. How about you? Are you full of it today?
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