Being Built Together

Being Built Together

Ephesians 2: ¹⁹ So then, you Gentiles are not foreigners or strangers any longer; you are now citizens together with God's people and members of the family of God. ²⁰ You, too, are built upon the foundation laid by the apostles and prophets, the cornerstone being Christ Jesus himself. ²¹ He is the one who holds the whole building together and makes it grow into a sacred temple dedicated to the Lord. ²² In union with him you too are being built together with all the others into a place where God lives through his Spirit.

 

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As I read the instructions, I noticed I was missing some crucial parts. I was putting together some furniture and did not check to see if all the parts were there. I assumed they would send everything. I had to stop working, go to the store and get a bag of crucial parts that would be used to hold everything together.

 

• I could not finish building without these parts.
• The parts I was missing were easily overlooked.
• The parts, by themselves, seemed unimportant but were truly necessary.

 

“You are members of GOD’s family” is what Paul tries to implore on everyone he is writing to. He gives an analogy of something important for life, namely shelter. The stronger the building, the more desirable the shelter became. People marvel over tall buildings so Paul also explains that JESUS is the most important part of the strong foundation.

 

My Observations

• GOD seems me as important, even though I, alone, do not feel I am very much.
• GOD sees the big picture of which I have a small, yet important role.
• GOD wants me and others to be in union with JESUS so HE can build HIS kingdom and dwell with all of HIS children.

 

Somehow GOD wants to reclaim all HIS lost children to build a supernatural place where HE will live. A building humans built cannot contain HIM, so HE needs the hearts of those who believe to be emptied out so HE can fit inside. HE chose one group of people to spread the message of HIS SON, but unfortunately, they turned against HIM and murdered JESUS, thinking they were doing the right thing.

 

BUT GOD had this in HIS plan and JESUS was raised from the dead. HE now holds the building together and needs each person to believe so HE can put him or her in a special place HE needs. I am glad I am in the family and will do my part to hold it together.

 

Challenge

• Why do you think the writer uses an analogy of a building?
• Do you ever feel insignificant or overwhelmed, thinking you have to do GOD’s job but are failing?
• Can you accept that you are being built to do something special?
• Will you know you are important to GOD and are needed to do only your part so HE can hold the “whole building together” with your help today?

Living Space

Living Space

2 Corinthians 5: For we know that when this tent we live in—our body here on earth—is torn down, God will have a house in heaven for us to live in, a home he himself has made, which will last forever. ² And now we sigh, so great is our desire that our home which comes from heaven should be put on over us; ³ by being clothed with it we shall not be without a body. ⁴ While we live in this earthly tent, we groan with a feeling of oppression; it is not that we want to get rid of our earthly body, but that we want to have the heavenly one put on over us, so that what is mortal will be transformed by life. ⁵ God is the one who has prepared us for this change, and he gave us his Spirit as the guarantee of all that he has in store for us.

 

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Part of me didn’t want to be me. Part of me, just wanted to be me. The part of me that didn’t want to be me was the part that looked at “everyone else” who seemed happy, when I felt less than or shamed or discouraged. The part of me that just wanted to be me was the part that felt love and compassion and surrender to the only being who loved me dearly.

 

• My life on earth wants peace but many times gets oppression.
• My life on earth desires something better, but sometimes receives pain.
• My life on earth has some good times and bad times, but I know heaven will not have ups and downs.

 

Paul gives us a glimpse of what to hope for. We want the heavenly body that will never decay or be diseased or be discouraged. He also says that it is not the desire to throw our current life away to get to the eternal one faster, rather hope is our focus of life and we are being transformed by GOD who is preparing us for eternity.

 

My Observations

• It is alright to groan over the oppression that life brings but not too long.
• Hope is where I should place my energy versus focusing in on something that doesn’t include GOD.
• Asking GOD into my heart increases the capacity for others.

 

Once we put ten people in a car meant for six. It felt cramped!. I can only imagine how the HOLY SPIRIT feels when moving into a heart made for only one, namely myself. HE wants to fit into my heart, but has to bring other people into it with HIM.

 

When HE moves in, HE changes the living space and arranges HIS home as HE desires. HE is the one who prepares me for the change HE has in store for me. I am grateful is it GOD who understands when I groan about life’s oppression and stretches my heart to fit others.

 

Challenge

• Why do you think the writer used the word “tent” as a reference to our body?
• Have you ever desired for things to be permanently better?
• Will you be open to being transformed by the HOLY SPIRIT, who will stretch your heart to bring others in today?

Dare to Be Abnormal

 Dare to Be Abnormal

1 Corinthians 6: ¹⁸ Avoid immorality. Any other sin a man commits does not affect his body; but the man who is guilty of sexual immorality sins against his own body. ¹⁹ Don't you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and who was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourselves but to God; ²⁰ he bought you for a price. So use your bodies for God's glory.

 

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Trying to follow the “rules” became harder and harder when others were bending them or had abandoned them all together. Sex and how it is supposed to be performed is one of those rules that raises debates all the way up to law makers. I had decided not to look at porn or have sex outside of marriage. This also meant removing sexual TV shows. People thought I was acting extreme. I sat in my apartment, alone.

 

• When I gave into what “everyone else” was doing, I seemed to fit in.
• When I stopped doing what “everyone else” was doing, I was looked at like I was strange.
• When I told people I wanted to follow GOD’s rules I was treated like something was wrong with me.

 

Paul tried to change how we value sex. He attempted to raise it from being cheap and tawdry to its proper use. He doesn’t explain sex, rather the sin. He tried to educate everyone that the HOLY SPIRIT lives inside us, so we are supposed to care and feed HIM with the things HE desires.

 

• GOD wants me to avoid immorality.
• GOD wants me to know that my body is the temple of the HOLY SPIRIT.
• GOD wants me to use my body for HIS glory.

 

When I invite something into my mind, I affect the HOLY SPIRIT positively or negatively. I mean, when I lust, I am the one waging war against the HOLY SPIRIT who wants me to love instead. GOD wants me to surrender the war. But society may scoff at this.

 

So what is the answer to the scoff. Avoiding immorality these days will make me unpopular and seemingly weird. I am grateful GOD has forgiven me for my sexual sins and appreciates when I follow HIS rules.

 

• Are you fighting GOD with your views on sex?
• Do you think you can do things your way and remain pleasing to HIM?
• Will you reduce your habits, little by little, knowing each time you do, GOD is pleased with you?
• Will you also focus your mind on serving GOD and feeding the HOLY SPIRIT, who lives inside you, today?

Foolishly Bold

Foolishly Bold

1 Corinthians 3: ¹⁶ Surely you know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you! ¹⁷ God will destroy anyone who destroys God's temple. For God's temple is holy, and you yourselves are his temple.

 

¹⁸ You should not fool yourself. If any of you think that you are wise by this world's standards, you should become a fool, in order to be really wise. ¹⁹ For what this world considers to be wisdom is nonsense in God's sight. As the scripture says, “God traps the wise in their cleverness”; ²⁰ and another scripture says, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are worthless.” ²¹ No one, then, should boast about what human beings can do. Actually everything belongs to you: ²² Paul, Apollos, and Peter; this world, life and death, the present and the future—all these are yours, ²³ and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.

 

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Worried about what people would think of me, I chose not to speak about JESUS. I was trying to reach a certain title in this particular company and I “needed” to behave a certain way. I could not jeopardize “my” journey upward. “I will show my relationship with JESUS when I get on top, then people will believe because I’m in charge” I thought to myself.

 

• There were times when I followed the ever changing ways of the world.
• There were times when I felt embarrassed about speaking up for JESUS.
• There were times when I worried about what humans would do if I spoke about JESUS.

 

Paul brings assuredness about GOD’s eternal protection. HE knows there will be some evil people who want to go against HIM and HIS people. HE also knows they will try to harm HIS people and vows to destroy those who bring harm on anyone who believes in JESUS.

 

• GOD wants me to know that I am HIS temple.
• GOD wants me to treat other people with the same holiness as I should treat myself.
• GOD wants me to become foolish to the world so HIS wisdom may shine all the brighter.

 

Leaving the pursuit of money, title and accolades may seem foolish to the world, but it is wise to GOD. I mean, the world raises questions about preservation of life based on its wisdom. GOD says “HE knows that the thoughts of the wise are worthless.”

 

GOD has given everything to me because I belong to JESUS and JESUS belongs to GOD. I am glad I do not have to be scared of what the world thinks, because the world is mine because it belongs to JESUS.

 

• Are you worried about your future?
• Do you think humans are in control of you?
• Will you stop trying to use human wisdom and turn foolish by following JESUS so you can achieve true wisdom today?

Windows to the Temple

John 2: ¹⁸ The Jews then responded to him, ‘What sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?’

¹⁹ Jesus answered them, ‘Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.’

²⁰ They replied, ‘It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?’ ²¹ But the temple he had spoken of was his body. ²² After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the Scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.

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“Let’s go to a horror movie” one friend suggested. “Absolutely!” I replied. It was going to be fun. The one before that one was scary and had girls in it. It was alright to go see these movies, right? I mean these movies were only about fictitious characters killing lots of people and just a little bit of sex. What harm could this do to me?

• There were times when I would listen to things that may not have been good for me.
• There were times when I would look at things that may not have been good for me.
• There were times when I was entertained by violence and sensuality and it added nothing to my character.

JESUS responded to the church leader’s negative question about HIS authority to chase people out of their church for selling their stuff. HE then replied that HE would “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.” JESUS knew something about HIS body that HE called it a temple.

• GOD made my body a temple where HE would live.
• GOD created my body so HE would put HIS laws in my heart.
• GOD constructed.my body to house HIS HOLY SPIRIT.

My brain to replays whatever is shown through the windows of my mind. Whatever I listen to, look at touch or smell is recorded in my mind, ready to be replayed at any moment.

JESUS knew that manmade temples were not really HIS house, but what they represent should be holy. HE also knew that my body should also show others HIM as much as I can. GOD wants me to put HIS love in my heart on a daily basis. I am glad HE gives me HIS creation to look at.

• What are you putting in your temple?
• If people could see in your mind, would you be ashamed of what they would see?
• Will you open the windows of your mind to others so GOD can use your life to bring other people to HIM today?