You also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit (Ephesians 2:22).
For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ (1 Corinthians 10:4).
A basic principle of architecture and the related sciences is that a house must have a foundation strong enough to carry the weight of the structure. The other basic thing that is not taught, for it needn’t be, is that a house is for the habitation of a person or people.
As far as God is concerned, LAT is supposed to be His house, a dwelling place for His presence. If we are to truly be a house of God though, a very solid foundation must be laid for that house. But what is that foundation? What foundation can carry the weight of a structure that can accommodate the presence of God? Well, Paul gave us the answer when he said, “For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ,” (1 Corinthians 3:11).
It seems to me that this far, you and I have done a great job, by God’s grace of course, in laying a good foundation for the house of God that LAT is supposed to be. Why do I say this? If you have attended the last two Sundays, you will bear witness with me that God was evidently in our midst. This was especially felt during praise and worship. The members I have talked to since Sunday are not debating which of the two Sundays had good worship and the presence of God. The debate is which Sunday was more glorious than the other.
Believe me, God has found us worthy to be carriers of His glory because we have built no other foundation for His house other than the foundation that Jesus Christ is. We have endeavored every time we meet to do our very best to serve our Lord Jesus with all our hearts, worshiping like He was our only audience, praying like it was the greatest thing we could do and showing our love in giving and numerous other ways. Clearly we only have one person in mind when we meet, Jesus!
You see, there are many options if you need a foundation for a church or ministry. You can decide to build on hype, politics, or any other thing that appeals to the flesh of humans. If the devil is good to you, those foundations will bring crowds and your house will be inhabited. However, it will be people dwelling in that house, not God! Multitudes will respond to your carnal methods but God will be absent; and that is very scary.
LAT, if we are to continue being God’s temple of great glory, we have to continue to build on the solid Rock called Jesus Christ. Our worship team has grasped this understanding, and we should thank God for them. All that we do in LAT must continue to be because of Jesus and for Jesus alone. If our focus remains Jesus, only then shall we be known as the Lord’s house of great magnificence, fame and splendor by all nations (1 Chronicles 22:5).
Trouble always starts when numbers become the issue for a church or fellowship. For congregations that start well and grow big, they get off-track when their boast becomes numbers, money and what money can do. It is at that point that a ministry becomes an empty shell, devoid of the presence of God. Please, pray with me that we never stop keeping Jesus as the one and only reason for the existence of LAT.
During the last couple of weeks, I have been thinking how LAT will be when God begins to send the crowds. The possibility that we shall lose the presence of God when we grow big in numbers has tempted me to pray, ”Lord, for now, keep us small.” This has especially been so after the last two Sundays. Believe me when I say that right now I cannot trade the presence of God for anything.
Rick Joyner says something very scary: “The Lord will bless many things He will not inhabit!” That means, you can have a ministry that is or looks very blessed but when it is of no spiritual significance because it lacks the presence of God. We must therefore be very careful not to mistake the blessing of God for His presence.
LAT, let us continue building on the foundation of Jesus and Him alone. Also, let us have in mind that we are building a house for God to inhabit, not people. Yet, if God is lifted up in His house, He will draw people to Himself.
“Now it shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the LORD’s house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; And all nations shall flow to it. Many people shall come and say, “Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths,” (Isaiah 2:2,3).
God bless you.