Preparation of the Temple.

This morning I start back to school and I had my alarm set for 7 am to have time to read, blog, take care of my dog, and get ready as class doesn't begin until 9 am today. However, I was awakened at 4:45 am this morning and couldn't go back to sleep. Since then I've gotten ready, made an awesome breakfast, listened to two sermons, worked on a woman's bible study i'm starting and now I'm sitting down to blog.

This morning I woke up with thoughts of anxiety. Not about school-- because that would be normal-- but about how God is using me in ministry. Clearly spiritual warfare and as I realized this and began to just pray that God close my heart and mind I found that at first more thoughts were flooding my mind but as I called God answered. He didn't let me go back to sleep though, He set me on a mission to understand what He was planning for me. What He was showing me is that there is great preparation to His work.  Of course it's no coincidence that God would have that coincide with my reading this morning in 1 Kings. Solomon here is speaking:

1 Kings 5:3-5  ³ “You know that because of the wars waged against my father David from all sides, he could not build a temple for the Name of the LORD his God until the LORD put his enemies under his feet. ⁴ But now the LORD my God has given me rest on every side, and there is no adversary or disaster. ⁵ I intend, therefore, to build a temple for the Name of the LORD my God, as the LORD told my father David, when he said, ‘Your son whom I will put on the throne in your place will build the temple for my Name.’ 

This passage of 1 Kings 5 is and the verses after it are about the preparation of doing God's work. For Solomon that included understanding that God will clear the path as we see in verse 4.  For David there wasn't a clear path, but for Solomon the Lord had a plan and opened the path for Him to proceed. In 1 Kings 5 He is soliciting the help of Hiram. Note that the bible could have excluded this preparing for building of the temple but it didn't I believe in an effort to explain that just as Solomon who was the most wise man to ever live, needed to prepare. He needed to formulate a plan but most importantly his plan was this: to glorify the Lord. That needs to be our plan too. In all that we are and all that we do we must understand we are called to bring Him glory and honor and praise. How we do that is led by the spirit and the word promises that if you ask for the spirit He will fill you with that spirit and that spirit will lead you to do God's will.

So friends ask yourself: what steps do you need to be taking to prepare you to do God's work? Do you need to give somethign up? Do you need to seek forgiveness? Do you need to illicit help? Do you need to surrender to the spirit? Do you need to accept Christ? Do you need to spend time with the Lord?

Remember "The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much." (James 5:16b)
Are you walking toward righteousness? Are you pursuing God with all you are? Is Christ and the Glory of God the basis and foundation of everything you are and do?

Let's use this new year to prepare our hearts and ourselves for His work. Remember what you do in private overflows into what you do in public so if you are not spending time with the Lord and you are not in the word then you can't expect God to reveal to you the unknown if you aren't obedient in what He has already told you to do. Pursue Him and everything else will come together for His purpose. It's about Him not you.

Jesus Christ demands, commands and DESERVES every ounce of everything we are. He requires EVERYTHING and anything less than that is not Christianity. We can't deny the power of God and we need to stop hanging on to anything that is leading us away from the cross. Let Him heal you, restore you,and use you. Stop holding on to the past disappointment, hurt, and sin and accept the freedom that Christ alone can give. The grace of God is enough and let Him be EVERYTHING. The enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy. God's willingness and power will intercept that, all you have to do is accept and believe it.

Turn toward Him and let Him guide you. Give Him everything and let Him prepare you.

Friends I'd love to hear what He is preparing you for and how He is growing you. I'm praying for you and though our "challenge" has come to an end know that if you continue to spend that time with God you will continue to see Him.  Solomon gave God everything and it was Solomon God used to build the temple. Let's let God use us for His purpose!I know He is preparing me for something big. I know He is using me with the women around me and using me to start a bible study. I know He is using me in my school. I know He is using me in my friendships to encourage and grow people. I pray that He continue to use me. That He continue to send me on his missions. Not because He needs me because He doesn't-- He is all powerful and all knowing and doesn't need me at all-- but because He is gracious enough to use us. That He is loving enough to allow us to be part of His plan.  I'm a servant of the Lord and my whole desire is that He will use me to serve Him in a greater way. That He will continue to prepare me to build his temple in however He would call me to do so. I can't wait to see how and what but for now I need only focus on the preparation and following the spirit for I know if the spirit leads me then my work will be glorifying and friends know that the word promises the same for you.


Remember when we do work for the Father we are working on eternity. It's a change that happens. Hillsong United does a song"From the Inside Out"

that says

Your will above all else
My purpose remains
The art of losing myself in bringing you praise
Everlasting, your light will shine when all else fades
Never ending, your glory goes beyond all fame

all of that is truth. We must lose ourselves and put Him first. But most importantly the chorus tells us what we are called to do for that.

In my heart, in my soul
I give you control
Consume me from the inside out
Let justice and praise
Become my embrace
To love you from the inside out

Its from the inside out. Only the spirit can do that. So friends: greatest preparation you can do is surrender to the spirit and let it change you from the inside out.