You Also Are Being Built

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You Also Are Being Built

God is working on us  as we hear His word.      His word strengthens our faith  as we gradually grow  in the truths  He sets before us.      As God works in us  we are being built up  into something extraordinarily special.      We learn about that  in Ephesians 2:19-22,

…You are fellow-citizens  with the saints,  and are of God’s household,  having been built upon the foundation  of the apostles and prophets,  Christ Jesus Himself  being the corner stone,  in whom the whole building,  being fitted together  is growing into a holy temple  in the Lord;  in whom  you also are being built together  into a dwelling of God  in the Spirit.

What are we becoming?      “A dwelling of God in the Spirit…”      As we hear God’s word  and absorb its truths,  we are “growing into a holy temple  in the Lord” .     When God lives in us,  we actually are  “a holy temple  in the Lord”.      God does not live in buildings,  but He lives  in our hearts.

When we have God living in us,  we are never alone.      He is always near  as we turn to Him in prayer.      He is near  as we face whatever challenges He allows  to come our way.      So, we are never alone in grief  or onslaughts of any sort,  because  our Creator and Redeemer  is working within us — strengthening and perfecting us  in the true faith.

As we face temptations  and overcome them in Jesus Christ,  we are called upon  to make sacrifices of our pride,  our self-sufficiency,  our lusts,  our greeds,  our selfishness,  and every other sinful tendency known to mankind.      As we give up our worldliness,  God is perfecting us  in a true faith,  hope,  and love.      We won’t look perfect in the eyes of the world,  but we most certainly are perfect  in God’s eyes,  because He  sees  us washed clean  in the blood of Christ.      Faith in Jesus makes us perfect.

The apostle Peter writes along this same line,  when in 1 Peter 2:4-5  he says,

And coming to Him  as to a living stone,  rejected by men,  but choice and precious  in the sight of God,  you also,  as living stones,  are being built up  as a spiritual house  for a holy priesthood,  to offer up spiritual sacrifices  acceptable to God  through Jesus Christ.

It is because of Jesus Christ  that God now makes us  “a spiritual house  for a holy priesthood”.      The world rejects Jesus  and does not want to be connected to Him  in any way,  because  they don’t want to give up  their sinful ways  and “offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God  through Jesus Christ”.      Here on earth  they think they would be giving up  too much  if they were to live by faith.      But,  their greatest sorrow in eternity  will be that  they foolishly  refused to accept Jesus  as their Savior.      They carelessly and flippantly chose their fate  of eternal condemnation,  thinking they were smart.

As we are being built into “a dwelling of God in the Spirit…”,  in the joy and freedom of living in God’s love,  we say,  “Hallelujah!      Lord,  it has been Your plan  all along  to live with  and in us.      So great is Your humble love.      Thank You for Your faithfulness.”

Love,
Margaret

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A Christian devotional to glorify the LORD of lords and God of gods

 

Pray for our country.

 

This is the day which the LORD has made;
Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Psalm 118:24

 

The word of the LORD is tried;
He is a shield  to all  who take refuge  in Him.
Psalm 18:30

 

Sing for joy in the LORD,  O you righteous ones;
Praise is becoming  to the upright.
Psalm 33:1

 

How blessed are those  who dwell in Thy house!
They are ever praising Thee.
Psalm 84:4

 

Just as a father has compassion  on his children,
So the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him.
Psalm 103:13

 

Oh give thanks to the LORD,  for He is good;
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
Psalm 107:1

 

Glory in His holy name;
Let the heart of those who seek the LORD be glad.
Psalm 105:3

 

Not that I have already obtained it, or have already become perfect, but I press on in order that
I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:12

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