What It Takes To Build God's House | Pastor Daniel Batarseh

If you have your Bibles this morning, and I hope you do, meet me in the Old Testament book of the book of first Chronicles in chapter 22. We're gonna take a break from our study in the book of second Timothy and address a very important matter that is relevant to our situation here. Today is the first gathering on the Lord's day as Maranatha Bible Church. And it wasn't something that we had planned, but we believe that God had saw this in advance. He planned it in advance, and he providentially executed whatever was needed for us to be exactly where we are today.

And as you can imagine, throughout the week, there have been many thoughts and ideas of what should be said from this pulpit on this specific morning, but there is one dominant thing that replaced everything else, and that is this, to allow the word of God to turn our attention to what's ahead and to not get entangled what happened in the past. It's as simple as that. And as a community of people who love god's word, I believe you're here because you love god's word. You honor the scriptures. It is the supreme authority of your life.

We have been given an amazing opportunity to build a ministry from the ground up. And although that is a very exciting thing, it is also a very crucial window of time because we are laying a foundation, and that foundation will determine the future of this ministry. And I wanna let you know this morning that a foundation of a ministry is far greater than who is elected to be in the board of directors, or what kind of name you have, or or whether or not the government recognize you as an entity. Every single one of us has a role to play. Because Peter says, we are all living stones being built up together as a spiritual house.

Every person here is a piece in the puzzle to make this house the way God intended to be, but it requires us to honor God's principles. And when you hear the word or the phrase or the label, the temple of the Holy Spirit, we often limit that and apply it individually. I am a temple of the Holy Spirit. You are a temple of the Holy Spirit, and that's not wrong. Paul tells us that.

He tells us that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, it requires a protection to preserve the purity of the sacred thing that hosts the presence of God. But Paul also says that we are the temple of the Holy Spirit. Ephesians two twenty two tells us that in him we are being built together as a dwelling place for God by the Spirit. So that means that if in Christ I am recognized as the temple of the Holy Spirit, That demands more than just individual responsibility.

There is a corporate call in that identity. And every single one of us here has a role to play in order to ensure that the Holy Spirit of God would dwell in this place and radiate the glory of Jesus Christ. With that being said, our aim today is to do one thing. It's to draw insights from the Old Testament with New Testament eyes to see how they built the temple of God in which he dwelt in at one point, and see how it applies to us so that we may lay the right foundation for Maranatha Bible Church. Today, I want to speak to you about three vital principles to building God's house.

Pray with me. Lord, your word says that we are the temple of the Holy Spirit. We realize the seriousness of such an identity, the responsibility, and even the honor. We ask Lord that in this place, not one heart would be closed to these instructions. Lord, we pray for the empowerment of the Holy Spirit to deliver this word that man would disappear, but that the voice of Christ would be recognized.

We pray, oh Lord, that your power would destroy all lies, all doubts, all unbelief, and that you would redeem onto yourself faithfulness from your people. And so Lord, in this moment, would you cancel every assignment of the enemy? Would you shelter us from all distraction? And would you allow us to hear your voice that is that is being delivered through your word through a broken vessel? We ask these things in Jesus' name.

Amen. Now if you remember, there was a structure in the Old Testament that God had instructed the people of Israel to build and it was called the Tabernacle. It was this tent. And this tent would travel with the nation that was delivered from Egypt and they would go along through the wilderness and enter into the promised land so that they would have a place to worship God. They would have a place where God could cover their sin and that God would have a place where he can dwell in close proximity with his people, because that is the heart of God.

He longs to dwell with man. And this tabernacle has been given specific instructions, which is very, very, very interesting. You've probably read through Exodus. You probably read through Numbers. In fact, if you look at the totality in the scripture of how much is mentioned concerning the tabernacle, there is around 50 chapters.

And thinking about that tells us that God is very specific with his needs and his desires. And if he was specific with his desires with that old structure that would reflect his glory and host his presence, how much more is he specific with his new structure? You and me being built together as a temple of God. This tabernacle came into the promised land. It was situated in a town called Shiloh.

But after a while, when Israel's monarchy started and the second king in line David was in reign, we learned that there was something disturbing him in the soul. There is this holy agitation concerning the house of God. And the thing that kept him up at night was that he lived in a palace made of cedar while God dwelt in a tent. And this concerned him. How is it that God almighty, who chose to make his abode on earth here among his people, is not dwelling in some place that reflects his majesty and his splendor.

How is it that when people look at where God dwells compared to where a human king dwells, they see more excellence in this house rather than in God's house? And so David determined within himself that he would build a new place, a new house for God. That there would be a place that would reflect his divine beauty and his divine glory. And so at that point, he was consumed with this passion. I must build God a house.

And it was at a specific time while he was king that we receive a discovery from David of exactly where geographically God's house would be built. And it's in first Chronicles 22 verse one. We read, then David said, here shall be the house of the Lord God, and here the altar of burnt offering for Israel. What happened prior to this? Well, David sinned greatly, and it wasn't with Bathsheba.

He created a census, and we won't get into why that was a sin. He numbered his people who could go to war. God judges him, disciplines him, and sends a plague on the nation since he was a leader leading his people into sin. But God in his discipline wants to give a way out into his mercy, and so he gives an instruction through a prophet to David. If you want this plague to cease, then you must make a sacrifice on a specific threshing field owned by a man named Ornan the Jebusite.

And so David makes his way there. He walks to this obscure individual and he says, I need your land. The man is moved that the fact that the king is coming to him for such a request and so he doesn't even hesitate to say, well, it's yours. Just take it for free. David says, no, I want it at full price.

He builds an altar. He makes a sacrifice. Fire falls from heaven to show God's approval for this sacrifice. And it is at that time David steps back. He looks and the revelation comes to him.

This is where God's house has to be built. It's amazing to know that the Bible tells us exactly where that field was located. Bear with me. Go to second Chronicles chapter three and look at verse one. Then Solomon in second Chronicles three one.

Then Solomon began to build the house of the Lord in Jerusalem. Did you see it where? On Mount Moriah. On Mount Moriah, where the Lord had appeared to David his father at the place that David had appointed on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. Now this is why Mount Moriah is so interesting because it is only mentioned twice by name in the entire scriptures.

In second Chronicles three one here and where's the other place? With Abraham and Isaac in Genesis 22 verse two. When Abraham was awakened by this strange call by God, go to the land of Moriah and there you shall sacrifice your son. And so the only two places where Mount Moriah is mentioned is linked to the theme and the application of what? Sacrifice.

Abraham was called to sacrifice, to give up his most prized possession, the long awaited promise. And though he drank from the goodness of God for a short period and relished in the fact that he has now from his old body, an offspring, God says, give him up. And David, fast forward hundreds of years, comes to the same area to make a sacrifice. And when Ornan says, I'll give it to you for free, let me read to you what David said in response. In first Chronicles twenty one twenty four, but king David said to Ornan, no.

But I will buy them for the full price. I will not take for the Lord what is yours, nor burnt offerings that cost me nothing. It's up there. Good. What was David saying?

I'm not interested in worshiping God in the cheapest way possible. If it doesn't cost me anything, it's not worth anything. Here's the first principle for building God's house. Nothing will truly host the glory of God apart from a collective attitude of people who are willing to give and sacrifice. God's house must be built upon a people who are convinced to being selfless.

The same way God's house was built upon a land that symbolized sacrifice. That's the foundation. And that's what we saw in this past week. How is it that you can see a ministry being recognized by the government? How is it that when we were homeless for a brief moment, we received a home in the same night and have all our meetings the same way they were before, how is it that we can livestream our services in a place that doesn't have internet in less than a week?

How is it that people were able to be picked up who don't have a car to get to the services? How is it that, there are those who move things from one place to another? How is it that people are willing to make food for busy leaders who are trying to get things done in the background? How is it? Because there are people who are willing to sacrifice.

And not just in the family of faith that you're familiar with, but even this church, this place that is hosting us, it was their sacrifice that said, come. Be here. You are God's people. You are our brethren. We want to help you.

And without hesitation, saying, you are among us. We worship the same Christ. See, when you have a people who are willing to sacrifice, miracles can happen. Supernatural things can occur. Things that we never thought could be accomplished could be accomplished.

This principle of unity and one minded and one heartedness is so profound that it can even be utilized among the wicked. That's why when God saw the Tower Of Babel being built, he says, this is trouble. They're unified. They're set on accomplishing something and we got to get down there and confuse them. And that's why we have to understand that if we are willing to see this place continue to grow with God's glory, each of us in this place who calls this ministry home must say, whatever you ask of me, God, I will do.

Just tell me and I'll do it. Let me fill in the gap and I will do my best by the grace of God. Notice, David said something else to Ornan. He says, I will not take for the Lord what is yours. Unfortunately, there are many Christians who have a different standard of worship than David does here.

In some cases, you have members of churches who just ride on the labor of others without making any investment on their own, and those are people who usually complain the most. They make no contribution. They come to receive, receive, receive. And when it's not to their exact taste or when they want to see the menu change, they begin to complain. Well, join the club and do something.

And there are other members who are not willing to serve unless they occupy a certain position to their liking. They have their eye on a particular place with a specific title and they say, unless I have that, I will not serve at all. And then there are others who won't serve unless they receive the recognition that they desire. Because all of the serving is a facade to feed selfish ambition, and so if I'm not getting praise, if not if I'm not being thanked, if I'm not getting paid, then this place is not worthy of my sacrifice. I read something humorous a long time ago and I thought to myself, when will I ever be able to share this?

And it's a sarcastic comment that somebody made about their church. They said, no one appreciates my steadfastness, loyalty, and long suffering. So I'm leaving. Some of you will get that on the way home. Very loyal of you.

Very long suffering of you. A sacrificial attitude that might cost you something will contribute to the building of God's house. And I wanna prove to you how the opposite attitude is detrimental to the advancement of the gospel and the health of a local church. I wanna show you how when people are consumed with anything else except a willingness to lay down your life, your comfort, your desire, your pleasures even, this is not the first time that Israel had a project to build God's house. After many years, many generations, they sinned against God continually.

He warns them prophet after prophet. And he even says, if you go this way, my house will be in ruins. Sure enough, God kept his word. They sinned. One generation was exiled into Babylon.

The place that Solomon built was destroyed. But after a certain amount of time, a new generation reenters into the promised land, and they begin to, with excitement and adrenaline build God's house again, then something happens. Outside hostility comes because whenever you build God's house, Satan won't do it. He won't allow you to do without frustration and intimidation and persecution. Even at the foundational level, be careful.

So the enemy recognizes that they're building God's house again. They start sending reports. They start slandering. They even go back to the leader that let them out into the promised land again, and the the project comes to a halt. And then they waited, and then they waited, and then they waited, and a long period of time goes by where the house of God was placed on pause.

Then God speaks through a prophet named Haggai. And I want you to hear this, you don't have to turn there. Haggai chapter one verse two. Thus says the Lord of hosts, these people say the time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the Lord. Then the word of the Lord came by the hand of Haggai the prophet.

Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses while this house lies in ruins? So this halt became an excuse. They weren't willing to fight for God's house. They thought to themselves, you know what, maybe we're not supposed to do this, and they turned their focus and their energy and their efforts to their personal homes, making it more luxurious and spacious and glamorous. Is God against nice homes?

No. The issue here is about priorities. He says, you're you're willing to continue in your life, You're willing to be so consumed with your own empire and your own little kingdom while my house lies in ruins? See, it was an attitude problem. It was a priority issue And God's house could not continue because the people's hearts were consumed with something else more than his glory, more than the gospel, more than the great commission.

And I will tell you this, that if we allow ourselves to be lullabyed by the American dream, by our own personal plans, more than the kingdom of God, we won't go very far as a church. We'll maybe just ride it along and come from meeting to meeting. Once in a while, have a potluck. But that's not what church is. We want to see souls getting saved.

We want to see people transformed by the gospel of Jesus Christ. We wanna live this life for eternity. But it's gonna require sacrifice. It's gonna require sacrifice. You know, I've heard from missionaries and missionary kids that when they come from the field back to America, they lose the fire when they get here.

They lose the fire and they wish they can go back where they had to hide to have church, where they were threatened to be killed for singing and reading the Bible. Prosperity has hurt the church more than persecution ever has. But I want to tell you today that the foundation must be an attitude of sacrifice because that's where God's house was built on Mount Moriah, where an altar was planted to show God, whatever you ask of me, I will give it. But that's not the only thing because David, although he made an instrumental move by saying, I will not give to God that which cost me nothing. Realize that there is another standard that God has in order for his house to be built.

And this one must have hurt David, but he received it because he received it from God. This man was willing to sacrifice, there is no doubt, but unfortunately, he had a reputation. He possessed a reputation that eliminated him as a direct builder for the temple. It was so serious in God's eyes that although David, even in one of the Psalms says, my eyes can't sleep unless I see this thing come to pass. Although he was daydreaming, although he tossed and turned, although he took all his resources, emptied his bank account to make it happen, God said, that's wonderful David.

It's a good thing that's in your heart but you can never build my house. Why? Go back to first Chronicles 22 and look here at verse seven. David said to Solomon, my son, I had it in my heart to build a house to the name of the Lord my God. But the word of the Lord came to me saying, you have shed much blood and have waged great wars.

You shall not build a house to my name because you have shed so much blood before me on the earth. It's amazing that God doesn't just have standards for leadership in the new covenant, he had it also in the old because he's the same. And here we are told that David was not allowed to be associated with the laying of the foundation of this new house because his reputation was associated with war and conflict. And God says, I will have no man of violence have any connection concerning my house which represents peace and holiness and beauty and love. And so David was denied by God.

David was not allowed. In fact, it was passed down to his son, Solomon. Solomon was the one who would receive the resources from David, but he would be the builder. Now here's what's amazing. Solomon's name means what?

Peace. And this is also interesting. The tabernacle is the permanent structure before that was sorry, the temple. The tabernacle was the tent. That tabernacle, when it first came into the promised land, was placed in a place called Shiloh, which means tranquility.

Then the temple comes. David, you're not allowed to build this house. It will be given to Solomon because of principle number two. Principle number one, it must be built upon the collective attitude of sacrifice. But number two, it can only built be built by those who are men and women of peace.

Men and women of rest. If you are someone who is attracted to conflict, if the highlight of your life is drama, if you are drawn to people who are who make it their mental and social exercise to speak ill of others and to smear people's reputations, you will have no part in building God's house. You're a man of blood. You're a woman of blood. I don't care how pretty your dress is.

I don't care how much money you make. I don't care what kind of title you have in society. Doesn't matter how much you think you pray. In fact, much prayer for people is gossip in disguise. It's just the perfume on the poison to say, oh yeah, it's not really gossip.

Your praying is not praying. Doesn't matter how much you think you sing, how much scripture you memorize. Do you realize who David was? Was he not a man of prayer? A real man of prayer?

Was he not a worshiper? Was he not an author of scripture and yet God says, you cannot build my house because you're a man of war. God uses those who hate friction. God uses those who are willing to have awkward conversations so that they could put tension to rest. God uses those who actually obey the words of the Lord Jesus Christ, who tells us what you should do when somebody sins against you.

To such people does God give the honor to help build his house. In fact, let me tell you this. Not only do you disqualify yourself of being a stone, a piece in the puzzle of God's glorious temple, you might actually be a contributor to the destruction of that very same temple. In the New Testament, this is not Old Testament stuff. In fact, if I didn't give you the reference, you would probably think what I'm about to quote you is from the old covenant and it's not.

But I want you to see it in your bibles for yourself in first Corinthians chapter three verse 16. Look what Paul says here to a New Testament church, interestingly enough, who is also referred to as the temple of the Holy Spirit. But notice what he says at this particular time. Do you not know that you you see that word you? In the Greek, it's plural.

So he's not talking individually, he's talking to the corporate body, the church at Corinth. Do you know that all of you are God's temple? And that God's spirit dwells in you. If anyone, some, Professing Christians? Heretics?

No. If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple. Now, I'm sure all of us in here can conjure up what it looks like in our minds for somebody to destroy a physical building. You vandalize it, you take a sledgehammer to the walls, you bulldoze over it.

But here's my question reading this text. How do you destroy a spiritual structure? Because that's what he is saying here. He's not talking about a physical temple. He's talking to the church.

He's talking to the body of believers, the collective saints that make up the church. How do you destroy that? Do you punch somebody in the face? Do you key their car? Do you flip over the pulpit?

I'm sure many of us can draw principles from the word of how God's church can be destroyed, but let's honor the context. Look here in verse 18. Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. What is he saying here?

Paul is not advocating that believers let go of wisdom and apply foolishness the way the bible characterizes it and condemns it as we read in Proverbs, for example. We all know that. He's talking about those who are wise in this age and are proud of it and are guided by it and are led by it. A humanistic understanding, modern philosophies and ideologies. What he's saying is let go of that and embrace God's wisdom and revelation and whatever he sheds light on as your supreme authority in all things.

That is very important because this church was riddled with division. And he points out the source of why Corinth had so much trouble internally, because there is a people who have elevated their own ideas, their own concepts, their own successful business models above God's word, God's authority. And that bread, chaos. And so you have a man in first Corinthians five who is in gross sexual sin, and you had a church that had no problem him congregating with them because they would not honor the words of the Lord Jesus Christ about church discipline. And a little leaven affects the whole lump.

And you have believers in first Corinthians six who had conflict with one another, and they were what? Going to court. Going to secular court and a watching unbelieving world is seeing Christians who can't get along and are willing to charge each other. And then in first Corinthians eight, there are people who could care less about the weak conscience of others who've come out of idolatry, so they're eating food and wounding the hearts of others who don't have the strength to understand the gospel of grace that liberates them from such things. And Paul says you're not operating in love.

It is because you are operating with your own ideas, your own desires, your own feelings, and you are, in essence, diminishing the power of God's word over your assembly. That was the source of division. And I wanna tell you something. Over the years in ministry, I've learned a lot. I'm still learning.

I will never stop learning. But I wanna tell you one of the strongest things that I've learned throughout the past seven years. There are many people who profess to hold God's word as their ultimate guide and authority and final say, but very few who deny that by their practice. Many people profess to hold God's word as their ultimate authority, but those same people who deny it in their practice. I've seen many people who claim to love God's word, but don't want to govern the church the way the scriptures do.

I've seen many people who love to hear sermons, but they also love to hear and eat gossip and spread slander and fail to approach a brother to clear a matter and instead use it to fuel more hatred in their hearts. I've seen many people who are asking for counsel in their marriages and their family. And when you open the book and you point to a verse and you apply it to their situation, they refuse because their feelings are stronger than the scriptures. And they invite chaos into their homes. Here's what I wanna tell you this morning.

If you don't honor God's word and you don't submit to its teachings, Maranatha Bible Church is not for you. It's not. It's not. I'm sorry because this church will elevate God's word. The pastors are not the supreme authority, the scriptures are.

This is above all of us. And if you're a people that doesn't want to take the Bible seriously, you're not welcome at this church. If you're not a person of peace, you have no part in building God's temple. And please feel free to never come here again if the Bible is not what you treasure and what you obey above everything else. God's house must be built upon a collective attitude of sacrifice.

God's house must be built by people of peace. And those who endeavor to destroy God's temple, God will find a way to destroy him. But there's something else. Up to this point, we've learned those two things, but it cannot be separated by the motive of wanting to be a people of peace, the motive of wanting to lay down whatever it costs to make this happen. There's there's a desire there that drives that.

What was it in David that initiated this? What was it that was consuming him to say, lord, whatever it is, here's all the talents of gold and silver. Lord, whatever it is, even though I'm not the builder, I won't have my name etched on a brick. Let my son do it or his son do it. No matter what it takes for your name to be exalted, what what was it?

It's in first Chronicles 22 verse 19, as David stands before not just Solomon, but all the leaders of Israel. And he says this to them, now set your mind and heart to seek the Lord your God. Arise and build the sanctuary of the Lord God, so that the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord and the holy vessels of God may be brought into a house built for the name of the Lord. Do you see it? Arise and build.

Why? So that the ark of God can have a home. What what was the driving passion in David's heart? The presence of God. That God would have a place that would radiate his beauty and his goodness and his holiness so that people could see this is who God is.

And I wanna tell you that our ambition may look different in new covenant, but it is the same in principle. We wanna see the glory of God in Christ Jesus put on display. We want to see the gospel of Jesus Christ advance with the greatest force possible through these jars of clay. We want to see God's word obeyed and applied so that his his image can be reflected and shining through us. And as I said earlier, if you do not love Christ, if you don't really have a personal relationship, if this is just religion for you, if this is just something that you can do to to just check off your religious conscience because you need to go somewhere and tell people you go to a church, if you don't believe that he is returning, if you don't believe that all of this is coming a This is not a place that has their sole ambition to make sure you don't feel lonely in life, so you have a community.

This isn't a place to find friends, though that's a byproduct. This place is dedicated to Christ and Christ alone. And just like I said earlier, if even the ambition of a handful is something else, that is enough for havoc to ensue in this place. Because there was a king before David. His name was Saul.

And Saul had the equal opportunity to take the ark of God that was tucked in somewhere and bring it into a place where he would be honored and central again in the nation of Israel, but he blew it. He blew it, man. He he forfeited the opportunity. Why? Because as we're learning on Friday, Saul did not have the same passion as David.

David was possessed with this desire to know the presence of God. And unfortunately, Saul was possessed to maintain a position. The main concern with for Saul was, this is my throne, this is where I have my power, and any threat to that, I will crush like a bug. And here's this young teenager, David, who kills Goliath. And Saul was told by a prophet that there is a neighbor among you who is better than you, who will take your place.

And he's trying to connect the dots. Is this the guy? They come back from the battlefield into the main city and a new song is on the top list of Israel's hottest radio station. Saul has slain his thousands and David his tens of thousands. And as he walks in there, he realizes that people are praising David.

And that wasn't the issue. Saul had no problem David being praised. His issue was David was praised more than him. Jealousy creeps in and the man spends the rest of his reign chasing David around instead of chasing the presence of God. In fact, let me read to you what David says about the the reign of Saul in first Chronicles thirteen three.

Listen to this, it's a very short sentence but it says a lot. David says, when he became king, then let us bring again the ark of our God to us for we did not seek it in the days of Saul. What a terrible commentary for Saul's leadership. He had no concern about the presence of God. He had no concern about the glory of God.

He had no concern about people coming into close proximity to their God, because he was consumed with a different ambition. It's about me. It's about my throne, my name, my reputation, my monument. And the third principle to building god's house in a way that would host his beauty, his power, his majesty is that we must all have the same goal, Christ and Christ alone. This man was the opposite, but he symbolizes what's possible for those who are in leadership positions or those who are in congregations.

I wanna tell you according to the scriptures, the worst recipe that you can have that would be the breeding ground for innumerable evils. It's what consumes Saul. Jealousy and selfish ambition. Jealousy and selfish ambition. Does that sound familiar to you?

Maybe you're not convinced of what I'm saying. All you have to do is look to Saul's reign and realize the disaster that he left behind him as a king. The internal division, the heartbreaks, families being torn apart, and a weakened kingdom that was the laughing stock of a watching world that heard that the God of Israel, the true and living God is apparently among this group. Let me read to you what James says just in case you don't believe me and I'm reading too much into this. In James three sixteen, he's speaking to multiple churches and he says, for where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.

Jealousy and selfish ambition. When you have those two things operating in a church, you open the floodgates for every vile practice imaginable. Lies, slander, violence, division. So what will it require to see God's house built for Maranatha Bible Church? Let me remind you.

A collective attitude of sacrifice like we've seen in this week in a way that I will never forget for the rest of my life. Number two, built by people of peace. You want war? You find joy in creating clicks, you find joy in hurting others, you find joy in getting dirty details about somebody, go somewhere else. And built by people who are unified in mind and heart saying, we're here for Christ Jesus.

We're here for him to be pleased and blessed at any cost, where we are flushed by all pride and arrogance, jealousy and envy, let it die today in Jesus' name. These things, brothers and sisters, if we hold true to our hearts and apply them, we will see God building this house in a way that we can never imagine. We will see God do things in this place that I see a couple of times in the scripture where the ministers could not even minister because of the glory of God taking over in that meeting. We have so much ahead of us, so much to plan, so much to pray for, but none of that will mean anything unless the foundation is laid right. Let me ask you a question today.

Are you willing to sacrifice? Are you willing to serve in a way where you fill the gap, not serve in the way you think you need to serve? Are you a person of peace? Are you a person that's willing to forgive? Are you a person that's willing to say, you know, it's a little awkward but I'm gonna call so and so because I heard this and I don't wanna deal with this in my heart.

I don't wanna think differently. Let me get all the facts straight. Hey, brother. Is this true? Oh, it's not?

Oh, woah. Okay. I'm sorry. Maybe we should talk with so and so and figure it out. Do that.

And are you in this moment? I don't care how hungry you are today. Right now, I wanna ask you, do you have a greater hunger for the glory of God? Are you living for Christ? Are you living for his gospel?

Are you saying to yourself and to God on a daily basis, I live for one thing, his name, his pleasure, his truth. If not, I'm sorry. You're gonna feel very very uncomfortable in the days ahead. Because by the grace of God, we will try to obey as closely as possible everything that's written in this book. People say, what's the vision of the church?

This. I don't have a fancy vision. It's this. Whatever you see here, that's our vision. What's your model of ministry?

I don't know what Jesus said, what Paul said. I don't have tricks. We don't have a fog machine. We're not gonna get one. What's your hope?

That as long as this leadership and as long as we are a people are alive and healthy and sound in mind, Christ would do whatever he wants to do through us and that he would be pleased to see a place that says we are the temple of the Holy Spirit. We belong to you. Host your truth, your power, your manifold wisdom in this place, and let Christ be seen alone. On that note, let's close in prayer. Would you apply these truths to your heart this morning?

As the worship team comes up. Let's spend a little bit of time in prayer. I hope my memory doesn't fail fail me if somebody can look at me and nod. Is not today the recognition to pray for the persecuted church? Is that today?

Next week? It was last week. Well, because we missed it last week, we're gonna do it this week as well. It's been an eventful two weeks as you can imagine. Just pray in your hearts.

Pray in your hearts for this ministry. Pray in your hearts. Lord, what is it that you're asking of me? Pray in your hearts for the persecuted church that has endured way more suffering than you could even comprehend and ask God to have his way in his temple. Just pray.

Take your time. Don't be distracted today. Take your time. Heavenly father, we come before you on this precious afternoon. We've heard your voice today.

We've heard your will and your purposes for this ministry. And, Lord, together as living stones who have been made alive by the gospel of Jesus Christ indwelt by the power of the Holy Spirit, we long to be your temple. And Lord, the same way you were so detailed in how you constructed that tabernacle through the words of Moses, Lord, we give you every detail of our lives. We give you every detail of this ministry, and we ask, oh God, that you would have your way. Lord, we pray that you would beautify it as you see fit, that you would color it, that you would display it, that you would place it wherever you believe it needs to be.

We ask you, Lord, that as long as we are your temple, we would know your presence, that every meeting, we would know your conviction, we would know the comfort of the Holy Spirit, we would know illumination concerning the word of God, and that people would walk in this place and realize God is in the midst. God is in this place. They wouldn't give their attention to a man. They wouldn't give their attention to any gifting. They wouldn't even give their attention to the building itself.

They would know something of the tangible presence of Christ. Make it so in Jesus name. People of peace that are willing to obey you. We subdue all personal reasonings, even our experiences. We submit it to the word of God.

This church, wherever you would take us, would fulfill one thing. It would win your smile. You would be blessed. People would be blessed. That selfish ambition would die.

It would not have any room to breathe in this ministry, oh God. That it would be suffocated by a love for Christ. That it would find no room to have its way in this place. Oh Lord, only you can do that supernaturally within us. Lord, as a church, we lift up the persecuted church across the world.

Lord, those who are hiding, those who are speaking in code, those who have lost family members, those who at one time met together and the next week their church was destroyed because they have been found and discovered and torn apart. Lord, strengthen them. Strengthen them. We don't know them by name, but you know them, Lord. Strengthen them in Afghanistan.

Strengthen them in Africa, in South America, in China, in Russia. Strengthen them in Canada. Have your way, Lord Jesus. Strengthen those pastors and those leaders, oh God. The wives of pastors and leaders, oh God.

The children of ministers, Lord. Those who attend those churches, who have paid a high price, who have been disowned by their family, who have lost their jobs. Lord, even as we pray now, would you manifest your presence? Comfort them. Embrace them.

We continue to enjoy freedom in America. May that freedom not be our curse. May it not be our hindrance. May it not be the lullaby that puts us to sleep. Available, give us the grace and strength to stride and to move forward with great leaps.

We ask, oh, God, not knowing what tomorrow will hold as we learn since Sunday, that not one day would be wasted. Our lives are more than our homes. Our lives are more than vacations. Our lives are more than what we wear. Our lives are more than even our health.

Your gospel, your kingdom, eternity, make us an eternity conscious people. Only your Spirit and your Word can accomplish that. Lord, we thank you for those who have supported us online, those who are watching even now. Bless them in Jesus' name. Bless them, Lord.

Encourage them, oh God. Let them know. Let them know that we love them and that their support means so much. And in this moment, as your temple, we sing to you. We sing to you in thanksgiving for your goodness.

Receive this level of praise from a place that agrees that we will be a people who will sacrifice, be at peace, and be of one mind. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen and amen. Can we stand and worship the Lord Jesus together, please?