August 7 - What are You Building

Zerubabel, the leader of the people, Jeshua, the priest with the prophets Haggai and Zechariah, united together and rebuilt the house of the Lord in Jerusalem. Despite of all the threats and opposition of the enemies, they were successful. The prophets prophesied to encourage the people and the priests did their tasks worshiping the Lord. The leaders and people all worked together in harmony for the glory of God. They rebuilt the house of the Lord.

Paul and Apollos were also building the house of God, an invisible one. Paul was like the missionary bringing the gospel to Corinth while Apollos was like a pastor, teaching the people in the church. They were working together: Paul planted the seed of the gospel while Apollos watered it but God gave the growth. Both Paul and Apollos would receive their due reward from the Lord for they were fellow workers with God to plant God’s field and to build God’s building.

Paul was like a skilled master builder, he laid a foundation while someone else like Apollos continued to build on it. The foundation is the gospel of Christ and on it, other workers kept on building the church of God. The true foundation is Jesus Christ from whom the church is to be built on. The other builders can build the house with gold, silver or precious stones or they can build it with wood, hay and straw. Each one’s work will manifest on the Day for fire will reveal the true materials used to build the house of God. Those who survive the fire will be rewarded but those who do not survive, all the works will be lost and they can only be saved, but only through fire.

God cares a lot on how we build His church. Some of us are building up the church in different ways and using different materials. Would those you do to build up the church stand the fire of the last Day? Are you hindering the growth of the church or delaying God’s building program for His house? Are you destroying God’s temple? Are you doing anything to harm the church and the people in it? “For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.” Have a high view of the church now and join with others in building it up. Use the best materials you have that would go through the fire.

Go before the Lord now and ask Him about your role in building up the church. If you are not giving your best to Him, repent and begin to give your gold, silver and precious stones to Him. If you are trying to destroy God’s house, God will destroy you. That is a warning you need to heed. Be careful and serve God with fear and trembling. God is not mocked, what you sow, you will also reap. Ask God how you may build up His church.