Building Projects

I don’t know why they always hits late at night–The perplexing questions that twist your stomach into thirty knots before you finally beat yourself submissively into sleep.

We’ve been in the middle of a building project for almost two-and-a-half years. Y-E-A-R-S. We have so few steps left for us to obtain our Certificate of Occupancy… and I can’t wait. That sweet relief knowing that the work of creating is done is something I look forward to more and more everyday.

What I don’t look forward to are the humungous loan payments that are going to come with that completion. Principle will start being paid versus solely interest, and I as the bookkeeper have hyperventilated more than once thinking about keeping our church afloat when those payments start pounding us.

The past few weeks I really felt like God had lead me back to Ezra and Nehemiah. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve listened to those books on my audio Bible–probably 4 times each in a week. No joke. I need that bread in my belly.

I got to Ezra 3:3 the third or fourth time, and let me tell you! This is one that sucked my breath out. “Despite their fear of the peoples around them, they built the altar on its foundation and sacrificed burnt offerings on it to the LORD, both the morning and evening sacrifices.”

When obedience and sacrifice work hand-in-hand, the will of the Lord is accomplished. They sacrificed upon the altar, bringing sweet aroma back to the place of worship. They were obedient, bringing favor to their life.

It’s beautiful to think of that worship going up. When you’ve watched other people worship in liberty for decades, and you’ve never been allowed to worship your God in freedom-man! I can’t imagine the tears and the laughter and the beauty of that moment. It was so beautiful, that other nations wanted to be a part of it… and brought their Cain-like sacrifices with them.

Satan always tries to bring a counterfeit to the bank.

What do you think their pursuit really was? They said they wanted to help build in pursuit of the Lord… but these were the enemies of the people. What help could they offer?

When you are trying to rebuild your altar–your body, heart, mind, soul, spirit–before the Lord so that YOU are a living sacrifice, all hell will try to stop you. If you notice, the builders did not stumble with their sacrifices. They kept the Feasts. They knew where they were in God’s plan. They knew HOW to honor God. These “friends” that came with their offerings seeking the blessing of a God they had never served, and not the consecration of the King He is, revealed their true nature. They weren’t submitted to His will, His hand, or His authority. When things didn’t go the way they thought, they spent 16 Y-E-A-R-S sabotaging the resurrection of God’s temple.

Sounds like they were really invested, doesn’t it?

That’s how the world will frame you, beloved. When you are in pursuit of holiness, and truly in relationship and under the divine leadership of the voice of God, hell will break loose to try and stop you.

Ultimately, hell will not succeed if you make up your mind to honor God anyway.

Ezra 6:12 “May God, who has caused his Name to dwell there, overthrow any king or people who lifts a hand to change this decree or to destroy this temple in Jerusalem. I Darius have decreed it. Let it be carried out with diligence.”

When hope seems lost is usually when God reveals His plan. Oh, how often we lose heart before His timing is revealed. When the Lord said to build, He meant it. And He gave them the grace to endure it at every turn.

Don’t lose heart, friend. Stay persistent. Stay energized. He’s given you the grace to live RIGHT NOW wherever you are. He is calling you to deeper because He’s already gone before you and worked out the details. It may not look easy, but He’s already handed you the provision before your hand ever touched the hammer. Endure, friend.

Endure.

Psalm 127:1a “Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain.”