Night of Praise

"Unless the Lord builds the house,

They labor in vain who build it..."

Psalm 127:1

This is a house that was originally built for the Lord with the money and labor of His body.  But it fell away from its calling and became a house of idol worship.  Last night this house was reclaimed for Jesus.

It was an incredible night of worship. I've never been in a service where the roar of the people drowned out the music, but we were there to let the Lord know the house was His again.  It's not like He didn't already know - it was in His plan all along.

So what role does Harvest Spring Lake play in this drama?  You see, unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it.  This has been His house all along - it's just that at some point the laborers failed.  This reminds me of the stories in the book of Judges, where God's people cycled themselves in and out of blessing through their worship.  When their hearts went astray, their worship followed. Then God brought great discipline upon them until they cried out for mercy and salvation.  Then He would restore His people.

Now I am not saying that there is something mystical or magical about a building - God doesn't look at the appearance but at the heart, but for nearly twenty years the heart within this structure had wandered from the truth.  And the heart was basically removed.  

God's all about tearing down idols and reclaiming the worship of His people.  This building is not an idol - the activity within it is either offered to Him or to false gods.  So here we sit with the building now in our hands and the awesome task of responsibly using it for the glory of God - of Jesus Christ.  

The role we've played?  It's been His script all along - we are just trying to faithfully follow His lead.  The role we will play?  Faithfully lifting high the name of Jesus within the walls, preaching the Word of God without apology, reaching the lost with the compassion and love of Christ and encouraging each other as the day of the Lord draws near.

It scares me how quickly this church fell and equally encourages me how quickly the Lord has restored and returned in all His glory.  Last night the glory of the Lord fell on Harvest Bible Chapel Spring Lake and we can only raise our hands in worship, begging for His mercy and grace to serve Him faithfully.

As we head into a season of renovations, please pray for our body, safety of the laborers, wisdom for our leadership and for those God is preparing to join us next spring.

We want the Lord to build this house.

We want our labor to have meaning.

Jesus Christ, be glorified in this place.

Mercy

(It is interesting to note that the first 21 times mercy is mentioned in scripture is in the context of the mercy seat...hmmmm...a study all to itself...)

"Nothing from that which is put under the ban shall cling to your hand, in order that the Lord may turn from His burning anger and show mercy to you, and have compassion on you and make you increase..."

"For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts, to meet Israel in battle in order that he might utterly destroy them, that they might receive no mercy, but that He might destroy them, just as the Lord had commanded Moses."

"In all their affliction He was afflicted, and the angel of His presence saved them; in His love and mercy He redeemed them, and He lifted them and carried them all the days of old."

"Indeed, as often as I have spoken against him, I certainly still remember him; therefore My heart years for him; I will surely have mercy on him," declared the Lord."

"Lord, I have heard the report about YOu and I fear.  O lord, revive Your work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make it known; in wrath remember mercy."

"Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy."

"Have mercy on me, Son of David!"

"Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is a lunatic and is very ill..."

"Go home to your people and report to them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He had mercy on you."

"And His mercy is upon generation after generation toward those who fear Him."

"I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion."

"So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires."

"Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost (of sinners), Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life."

"May mercy and peace and love be multiplied to you."


Mercy - a gift or a replacement?  Yes, freely given, but definitely put in the place of what is actually deserved.  In these few examples (few because there are about 100 references for "Mercy") the picture is being drawn of God granting something that is not deserved - extending but not without exceptions. A few of the passages indicate that it is within His character and ability to withhold mercy - it is not required of Him to extend.  Hmmm...interesting and scary all at the same time...

Has God been merciful toward you?  Please do not give me the Sunday school answer.  Do you understand what He has taken away from you?  Do you own it? Because if you don't think you need mercy, then it's not very precious to you and you take advantage of the giver.

Does your soul cry out for mercy?  For some reason this song is in my head and though it doesn't have the word mercy in it, it sure cries out for mercy.  I love the words, but if you don't like edgier music, then you might want to skip the link...enjoy.

Dry Bones

Precious Grace

"The Lord gives grace and glory; no good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly."

"Though He scoffs at the scoffers, yet He gives grace to the afflicted."

"I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced..."

"For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace."

"For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ."

"For if by the transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many."

"For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace."

"But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace."

"Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly..."

"But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me."

"And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed;" (I think this is my new favorite 100% word verse!)

"And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me."

"In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace..."

"You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus."

"The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen." (the last verse of the Bible)

Grace is a busy gift, isn't it?  It saves us from the Law, it is poured out upon us daily, it comforts the hurting, it gives us the tools to deal with sin, it provides spiritual gifting, it is sufficient to overcome our weaknesses, and it comes from the Lord.

These are but a few observations of the powerful gift of grace.  What exactly is grace?  It is the free and unmerited (unearned) favor of God.  Our favor in God comes through Jesus - not I, but Christ.  Our good works, anything good at all is not us but Jesus.  We have favorable standing because of Jesus. We can be a light in this dark world because of Jesus. We can love our husbands and care for our families because of Jesus.  We can endure hardship because of Jesus.  The grace - the unearned favorable standing - that He freely offers is a power source beyond measure and if flows abundantly.

But we have to know it's there.

A simple word study.  Above are fifteen verses out of 125 that have the word "grace" in them.  Search on a word, reach the context and figure out what grace looks like in your own life.  Trust me - it will be  time well spent.

www.biblegateway.com  Type in "grace."

Fear Not

"Do not fear, Abram, I am a shield to you; Your reward shall be very great." to Abram

"What is the matter with you, Hagar? Do not fear, for God has heard the voice of the lad where he is." to Hagar

"I am the God of your father, Abraham; Do not fear, for I am with you." to Isaac

"Do not fear him, for I have given him into your hand, and all His people and his land." to Moses

"Do not fear or be dismayed! Be strong and courageous..." to Joshua

"Peace to you, do not fear; you shall not die."  to Gideon

"Take courage, fear not.  Behold, your God will come with vengeance."  to Judah through Isaiah

"Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God." to Judah through Isaiah

"But as for you, O Jacob My servant, do not fear, nor be dismayed, O Israel." to Judah through Jeremiah

"You drew near when I called on You; You said, "Do not fear!"" to Jeremiah

"So do not fear; you are more valuable than sparrows." to the disciples

"Do not fear, from now on you will be catching men."  to Simon

"Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me...I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you...Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you' not as the world gives do I give to you.  Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful."  to us

I am writing this primarily to women this morning, though I do think men have fear.  Fear is such a debilitating emotion and it stems from a wrong view of God.  Just look at the comfort that God has given His children through the ages!  He is bigger than us, He is completely involved and in control and He wants us to live in that comfort and care, rather than in fear for what the day may bring.

How do we turn from fear?  Enlarge your knowledge of God.  Turn to Him, let Him be bigger.  He absolutely must increase in our lives and we must decrease.  As we set our minds on Him, our fears will dissipate because we have confidence in His character, His will and His presence.

Don't feed the fears today - feast on the Word, let it richly dwell within you and be comforted.