unless the lord build the house

Word for Today: January 31, 2021 UNLESS THE LORD BUILDS THE HOUSE! Beloved,

I understand the "work of the ministry well." I understand what the Lord desires us to do. My point is he never told us to do it without Him and His presence? He never told us to do it in our own efforts or strength. He never told us to "build a church" that we are going to hand to him.

Quite contrary, He said to Peter, Blessed are you Simon Bar Jonah for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in Heaven revealed this to you..

AND UPON THIS ROCK (THE FATHER SPEAKING TO YOU AND YOUR ABILITY TO HEAR HIM) I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH, AND THE GATES OF HELL SHALL NOT PREVAIL AGAINST IT.

With a church age that puts the needs of men above the needs of God, the work of God above the God of the work, what God has me to share is surely going to "rock the boat" and "push the buttons of religion."

If works alone were sufficient to be an overcomer why the chapter 2 and 3 of the Book of Revelation where he said, "I know your works and they are more numerous than at first, but nevertheless."

The work of God must be motivated by the pure holy love in us, directed by that love, led by that love completely. Jesus said, "apart from me you can do nothing."

We are in a new day of the kingdom age. We do not have the liberty to tell God what we are going to do for him in his name. This is what 85% of the church age ministries foundation was built upon.

A false sense of success rooted in the wisdom of man has been the measuring stick men have used to prove their ministries.

I am not saying there is not "work" the Lord would have us to do. Quite the opposite I am saying,

We are just not the initiators of that work in the Kingdom of God. We are now in the Kingdom age where no sweat can enter His Glory realm. For no flesh can glory in His sight. NO SWEAT!

To all who still want to be justified by their works for God, Matthew 7:21-23 is a word of caution to make sure we are not the initiator of the work for our own glory.

21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’

23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ If you contrast verse 21 and 22 there are three important point to consider.

First: Not everyone who says to me Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven.. but who can.. He that does the will of the Father who is heaven.

Second. Many (Not some) will say to me on that day, (what day? the Day of the lord) DID WE NOT... DID WE.. NOT.. PROPHESY IN YOUR NAME..AND CAST OUT DEVILS IN YOU NAME, AND DO MIRACLES?

Isn't that the total emphasis of the 2nd day church age life and ministry?Where the leaders and people say, We are rich and in need of nothing?

Isn't that what most of the present teaching coming out of the church age is saying? Why would we bring that heart and work into the kingdom age rooted in the sweat of Cain's offering?

If work alone is what God wanted why doesn't Jesus except their work or offering and ultimately rejecting them?

Beloved they called Him Lord, and they did his works, they are using it to justify themselves before him, yet why does Jesus reject them and their work?

Third, JESUS TELLS THEM PLAINLY.... I NEVER KNEW YOU.. (the word knew is like a man knows his wife intimately) DEPART FROM ME, YOU WORKER OF INIQUITY.. AWAY FROM ME, YOU EVIL DOERS.

What would cause this reaction to people who call him lord, work his works in his name only to hear this rebuke and removal from his presence.

The root of this can be found in 1st Corinthians 13: 1-3

If I [can] speak in the tongues of men and [even] of angels, but have not love (that reasoning, intentional, spiritual devotion such [a]as is inspired by God’s love for and in us), I am only a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.

2 And if I have prophetic powers ([b]the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose), and understand all the secret truths and mysteries and possess all knowledge, and if I have [sufficient] faith so that I can remove mountains, but have not love (God’s love in me) I am nothing (a useless nobody).

3 Even if I dole out all that I have [to the poor in providing] food, and if I surrender my body to be burned or [c]in order that I may glory, but have not love (God’s love in me), I gain nothing.

Verse 3 sums up I believe why Jesus tells us the problem of the heart of those who call him Lord in Matthew chapter 7 and this is it:

Ist Corinthains 13: 3 tell us the heart motive, IN ORDER THAT (I) MAY GLORY, BUT HAVE NOT LOVE (GOD'S LOVE IN THEM AS THEIR MOTIVATION AND PURPOSE) I GAIN NOTHING.

BELOVED THE OPERATIVE WORDS ARE... THAT (I) MAY GLORY.. IN JUST PLAIN WORDS, MAN TAKES THE GLORY IN THEIR HEART THAT BELONGS ONLY TO GOD. THEY SEE WHAT "THEY HAVE DONE" AND FORGET THEY DID NOTHING, GOD DID THE WORK!

Can we tell the difference ministers of God of what we are doing for our own glory or the Lord's? Are we so sure that are motives of what we are doing and why we are doing is out of the pure love of God?

Are we working apart from him in His name, doing works for Him, building things for him that we think He wants and never asked for?

Should we not even ask Him to examine our hearts and motives of the "why" we are doing what we are doing and if he is pleased with it and receives it?

I believe there is on other reason Jesus speaks about many "in that day will say Lord, Lord." DOES THAT NOT PUT THE FEAR OF THE LORD IN US... THAT MANY... MANY.. MANY WILL SAY.. IN THAT DAY... LORD... LORD HAVE WE NOT?

Beloved the kingdom age begins with the revealing of Revelation chapters 1-5, with chapters 2-3 being the finishing work of the Lord on the third day.

In that day, when he comes.. he is to be glorified in His saints 2 Thes.1:10. Therefore He comes as the King of Glory to refine his church at the last days to enter the glory realm.

In His coming "in that day, the third day Revelation 2 and 3 deal with three words, REPENT, CHANGE AND OVERCOME! What tod we repent of.? i KNOW YOUR WORKS.. I KNOW YOUR WORKS.. I SEARCH YOUR MOTIVES...

Beloved, In Revelation chapter 2 and 3, Jesus says, I know what you are doing, but if you don't change and get your heart and motives right this is what is going to happen

Rev 2: 5 (Ephesis) Remember from the heights you have fallen. Repent and change your mind and heart to meet God's will to do the works that come from your first love when you first knew the Lord OR ELSE I WILL VISIT YOU AND REMOVE THE LAMPSTAND FROM IT'S PLACE, UNLESS YOU CHANGE YOUR MIND AND REPENT.

Rev 2:16 (Pergamum)Repent or else I will come quickly to fight against them with the sword of my mouth. Read what the sin was in verse 13-15

Rev 2: 21 ( Thyatira: tolerating Jezebel in the house) I will throw her on a bed of affliction and all those commit adultery with her. I will bring down to pressing distress and severe affliction, unless you turn your minds from conduct such as hers and repent for doing those things, and I will strike her children dead.

AND ALL THE CHURCH... ALL THE CHURCH... ALL THE CHURCH WILL KNOW... WILL KNOW.. THAT I AM HE.. I AM HE.. THAT SEARCHES MIND AND THOUGHTS... FEELINGS AND PURPOSES.. AND THE INNERMOST HEARTS.... I WILL GIVE EACH MAN WHAT THEY DESERVE ACCORDINGLY.

Rev. 3: (Sardis) Rouse yourselves and keep awake, and strengthen what remains and is in the point of dying. FOR I HAVE NOT FOUND ONE THING.. I HAVE NOT FOUND ONE THING THAT YOU HAVE DONE.... THAT YOU HAVE DONE... THE WORKS OF YOURS.. THE WORKS OF YOURS.... MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS OF MY GOD AND PERFECT IN HIS SIGHT.

Beloved of the Lord, Ministers of the Lord, this is the day of the Lord, the day of fire where God is trying our hearts and the works we have done and are still doing? Don't you even want to know if they are pleasing to God, or are you going to assume they are? Jesus warns us that MANY, NOT SOME, MANY WILL SAY TO ME.. IN THAT DAY.. LORD, LORD. HAVE I NOT DONE.. HAVE WE NOT DONE....

Rev 3 continues: SO CALL TO MIND THE LESSON YOU HAVE RECEIVED AND HEARD CONTINUALLY, LAY THEM TO OUR HEART AND OBEY THEM.. IN CAS YOU DON'T ROUSE YOURSELF AND KEEP AWAKE AND WATCH.. I WILL COME UPON YOU.. I WILL COME UPON YOU LIKE A THIEF, AND YOU WILL NOT KNOW THE HOUR OF MY COMING.

Beloved does that sound like a good thing to you?

Rev 3 (Laodecia) I KNOW YOUR RECORD OF WORKS... AND WHAT YOU ARE DOING.... WORKS AND WHAT YOU ARE DOING....

(Beloved, the day and hour has changed, we can't do works for God apart from him, apart from me you can do nothing) Why are kicking against the pricks, men and women of God? Why can't we hear it and let God examine our motives? What are we afraid of? Are we so sure of ourselves? They are in Laodecia!)

I KNOW YOUR RECORD OF WORKS AND WHAT YOU ARE DOING. YOU ARE NEITHER HOT OR COLD (you are filled with mixture of flesh and spirit)

I WILL.. I WILL... I WILL SPEW YOU... SPEW YOU.. OUT OF MY MOUTH! (Does that sound like a good thing to you?)

Why would he spew his people, his leaders, his church out of his mouth? (BECAUSE OF THE HEART MOTIVES OF THE WORKS ARE NOT PURE AND SINCERE OR BIRTHED BY GOD)

Why will he spew these last day people out of his mouth? BECAUSE THEY ARE BLIND WITH THEIR EYES, DEAF IN THE EARS, AND HARD IN THE HEART.

THEY HAVE A WRONG ESTIMATION OF THEMSELVES AND THE WORKS THEY ARE DOING FOR GOD.

LORD, LORD, HAVE WE NOT.. PROPHESIED IN YOUR NAME, CAST OUT DEVILS IN OUR NAME, AND DID MIRACLES IN YOUR NAME? DEPART FROM ME, WORKERS OF INIQUITY I NEVER KNEW YOU.

Rev. 3 verse 17 FOR YOU SAY YOU ARE RICH AND HAVE PROSPERED AND GROWN RICH AND IN NEED OF NOTHING..

AND YOU DO NOT... DO NOT... DO NOT REALIZE AND UNDERSTAND.. REALIZE AND UNDERSTAND THAT YOU ARE... WRETCHED... PITIABLE.. POOR... AND NAKED...

WRETCHED.. PITIABLE.. POOR... AND NAKDE (Does that sound like a good thing to you?) Verse 19 THOSE I DEARLY AND TENDERLY LOVE, I TELL... I TELL... THEIR FAULTS.. THEIR FAULTS AND I CONVICT AND REPROVE AND CHASTEN... (I DISCIPLINE AND INSTRUCT THEM)

SO BE... SO BE ENTHUSIASTIC.. ENTHUSIASTIC... AND IN EARNEST.... AND BURN WITH ZEAL.... AND REPENT.. REPENT AND CHANGE YOUR MIND AND ATTITUDE....

Beloved men and women of God, minister of God, THESE FIRST THREE CHAPTERS OF REVELATION ARE WHERE ARE NOW.. GOD IS EXAMINING EVERYTHING... HE IS TRYING OUR LIFE, OUR FAMILIES, OUR WORKS FOR GOD BY FIRE TO SEE IF THEY CAN PAST THE TEST INTO THE KINGDOM AGE.

WHY IS THAT SO DIFFICULT TO SEE AND EMBRACE? FOR IF WE DID IT WOULD PRODUCE SUCH A BROKENNESS, HUMILITY AND EMPTYING THAT GOD COULD FILL US WITH THE GREATER GLORY OF THE LATTER HOUSE.

YET, WE ARE REFUSING TO HEAR GOD'S CORRECTIVE WORK CONCERNING WHAT WE ARE BUILDING IN HIS NAME. WHY ARE WE DOING THIS FELLOW MINISTERS OF GOD WHY? WHAT ARE WE AFRAID TO SEE?

IF WE ARE WILLING TO LET GOD JUDGE OUR MOTIVES CONCERNING OTHERS, WHY NOT IN THE WORK WE ARE DOING IN HIS NAME? WHY ARE WE SO SURE WE ARE RIGHT ON, BECAUSE MEN SAY SO? OR DOES GOD SAY SO!

WE MUST NOT LOVE THE PRAISES OF MEN MORE THEN THE TRUE PRAISE OF GOD. THERE ARE MANY FLATTERING TONGUES TRYING TO LIFT MEN AND WOMEN OF GOD TO DECEIVE THEM TO EXPAND THEIR WORK ON THEIR OWN.

OH FOOLISH GALATIANS WHO HAS BEWITCHED YOU, YOU STARTED YOUR NEW LIFE, YOUR MINISTRY IN THE LORD BY THE SPIRIT WHY ARE YOU NOW TRYING TO FINISH IT IN PERFECTION IN THE WORKS OF THE FLESH?

I can judge no one, nor would I try. I can only allow God to judge my heart, my motives and what He may use me to do with him that they are from his pure holy love. That is plenty for me to handle.

But I am writing and sharing these things so we step back for a moment for God to examine our heart motives not just in our personal life but in the work for the Lord as well.

Remember he says over and over in Revelation chapters 2 and 3. I know your work. I know how numerous they are, BUT!!!

Lord Lord, have we not done...? Is it worth risking everything is ok only to find it rejected in the day of the Lord? Isn't it better to find out now what we are building

This is not what he asked from us to get it right? I think so, maybe others don't. Faith without works is dead, but WORKS WITH OUT LOVE, WITH OUT THE RIGHT MOTIVES IS SPEWED OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD. IT BRINGS TERRIBLE JUDGMENTS UPON THOSE WHO DO THEM WHEN THE HEART IS NOT PURE BEFORE GOD.

Let us hear the words of a man after God's own heart. The words of David found in Psalm 24: 3-6

3 Who shall go up into the mountain of the Lord? Or who shall stand in His Holy Place?

4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted himself up to falsehood or to what is false, nor sworn deceitfully.

5 He shall receive blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his salvation.

6 This is the generation [description] of those who seek Him [who inquire of and for Him and of necessity require Him], who seek Your face, [O God of] Jacob. Selah [pause, and think of that]!

Now let us hear the words of Jesus of what the kingdom of God life look likes in a man and how the work of the Father gets done in the kingdom. Look who Jesus give the glory to as doing the work?

John 5: 17 But Jesus answered them, My Father has worked [even] until now, [He has never ceased working; He is still working] and I, too, must be at [divine] work.

18 This made the Jews more determined than ever to kill Him [to do away with Him]; because He not only was breaking (weakening, violating) the Sabbath, but He actually was speaking of God as being [in a special sense] His own Father, making Himself equal [putting Himself on a level] with God.

19 So Jesus answered them by saying, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, the Son is able to do nothing of Himself (of His own accord); but He is able to do only what He sees the Father doing, for whatever the Father does is what the Son does in the same way [in His turn].

20 The Father dearly loves the Son and discloses to (shows) Him everything that He Himself does. And He will disclose to Him (let Him see) greater things yet than these, so that you may marvel and be full of wonder and astonishment.

I end with the very work of the true Kingdom governmental life worked in a human temple with the words of Jesus as to his calling and purpose:

John 5:30 30 I am able to do nothing from Myself [independently, of My own accord—but only as I am taught by God and as I get His orders]. Even as I hear, I judge [I decide as I am bidden to decide.

As the voice comes to Me, so I give a decision], and My judgment is right (just, righteous), because I do not seek or consult My own will [I have no desire to do what is pleasing to Myself, My own aim, My own purpose] but only the will and pleasure of the Father Who sent Me.

This is a SELAH moment for the leaders of God as we enter the dawn of the Kingdom age, I pray we will recognize, all of us! We are in this together. Blessed be His nam