Sunday, 28 February 2021
Sunday, 17 January 2021
New years message for 2021 Part 3: Building Kingdom in a time of adversity
Monday devotions 18 January 2021
God’s Word records for us the lives of many of His servants that managed to build Kingdom in the face of adversity. Building in times when life is hard and all but a rose garden, is a great challenge that the body of Christ faces at this unprecedented time. It can be very daunting, and we may tend to feel discouraged, not knowing how to go forward. Let us take a quick look at some examples of how people still managed to build, even though life was hard for them. I am sure there may be more things that these people built but this is what stood out for me at present.
Moses
In Exodus 33:7-11 we read that Moses built a tent of meeting outside the camp where he and anyone else could retreat to, to speak to the Lord. I can imagine the hustle and bustle in the tent camp of thousands of Israelites, and nowhere to find a place to just be in God’s presence. Moses saw this need and built a place of meeting with God. It was here that God met him and where God spoke to him face to face as with a friend. It was here where Joshua stayed in the presence of God when Moses went back to work. It was here where the pillar of cloud by day and the fire of God by night was a visible sign of God’s presence with the people. Later, God formalized this temporary tabernacle when He gave Moses instructions how to build the tabernacle of His presence that eventually became the blueprint for the temple of Solomon in the Promised Land.
Hezekiah
In 2 Chronicles 32:2-4:30 and 2 Kings 20:20 we read how king Hezekiah built a tunnel that diverted the Gihon water springs into the pool of Siloam, so that the city will have water inside its walls. He was building in a time when they faced the mighty Assyrian army who was on its way to besiege Jerusalem.
Daniel
Daniel was but a teenager when he went into captivity to Babylon. He served in the court of several of the Babylonian kings with no hope to ever have the ‘normal’ life he must have dreamt of as a young boy. As far as we know he never had a family and never went back to Israel – yet he continuously built God’s Kingdom, even at the threat to his own life. He built with righteousness and integrity within an occult and corrupt government system to such an extent that the gentile king Nebuchadnezzar had to acknowledge that his God was the one and only true God.
Jeremiah
Jeremiah brought God’s word to a people in a time that nobody wanted to listen. No matter how much he prophesied, the people accused him of bringing fake news, while the fake news was hailed as truth. He is called the weeping prophet because he cried before God on behalf of the people and in the face of the hopelessness of him preaching but nobody hearing. God also sent words of hope to the people in captivity through Jeremiah that He will once again restore them when they return to Him – for some this only came true in the next generation, yet it was a word of hope for them to hold on to.
The Disciples
Jesus’s disciples built Kingdom with enthusiasm and passion through many trials, tribulations, and persecution. Paul says in Philippians 4 that he had learned to be content with what he has, for he has known lack, abundance, and distress. Paul was shipwrecked, Peter and many other disciples were imprisoned. Paul was assaulted and left for dead. All the disciples except for John died in service of the Messiah and was executed for their belief – their knowing – that Jesus had been resurrected. They built kingdom despite danger and even when facing death.
And so we can go on and on reading and learning from people who came before us who faced immense hardships and still built the Kingdom of God, because the Holy Spirit was with them, strengthened and encouraged them with the presence of God. Finally, let us take the following truths and lessons from the above with us into this year that now looks as challenging as climbing Mount Everest:
1. Let us build a “tent of meeting”, a place where we can go to encounter Him and let Him speak to us face to face.
2. God introduces Himself to us in the word as the “Fountain of Living Water” (John 4). Let us bring that spring of living water into the protection of the walls of the city where the enemy cannot get hold of it, for it is our “wellspring of life”.
3. Let us build with integrity in an environment where corruption and the darkness of occultism is growing day by day. As the darkness grows, let our light shine even brighter.
4. Let us bring hope to a world that has lost hope – proclaiming God’s goodness even when we do not see it manifest in our own life and time, holding on to God’s promises even when they will only manifest in the generations to come.
5. Let us build in the face of adversity and persecution – well knowing that this life is a temporary journey in a temporary dwelling, but that we are citizens of a heavenly Kingdom and our citizenship is everlasting.
Moses
In Exodus 33:7-11 we read that Moses built a tent of meeting outside the camp where he and anyone else could retreat to, to speak to the Lord. I can imagine the hustle and bustle in the tent camp of thousands of Israelites, and nowhere to find a place to just be in God’s presence. Moses saw this need and built a place of meeting with God. It was here that God met him and where God spoke to him face to face as with a friend. It was here where Joshua stayed in the presence of God when Moses went back to work. It was here where the pillar of cloud by day and the fire of God by night was a visible sign of God’s presence with the people. Later, God formalized this temporary tabernacle when He gave Moses instructions how to build the tabernacle of His presence that eventually became the blueprint for the temple of Solomon in the Promised Land.
Hezekiah
In 2 Chronicles 32:2-4:30 and 2 Kings 20:20 we read how king Hezekiah built a tunnel that diverted the Gihon water springs into the pool of Siloam, so that the city will have water inside its walls. He was building in a time when they faced the mighty Assyrian army who was on its way to besiege Jerusalem.
Daniel
Daniel was but a teenager when he went into captivity to Babylon. He served in the court of several of the Babylonian kings with no hope to ever have the ‘normal’ life he must have dreamt of as a young boy. As far as we know he never had a family and never went back to Israel – yet he continuously built God’s Kingdom, even at the threat to his own life. He built with righteousness and integrity within an occult and corrupt government system to such an extent that the gentile king Nebuchadnezzar had to acknowledge that his God was the one and only true God.
Jeremiah
Jeremiah brought God’s word to a people in a time that nobody wanted to listen. No matter how much he prophesied, the people accused him of bringing fake news, while the fake news was hailed as truth. He is called the weeping prophet because he cried before God on behalf of the people and in the face of the hopelessness of him preaching but nobody hearing. God also sent words of hope to the people in captivity through Jeremiah that He will once again restore them when they return to Him – for some this only came true in the next generation, yet it was a word of hope for them to hold on to.
The Disciples
Jesus’s disciples built Kingdom with enthusiasm and passion through many trials, tribulations, and persecution. Paul says in Philippians 4 that he had learned to be content with what he has, for he has known lack, abundance, and distress. Paul was shipwrecked, Peter and many other disciples were imprisoned. Paul was assaulted and left for dead. All the disciples except for John died in service of the Messiah and was executed for their belief – their knowing – that Jesus had been resurrected. They built kingdom despite danger and even when facing death.
And so we can go on and on reading and learning from people who came before us who faced immense hardships and still built the Kingdom of God, because the Holy Spirit was with them, strengthened and encouraged them with the presence of God. Finally, let us take the following truths and lessons from the above with us into this year that now looks as challenging as climbing Mount Everest:
1. Let us build a “tent of meeting”, a place where we can go to encounter Him and let Him speak to us face to face.
2. God introduces Himself to us in the word as the “Fountain of Living Water” (John 4). Let us bring that spring of living water into the protection of the walls of the city where the enemy cannot get hold of it, for it is our “wellspring of life”.
3. Let us build with integrity in an environment where corruption and the darkness of occultism is growing day by day. As the darkness grows, let our light shine even brighter.
4. Let us bring hope to a world that has lost hope – proclaiming God’s goodness even when we do not see it manifest in our own life and time, holding on to God’s promises even when they will only manifest in the generations to come.
5. Let us build in the face of adversity and persecution – well knowing that this life is a temporary journey in a temporary dwelling, but that we are citizens of a heavenly Kingdom and our citizenship is everlasting.
Alisa Turner
©HG Venter January 2021
Sunday, 10 January 2021
New years message 2021 Part 2: Called to build and plant
Last
week we saw that God called Jeremiah to first break down and uproot the
kingdom of darkness before God called him to build and to plant. We
also saw how NOT to build and plant – not in arrogance and not in our
own strength, making our own plans. This week we are going to look at a
few pointers from Scripture that may help us to build – even in a time
of pandemics and lockdowns it is God’s intention that we will live in
hope and continue building His Kingdom while we still have time. There
are three Scriptures I want to point out in this regard with three key
principles to keep in mind:
1. The Master Builder
In Ps 127:1,2 we read:
“Unless the Lord builds the house,
They labor in vain who build it;
Unless the Lord guards the city,
The watchman stays awake in vain”.
God
is the actual builder – He employs us as labourers to build His Kingdom
with His resources to accomplish His agenda. If not so – we build in
vain. Unless He guards the city, those that are called to be the
watchmen to make alarm when the enemy approaches, do so in vain. We need
to get our perspective right. We do not build God’s Kingdom – He builds
His Kingdom. We are merely labourers working under His direction and
instructions! Anything we build apart from what is on God’s agenda is a
waste of time, energy, resources, has no purpose and will not last.
2. The Foundation, The Cornerstone and The Rock
In
Ephesians 2:19-22 we read that our foundation is the apostles and
prophets (through whom God’s Word was given to us) and Jesus is the
cornerstone that anchors the whole building. The building is described
as fitting together and growing into the holy temple in the Lord. We
are being built together as a dwelling place of God. When we depart
from the foundation of truth that was laid, and from The Cornerstone,
then the holy temple, the dwelling place of God cannot host His presence
anymore.
In Mathew 7:24-25 Jesus told the parable of the man
who built his house on a rock vs the man who built his house on the
sand. The house that was built on the rock could withstand the rain and
the wind and the storms, the house that was built on the sand collapsed
when the storms came against it. In Ps 62 and Ps 18 respectively David
says that the Lord is his rock, salvation, fortress, strong tower. His
deliverer and the One in Whom he trusts.
God Himself is the
Foundation, the Rock, when we build on Him as labourers in His Kingdom,
we are building something lasting that will bear good fruit for His
Kingdom.
3. How are we to build and plant?
Often our question is how do we practically build God’s Kingdom in the spirit? In Mathew 6:33 The Word tells us: 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
Isaiah
58 in its entirety gives us very practical direction as to how and what
to build as God’s labourers. I summarize, but please read the whole
chapter.
- Blow the trumpet – warn my people of their sins.
- Do not get stuck in religious activity that is void of heartfelt sincerity and obedience to God.
- Set people free by loosening the bonds of wickedness, lifting burdens, let the oppressed go free, break yokes.
- Share your bread and extend your soul with the hungry.
- House the poor and the outcast.
- Dress the naked.
- Take away the pointing finger, i.e. accusation and judgement.
- Do not speak wickedness.
- Keep ourselves from doing our own pleasure, keeping our own ways and speaking our own (idle) words on the Lord’s holy day.
Then we will:
- Become a light shining in the darkness.
- The Lord will guide us continually.
- He will satisfy our soul in drought.
- Strengthen our bones.
- We will be like a well-watered garden whose waters do not fail.
And we will build:
- The old waste places.
- We shall raise up the foundation for many generations.
- We shall be called the repairer of the breech and the restorer of the streets to dwell in.
And finally:
- We will delight ourselves in the Lord.
- He will cause us to ride on the high hills.
- He will feed us with a good heritage.
- For He has spoken it.
Adding the image of sowing and planting to this picture of building, Hosea 10:13 confirms the same principles:
“Sow for yourselves righteousness;
Reap in mercy;
Break up your fallow ground,
For it is time to seek the Lord,
Till He comes and rains righteousness on you”
How
do we sow and plant? We must sow righteousness so that we will reap in
mercy. We need to break up the fallow ground – and seek the Lord until
He rains righteousness on us! Nothing we plant will ever grow into
fruition without the rain of God’s righteousness. To receive His
righteousness-rain we must seek the Lord and the ground needs to be
prepared to receive the rain, so that what is sown will grow and bear
fruit.
Our way forward should be to seek the Lord until He rains
righteousness on us. Then we can plant and build in righteousness, from
the right perspective of being a labourer in God’s Kingdom, labouring
for the King’s purposes and in obedience to the King.
Next week
we will look at a few people in the Bible who were builders in spite of
living in times when they were facing adversity to the point of their
future looking bleak and without much to look forward to – and yet they
continued to build the Kingdom of God.
Come worship with Rend Collective: Build your Kingdom Here
© Jan 2021 HG Venter
Friday, 8 January 2021
Sunday, 3 January 2021
New years message for 2021 Part 1 - Called to Root out, pull down, destroy and break down?
© Photo Jan 2021 Lizaan Venter
I
so wanted to start this year with a good, encouraging and very hopeful
message. However, the more I contemplated the year ahead and considered
the word I sense from the Lord, I realized that it is not a hopeless
word at all but it is first and foremost an admonishment. We are going
to have to pay attention to God’s admonishment to be able to access the
hopeful encouragement that He wants us to journey towards this year.
As we look ahead to 2021 and as I was listening this week to several
leaders’ new year’s messages, I realized that all over the world people
are trying to send out a message of hope and a message that these days
will pass and that we as a human race will eventually win the battle
against Covid-19 and that we will rebuild our society. Many are
confidently declaring that our new society will be better, stronger,
more progressive, inclusive, and beneficial for all. Although this is a
great goal to have and it does give us positive objectives to focus on,
there are basic principles that we need to have in place before we will
be able to realize this dream. This made me think about the theme of
building in the Bible and it is a theme or a prophetic picture that is
often used by God to bring home godly principles for His Kingdom. I am
going to share what I believe the Holy Spirit is showing me for my year
forward. I invite you to share the journey and ask the Lord if some of
this applies to your journey as well.
1. Called to Root out and pull down…
In Jeremiah 1:9-10 we read:
9 Then the Lord put forth His hand and touched my mouth, and the Lord said to me: “Behold, I have put My words in your mouth.
10 See, I have this day set you over the nations and over the kingdoms,
To root out and to pull down,
To destroy and to throw down,
To build and to plant.”
I
believe we live in a similar time as the prophet Jeremiah. God called
Jeremiah and empowered him to speak the Word of God to the people.
Specifically, He told Jeremiah that he was firstly called to root out
and to pull down – to destroy and to throw down. At first glance this
may seem unlike God to tell a prophet to break down and to destroy, but
if we continue to read the book of Jeremiah, we see that God wants the
people to root out ungodly things like idolatry. God is using the
prophet to speak to the nation and to admonish them to root out, pull
down, throw down and destroy the kingdom of darkness in their midst
BEFORE they start to build and plant again. We cannot even consider
trying to build and plant anything new while continuing to sacrifice on
the same altars of idolatry as ancient Israel did. Oh yes, we are very
quick to say we do not commit idolatry, but truth is rather that we
still commit idolatry - it just took on a new, more stylish, modern, and
sophisticated manner. We live in a time where what God calls evil is
being called good and what God calls good is being called evil. He
warns us about this in Isaiah 5:20-23 when He says:
Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil;
Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness;
Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
21 Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes,
And prudent in their own sight!
22 Woe to men mighty at drinking wine,
Woe to men valiant for mixing intoxicating drink,
23 Who justify the wicked for a bribe,
And take away justice from the righteous man!
2. Called to build and to plant
The second part of God’s Word to Jeremiah has to do with building and planting. However, in scripture God is also clear on how not to build and plant:
I believe there is an admonishment in Isaiah 9:9-10 when God says:
Who say in pride and arrogance of heart:
10 “The bricks have fallen down,
But we will rebuild with hewn stones;
The sycamores are cut down,
But we will replace them with cedars.”
11 Therefore the Lord shall set up
The adversaries of Rezin against him,
And spur his enemies on.
And in Hosea 10:13 the following:
Sow for yourselves righteousness;
Reap in mercy;
Break up your fallow ground,
For it is time to seek the Lord,
Till He comes and rains righteousness on you.
13 You have plowed wickedness;
You have reaped iniquity.
You have eaten the fruit of lies,
Because you trusted in your own way,
If
we build in arrogance and make our own plans to rebuild better and
stronger than before, we are heading for trouble. There is nothing
wrong with rebuilding our lives and our communities, in fact we have
already seen that God is calling us to do this. However, if we do it in
defiance of God, when we in arrogance say we will come back and we will
be stronger than ever before, when we make our own plans and build in
our own strength, we are heading for a disaster rather than for a better
society.
We can only build with success if we have broken down the old structures that do not belong in God’s Kingdom and we can only plant in good soil once we have ploughed up our fallow ground. In both instances the foundation or the ground must be cleaned, levelled, and prepared thoroughly. Once this is done, we need to start building and planting. An empty piece of land will very quickly become a dumping ground for all kinds of trash and the soil will become polluted and unable to sustain healthy plants. We cannot just leave the land empty – we must once again build and plant on it.
Let us take some time to contemplate with a humble heart and ask the revelation of the Holy Spirit to show us which altars of idolatry we need to pull down and destroy. Where am I wise in my own eyes? Where have I replaced Light for Darkness? Is my fallow ground broken and ploughed to receive the good seed? I honestly believe that if we ask Him with a sincere heart that He will show us – and that we will stand silent at what He shows in many instances. Let us then commit our hearts to making the hard choices to change and do those things He points out differently.
We can only build with success if we have broken down the old structures that do not belong in God’s Kingdom and we can only plant in good soil once we have ploughed up our fallow ground. In both instances the foundation or the ground must be cleaned, levelled, and prepared thoroughly. Once this is done, we need to start building and planting. An empty piece of land will very quickly become a dumping ground for all kinds of trash and the soil will become polluted and unable to sustain healthy plants. We cannot just leave the land empty – we must once again build and plant on it.
Let us take some time to contemplate with a humble heart and ask the revelation of the Holy Spirit to show us which altars of idolatry we need to pull down and destroy. Where am I wise in my own eyes? Where have I replaced Light for Darkness? Is my fallow ground broken and ploughed to receive the good seed? I honestly believe that if we ask Him with a sincere heart that He will show us – and that we will stand silent at what He shows in many instances. Let us then commit our hearts to making the hard choices to change and do those things He points out differently.
Next week we will have a look at how to build and plant in righteousness and in God’s Kingdom.
©2021 HG Venter
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