Rise Up and Build

The Bible has many examples of building, and how it is to be done. The books of Ezra and Nehemiah teach us about building the city of Jerusalem and God’s Temple. The New Testament teaches how to build the church. Building is as old as time. Man has always built something from simple shelter to massive cathedrals. Most of the building man has done down through the ages has been for the wrong reasons. Seldom does man build anything to honor the Lord.
God’s children ought to be builders, but should be sure they are erecting the right kinds of buildings. We definitely need to build strong Christian homes. Our homes today reflect our strength. Satan from the very beginning has sought to destroy the home. For he knows if he succeeds there he can defeat God’s people. Today we do not have a strong home life centered on God the Bible and the church. No nation is stronger than the homes of which it consists. No church is stronger than the homes, which represent that body.
As individual believers we need to build our character. Character is what a person is made of. His reputation is what others think of him. Yet a person is more that the opinions of others. This generation has tried to substitute money for character; it doesn’t work now and never will. If Christian character is not built into a child in the home and in the church he has very little chance of becoming somebody in this world.
Our churches should be built on strong doctrine not on traditional thinking of man-made ideas. Today we see churches with small congregations and some with multitudes in attendance. There are congregations made up of wealthy people and there are those made up of poor people. Neither of which should a church be build around. Some churches are built around a pastor because of his strong personality. God pity the man who wants to build around himself! The problem in most churches today is the lack of God inspired and spirit filled leaders and teachers. We need men and women in every area of the church who are sound in doctrine and grounded in faith and are washed in the blood. There is much confusion today in the church caused by those who are not sound in the faith.
We cannot build strong churches today and cling to the ways of the world. The church must be in the world, but the world must not be in the church. Many preachers today find it easy to compromise with the world, because it helps them to grow in number. Building a church means building a people who will walk in God’s way. Who have faith God will provide and care if a sinner is lost or saved.
We need to build evangelistic churches. Done God’s way and in God’s time. In the book of Acts we find God added to the church such as should be saved, and added three thousand in one day. Once a person is saved and baptized there needs to be discipleship, people being taught about and from God’s Word. The Great commission is to reach the world with the gospel. That world starts in your neighborhood. When was the last time you invited your neighbor to church?
We must build for the glory of God. To do less is to build for the glory of man.