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Mustard Seed November/December 2002
Keep On Building
Mustard Seed - November/December 2002
We the brethren from the Church Of God in Albuquerque, New Mexico would like to extend to you a big friendly hug and very warm, "hello". We thank our Father in Heaven and our Savior Jesus the Christ for this privilege of allowing us to serve you as brothers and sisters of the faith once delivered.
As man counts time another year has come and gone. If I may, I'd like to reiterate what most radio and television hosts and commentators are saying: "This year has been a year of triumph, and a year of tragedy; a year of laughter and a year of lunacy." Indeed, this past year has been a year of all this and more....
Brethren, I wrote those words for the COG, New Mexico newsletter in 1997; How the world has changed since then. In the last 5 years we've seen a President go through impeachment, fires and hurricanes and tornados have devastated the landscape, remember Y2K and all of the stress and confusion that caused. Sadly, a year ago we witnessed and lived through the 9/11 tragedy, and now this year 2002 we face a showdown between America & Iraq. These are just a few of the big things happening here in America; the world scene is even scarier.
What do you do, when adversity strikes? And it will strike, it's just a matter of time! What do you do, when adversity isn't on a national scale, but on a personal one? According to what 1 read in the scriptures -you build a wall.
You've already been prepared to build a temple, I'm sure you've already heard several sermons throughout the Feast of Tabernacles dedicated to the temple, the temple, the temple! Do you realize that's only half the job? In the books of Haggai and Ezra we read about the temple.
However, Nehemiah - comes along later and asks, "What about the wall; the wall! It's just as important, as the temple".
If you would, open your bible to Nehemiah 2:17-18 where we read.- "Then said I unto them, Ye see the distress that we are in, how (substitute yourself here) Jerusalem lies in waste, and the gates thereof are burned with fire: come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach. " \ 8) Then I told them of the hand of my God, which was good upon me; as also the king's words that he had spoken unto me. And they said. Let us rise up and build. So they strengthened their hands for this good work. "
In studying Ezra & Nehemiah, you find that they are sister books, you can't have one without the other. Just like you have the OT, you need the NT; We have God the Father, we need Jesus the Christ; you have the temple, you need the wall......
What do walls do? They protect, they separate, they provide boundaries.... What else, they support and strengthen don't they?
It's very interesting to do a word study on the word wall in the scriptures. In one place it means uprightness, in another it means to separate.
In the case of Nehemiah, it means to join, a fortress and to strengthen. Isn't that what we need today, to be attached to God the Father, to be joined with Jesus Christ through Gods Holy Spirit for our protection and for our strength. It was really interesting to see, that it took 52 days to rebuild the wall at Jerusalem. Can I be so bold as to say these 52 days represent, the 52 weekly sabbaths in a year for us to really build on. Just something to think about.
Let's go on and read the message found in 11 Peter 1:3 - 8. (3) "According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue. 4) Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 5) And beside this, giving all diligence, and to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 6) And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; 7) And to godliness brotherly kindness; and brotherly kindness charity (Agape-love). 8) For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. "
By now, I hope that you understand that the wall I've been referring to is your character and the attitude that you have concerning God's way of life. It has to do with your faith, your confidence in God and your commitment to obeying His Holy Commandments.
There's a story, of a man that purchased a beautiful home near the beach. It had the most breathtaking scenery and the landscape was unmatched. This man wanted to protect his home from on oncoming traffic, so he decided to build a wall. Well, his project didn't go very far before the powers that be stopped him. They said, "You can't build your wall, it violates city ordinances". One group says, "you can't dig here, there are power lines buried."
Another group said, "You can't build a wall, because it will obstruct the view of the scenery." As you can imagine the owner was now angry, disgusted and frustrated with these people. But the owner still wanted his wall....
It just so happened that one of the neighborhood boys was riding his bike, when he heard all the fighting and bickering between the "experts". He yelled out, "I know how to build it", of course no one paid him any mind, and they kept arguing. He yelled out again, "I know how to build it", this time the owner called the boy over toward them and said, "Ok son, how would you build it?" The little boy said, "What I would do, is I would make it 3 feet thick by 2 feet tall, from this point to this point". They were all astonished at the straight answer the little boy gave. Then one of the engineers (laughingly) says, "Why would you build it like that?" The little boy replies, "Because, if a truck hits the wall, and the wall gets knocked down, it will fall - taller". "Out of the mouths of babes", is that a concept or what?
Ephesians 3:14-19 14) For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15) Of •whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named. 16) That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man; 17) That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love 18) May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 19) And to know the love of Christ, which passes knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.
I Peter 1:6-9 6) Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations (trials): 7) That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perishes, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: 8) Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: 9) Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls."
I can only hope these scriptures encourage you in the personal trials you may have to endure. Yes, brethren work on your temple, but don't neglect to build your wall of righteousness, which is your character and the commitment you accepted when you were baptized. The day when you said, "All that the Lord has spoken, this will I do!"
As we face the very difficult and challenging times ahead, we all need the encouragement, the strength and the fortitude that only comes by being one with God the Father and our Savior Jesus the Christ. So, that in the day(s) of our adversity, when we are knocked down - We, will fall taller than before.
-Joel Maldonado
Updated Audio Version