Humble, Pray, Seek & Turn!

In the first Chronicles of the biblical Old Testament, King David desires to build a house for the presence of the Lord to dwell in. But because he has innocent blood on his hands (He had Bathsheba's first husband, Uriah the Hittite, killed so that he could cover up his sin.), God does not allow him to build His house. But David gathers and prepares everything that will be needed for construction and instructs his son Solomon to build God a house when he becomes king. David's preparation is a great example of preparing your children to take the family’s dream to the next level. As parents, it is our responsibility to lay the ground work for them to achieve great things that we may not have had the opportunity to do so. Encourage them and help them to get an education, teach them to get married first before babies, instill God's spiritual principals in them and instruct them in the ways of the Lord.

Now we know Solomon to be considered the wisest and possible richest man that ever lived. Because Solomon asked God for wisdom and understanding to properly rule God’s people, God honored his request with wisdom beyond any that man had ever known. God gave him great wealth and expanded the kingdom of Israel to its largest size it has ever known. The bible also says, that Solomon fulfilled his father’s wishes to build God a house and completed the building of the temple to house the ark of the covenant (containing Aaron's rod that budded, manna & the tablets of stone), which represented the presence of God. In chapter 6 & 7 of 2 Chronicles, we find the temple completed and Solomon and all of Israel dedicating the house of God. The bible says that when Solomon finished praying, fire came down and consumed the burnt offering and sacrifices and the glory of the Lord filled the house. The king and children of Israel offered more sacrifices to the Lord (22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep) and for seven days they dedicated the altar and maintained a feast in honor of this great achievement.

In comparison to the temple in the Old Testament, in 1 Corinthians 6, after admonishing the churches in Corinth to abstain from fornication, the apostle Paul asks, “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?” Paul’s point is that, as Christians, our bodies are the personal dwelling places or houses of the Holy Ghost. Because the Spirit lives in you and you belong to God, we must never defile our bodies and must seek to live and dedicate our temples in such a way that will honor and please God. We have the glory of God, His splendor, His majesty, on the inside. When someone looks at you, you should exhibit the glory of God, because you have been in communion with Him, because you have been intimate with Him, because you have been in His presence. When Moses would leave the tabernacle where he met and spoke with God, he would have to wear a veil over his face because the glory of the Lord caused his face to shine blindingly bright. On Sunday's, when I am around town in Westminster and meet others who also worship on the Lord's day and see some of their unseemly actions that do not glorify God, I have to wonder if the presence of the Lord was in the church. Did they actually experience the glory of the Lord? One great example of this is when I see how our churches and pastors continue to compete against each other because we are more concerned about attendance and money than souls for the kingdom of God, but I digress.

Furthermore, in chapter 7 of 2 Chronicles, the bible says, the Lord appeared to Solomon at night and said, “I have heard thy prayers and have chosen this place for a house of sacrifice.” God was in agreement that this house would be a place in which sacrifice could be made unto Him. In Romans 12:1, Paul’s says, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” Because we have the indwelling of the Holy Ghost, he is the seal or mark of ownership by God. God’s name is on us and we have been sanctified (set apart) for His purpose. I want to know what type of sacrifice are you? We are not only the houses of God, but we are also called to be houses of sacrifice. Have your bodies, your lives, your will, been given into service for God? Is your sacrifice holy and acceptable unto God? Is your sacrifice given as a reasonable service or is it given begrudgingly? If not, then there is, as always with God, some good news. Back in 2 Chronicles, chapter 7, God makes a promise to Solomon. God said, if I have to punish my people because of their sin, all they need to do is:

1. Humble themselves! Put pride in your pocket and acknowledge God in your life.

2. Pray! Go to God in your distress. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

3. Seek God’s face! Earnestly desire to be in God’s presence.

4. Turn from your wicked way. Turn away from sin. REPENT!

THEN God will hear from heaven and heal your land. God's ears are always open to the righteous.

Finally, to my pastor friends: It is time for us humble, pray, seek & and turn! We can do so much more together than apart. Because we are apart, the community has suffered. According to many people I have spoken to of the street we have not answered the call to seriously minister to the people of Westminster. Politics and political rhetoric have been espoused in our churches instead of the Word of God! Racial and social divides continue to keep us from being the biblical church in Westminster we are called to be. We are afraid to speak truth to power in fear of reprisals and not man's favor. If we can be truthful with ourselves as angles of God's houses and under shepherds of God's people, we are always in danger of letting the sin of pride rule in the heart of us pastors instead of the love of God, the love of the people of God and a humble countenance. And when the head is messed up, the rest of the body will be affected. If you disagree, then please prove otherwise. I would be overjoyed and will be the first to stand with you side by side, shoulder by shoulder to do biblical ministry with you in Westminster. If you are about real ministry, I pray that we have the opportunity to work together in unity to lead someone to Christ and make real change in Westminster. I love you my brothers and sisters and am praying for you and ask that you do the same for me. Be blessed!

Pastor Phillip U. Daniels III

Agape Ministries C.O.G.I.C