THE STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED

Becoming Wise Master BuildersPaul said, "as a wise master builder I laid a foundation" (I Cor 3:10). The eternal foundation of the church is the Lord Jesus Christ; we rest and build upon Him. It is wisdom to build the Lord's house with only Jesus in mind, for He must be the central figure of every effort; He must abide as the living source of all our virtue.
Yet, there is a tendency to unconsciously avoid the teachings of Christ in favour of some other emphasis from the Scriptures. We make our favourite teaching the cornerstone of our church rather than the life and power of Christ Himself. Inevitably, we find ourselves attempting to make disciples in our image instead of His.
Jesus said, "The stone which the builders rejected, this became the chief cornerstone" (Lk 20:17). We cannot separate what Jesus says from who Jesus is. Christ and His word are one. To the degree that we fail to teach what Jesus taught, we are actually rejecting Him as Lord and unconsciously redefining the dimensions of the cornerstone of the church.
Listen, beloved, to how the Lord associates Himself with His teachings. He said, "He who rejects Me, and does not receive My sayings, has one who judges him; the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day" (Jn 12:48). He warned, "Whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when He comes in His glory" (Lk 9:26). He exposes our hypocrisy, saying, "Why do you call Me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?" (Lk 6:46)
You see, Christ and His word are inseparable. Jesus was not a man who became the Word, but the eternal Word who became a man. His very core nature is the Word of God. And to reject or ignore what He says is to reject or ignore who He is.
We cannot build the house of the Lord if we do not honour and build upon the full spectrum of Christ’s teachings. Unless we are teaching our converts "...all that [He] commanded," we are not making disciples (Matt 28:18); we, in our church society, will always be trapped in spiritual infancy and religion.
Therefore, let us honestly ask ourselves: In the building plan of our churches, how much of an emphasis are we placing upon the words of Jesus? Is there a process in which new converts can become disciples of Christ?
If you are like most congregations, there is probably little focus given to systematic study and application of Christ's teaching. You see, if Jesus is truly the designer and builder of this house, then we must come to Him for the architectural plans. The building code of the kingdom must be obedience to the words of Christ.
"Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine, and acts upon them, may be compared to a wise man, who built his house upon the rock; and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and burst against that house; and yet it did not fall; for it had been founded upon the rock" (Matt 7:24-25).
Beloved, there is a storm coming; even now the sky has darkened and the first drops are falling. If we will endure, we must be built upon the rock. Please hear me, you cannot build your house in a storm. It is through the Spirit and words of Christ that the house of the Lord is built. This is exactly what Jesus meant when He said, "I will build My church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it" (Matt 16:14).
The Apostolic Foundation
Multitudes of Christians today know what Jesus did, yet remain stunted in their spiritual growth. Why? Without realizing it, we made the teachings of Paul the "cornerstone" of the church. The apostle's emphasis centered upon salvation, faithfully bringing us to Jesus. With great wisdom, Paul presents God's plan of redemption in Christ. Paul's message revealed what Christ did; but Paul himself was built upon what Christ said. Paul did not become apostle Paul apart from the words of Christ dwelling in him richly.
But it is Jesus, not Paul, who reveals "the Father." Christ's Spirit and His word, like no one else in history, has the power to restructure our souls, conforming us inwardly in true accessibility to God.
Obviously, my dear friends, we are not in anyway against the rest of the Bible. Each year I read the Bible through, often reading on my knees. I love all of God's word. Yet, I one time spent three years just reading and studying the gospels over and over again. I am convinced we, as the church, have lost sight of Jesus in the blur of Christianity. He must be to us the very cornerstone and foundation of our lives. Indeed, it was upon this foundation of His Spirit and words that the Lord has built and empowered the ministry in my life.
It is not as though I am alone in my view: all the New Testament writers are in absolute agreement with my emphasis upon Christ. Indeed, Paul writes in I Tim 6:3-6, "This is the sort of thing you should teach, and if anyone tries to teach some doctrinal novelty which is not compatible with sound teaching (which we base on Christ's own words and which leads to Christ-like living), then he is a conceited idiot! (Phillips).
When we seek to build upon a foundation other than Jesus, the results are everything but Jesus! Only Christ can create Christians. If we focus on our "doctrinal novelties," seeking to be just different enough to attract more people than the church down the street, we have missed the entire purpose of both the gospel and the ministry of Christ!
Paul based his teaching "on Christ's own words." Look at what John taught, "Watch yourselves, that you might not lose what we have accomplished, but that you may receive a full reward. Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God" (2 John 1:8-9). The priority of this hour is for the church to abide in the teachings and Spirit of the Lord Jesus. From this foundation, the house of the Lord will be built.
We have had our pet doctrines and particular emphasis. We have been like Peter speaking to Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration, "Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, I will make three tabernacles" (Matt 17:4). We are so ready to offer a plan to God instead of simply hearing and obeying Jesus. I believe the Father Himself has had enough of our ideas and advice. In His love He is interrupting our programs with the same word with which He interrupted Peter: "This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased: hear Him!
Lord Jesus, forgive me for following winds of doctrines instead of picking up my cross and following You. Help me now to return with my whole heart to Your words. 
Lord, I desire to abide in You. I recommit my life to You, that You alone would be the focal point of all Your people. 
In Jesus' name, amen.

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Selling Your Soul to the Devil--Can You Really Sell Your Soul!?

It's a phrase that mostly everyone has heard, "selling your soul to the devil". But can someone reallysell their soul in return for money,fame, and all the desires of their hearts? Does the devil have that kind of power?


By reading the story of the temptation of Jesus, we get a clearer idea about "selling your soul" and how satan tries to entice mankind;


Jesus Is Tested in the Wilderness
 ¹ Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. ² After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. ³ The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”
 ⁴ Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
 ⁵ Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. ⁶ “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:
   “‘He will command his angels concerning you,
   and they will lift you up in their hands,
   so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”
 ⁷ Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”
 ⁸ Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. ⁹ “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”
 ¹⁰ Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”
 ¹¹ Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.


Matthew 4 gives us a good picture of how the devil tempts men. His tactics are to offer us riches and splendor. He even entices us with promises of authority over kingdoms! The devil offers men an easy and quick way to get all their desires, with minimal effort. This is where selling your soul comes into play!


But is this an actual transaction? Well in a way yes, it is a transaction. The devil tempts you with what seems to be an irresistible offer, but if you do accept it, you accept them with a price. If Jesus would have accepted the devils offer to receive all the kingdoms of the world, that means he would have to "bow down and worship" the devil. So in essence, this means you have to sell yourself to the devil to receive his rewards--this means selling your soul.


Many actors,politicians,singers and the like have sadly soul their souls to get the "blessings" they longed for. How can you tell who sold their soul and who didn't? It's pretty easy actually, just look at their fruits! Matthew 7:16 says, "By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?"


So celebrities like Beyonce,Lady Gaga and Rhianna, who give obscene and provocative performances, and whose lyrics promote lust and vanity, have "sold their souls" for fame and fortune. Would a Holy God bless this type of behavior? Absolutely not! It's a shame to see these kind of celebrities thank God on stage, when in reality, whether they are aware or not, they are giving thanks to the devil! "What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?" -Mark 8:36


More verses on the devils temptation:
"Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak." -Matthew 26:41


 "When tempted, no one should say, 'God is tempting me.' For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desires, he is dragged away and enticed." -James 1:13-14


 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. -Ephesians 6:10-13

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Jesus with Children

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Becoming a Revelation of Jesus

"For I would have you know, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ." (Galatians 1:11-12).
The Bible is not merely a "how-to" book. It is not only a history book, nor a religious crystal ball or a philosophy book. At its core, the Bible is a revelation of Jesus Christ. Indeed, we will learn many things reading the Bible, truths that are historical, practical and academic; yet the core truth emanating throughout the Scriptures is the revelation of Jesus Christ. The Old Testament accounts, whether of kings or priests, were all written in anticipation of Him; the prophets encountered the Spirit of Christ and wrote of things to come as they ultimately pertained to Him
Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. ( 1 Pet 1:10 - 11 NIV: )
The biblical word revelation means "to unveil" or "to uncover." When the Holy Spirit directs us in the Scriptures, His goal is not only to give us religious knowledge, but to actually, in some life-changing way, unveil Jesus Christ to us. Do we see Christ in Genesis as the ultimate fulfillment of God's purpose and promises to Abraham?
Indeed, Jesus rebuked the Pharisees, who had assumed the place of "experts" in scriptural interpretations, saying ,
"You search the Scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is these that bear witness of Me " (John 5:39).
Eternal life is not in the Scriptures, but in Christ. The Scriptures "bear witness" of Him, but we must come to faith in Jesus to actually find life.
You see, the Son of God revealed Himself to men, who in turn wrote of Him, passing to others both the revelation of Christ and His word. Thus,

The Bible is unlike any book upon the face of the earth,

for it is the unveiling of Jesus Christ to man.

The Book of Christ's Unveiling:
Many books deal with interpretations of end-time events. All of them, invariably, include the author's opinions concerning the last book in the Bible, the Revelation to John. But the Revelation is not merely a forecast of end-time events. Its primary purpose is stated in the first verse: this book is the "Revelation of Jesus Christ." Without seeing Christ as the triumphant Lord, manifested through end-time events, this book becomes a book of speculation rather than revelation. In every warning there are those who possess the revelation of Jesus Christ, and through Christ, they triumph over "the beast," "the false prophet" and "the dragon."
As for the opening of the seals and the events that followed, each judgment heralds Christ's triumphant return to the world! Revelation's final chapters then speak of the age to come and the New Jerusalem, where the unveiled glory of the Lord replaces every other form of light. You see, just as John wrote, this book is "the Revelation of Jesus Christ"!

The Purpose of the Church:
Yet, not only is the Bible a revelation of Jesus Christ, but so also is the church. Indeed, the church is called the "body of Christ." The purpose of a physical body is to reveal the thoughts and intentions of its head. Thus, Christ's body is to be the revelation of Christ, the head. When people see us, the presence of the Lord Jesus should be clearly discerned in our attitudes, words and actions; the world should behold Christ living within us.
In other words, Jesus' hands cannot help others if our hands are in our pockets. His love cannot reach others if our love has grown cold or bitter. His victory cannot be manifested if our prayers are silent. We are His body - the actual means He has chosen to express and reveal Himself to the world!
"Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ?"
(1 Corinthians 6:15).
Because the Spirit of Christ actually dwells in our spirits, the expression of His will through us empowers us to serve as His body. Even as the purpose of the Bible is to reveal Jesus, so the primary purpose of the church is to give Jesus arms and legs, lips and a heart - a functioning body - to make His nature known.
You see, there are two beings living in your body: you and the Spirit of Jesus Christ. As we yield to Christ, we grow in " all aspects into Him, who is the head, even Christ " (Ephesians 4:15). Spiritual maturity is nothing less than growing up to the "stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ." (Ephesians 4:13). Consider Paul's great proclamation:

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Christians Have Become COWARDS!

The only reason these Christians are being bullied is because of themselves. The lukewarm church of Laodicea is alive and well in this country, especially in the ones who are elected to Congress.

Christians in America are cowards. Jesus doesn’t want cowards representing him, and that is what he has gotten in America, is wimpy cowards. Hell, if Christians fought for Jesus the same way Muslim’s fight for Allah, we would be the greatest country ever. If anybody thinks that this country is great and still is blessed by the Lord, they have their heads stuck up their stinky a–es!

You should tell them because the preachers throughout this country are the biggest wimps of all, especially the ones who confess and always give the glory to Christ while they vote for killing babies, the homosexual agenda, enslaving welfare policies, etc.

The elite in America have been educated to ignorance, and our cowardly preachers are silent because they are afraid to lose their tax-exempt status. Well guess what: Before Obama leaves office, that tax-exempt status will be taken away from them also, and they will find themselves naked in the sky.

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Great Leaders Serve.... (Bible on Leadership)

In our world a popular belief is that to make it big in life and to be a great leader, you have to be tough. "Every man for themselves" is a popular phrase used today. But this is not the way God describes a true leader. How do you become a great leader?


“You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:42-45)


"Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. "Do you understand what I have done for you?" he asked them. "You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you." (John 13:3-5,12-15)


"Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, serving as overseers—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away." (1 Peter 5:2-4)


"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross!" (Philippians 2:3-8)


From reflecting on these scriptures I realize that to become great, we must humble ourselves. To become leaders, we must first serve. How great would the world be if all of our leaders lived by this advice! :)


God Bless You!

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Great Leaders Serve.... (Bible on Leadership)

In our world a popular belief is that to make it big in life and to be a great leader, you have to be tough. "Every man for themselves" is a popular phrase used today. But this is not the way God describes a true leader. How do you become a great leader?


“You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:42-45)


"Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. "Do you understand what I have done for you?" he asked them. "You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you." (John 13:3-5,12-15)


"Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, serving as overseers—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away." (1 Peter 5:2-4)


"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross!" (Philippians 2:3-8)


From reflecting on these scriptures I realize that to become great, we must humble ourselves. To become leaders, we must first serve. How great would the world be if all of our leaders lived by this advice! :)


God Bless You!

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