The Lord Provides for His Purpose, Not for Our Plans Pt 1
Jesus made this statement after Peter confessed He was the Christ:
Constitution: Matthew 16:17-18 Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in Heaven. 18) And I also say to you that you are Peter and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of hades shall not prevail against it."
Now the word, Ecclesia, the Geek word for church, means "called out ones". Keep in mind, this definition says nothing about buildings or bells or steeples or benches or pews or organs. Ecclesia is people. Now this verse means: Upon this rock I will build My people; My called out ones; and they will be so powerful that hell itself will not control them.
The question is where is it? Too often the church is everything but powerful because we are asking God to bless plans that He didn't make or have anything to do with. God's intentions for the church was not to have church services and children's church and choirs and women's meetings. the Lord wants us to be His "called out ones" to reveal His "manifold wisdom".
Constitution: Ephesians 3:10 to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places.
The Greek word (popupoikilos) is used here to describe God's wisdom. It literally means "many colored". I must say, it can take whatever form it needs to take to meet the challenges that face His church.
Too often the church is so busy with her own plans that she fails to expose God's wisdom in sending Jesus Christ into the world. Many people are so busy building their ministries, their buildings, their programs and their projects that they are not fulfilling their purpose. Through Christ, sin and death and evil was defeated forever.
Constitution: Matthew 16:17-18 Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in Heaven. 18) And I also say to you that you are Peter and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of hades shall not prevail against it."
Now the word, Ecclesia, the Geek word for church, means "called out ones". Keep in mind, this definition says nothing about buildings or bells or steeples or benches or pews or organs. Ecclesia is people. Now this verse means: Upon this rock I will build My people; My called out ones; and they will be so powerful that hell itself will not control them.
The question is where is it? Too often the church is everything but powerful because we are asking God to bless plans that He didn't make or have anything to do with. God's intentions for the church was not to have church services and children's church and choirs and women's meetings. the Lord wants us to be His "called out ones" to reveal His "manifold wisdom".
Constitution: Ephesians 3:10 to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places.
The Greek word (popupoikilos) is used here to describe God's wisdom. It literally means "many colored". I must say, it can take whatever form it needs to take to meet the challenges that face His church.
Too often the church is so busy with her own plans that she fails to expose God's wisdom in sending Jesus Christ into the world. Many people are so busy building their ministries, their buildings, their programs and their projects that they are not fulfilling their purpose. Through Christ, sin and death and evil was defeated forever.
