The 3 sentences:
* The gates of hell will never prevail.
* My church stands on the Rock.
* The rocks will cry out in praise if we don't.
These sentences are mentioned in the Bible- not verbatim and the first two are in the same verse, Matthew 16:18.
I repeated these sentences and thought about them before another thought came to me.
I saw myself standing with my palms up and stones in them.
The stones represented choices. I saw the scene in John 8: the religious leaders and Pharisees brought an adulteress women to Jesus, trying to trap him, with the law of Moses. Moses- who wrote the ten commandments on a stone. Jesus wrote in the dust. Dust- what God created us from- while they were demanding his response.
"All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!" Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust. They "slipped away one by one...until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman.
Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, 'Where are your accusers? Didn't even one of them condemn you?"
"No, Lord,"
And Jesus said, "Neither do I. Go and sin no more." He doesn't want to condemn us.
Jesus saved her. He loves us; He wants the best for us.
We want to throw stones at the wicked, turning the stones/choices into weapons.
That's sin as well, taking things into our own hands, instead of trusting God.
When we see someone sinning/destroying, a loved one, a stranger, hearing of evil things- countless times a day nowadays- it hurts- the sinner, the victim, others, us. We're all affected by sin- we live on the same rock, in the vast universe.
What do we do with the rocks in our hands? Our choices-
We build up, or tear down.
I'm not saying I believe all stones or rocks in the Bible represent choices. I wouldn't dare! (Rev. 22:18) I'm merely sharing a message for me, to share with you, at this time. Because I'm saved,- I've accepted Jesus as my Savior and Lord of my life- I have His Holy Spirit living in me- as the Bible says. As believers/Saved Christians God speaks to us, through His Word- The Bible, Prayer and mediation on His word and through other Christians- seeking Him. He speaks to us and reveals Himself as we Seek Him- with all our heart, mind and soul. It's a relationship. Do you commune with Him, listening, reading His word, His answers, or do you ignore Him?
Back to our choices- with the stones in our hands- we can build up or tear down.
Building up: Others- encouraging, loving, serving. Ourselves- Growing In God- remaining in the vine- Him, Flourishing. Our bodies are living temples because the Holy Spirit resides in our new hearts- no longer stone (Ezk 36:26).
Tearing down: Sin tears down Others, Damages Our households, Ourselves, Breaks God's heart.
Tear down or Build up =
Selfishness or Praise (Trust)
We don't need to worry about evil and sin. The gates of hell will never prevail. God is in control.
Our weapon, like Jesus's weapon, is the Bible, God's Word- it's called our sword- what we fight with- it's Powerful.
When Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness after 40 days and nights of fasting, he became hungry.
"And the tempter came and said to him, 'If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.'
But he answered and said, 'It is written, Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God." Satan tempted Jesus with his physical need for food, but Jesus answered that his need to obey God was greater and God's word is our greater need.
Satan tempted Jesus two more times, challenging him to throw himself off the temple- to prove his identity. Jesus answered with scripture, 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.
Finally, Satan tempted Jesus with splendor and power attempting to get Jesus to worship him. "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.' Then the devil left him and angels came and attended him."
The temptations involved desiring immediate results. Wanting immediate results, fulfilling our desires can lead to idolatry. Jesus remained faithful, obeying his Father God, not his own feelings, concerns, or desires. Jesus is our supreme and perfect example.
God gives us free will- the ability to make choices. How we spend our time matters- now and forever. This life is but a day compared to eternity. Choose well. The Bible is called our daily bread, meant to be consumed, taken in, daily. It is life, joy and wisdom. Taste and see- for yourself- the Bible tells us.
Our best choice is to listen to God's voice.
God's living Word- alive and active, judging thoughts and attitudes. The scriptures can change our thoughts, attitudes, outcomes. (Hebrews 4:12)
What should you do with the stone in your hand?
Give it to God. Praise God- always thankful- because of Who He is and what He's done. The rocks will cry out in praise if we don't, because He is worthy- of all Honor and Glory and Praise. Drop your weapons, lift your hands, surrender to God, lift your voice and Praise the Almighty.
Then I received a phone message, from India. It said a lot, and one sentence stuck out: *Only the dead can't praise God.
Sometimes we trust in idols instead of God. An idol is anything you put your trust in, before God. The thing, activity you go to for comfort, peace, joy, instead of to God. Seek Him first and all these things will be added unto you.
In Bible times idols were sometimes made of stone. God wants those idols of stone smashed to pieces. He commanded they be crushed- to dust. Pulverized. Just dust- where is your trust?
David conquered his enemy with a stone- it seems- but his words reveal more. 1 Samuel 17:45 :Then David told the Philistine, 'You come at me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of the Heavenly Armies, the God of the armies of Israel whom you have defied. This very day the LORD will deliver you into my hand,...so that all the earth will know that there is a God in Israel, and this whole congregation will know that the LORD does not deliver by sword or spear. Indeed, the battle is the LORD's..."
David used a stone to defeat his enemy, but his trust wasn't in that stone, it was in the Rock of Ages, our firm foundation, whom he was being obedient to and giving glory to. He made the right choice.
The Bible mentions building stones, cut stones, boundary stones, precious stones, sacred stones, a time to scatter stones, a time to gather stones. And that the Lord is the everlasting rock, the rock of refuge, fortress, rock of salvation, fire came from a rock to show God's presence and acceptance of offerings, water came from rocks to bless, refresh, Jesus- the stone of Israel.
From an empty tomb- the space in a massive rock- came fullness of life- victorious- not easy or painless- but abundant- if we have Jesus- our cornerstone- our forever home. He is always with us, our firm foundation, which won't be shaken. Isaiah 28:16 and repeated in 1 Peter 2:6 "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in Him will never be put to shame."
The Almighty could have crushed every stone into dust.
Jesus made the perfect choices- you are one of them.
He chose God. He chose obedience. He chose suffering. Abuse, Torture- He chose- because He chose Love, He chose us.
And the stone that was rolled away- displayed an empty tomb that our lives could be full.
What's your role in the Rock? Your part, your purpose on this planet, this pebble of pain- in His hand? He has us in His hands- the whole world. His precious choices-Engraved. He won't put us to shame- instead He makes us precious.
From dust to His precious treasure- He simply asks that we trust and obey.
*In Old Testament times God told the Israelites to build memorials- alters of stones, piles of rocks, to remember what God had done at a certain place and time, His intervention, salvation, solution, and to pass on their faith. We should built memorials every day with our stones, or choices- remembering- every moment- Who God is and What He's done. Stones in our hands- like choices- Sin or Obey. Selfish or Praise. Tear Down or Build Up.
Give God Glory- the Abundant Life-
