Pillars of His Church

In the days of King Solomon, when the temple was getting built, there was a demand for lots and lots of Cedar wood. King Hiram of Tyre met the huge demand, by cutting Cedar trees in his kingdom, and floating them to Israel via the sea. These Cedar logs were then received off the sea, made to dry under the hot sun, cut into precise lengths, and used as pillars in the temple. The pillars were then covered with gold. (I Kings 5)

There are some interesting parallels between these Cedar logs and the life of a Christian in the body of Christ. This was shared by a Pastor in a new Church inauguration meeting.

When the word of God convicts a person and s/he receives the call of God and commits his/her life to Him, then it is like the cutting of the Cedar wood. From that point onwards s/he has no link to this world. The journey has started!

The transportation of the logs by sea is like the baptism of the person in water. From that point onwards, the true walk with God starts. Conflict between the flesh and the spirit happens everyday.

By persisting in seeking God, meditating and following His word, the flesh becomes weaker and weaker, and the spirit becomes stronger and stronger. This is the drying of the wood in the sun. This needs to happen continually, otherwise the person does not grow, but becomes spiritually weak, like wet wood that starts bending when bearing load.

Once the spirit is in control (wood is dry), the person is ready for greater use in the body of Christ (that is, His Church). Then the person needs to humble himself/herself and become a pillar in the Church. This is the cutting of wood into precise lengths stage. Everybody is equal in the house of God, there is no place for ego in His Church.

If after all these stages the person becomes a pillar in the Church, and if more such pillars are ready, then the Church can be built perfectly. And God honours such a Church, by filling it with His glory (covering of the pillars with gold)!

Which stage are we in today?

Spiritual Strength

Praise the Lord!

To get physical strength, we need to eat nutritious food. But what can we do to get spiritual strength?

1. Isaiah 40:31 " But those who wait on the Lord, shall renew their strength".

It's true, when we wait on the Lord, we will get spiritual strength. The other part of the verse is: "they shall mount up with wings like eagles". Think you all know the characteristics of the eagle. The eagle always wants to fly high. It always builds its nest in high places.

Yes, we also when we get the spiritual strength by waiting on the Lord, we can soar like an eagle. We do not have to restrict our abilities. It is God who shapes us. So give yourself to God, He will make you soar. Through His strength, you can do everything.

2. Isaiah 41:10 "Fear not, for I am with you".

When you read this chapter from verse one, you will come to know who is speaking to whom. God is speaking to Israel's people, His children. When we hear God's voice or when God speaks to us, we get the spiritual strength. It is like a father comforting his child when that child is forsaken by everyone else. When the father speaks to that child with comforting words, the child gets strengthened and says "yes dad, I can do it!"

Don't stop after hearing God's voice! You should also be ready to speak to Him. Long for His presence! Don't just seek God once a year or once a month, and then feel disappointed if God does not answer. Speak to Him consistently. Like Jacob who wrestled with the Angel of God until He blessed him, seek God continually.

3. Ephesians 3:16 "... to be strengthened with might through His spirit in the inner man."

Allow the Holy Spirit to strengthen your spirit. He is the great Comforter, who knows what you're going through, and what you will be going through in future. Be sensitive to His leading and get spiritually strengthened.

Wired, Breakthrough Band, CCF, World Vision, ...

Chennai Corporate Fellowship (CCF) organized a concert called Wired, featuring Pas. Chadwick Samuel and the Breakthrough Band. The concert brought many of the corporate fellowship groups together for an evening of praise and worship. As usual the singing, the music and the worship experience was top-notch! And the choreo done by the dancing girls of the "Amazing" group added some extra flavour.

The highlights of the concert were the dance numbers given by kids from the Deaf and Dumb school, Santhome. They did an excellent and colourful job! A major portion of the concert proceeds was donated to this school.

A presentation about the work of World Vision was given in between. The urgent need is to get sponsors for more than 400 differently-abled children by the end of this year. If you have a burden for the needy children of India, get in touch with World Vision and sponsor a child.