How Can We Rebuild a City

Isaiah 58:9: Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; You will cry, and He will say,"here I am. If you remove the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger and speaking wickedness,
10:And if you give yourself to the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then your light will rise in darkness and your gloom will become like midday.
11:And the Lord will continually guide you, and satisfy your desire in scorched places, and give strength to your bones; and you will be like a watered garden,and like a spring of water whose waters do not fail.
12:Those from among you will rebuild the ancient ruins; you will raise up the age -old foundations; and you will be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of the streets in which to dwell.

This morning in Sunday school, this scripture was in our classes book called Crazy Love. It was a reminder to me to stay focused on Jesus the author and finisher of our faith. He who began a good work in us will be faithful to see it to it's completion. He is able to do exceedingly abundantly more than we could ask or imagine.

So I will continue to encourage and spur others to get involved in good deeds so we will see the harvest of righteousness in due season. God is continually working in us and with us for His good pleasure so that when we reach the point of our purpose we will be able to walk into it. (My paraphrase).

The journey began when I was holding onto a root of bitterness and I could not stand it any longer so I called upon Christ. I cried out to Him when there was no other place or other people to turn to, and He heard my petition and He answered me that very day and said' "Here I am." I was trying to handle the situation in my own strength, but He reminded me that my thoughts and ways are not the same as His. My own way was to point fingers and speak wickedly of others instead of showing forgiveness to them. Because of doing things my way I was holding to my own thoughts which was creating a division in the body. Hebrews12 talks about that root of bitterness and if we allow it to grow and share it with others it will cause other believers to be defiled. So Jesus Himself taught me the power that comes with letting go and how to cultivate forgiveness.

I have given myself to feed those who are hungry. I don't mean for food (I am a terrible cook) but those who are hungry for the Word of God and try to help those who are afflicted. The more I spend time with others doing that, I have seen peoples lives change, but many times it becomes a slow process, but I am beginning to see change in peoples lives as they apply the powerful Word of God into their situations. I am seeing light beginning to pierce through the darkness. I was frustrated for a long while, but that gloom is changing into midday.

I will continue to trust the Lord to guide me and show me what is the best course to take to teach my brothers and sisters to be changed into the image of God, but I will always remember without Christ I can do nothing on my own. I must also remember that I have not reached perfection myself and on this side of glory, I never will, so I must also study the word myself so I can rightly divide the Word of truth. I also must become obedient to what the Holy Spirit is trying to instruct me to do. As I do this I will become like the watered garden and continue to be healthy, so I can be that example for others to follow. My desire for others is not to be legalistic, but that they would experience the same freedom that I have experienced in areas of my life as I have applied the scripture to my life and that I might grow as I learn from other church family members as they share their walk of faith.

As we make this commitment to work and walk together then we will become united in purpose even though we may have different ideas on how to accomplish good works, but as Pastor Cliff always reminds us let us cherish those differences, then we will grow in our knowledge which is a gift from God and we will be able to build our cities and communities as we begin building on the foundation and allow Christ to be the chief cornerstone. He will use us as an organized body to repair and restore that which the enemy has destroyed and stolen from us.

I thank Jesus for this reminder and encouragement from His Word this morning. As Paul Cobb always reminds and encourages us, keep pressing forward in the things of the Lord.