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'But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint' ~ (Isaiah 40:31)

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

A Living Temple


“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven."
Mathew 6: 9 & 10

Doing Gods will should be our first and greatest goal in life.

Here's a true story from the book 'Praying the names of God' - by Ann Spangler

Lalani is a Sri Lankan woman who knows what it is to depend on God to provide for her. In 1986 she married Lionel Jayahsinghe, a former Buddist monk, who had converted to Christianity after reading a tract. Shortly after their marriage the two began a small house church, despite the opposition of local monks, who went door to door warning people against them. It wasn't long before Lionel started recieing death threats. One Friday in March 1988 Lalani heard a gunshot. Lionel had been shot in the face. her husband stumbled into their bedroom, followed by an assailant who stabbed him repeatedly. As she turned away to shelter her 11 month old son, she heard another gun shot.
After Lionel's death Lalani became determined to continue the work they had begun in their home, despite threats against her own life. During the years that followed, the church grew despite continued opposition. At one point the roof was burned and later on, in 1999, the church property was bombed. Today their are 1200 believers, that attend the church that she and her husband founded.
Not long ago Lalani travelled to another city..
When asked how things were with her church, she replied "Wonderful, Praise the Lord". later she gave a more detailed report, telling how the local opposition had that week organised a protest march against her church and then burned the thatch roof.
Stunned by this news, someone in the meeting asked why she said everything was wonderful. "Obviously she said enthusiastically, "since the thatch is gone, God must intend for us to have a metal roof."

What a remarkable statement ! Instead of complaining about her hardships (and they must be many) Lalani praised God, because she fully expected her heavenly father to turn these difficulties into a blessing for the church.
We should all reflect on the faith of this amazing and couragious woman. !!

Reading this devotional today got me to thinking about the way we gather to worship the Lord, and more specifically where we gather. For the Lord isn't living in a building. Yes he meets with us there, and he dwells within us..but he is also everywhere. So we can be alone or in company and still praise his name, worshipping him in spirit and in truth no matter where we are. Praise him for that and for freedom from persecution.
Praise God that he does not dwell anywhere that man can destroy.

In the old testament Soloman says in 1 Kings 8:27 “But will God really dwell on earth? The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built."

2 Corinthians 4:6 - 12
For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.
7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 8We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 10 We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11 For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. 12 So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.

1 Corinthians 3: 16-17
"Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple."


Blessings to you all - Linda Follower of the Way

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