Churches to be Built to God's Glory

Christ Triumphant - A Devotional by E.G. White

Churches to be Built to God's Glory

Today's Text: Thus Solomon finished the house of the Lord ... and all that came into Solomon's heart to make in the house of the Lord, and in his own house, he prosperously effected. 2 Chronicles 7:11

The Message:      Nearly three thousand years ago by divine appointment the temple was built in Jerusalem. The nation of God's choice had been greatly favored; they dwelt in costly houses while they still worshiped God in the curtained tabernacle. Here the Shekinah, the visible emblem of God's presence, dwelt between the cherubim, and out of the perfection of beauty God shined....      There have been times when it seemed necessary to worship God in very humble places; but the Lord did not withhold His Spirit nor refuse His presence because of this. It was the best His people could do at the time, and if they worshiped Him in Spirit and in truth, He never reproved or condemned their efforts....      The Lord reminded David of the lowly position he was in when He called him and entrusted him with great responsibilities, and He would have him ever bear in mind that his prosperity and success came through the blessing of God and not through any inherited goodness that he possessed. Although God did not allow him to carry out the wish of his heart, He granted him the next highest honor, that of entrusting the work to his son.      Solomon received special wisdom from God. Yet Solomon did not find among the workers of his nation and religion those qualifications, that fine skill, that he deemed essential to carry forward the work of building a temple for the God of heaven. He was therefore obliged to send away for artisans, people who would do justice to the responsible work entrusted to them....      We have no command from God to erect a building that will compare for richness and splendor with the temple. But we are to build a humble house of worship, plain and simple, neat and perfect in its design. Then let those who have means look to it that they are as liberal and tasteful in erecting a temple wherein we may worship God as they have been in locating and building and furnishing their own houses. Let them manifest a willingness and a desire to show greater honor to God than themselves. Let them build with nicety, but not with extravagance. Let the house be built conveniently and thoroughly so that when it is presented to God He can accept it and let His Spirit rest upon the worshipers who have an eye single to His glory.... Let everyone, old and young, bring gifts and donations to help in building a house for God.-Manuscript 23, 1886.

Commentary: My friend, God accepts the humble service of those who worship Him in Spirit and in truth, but many have been deceived into worshiping the false god of the trinity.  This deception is not just in the Catholic and protestant world, but is also in the Seventh-day Adventist church as well.  By adopting the doctrine of the trinity the church has corrupted herself and has become a one of the harlots of the great whore of Babylon. The first commandment of God says "I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me." (Exodus 20:2, 3).  The LORD spoken of here is not one god made up of three persons, but the One true God which is the Father.  1 Corinthians 8:6 tells us "But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him."  The one God of the first commandment is the Father and He declares that we shall not worship any other god but Him.  Yet today the church worships an altogether different god.  One that is comprised of three co-equal, co-eternal beings. The three angels message that is to go to the world calls us to "Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters." (Revelation 14:7).  This message is calling all to come back and worship the One true God, the Creator God.  This God is the One true God as spoken of by Jesus Himself saying in John 17:3 "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent." My friend, the day that we worship on is important, but what is more important is the God that we are worshiping.  Ezekiel 20:12 says this "Moreover also I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the LORD that sanctify them."  The Sabbath is a sign, but it is the LORD, the One true God that sanctifies us, and unless we come back to worship the One true God our Sabbath keeping will not save us. God bless,

Video of the Week Have We Forgotten? Presented by Matt Dewley Was the personality of God a Pillar? Was it a part of the foundation of the Adventist Movement? What about some of Ellen Whites clearly "Trinitarian" statements in the late 90's? We explore all this and more and seek to understand the context behind one of the most controversial topics in Adventism today.