Got Building Plans?

Got some Kingdom Building Plans?

OC writes, "These are days of tremendous enterprises, days when we are trying to work for God, and therein lies the snare. Profoundly speaking, we can never work for God."

Out of deep and sincere devotion to God we can make great effort to work for God, to assist Him in building the Kingdom, but our efforts are like a little boy with a toy hammer banging on the side of a sky scrapper. We may feel really powerful and important, but our efforts are silliness compared what God is doing and has already done. And to think that we can DO anything, is so wrong. "The men and women He is going to use in His mighty building enterprises are those in whom He has done everything." The moment we look at something we have done, is the moment it is no longer a part of what God is doing. "The only men and women He will use in His building enterprises are those who love Him personally, passionately and devotedly beyond any of the closest ties on earth. The conditions are stern, but they are glorious."

We talk much of vision, and goals, and objectives (I've got published articles all about them!) but the spiritual reality is that GOD alone does the aiming, and we are the mere arrow in His bow. Our work is to chose to remain in the bow (our situation) and in the Hands of God (our Master Archer) while the bow is bending. "A saint's life is in the hands of God like a bow and arrow in the hands of an archer. God is aiming at something the saint cannot see, and He stretches and strains, and every now and again the said says - "I cannot stand any more." God does not heed, He goes on stretching till his purpose is in sight, then He lets fly. Trust yourself in God's hands."

Our aim ought not be ministry, but fellowship with God, and HE will take care of the aiming for us. "Shipwreck occurs where there is not that mental poise which comes from being established on the eternal truth that God is holy love. Faith is the heroic effort of your life; you fling yourself in reckless confidence in God."

In the midst of ministry, it is extremely difficult to keep our aim and focus on God, because so much of what we are doing, if not everything, is ABOUT God and His work! Being in the midst of ministry is the most dangerous place to be spiritually, because it is nearly impossible to see when our focus gets off God and instead gets onto His work. "When once we lose sight of God, we begin to be reckless, we cast off certain restrainsts, we cast off praying, we cast off the vision of God in little things, and begin to act on our own initiative."

If you are in the midst of ministry, STOP for a moment. PAUSE. Set it all aside - and check your walk with God. Nothing you are doing for God matters, if you are not in close fellowship with Him. It won't matter for anything, and it can cost you the very things you are striving to maintain. "The real meaning of eternal life is a life that can face anything it has to face without wavering. If we take this view, life becomes one great romance, a glorious opportuity for seeing marvelous things all the time. God is discipllinging us into this central place of power."

Are you building a ministry? Or building our fellowship and relationship with God? THAT is the only building that will last, and the one that will build a stronger and longer lasting ministry anyway. So focus your aim and energy on God, not ministry, and the ministry will take care of itself.

Italics are quotes for Oswald Chambers, My Utmost For His Highest