“Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ,” 1 Peter 2:5.

Very grand buildings and Churches are designed by an architect who drafts a plan, a blue print, a design that will serve for how a building will be laid out.

He or she may have the choicest stones and the most beautiful carpets to adorn the building. The finest wood may well be imported to make up an altar and a lectern from which to preach upon. The pews may be shaped with the most careful eye to show off its contour with grace and beauty.

And yet no matter how beautiful or luxurious a church is constructed, its purpose is not that it is a thing of beauty, but that its members work together in love and harmony in such a way that their “fitting-together” demonstrates the work of the Holy Spirit in them.

For way too long, man has attempted to build the greatest temples and churches, thinking that this is what God would be pleased with.

And actually He could care less about the exterior of the materials that are used to construct a place of worship. For you see, He looks on the inward part of a man.

He ignores the furnishings and the outward appearances. But man thinks that all of these things will somehow please God.

I have been in many different types of Churches. Some of them have been very grand and others have been very simple and unadorned.

And in my times between all of this, I have found that even the simple meeting together of just a few or perhaps even one or two other people, have actually been the most spirit-filled and reverent times spent with The LORD.

I am tired of the pomp and circumstance! I am tired of the showmanship I have no desire to go through the motions to play at church anymore.

I no longer want nor desire to go to this conference or that one to hear the latest thing from a well-known apostle or prophet.

I have no desire to get worked up and fall on the floor in supposed ecstasy. For you see, the Almighty is tired of the circus mentality.

He knows full well of the superficial ways of some of us, and yet He longs for a deep intimacy with each and every one of us.

Find your place amid the many other living stones in the body of Christ and become knit together with them. Then you will rise with them to become a holy temple in The LORD.

Then that temple, not made with human hands, will far exceed any grand cathedral or temple that man could ever build. For it will then house the living stones of the body of Christ within its walls.

And then that body will grow into all that it was meant to be, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it nor any winds of doctrine.

Amen.

 

Selah,
~ Stephen Hanson

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Stephen Hanson of In His Truth Ministries came to the LORD is a special way in 1975 and has prophesied regularly since. In these end-time birthing pangs we are reminded that judgment must first begin with the household of God. Will we be prepared and ready?

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