Brick By Brick

Some new bricks

2 Chron 36:22-23

22 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD spoken by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying,

23 Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, All the kingdoms of the earth hath the LORD God of heaven given me; and he hath charged me to build him an house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is there among you of all his people? The LORD his God be with him, and let him go up.

Cyrus had received a charge from GOD to build GOD’S house. He has been commissioned by GOD to build the house of the Lord. Notice what is said and what is not said, the bible says “And he has charged me to build him house at Jerusalem” Did anybody get that let’s read it again, it says and he has charged me build him a house at Jerusalem. Now if we were to read 2nd Chronicles 36 verse 14-15 we would see that Jerusalem had a temple, but because of the disobedience of the people of God. The Lord allowed the chaldees to destroy the temple and confiscate the Gold and vessels of the temple. God has allowed the enemy to subdue the people of GOD. He also has allowed them to destroy the temple of God. I found this to be a little contradictory GOD you allow the capture and destruction of your people yet anoint Cyrus to build a temple. But I believe that if I could speak with Luke this morning he would direct me to Luke 5:38 and say that new wine must be put into new bottles. See GOD did not instruct Cyrus to rebuild the temple, because he allowed the old temple to be destroyed. God had searched the hearts of the people and found them lacking. I was encouraged to remember the scripture give thanks unto the God of heaven for his mercy endureth forever.

Somebody ought to be able to shout right there, Lord I didn’t always do what was right but your grace and mercy kept me. Lord I didn’t always treat people right but your grace and mercy carried me. Lord I didn’t always no how to love my brother but your grace and your mercy strengthened me. Cyrus finds himself King of Persia the son of a little old woman named Ester a woman whose future at one time was not so bright. I can hear Cyrus saying send me Lord I’ll go. I’ll do whatever you want me to do. I have had people call me and ask what can I do help what ever you need call me. God has a way of putting the right people in the right places. When you are going to build a house there are some things which have to take place first.

The Lord does not want to repeat what was there the Lord wants to do something new. So he has commissioned Cyrus to do a new thing. A builder when he is ready to build something he must first survey the land or surface he is getting ready to build on. He must determine if it is right for his use if it can support the structure being built. He will have a blueprint and he will check the blueprint to see if the area he is surveying is going to be able to contain what he is getting ready to put there. Much like GOD will do before he begins to work on us. He will first survey our hearts.

To see if the works he wants to do in us can be fulfilled in us. Jeremiah 17:10 says that the Lord searches the heart. God will search the secrets. Of our hearts to see if we have the potential to do what he as for us to do. The builder will check the area he will begin to have the debris cleaned and taken away, from his work site he will then have the area cleaned and prepped for work.

James 4; 8 says draw closer to GOD and he will draw closer to you.

Cleanse your hands ye sinners and purify your hearts, I like the way David said it better David said in psalms 51:10 create in me a clean heart o GOD and renew a right spirit within me.. Once GOD has worked on our hearts then he can get us ready. First he has to remove the debris we come into church carrying. Some of us have been shunned by this society.

And so we have some debris on our hearts. Anger, hostility mistrust jealously malice pain from family divorce Hurt from relationships gone bad the haultiness from being bigger than we really are the I, I, I, me, me, me syndrome. Sometimes we carry the distrust, of being used by someone before. The emptiness of being left alone and abandoned can linger deep within our hearts. The desire to strike back and do harm to our enemies, because some one has wronged us before. With some of us it’s the stubbornness of a one track mind when you lay out in the world of the ungodly some times you pick up things.