Dear Pilgrim, do you need building up?

Dear Pilgrim, are you discouraged by so much of what you see in the visible church? By those who profess to know Him and yet neither proclaim Him in truth nor worship Him in spirit? Surely the need has never been greater for the wailing women to come to mourn and lament over the ruined houses (Jer 9:17-19). 

But Pilgrim, take comfort as you look out across the devastation of the landscape - for He is shaking created things, He is shaking the idols from the land, so that what cannot be shaken may remain. And precious Pilgrim, do not neglect to take heed of this word of wisdom: “Build yourselves up in your most holy faith!” (Jude 20)

Build up, build up!

It is only in your most holy faith that the building up can take place. When man builds apart from God, looking to make a name for himself, it leads to judgement (Gen 11:4). Yet even when David desired to build a house for God to honour Him, the Lord told him that He would build a house for David, and establish the throne of his kingdom for ever (1 Chr 17:10). So the Temple was destroyed and raised again in three days (John 2:19) – and He Himself laid as a foundation in Zion a stone, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, of a sure foundation.

He brought revelation that Jesus Christ is the Son of the Living God to man, and on this rock He began to build His church. And just as He began to build His church by the revelation of Jesus Christ through faith, so too the church is built up in the same way (Col 2:6-7), through the ministry of the Holy Spirit (Eph 4:4-16, 1 Cor 14:12,26) and the word of His grace (Acts 20:32).

But some have built on the foundations with wood, hay and straw - and the walls are in need of repair. The word of God is like a hammer that breaks a rock into pieces, the word of God will destroy the false idols - land, land, land, hear the word of God! Otherwise, He will breathe on the walls of wood, hay and straw with the fiery breath of His mouth and they will be burnt up.

Build up, build up!

The walls can be built up again. The Repairer of Broken Walls will rebuild the walls of faith. He will reveal Himself to those who believe He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him. To those who do not refuse Him who speaks, to those whose hearts and flesh cry out for the living God, to those who come to Him as children asking Him for His good gifts, He will manifest Himself. He will not quench a faintly burning wick. He will breathe upon it and say “Receive the Holy Spirit” and it will be fanned into flame. To those who tarry in Jerusalem, acknowledging their lack of power, and their absolute need for His outpouring upon them, He will come! To those who see their emptiness, their brokenness, their need to be filled, to be empowered by Him, to be emboldened by Him, to be directed by Him and instructed by Him, He will come! To those who are not ashamed of their thirst or their hunger for Him, He will come! But we must wait upon Him! We must seek Him! We must ask Him! We must keep knocking at the door! Oh, for a touch from Him! Tarry, dear Pilgrim, tarry in Jerusalem. But come, He will. And the mustard seed of faith will grow and bear beautiful fruit unto Him.

Build up, build up!

Dear Pilgrim, unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labour in vain. Indeed, it is the Father Himself who is seeking for those who will worship Him in spirit and in truth, through the Spirit of Truth. So come to Him, dear Pilgrim, come to Him. For Jesus Christ is a living Stone, He is the Master Builder, and we are His house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast. Pilgrim, do not lose heart! Do not be discouraged! You who call on the Lord, give Him no rest and give yourselves no rest until the building is complete. Let us offer Him our broken spirits, our broken, contrite hearts! He will not despise this! And may it please Him to build up the walls of Zion.