WEEK 4 - REAWAKENING TO THE CHURCH OF CHRIST
The Church was purchased by Christ, initiated by Christ, and is under the ownership and leadership of Christ. He is in the position to tell us the purpose and function of the Church, and we are to submit to His ownership and headship. Think about Jesus’ intent for the Church and how we are to live into that intent. Pray for an open heart.
DAY TWENTY EIGHT - THE CHURCH AS THE PILLAR AND FOUNDATION OF THE TRUTH - JULIA OROZCO
1 Timothy 3:15
15 if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth.
On December 23, 1972, the capital city of Managua, Nicaragua, was filled with joyful antic- ipation, ready to celebrate Christmas. However, at 12:29 a.m., a 6.3 magnitude earthquake with destructive intensity sifted the entire city. My mom’s family was one of many who found themselves without a dwelling place. Lovingly, her uncle stepped in and built a house for the family. As he worked, he taught my uncles the importance of a strong foundation, support beams, and load-bearing walls. He also shared that in ancient cities, pillars were commonly used to make proclamations by pinning important messages directly on the pillar itself. That house still stands today. It has withstood other earthquakes, civil war, and the wear and tear of life.
Jesus is central in the analogy Paul used regarding God’s dwelling, the pillar and foundation of the truth. John 14 clearly conveys that truth is a person, and that person is Jesus Christ. He is the truth, the master builder, the pillar that proclaims the truth of salvation, the firm foundation, the solid rock that will withstand any storm, and the cornerstone that holds it all together. There is both a mystery and a beauty that Christ would become one with His Church and graft us into being part of the dwelling place of God where the foundation that we firmly rest on is Jesus. As pillars, we proclaim the message of truth with His words written on our hearts to those around us.
PRAYER POINTS:
1. Ask that the Lord will reveal to you how the truth of Jesus is upholding your life through various seasons.
2. As a pillar, is the message of Jesus, the truth, being proclaimed to those around you? Ask the Lord to reveal areas of your life where you might be able to reflect and exude more of Him.
3. Ask Jesus to make the truth fresh and beautiful in your heart if it has become dry and stale.