Are You Willing To Make G-d's Dream Come True? by PJ
One of the amazing anomalies of the modern Church is it's focus upon the land of Israel and the Jewish Nation. But the view of the Jewish Nation and the land of Israel is upon the Nations. Jews have always known and been keenly aware that G-d has always wanted to bring the Nations to the knowledge of the glory of the L-rd.
G-d's plan was made known in B'resheet/Genesis 17:5 when it was declared that Avraham would be made the father of many Nations. The blessing of G-d upon Avraham was for the purpose of blessing many Nations, not just one.
The plan continued and again was exposed when King Solomon dedicated the Temple. It is written in M'lakhim Aleph / 1 Kings 8:60 "then all the peoples of the earth will know that ADONAI is God; there is no other." The wise King Solomon knew well that G-d never intended the Temple just to be for the land of Israel or the Jewish Nation. It was to be for all the peoples of the earth.
Again, recorded in Yesha'yahu / Isaiah 56:7, G-d's plan in His own words was revealed through the Prophet Yesha'yahu/Isaiah. "I will bring them to my holy mountain and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house will be called a house of prayer for all peoples." G-d house was meant to be a place where all nations could come and seek G-d in prayer and be taught of Him.
satan has attacked the Jewish Nation and the land of Israel countless times because of the blessing of Avraham. What is satan really attacking? G-d's plan for the nations to know Him.
When Yeshua/Jesus came and poured out His life and carried away our sin, the curtain in the Temple was rent in half restoring the relationship between G-d and man. The Spirit of G-d would now indwell men who accepted the atoning work of Messiah as living stones of a spiritual Temple. The G-d plan became mobile in the Jews who followed Messiah Yeshua.
It is written in Acts 1:8, "But you will receive power when the Ruach HaKodesh comes upon you; you will be my witnesses both in Yerushalayim and in all Y'hudah and Shomron, indeed to the ends of the earth!" What had happened? G-d had created a mobile Temple to go to the Nations.
Why did Messiah Yeshua come? So that G-d could have the Nations.
The early Judean Church was full of power and took the gospel to the Nations building the gentile Church. The Jews who did not see or understand Yeshua was Messiah continued on in their part of the G-d plan with the physical Temple. It's kind of like the main library and the bookmobile. Both are working but one is superior because it literally takes books to the people, goes into the highways and biways, and has a larger outreach.
The Church grew and expanded until our generation where it has become different. It is now a business adventure. Mega Churches, assembly line book and tape sales, televangelists, everyone competing for that tithe and offering gift. I have even seen Pastors hold back people who were called to go so that they could get the money from tithes and offerings on a regular basis.
I do not know how the Church became a pew sitting society. I don't know how ministers in the Church became laden with filthy lucre to reach such a small target. They became tv stars and built their own kingdoms. While Yeshua saved us from our sin and filled us with His Spirit, it wasn't supposed to stop there. The goal was for us to be empowered to be witnesses to His reality and to GO! That go doesn't have to be to some far off land either, it might be to witness to your own neighborhood.
While all people cannot just get up and go to the mission field, all can support those that do but you would be hard pressed to find most Churches supporting missions in any meaningful way today. Missions are sadly the very last thing a Church supports while it should be the first thing. The work could have been finished long ago if the Church was doing what it is supposed to be doing. Today, I encourage you to find your place in the fulfillment of G-d's dream.
The reason I went into missions was because of G-d's dream. I somehow understood how much He wants the nations. He gave and risked EVERYTHING for the nations. But there was something else I saw that touched my heart. I saw a world, lost and dying, people sick and suffering, afraid, alone, in despair, starving and no one coming to tell them there is a way out and there is hope. So I not only sowed my talent, I sowed my life and my finances. Everything about me is invested in G-d's dream.
What about you? Where is your heart for G-d's dream? When was the last time you or your congregation truly supported going after the Nations in some truly big way? Are you still sitting on the pew just getting fed? Are you only concerned about your few? If you haven't thought about it in a while, let me remind you, there is a day coming soon, and it's going to be quite a day. What will you tell G-d was your part in it? G-d's dream WILL come to pass.
Revelation 7:9-10 "After this, I looked; and there before me was a huge crowd, too large for anyone to count, from every nation, tribe, people and language. They were standing in front of the throne and in front of the Lamb, dressed in white robes and holding palm branches in their hands, and they shouted, "Victory to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!"
(Scripture Taken from the Complete Jewish Bible by David H. Stern. Copyright 1998. All rights reserved. Used by permission of Messianic Jewish Publishers, 6120 Day Long Lane, Clarksville, MD 21029. www.messianicjewish.net.)