It’s been a tough old week and I have been in much pain having to take a emergency visit to my dentist. It is 3 days since procedure and i am still a bit sore and a bit worst for wear from the chemical cosh of paracetamols but I am getting better.
As the dentist showed me the tooth on the X-ray (the stark white shape against the blackness)a word began to form in my spirit and here is it broken down today.
The infection in the root canal had been caused by debris getting in through a hole and the infection had spread causing numbness to the bottom jaw and bottom lip.
I could either wait a week with antibiotics and then undergo invasive exploration (at cost) or I could bring the suffering to an end today by having the tooth out. I chose the latter and now in a process of recovery.
The foundation of any church, institution, edifice or concept is so important . If there is rubble or stubble in the foundation – things which are not of God , then there will be disease and eventually the whole building will come down. We see in this year 2020 all that can be shaken is being shaken and we can see clearly those who are able to stand and those who are falling away.
Not only does the Bible talk about a great falling away before the great and terrible day of the Lord , it also warns us about how we build Fathers house.. Jesus Christ is our sure foundation and in a time of shaking and overturning all of us as individuals or indeed leaders, need to examine what is at the root – the root cause ie what may be causing ineptitude, disease or decay.
We need to examine whether our teaching and preaching has been in man’s wisdom. We all love a good sermon, but there is a reason for which Father died. Have we preached ourselves, our ministries our own branding and manifestos?. In so doing have we been negligent and trampled the very flock of God. The Day will declare it. Have we been seeking the applaud and plaudits of men at the expense of the cross of Jesus and him crucified? Again, the Day will declare it.
The Bible tells us to not boast in men, to avoid man’s wisdom (1 Corinthians 2:13) and to be careful how we build ( 1 Corinthians 3:12; Galatians 2:18) – for no other foundation can any man lay than that laid down by our Savior, Jesus Christ.
We are all part of the building, fitted together building up a spiritual house and each one of us (called to be saints) brings something to the table. There is a collective house and an individual house. The question is : What are we putting on the fire and what have we brought to the table? For , the Day will declare it
Do we short change the Lord, building with wood, straw and hay? 1 Corinthians 3:10. I know I am guilty. But Father, has given us a measure of grace in this dark season to make amends to allow the spotlight of his word to shine on those dark crevices and places, like the dentist did with me this very week. On examination, it was so plain to see what the problem was and how it had been caused. The whole head had become numb and sick because of decay right down at the root.
It is time for deep excavation to get the diseased and decaying parts out from our homes, hearts and lives and sometimes that is oh so painful.
The day will indeed declare how each and everyone of us have built, what we have put in, whether we be rewarded or indeed suffer loss.
Let’s take the time and review and reflect the steps we now must take for preservation.
Evangelist Linda J UK
23/10/2020