“And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.”
The ax can be laid to your roots at any time. How’s your fruit?
“And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, she came to prove Solomon with hard questions at Jerusalem, with a very great company, and camels that bare spices, and gold in abundance, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart.” II Chronicles 9:1
The queen came prepared to give in abundance, if the report she heard was true. The report was true and she gave it. She wasn’t going to visit Solomon to get more of the things of the world, she was going to get what the world can’t offer. This is why the church must stop offering worldly ministry to the lost. They don’t need more of what they have, they need what they don’t have, CHRIST.
“And this house, which is high, shall be an astonishment to every one that passeth by it; so that he shall say, Why hath the LORD done thus unto this land, and unto this house? 22And it shall be answered, Because they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, which brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, and laid hold on other gods, and worshipped them, and served them: therefore hath he brought all this evil upon them.” II Chronicles 7:21-22
The world can be astonished by the church in two ways. When she flows with Holy Ghost power, or when she is uprooted through back sliding.
“And the LORD appeared to Solomon by night, and said unto him, I have heard thy prayer, and have chosen this place to myself for an house of sacrifice.” II Chronicles 7:12
You also have the privilege of being chosen to be a house of sacrifice.
“And king Solomon offered a sacrifice of twenty and two thousand oxen, and an hundred and twenty thousand sheep: so the king and all the people dedicated the house of God.” II Chronicles 7:5
There can never be a real dedication unless there is a death first.
“Thus all the work that Solomon made for the house of the LORD was finished: and Solomon brought in all the things that David his father had dedicated; and the silver, and the gold, and all the instruments, put he among the treasures of the house of God.” II Chronicles 5:1
Though it is of the utmost importance that each of us have our own testimony and relationship with the Lord, there is value in remembering what the dedicated ones who walked before us contributed to the body of Christ. When we remember what they gave us, it should encourage us to leave behind a dedicated life for others to remember as well.
“And he reared up the pillars before the temple, one on the right hand, and the other on the left; and called the name of that on the right hand Jachin, and the name of that on the left Boaz.” II Chronicles 3:17
The term pillar is used today to describe those faithful saints who are intricate to the body of Christ. Let it be so that one of the pillars in your church be your name.
“Then Huram the king of Tyre answered in writing, which he sent to Solomon, Because the LORD hath loved his people, he hath made thee king over them.” II Chronicles 2:11
The devil gives bad ministers to God’s people because he hates God’s people. God gives good ministers to His people because He loves His people.
“Send me also cedar trees, fir trees, and algum trees, out of Lebanon: for I know that thy servants can skill to cut timber in Lebanon; and, behold, my servants shall be with thy servants, 9Even to prepare me timber in abundance: for the house which I am about to build shall be wonderful great.” II Chronicles 2:8-9
With great enthusiasm Solomon determined to build a temple unto God. It took thousands of men, cedar, fir and algum trees and a great amount of gold and other metals. Most, if not all of us could not build such a temple because we have not the money nor the man power. However, there is not one of us that can’t afford to provide a temple for the Holy Spirit. All He requires is you, whether rich or poor, healthy or sick, tall or short and male or female.
“But unto the place which the LORD your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put his name there, even unto his habitation shall ye seek, and thither thou shalt come:” Deuteronomy 12:5
The place the Lord chose out of all the tribes came to be known as Jerusalem. For us New Testament saints, there is also a place that the Lord chose to put His name. It really isn’t a specific place or confined to one place, it is where ever the Church of Jesus Christ meets. The church is God’s habitation and she is who God has chosen to anoint and pour out His Spirit upon. He chose the church, don’t forsake the church.