The Temple Of God 7

"2     God made a promise to Solomon and all Israel while he was building the Temple. 

I believe God has spoken to you - and I know God has spoken to me, about building His Temple.  God has promised to answer your prayers, heal your sick, forgive your sins, heal your families, heal your hearts & release the captives if you worship Him in the temple and keep it holy.

God has stored up tens of thousands of promises for you. He will release them to you as you build the temple.

He will build the temple with you, but you must stay on track with the project. 

You must stay focused on building a pure temple of God and careful about what goes into the construction of the temple. 

You must build it according to God’s specifications.  But all along the way, God is guiding you and comforting you."

Excerpt from The Temple Of God by Keith C. Powell Copyright  2016

The Temple Of God 6

"1     Before you start to build anything, you should purpose in your heart to finish it.

This is not a new principle.  This principle alone, not practiced, has caused more small businesses to fail than any other reason.  Not only is it important to count the cost, but to purpose in your heart that you are going to finish what you start is essential in everything that you want blessed by God.

But if you purpose to build the Temple of God, that is in you, you must purpose to finish it.

Just as in the building of the temple in Jerusalem, it takes the free will of man to build the Temple of God.  Nothing is done by you or in you without your will.

There is no salvation, without your will, accepting God’s grace and free gift of salvation.

There is no baptism of the Holy Spirit without a fully yielded temple.

There is no move of God in your life without your moving with God.

There is no building of the temple without the tools, the equipment, the components and a lot of helpers.

This temple cannot be built alone, just like the temple in Jerusalem could not be built alone. 10

Think about the massive entourage it took.  Over 100,000 people seven years or the equivalent of about 9,000 lifetimes.  It is not practical, nor was it designed by God to be off on your own building this temple.

Those who are cannot get very far, they think they are building the temple of God, but they are really building a temple unto themselves. 

The temple cannot be built alone."

Excerpt from The Temple Of God by Keith C. Powell copyright 2016

The Temple Of God 5

""Principles to remember: Before you start to build anything you should purpose in your heart to finish it.

God made a promise to Solomon and all Israel while he (Solomon) was building the Temple." 

Once the Temple is built, it is to be a house of submission, prayer, praise and worship."

Next we are going to move on to 2 Chronicles 7:19-20.

God inhabits the praises of His people from the Temple of God.  Their prayers and sacrifices offered in obedience are answered. 

2 Chronicles 7:19-20

“But if ye turn away, and forsake My statutes and My commandments, which I have set before you, and shall go  and serve other gods, and worship them;

V20 Then will I pluck them up by the roots out of My land which I have given them; and this house, which I have sanctified for My name, will I cast it out of My sight, and will make it a proverb and a byword among all nations.”

As important as the Temple of God was, it was no good to God, if it was defiled.  An holy Temple, filled with unholy people, made the Temple unholy.  And God was willing to destroy the Temple built for Him if it was desecrated.

Where does the Temple of God reside today?

Your right, within you. 

Go to 1 Corinthians 3:9-17

There are a lot of parallels between the Temple of God built in Jerusalem and the Temple that we are building for God.

If you like to underline, get ready to underline a few key points in these passages.

1 Corinthians 3:9-17

“For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.

V10 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth theron.  But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.

V11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

V12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;

V13 Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the

fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.

V14 If any man;’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.

V15 If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

V16 Know ye not that ye are the Temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

V17 If any man defile the Temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which Temple ye are.”

What once was a temple built of cedars and stone and gold precious stones - is now a temple of flesh and bone and soul and spirit. 

Jesus has entrusted you to build His Church by first building His Temple, not alone, but by the Holy Spirit.

We learned from the building of the Temple of God at Jerusalem that:

1. Before you start to build anything, you should purpose in your heart to finish it.

2. God made a promise to Solomon and all Israel while he was building the Temple. 

3. The Temple is not really completed until it is dedicated to God.

4. Once the Temple is built, it is to be a house of submission, prayer, praise & worship."

Excerpt from The Temple Of God by Keith C. Powell Copyright 2016

The Temple Of God 4

""Principles to remember: Before you start to build anything you should purpose in your heart to finish it.

God made a promise to Solomon and all Israel while he (Solomon) was building the Temple." 

Now we have seen all that Solomon and all Israel has done to build the Temple of God.  Let’s see what God has to say about it.

2 Chronicles 7:12-16

“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.

V13 If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among the people;

V14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

V15 now My eyes shall be open, and My ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place.

V16 For now have I chosen and sanctified this house, that My name may be there forever: and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually.”

Principle to remember:

Once the Temple is built, it is to be a house of submission, prayer, praise and worship."

Excerpt from The Temple Of God by Keith C. Powell Copyright 2016

The Temple Of God 3

"Principles to remember: Before you start to build anything you should purpose in your heart to finish it.

God made a promise to Solomon and all Israel while he (Solomon) was building the Temple." 

Now we go back to the building of the Temple.  This was going to be the Temple of the Living God, the house that would protect the Ark of the covenant. 

1 Kings 5:13 - 18

“And King Solomon raised a levy out of all Israel; and the levy was thirty thousand men.

V14 And he sent them to Lebanon, ten thousand a month by courses: a month they were in Lebanon, and two months at home: and Adoniram was over the levy.

V15 And Solomon had threescore and ten thousand that bare burdens, and fourscore thousand hewers in the

mountains;

V16 Beside the chief of Solomon’s officers which were over the work, three thousand and three hundred, which ruled over the people that wrought in the work.

V17 And the king commanded, and they brought great stones, costly stones, and hewed stones, to lay the foundation of the house.

V18 And Solomon’s builders and Hiram’s builders did hew them, and the stonesquarers: so they prepared timber and stones to build the house.”

1 kings 6:7

“ And the house, when it was in building, was built of stone made ready before it was brought thither: so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building.” 

This was a huge project.  Can you imagine a project with 3,300 supervisors, on one project.

First of all, Solomon wanted Lebanese cedar, the finest in all the world.  The hewers of timber (30,000 men) cut the timber down in Lebanon and sent it on floats by sea to be picked up.

The cedars were cut down in the Lebanon mountains about 100 miles from Jerusalem.  They were hauled about 20 miles through the forest and 80 miles by the Mediterranean Sea.

The construction of the Temple took:

80,000 men to cut trees

70,000 laborers

Bernard Thomas, a famous painter known especially for painting King Solomon's Temple told me that he had gone to Israel and spent two years, partially underground to study how they built the temple before painting the mural 'King Solomon's Temple'.

Men worked underground for years in the granite mines 10 miles away. They had sextants and levels and transits so accurate that they could set a stone from a hill ten miles away.

These were brilliant men and women working together to accomplish an impossible goal - To build the Temple of God.

They were not lacking in craftsmanship, tools, or ingenuity.

Not only did they build the entire complex in seven years, but prior to finishing the project, they lined the entire inside and a great portion of the exterior with pure gold.

All this done in silence.  Every stone, every timber, every fastener, every piece of the Temple was built on a site ten miles away.  Piece by piece they erected the Temple and took it apart and brought it down the hill, about ten miles and set each piece in place, without using an instrument of iron or making any noise.

2 Chronicles 6:40

The Temple is built and Solomon is dedicating the Temple to God.  Solomon is praying that God will honor His Temple and hearken to the prayers made within its walls.

He prays in V22 that if a man sin against his neighbor that if he make an oath before the alter that God will recompense to each his due. 

He prays in V24 that if God’s people are at war or taken captive that if they make supplication before God in the Temple that God will save them and bring them back to Israel.

He prays in V28 that if there come a pestilence, mildew, locusts or whatsoever the sickness, if the sick would reach their hands toward the Temple that God would hear and forgive them and heal them.

He prays in V32 that if a stranger comes from afar and reaches out his hand to the LORD, that the LORD will hear and answer his prayer.

He prays in V36 that if anyone sin against God, and they are carried away in their sins that if they pray toward the Temple and give their hearts back to the LORD that the LORD will forgive them.

Now in V40

2 Chronicles 6:40

“Now, My God, let I beseech Thee, thine eyes be open, and let thine ears be attent unto the prayer that is made in this place.”

Principle to remember:

The Temple is not really completed until it is dedicated to God."

   Excerpt from The Temple Of God by Keith C. Powell Copyright 20216

The Temple Of God 2

First priciple to remember: Before you start to build anything you should purpose in your heart to finish it.

"Go to 1 Kings 6:11-13

Next we see the visitation of God during the building of the Temple.

1 Kings 6:11-13

“And the Word of the L:ORD came unto Solomon, saying,

V12 Concerning this house which thou art building, if thou wilt walk in my statutes, and execute my judgements, and

keep all my commandments to walk in them; then will I perform My Word with thee, which I spake unto David thy father:

V13 And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will not forsake my people Israel.”

Principle to remember:

God made a promise to Solomon and all Israel while he (Solomon) was building the Temple." 

    Excerpt from The Temple Of God by Keith C. Powell Copyright 2016

The Temple Of God 1

"The Temple of God.

First we are going to take a walk in history.  We are going to see the glory of the Temple of God.  It may be the most important study ever.

David wanted to build the temple to house the Ark of the Covenant, but God would not let him build it because he had innocent blood on his hands.  But God did allow David’s son, Solomon, to take on the task.

1 Kings 5:5

Solomon prepares to build the Temple, the year (1015 BC).

Take a close look at how Temple gets started.

1 Kings 5:5

“And, behold, I purpose to build an house unto the name of the LORD my God, as the LORD spake unto David my father, saying, Thy son, whom I will set upon thy throne in thy room, he shall build an house unto My name.”

Principle to remember:

Before you start to build anything you should purpose in your heart to finish it.

    Excerpt from The Temple Of God by Keith C. Powell Copyright 2016

The Answer 11

The principle of obedience is revealed in four ways:

Through nature

Through our created likeness and image of God

Through the work of Christ

Through a personal call from God

The fourth principle of obedience is revealed through a personal call from God.

When you stand before God, you can say that you didn’t understand that nature was a revelator, or that you didn’t really recognize the likeness of God to man or that you didn’t quite get the connection that Christ died so that you could live out a life of obedience to God - but what will you say about having heard the voice of God call you by name?

John 6:44

 44.  No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him:

John 3:17

 17.  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

KJV 1 Timothy 2:1-4

 1.  I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;

 2.  For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.

 3.  For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our

Saviour;

 4.  Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

I believe that God has called you, just as He has called me, to obey Him.

I believe that God has spoken to you personally and addressed the issue of obedience.

Here’s the issue at hand:

The small still voice of God beckons you, (by the indwelling Holy spirit) to obey Him - and this message is received by your faith ears.

      The world’s voice is not a still small voice, but loud and obnoxious, and the message is, obedience to God is hogwash - and this message is received by your natural ears.

It is not an issue about which message you are hearing, because the believer is hearing both messages clearly, it’s about which message you are going to obey.

Here’s what happens.  Once you obey the message you get from God, i.e., (His call to obedience), you more easily recognize His voice.

Once you recognize His voice, you then can hear with clear direction all the other messages that He has been trying to tell you all along. 

The true battle is not in the hearing, it is in the doing.

James 1:22-25

“But be ye doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

V23 For if any be a hearer of the Word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass.

V24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgeteth what manner of man he was.

V25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continue  therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.”

God has spoken to you.  He has called you to a life of obedience to Him.  In this life of obedience can see clearly. 

Your direction becomes plain. 

Your priorities get straightened out.

Your life becomes one with God through obedience to God.

Future generations are relying on you to stand firm in the faith in which you were called.

Let’s obey God for no other reason than because He is God.

Has your heart been stirred to give the call to obedience to God a chance?"

Excerpt from The Answer by Keith C. Powell Copyright 2016

The Answer 10

The principle of obedience is revealed in four ways:

Through nature

Through our created likeness and image of God

Through the work of Christ

Through a personal call from God

The third principle of obedience is revealed through the work of Christ.

1 Peter 1:13-16

“Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

V14 As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance.

V15 But as He which hat called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation, (lifestyle).

V16 Because it is written, be ye holy; for I am holy.”

This is just one verse revealing the truth about Christ, through the written Word, holds within in it the power of God.  And obedience to the written Word of God is commanded.

Obedience is a real turn-off to a society of free agents;

Those who have been duped by:

Secular teachers

The media

Hollywood

The government and world religions

The message most often heard from these sources is that you can do it alone.

The premise of this kind of thinking is:

•          After I have control of every area of my life I will consider obedience to God.

•          After I have secured the lifestyle of my choice then I will consider obedience.

•          After I have fulfilled my career goals I will consider obedience.

The truth is that sometimes you wait too long to respond to what God is showing you for it to be of any efficacy.  By waiting you relinquish now the blessings that could be yours later.  If you think you can do it without the work of Christ, you are mistaken?

You think you can have the blessings of God without considering the work of Christ.

Even though the work of Christ is intervening in you, by the Holy Spirit, you can still find reasons why not to obey. 

God knows best, and God created everything to comply with His premise that obedience to His will is the best case scenario for living out life.  You can live out life without regard for the work of Christ in you, but “what a waste.”  Not only do you waste your time here, but the damage goes from one generation to another, until there is no recollection left of Christ or his ways and man is left to serve himself. That is not much of an epitaph. 

Excerpt from The Answer by Keith C. Powell copyright 2016

The Answer 9

The principle of obedience is revealed in four ways:

Through nature

Through our created likeness and image of God

Through the work of Christ

Through a personal call from God

The 2nd principle of obedience is revealed through our created likeness and image of God

Genesis 1:26-27

“And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

V27 So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them.”

When you were created, you were created with an imprint of right and wrong.  You were created with a moral compass.

You were created with a soul.  Obedience to your humanness is not humanism.  God created you with an understanding of how certain things are naturally right for all humanity.

Having a baby.

Raising a child.

Giving a daughter away in marriage.

Doing good to others.

Making laws that protect lives.

Integrity in the workplace.

Common decency.

Preservation of life.

All these things were embedded you and reveal the natural propensity for every human to seek what is good and right. 

This is why secular humanist get all mixed up.  They are right about so many of our natural tendencies.

Even without God, the secular humanist, Hollywood and the media have a degree of decency.  It’s because, even without God as your Father, you have within you an imprint of God that reveals right from wrong.

Obedience works.  Every human soul proclaims obedience to something or someone, because beyond yourself is this principle of obedience in your humanness.  It is just as real as the principle of physics or gravity or energy."

Excerpt from The Answer by Keith C. Powell Copyright 2016   

The Answer 8

"The principle of obedience is revealed in four ways:

Through nature

Through our created likeness and image of God

Through the work of Christ

Through a personal call from God

The principle of obedience is revealed through nature.

Romans 1:20

“For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse.”

God created nature for you to enjoy and to enjoy it you must obey it.

If you water your plants and feed them they will live.  Neglect them and they will die.  Nature is on a course.  And whatever you do that adheres to the principle of nature works to your benefit.  And whatever you do that works against nature works to your detriment.

If you feed your children healthy food, your children will reap the benefits of this behavior.  If you feed them fast food, day in and day out, then you should expect to have unhealthy children.

Nature is relentless and demands obedience. 

Pollute the air and it makes you sick.  Clean it up and you reap the positive results. 

Drink pure water and it will help purify your body.  Drink impure water and in no time at all you are sick.

Other laws of nature like - cleaning your house, marriage of a man to a woman - protection of your water reserves, prove that obedience to natural law is required for good health and a long life.

Disregard natural law like:

using biologicals as a weapon

practicing homosexuality or perversion of any kind

abusing your body

And you will reap the consequence of disobedience.

Even nature itself, the most base of the four principles of obedience teaches you that natural law must be obeyed."

Excerpt from The Answer by Keith C. Powell Copyright 2016

 

The answer 7

"Your great God is available to be recognized.  This recognition comes through your commitment to obedience.

More and more believers are beginning to see this truth.  Men, women and young adults are not satisfied with mediocrity.  (Can I have a shout?)

More and more, Christians desire the LORD Himself.

Haven’t you seen that in your own life?  It’s God moving in and taking up residence equal to the space you allow for possession.

Do you like this kind of teaching?

Prophesy

To have this kind of relationship, you need to stop demanding God to prove Himself to you. 

You need to stop requiring God to prove His credibility.

Now is the time to seek God, not test God. 

He has revealed Himself and proven Himself over and over again.

Now is the time to surrender your will for His will.

Your thoughts for His thoughts.

It’s time to reciprocate the goodness of the LORD.

It’s time to take God seriously and demand your body and mind to submit to the things of God.

It’s time to land-lock your enemy and take possession of the land (that part of you that you have allowed to be used for purposes of enabling this worlds system) and using that land to glorify God.

It’s time to prioritize your days so that hours of time become available to be about the Father’s business.

1 John 2:1-3

“My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not.  And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

V2 And He is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

V3 and hereby we do know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.”

Excerpt from The Answer by Keith C. Powell Copyright 2016

The Answer 6

"Psalm 95:6 says

“O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our Maker.”

In order to feel the depth of this type of obedience I want to read a prayer to God.

Close your eyes if you would and think deeply on this prayer.

Listen carefully and see if you agree with its content.  If you do agree with the content pray each line for yourself and let God revive you.

Oh, LORD, that I would serve you because you are the LORD.

You are high and lifted up.

You have saved me from eternal judgement.

You have saved me from sins powerhold.

You have saved me from the shame of the cross.

You have saved me from myself.

I will obey You despite the cost.

I will obey You without weighing the consequences.

I will obey You even if I am persecuted.

I will obey You for Your constant mercy and grace.

I will obey You because You gave me life.

I will submit to You whether or not my friends or family do.

I will submit to You because You are worthy.

I will submit to You because You are everything to me.

I will submit to You even if others mock me or leave me or hate me.

All losses for You Lord are great riches to me.

I will obey You Lord and surrender myself to You.

I trust You, Lord.

Do with me as You please - even if I die, I will die unto You.

I will obey You, Lord - teach me every truth that I may bow to You every day.

Show me what to do and I will do it.

Tell me where to go and I will go.

Break me Lord and broken I will serve You.

Test me Lord and reveal my sin that I may worship You more.

Help me to see You and You alone long enough to get my priorities straight.

Take away my shelter and I will worship You in the open air.

If I am pressed on every side, help me stay focused on praising You.

Lord, here I am, my self surrendered to You.  I am the clay.  Mold me as it pleases You.

Lord, here I am - I give up my self desires for my child, that they will know you.

Whatever You command, I will do it.  Amen"

Excerpt from The Answer by Keith C. Powell Copyright 20116

The Answer 5

"Let’s talk about obedience to God, because you believe God is God.  Obedience, because in His presence you are overwhelmed, subdued, sobered, awestruck, transformed, empowered, renewed, re-directed, restored, re-instated, revived, reassured, awakened.

You are stopped - silenced - emptied in His presence.

In God’s presence we are revealed. 

Your physical senses are reduced - lessened and diminished.

Your spirit is enlivened - uplifted - rejuvenated - regenerated - refreshed and exhilarated. 

The Holy Spirit of God in you is filling you with His truth right now.

The Shekinah glory of God encompasses your being - to the extent that nothing else is apparent.

The Holy Spirit is pleased with all truth, and the truth about obedience will be confirmed by the Holy Spirit within you, this day.

The kind of obedience you are going to investigate, transcends self. 

This kind of obedience is not about making deals with God to get some disproportionate return.

This kind of obedience is about your recognition of who God is and what He has done for you. (Period)

Excerpt from The Answer by Keith C. Powell Copyright 2016

The Answer 4

"There’s much written in the scriptures that points you toward considering the role of obedience, but what Word from God will convince you to live in obedience to God?

I have heard thousands of sermons, messages & teachings about God.  In almost all of these messages the basic premise goes like this:

You do something for God and God will in turn do something exponentially for you or me.

You sacrifice and God will give a great return.

You give a gift and God gives back a bigger gift.

You tithe and God gives back 10 fold.

The whole premise is based on motivating you or I to give to God or the Church, with the expectation of benefitting or prospering from our service to God.  Some churches are built entirely on this premise.

The premise is true, but I want to reveal to you a higher walk - a higher calling  than giving or doing to benefit or prosper from it.

Excerpt from The Answer by Keith C. Powell copyright 2016