© 2023 Jeffrey M Pearce.

Well here we go! I’m going to talk about myself again, and you have the choice of reading all that I write, or ignoring it and not reading any of it. God in His wisdom endued us all with free-will to do what we want to do, to do what we think is right or wrong.

I am now 75 years of age. I was born again on 29th October 1972, and baptised by full-immersion on my 24th birthday, 28th November 1972. That makes me a person who claims to be a born-again Christian for 71 years. And I don’t feel a year over 100. (Not true! I still feel as though I am something like 30 or 35, but my body won’t keep up with my inner being. I have a couple of medical diseases that are slowing me down, and I have a new disease that has just recently come on the world population. It is described as A.G.E. and its prognosis is terminal.)

Today I would like to write to those who have some form of authority with any or all Churches of Christianity who claim Jesus as their Lord and Messiah. I am concerned with a spiritual phase or problem I went through as a younger pastoral/missionary/leader in a house church, but have seen the same spiritual activity in churches great and small around the world, and is very prevalent today… Every church I have seen this activity in has had the same results, the same phases or problems, and the same hurts. There are over 45,000 (estimated) denominations around the world, and in spite of their appearing to be one with each other and one with Christ, there is this problem gnawing at the heart of the Church as a whole.

My phase or problem was pride. I was proud to be a Christian. I was proud to be a Pastor. I was proud to be a Missionary. I was proud to be a Leader. I was proud that Jesus used me to promote a genuine Revival. I was somebody! I’d never been anyone before. Wow!

Satan has one simple trick to get us thinking of ourselves more highly than we ought, (Romans 12:1-3). He gets other preachers, teachers, professors etc., to come alongside us and encourage us to work with them to spread the Word of God, to become one with them in their particular ministry for Christ. And so many fall for it. And we end up spending years and years doing “God’s Will” as decreed by men without asking Jesus what He wants us to do for Him. And when we do know, we forget to ask Him HOW we are to do His Will.

After doing “God’s Will” for 49 wasted years doing what I thought was right, finally in 2021 I asked God HOW I was to be obedient to Him in doing His Will. Looking back I can see how those “wasted” years were actually used by God to train and shape and mould me to be ready for when I would really listen to Him. But I was too proud to listen. I was naturally good at planning and getting things done. All God had to do was tell me what to do and I would get it done.

Proverbs 2.

Pro 2:1 My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;

Pro 2:2 So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;

Pro 2:3 Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;

Pro 2:4 If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;

Pro 2:5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.

Pro 2:6 For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.

Pro 2:7 He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.

Pro 2:8 He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints.

Pro 2:9 Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path.

Trying to do God’s Will without knowing How, is like trying to follow a path with our eyes closed. We end up fumbling our way along the path, hoping we haven’t taken a wrong turn. But so many of us do it! We need to take a lesson from King David as he planned the building of the temple that would become known as Solomon’s Temple.

1Ch 28:2 Then David the king stood up upon his feet, and said, Hear me, my brethren, and my people: As for me, I had in mine heart to build an house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and for the footstool of our God, and had made ready for the building:

1Ch 28:3 But God said unto me, Thou shalt not build an house for my name, because thou hast been a man of war, and hast shed blood.

1Ch 28:4 Howbeit the LORD God of Israel chose me before all the house of my father to be king over Israel for ever: for he hath chosen Judah to be the ruler; and of the house of Judah, the house of my father; and among the sons of my father he liked me to make me king over all Israel:

1Ch 28:5 And of all my sons, (for the LORD hath given me many sons,) he hath chosen Solomon my son to sit upon the throne of the kingdom of the LORD over Israel.

1Ch 28:6 And he said unto me, Solomon thy son, he shall build my house and my courts: for I have chosen him to be my son, and I will be his father.

1Ch 28:7 Moreover I will establish his kingdom for ever, if he be constant to do my commandments and my judgements, as at this day.

1Ch 28:8 Now therefore in the sight of all Israel the congregation of the LORD, and in the audience of our God, keep and seek for all the commandments of the LORD your God: that ye may possess this good land, and leave it for an inheritance for your children after you for ever.

David’s Charge to Solomon

1Ch 28:9 And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.

1Ch 28:10 Take heed now; for the LORD hath chosen thee to build an house for the sanctuary: be strong, and do it.

1Ch 28:11 Then David gave to Solomon his son the pattern of the porch, and of the houses thereof, and of the treasuries thereof, and of the upper chambers thereof, and of the inner parlours thereof, and of the place of the mercy seat,

1Ch 28:12 And the pattern of all that he had by the spirit, of the courts of the house of the LORD, and of all the chambers round about, of the treasuries of the house of God, and of the treasuries of the dedicated things:

1Ch 28:13 Also for the courses of the priests and the Levites, and for all the work of the service of the house of the LORD, and for all the vessels of service in the house of the LORD.

1Ch 28:14 He gave of gold by weight for things of gold, for all instruments of all manner of service; silver also for all instruments of silver by weight, for all instruments of every kind of service:

1Ch 28:15 Even the weight for the candlesticks of gold, and for their lamps of gold, by weight for every candlestick, and for the lamps thereof: and for the candlesticks of silver by weight, both for the candlestick, and also for the lamps thereof, according to the use of every candlestick.

1Ch 28:16 And by weight he gave gold for the tables of shewbread, for every table; and likewise silver for the tables of silver:

1Ch 28:17 Also pure gold for the fleshhooks, and the bowls, and the cups: and for the golden basins he gave gold by weight for every basin; and likewise silver by weight for every basin of silver:

1Ch 28:18 And for the altar of incense refined gold by weight; and gold for the pattern of the chariot of the cherubims, that spread out their wings, and covered the ark of the covenant of the LORD.

1Ch 28:19 All this, said David, the LORD made me understand in writing by his hand upon me, even all the works of this pattern.

1Ch 28:20 And David said to Solomon his son, Be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the LORD God, even my God, will be with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the LORD.

1Ch 28:21 And, behold, the courses of the priests and the Levites, even they shall be with thee for all the service of the house of God: and there shall be with thee for all manner of workmanship every willing skilful man, for any manner of service: also the princes and all the people will be wholly at thy commandment.

Although King David could not build the Temple, he was definitely led by God to prepare the plans and drawings of the Temple, and to gather all the building materials as well, in preparation for the time when Solomon would be able to obey God’s leading and guidance. In those days they truly believed that God did speak/talk/command His people, and that those who truly sought/prayed/asked would receive an answer/answers. Jesus taught this also in Matthew 21:22, and Luke 11:9-10.

There is an interesting thing about these plans for this Temple. The front entrance was to face east toward the rising sun. At the front of the temple were planned two pillars. He was to set up one pillar on the south and call its name Jachin, and he was to set up the pillar on the north and call its name Boaz. Boaz is said to mean “Swiftness” in Hebrew, while Jachin means “He establishes” and “Thankful”. The pillars were nearly six feet (1.8 metres) in diameter, 27 feet (8.2 metres) tall, and hollow, being about 4 fingers thick. The eight-foot (2.4 metres) high brass chapiters, or capitals, on top of the pillars bore decorations, in brass, of lilies. So the total height of the pillars and their capitals was 33 feet (10.6 metres).

Read 1 Kings chapters 6 and 7 and you will understand all that King David planned under the guidance of God, and what King Solomon built with the guidance and encouragement of God.

There are some interesting things to think about regarding these two pillars.

1. They stand alone doing nothing, without anything above them to support. This shows that they (and we) are not needed by God to do anything. He is sufficient in Himself.
2. Though both pillars do not appear to be needed to do anything, yet they show a direct connection between earth and heaven, between God’s creation, man, and God Himself.
3. The Temple was covered with gold, and the pillars and capitals were made of fine brass. Both the Temple and Pillars faced East toward the rising of the Sun. On a clear day, when the Sun rose, the sunlight would be reflected particularly off the pillars and the Temple would gleam brilliantly out over Jerusalem and over the people of His choosing. In the same way we are to reflect the glory of God through Christ to all of God’s created people.
4. The Temple covered with gold signifies God the Father in all His glory. The two Pillars signify Jesus (Yeshua) the Messiah, and God’s Holy Spirit, (but I have not been able to find out which is which. If you know, please advise me at jp.tabiblia@gmail.com).

We can see definite similarities between the notes above and our connections with God. He does not need us. He is completely self sufficient. There is a direct connection between God, Earth and Heaven, and it isn’t us. It must be Jesus. We are here on earth to do nothing but reflect the glory of God. We are NOT here to make a name for ourselves, to promote our own idea of a “church” (there is only ONE Church, Matthew 16:18) to make money and enjoy great prosperity, to have people seeking for our “wisdom”, guidance and direction. We are here on this earth to love God with all our hearts, soul, mind and strength, to love our neighbours as much as we love ourselves, to glorify God, know His Will and how to do it. Anything else is ultimately a waste of time, money, strength and willpower. (Matthew 7:21-23; Proverbs 16:16-25).