Psalm 127:1
Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor in vain who build it.
In the last month Frank Sharplin, a dear friend and collogue, has come along side me with his time, energy, and creativity to help build our new website here at CarpenterMinstries.com. One of the first questions he asked was if I had a picture of our logo for the site. My response was that our logo was created in 1980 when Carpenter Ministries was organized as a non-profit organization and was so outdated it wasn’t worth using. Putting our heads together and with a few suggestions from AI, our ideas began to take shape. The picture of a Bible and a hammer just didn’t seem right, but then the light went on. “Frank, can we try it with an open Bible and three nails?” was my question. It didn’t take long for our new logo to materialize.
The following morning I woke up thinking about the message portrayed in this simple icon. I thought about what it takes to build a house. Greg and I have owned six houses in our nearly 60 years of marriage. Four of them we renovated from top to bottom, and two we had built from the ground up. In each case it took lots of lumber, lots of nails, and several tradesmen. In the midst of my musings, I got a clear picture of what it takes for God to build His house. Here is His construction list: One tree, three nails, and one Carpenter.
Our houses took months to build and years to renovate. God’s timeframe was three days. And what a structure He built! Jesus, the Master Builder, put it this way.
I also say to you that you are Peter (Petros – a stone), and upon this Rock (Petra – a large bedrock) I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. (Matthew 16:18 NASB)
God’s promise to Israel was, “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a tested stone, a costly cornerstone for the foundation, firmly placed. He who believes in it will not be disturbed.” (Isaiah 27:16 NASB)
Laying the foundation of the Church was not the Master Builder’s first major construction project. The apostle John tells us, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.” (John 1:1-3) The writer of Hebrews said it this way, “God, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things; through whom also He made the world.” (Hebrews 1:2)
If our faith is in the Master Carpenter who constructed ALL of creation and laid His life down to be the foundation of the church that is unshakable by the very gates of hell, we can be certain He knows how to order our lives with all their complexities. No storm is too strong for Him, violent winds cannot overwhelm Him, no flood can overpower Him. If He is our foundation, we have a safe refuge.
But wait!!! There’s more!!! This One who created all things, who is the also the Master Builder of the church, is not done with the construction business yet. He has left us who believe with an amazing promise.
“In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.” (John 14:2-3 NAS95)
So welcome to Carpenter Ministries! May Jesus Christ be lifted up and glorified in each of our lives!!!
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