God House is to be a Place where God’s Kingdom is Expanded

Pray – (1/2 minute)

Read – (2 1/2 minutes) – “For seven days they celebrated with joy the Feast of Unleavened Bread, because the Lord had filled them with joy by changing the attitude of the king of Assyria, so that he assisted them in the work on the house of God, the God of Israel.” (Ezra 6:22)
  Passage: Acts 19:1-10

          When the temple was destroyed in 587 B.C., most of those who were still alive in Jerusalem were taken into exile to join those taken over 20 years earlier, like Daniel and his three friends. The people thought that God had abandoned them and that they were separated from Him. They weren’t. God had sent them into exile to discipline them and to also teach them that He is not confined to any one area. He is Sovereign and the Lord over all the earth. One result of the exile was to expand the knowledge of God and give His people influence that would be used to further His kingdom such as Cyrus and Darius supporting the work.  
        Any building that God gives to His people to use is a tool for ministry. It is not meant to be a place where they close themselves off from the world. It is to be a place where they launch ministry to the world and share the gospel with all who enter their doors. The earliest believers, though they didn’t have their own buildings set the example. Acts 5:42 tells us, “Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ.” Pray that the house of God will always be used that way.

Apply - (2 1/2 minutes)
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Pray - (1 1/2 minutes)