Those Who Build His Church

Prayer-Soldier · Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2014 8:15 pm Post subject: Those Who Build His Church

Those Who Build His Church

Scripture:

And at the same time, Herod the king stretched forth his hands, to afflict some of the church. And he killed James, the brother of John, With the sword. And seeing that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to take up Peter also. Now it was in the days of the Azymes. And when he had apprehended him, he cast him into prison, delivering him to four files of soldiers, to be kept, intending, after the pasach, to bring him forth to the people. Peter therefore was kept in prison. But prayer was made without ceasing by the church unto God for him. And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison.

And behold an angel of the Lord stood by him and a light shined in the room. And he, striking Peter on the side, raised him up, saying: Arise quickly. And the chains fell off from his hands. And the angel said to him: Gird yourself and put on your sandals. And he did so. And he said to him: Cast your garment about you and follow me, and going out, he followed him. And he knew not that it was true which was done by the angel: but thought he saw a vision. And passing through the first and the second ward, they came to the iron gate that leads to the city which of itself opened to them. And going out, they passed on through one street. And immediately the angel departed from him. And Peter coming to himself, said: Now I know in very deed that the Lord had sent his angel and had delivered me out of the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews. (Acts 12:1-11)

For I am even now ready to be sacrificed: and the time of my dissolution is at hand. I have fought a good fight: I have finished my course: I have kept the faith. As to the rest, there is laid up for me a crown of justice which the Lord the just judge will render to me in that day: and not only to me, but to them also that love his coming. Make haste to come to me quickly.

But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, that by me the preaching may be accomplished and that all the Gentiles may hear. And I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. The Lord has delivered me from every evil work and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom. To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. (2 Timothy 4:6-8, 17-1 Cool

And Jesus came into the quarters of Cesarea Philippi: and he asked his disciples, saying: Whom do men say that the Son of man is? But they said: Some John the Baptist, and other some Elias, and others Jeremias, or one of the prophets. Jesus said to them: But whom do you say that I am? Simon Peter answered and said: You are Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answering said to him: Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona: because flesh and blood has not revealed it to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I say to you: That you are Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give to the you keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatsoever you shalt bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven: and whatsoever you shall loose on earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven. (Matthew 16:13-19)

Reflection:

The world has a grip about us, but through prayer, we may be freed from the many ways it seeks to bind us. We seek fleeting pleasures and passions of the moment, but through prayer, we find the path to the eternal blessings of God. We remember Him in times of trouble, but it is equally important to remember Him as we receive the blessings of the day.

The ways of the world are set against His ways, but through prayer we may find the path to the truth of His love. In our times of need, we reach out for Him, but we are most blessed when we remember Him as we receive from Him. As we call upon Him, He will deliver us from evil to the measure of our faith. If we seek the ways of the world, He will leave us to the world; but if we seek His ways, He will embrace us during our hours of need and our hours of blessing.

If we are poor in faith, we should pray that He will strengthen us. He will not ignore us, for as we ask, He will reveal His truth. It is no wonder, then, that those who spend time in prayer with Him find blessings no matter their position or estate. He provides blessings to the heart which cannot be found in the world. He frees the soul to prepare for His kingdom, no matter what chains of the evil one seek to bind us. The path we take, He leaves for us to choose, but as we pray to Him, He will reveal the way of truth. Blessed are those who spend time in prayer, for through each moment, they walk closer to Him.

Our time in this world is but for a moment in His eye. What we see here is the battle of good and evil; the blessed ways good sustains and the wicked ways evil destroys. When we seek to walk our own path, we are open to the many ways our soul may be lost; but when we seek for Him to walk with us, we find the path to His eternal blessing. We need only look across the world to see the many ways our paths become confused and how the ravages of evil take hold of people. If we walk alone, we become prey for the evil one; but if we walk with Him, He will show us the path to His kingdom.

In the world, we will find challenge and many temptations to divert us from our faith in Him. Blessed are those who do not wait until time of challenge to pray to Him, for they will know His blessings and the comforts He provides to the depths of souls. Blessed are those who walk the lost path and turn to Him, for He desires not to lose even one of His sheep. Blessed are we for His mercy and forgiveness, for though we may wander, the soul which stumbles still has hope as they reach to Him through prayer. Blessed will be the day when He calls us to His kingdom, for the path is His. Blessed are those who walk the path, for it is the way to everlasting life with Him.

The path He has given us is the path made for us through His Son. His only begotten Son set the corner stone of His church so that whosoever believes in Him shall not parish, but will follow His path to His kingdom. He commissioned and sent forth those who would spread the good news and the blessings of His church; but the evil one schemes to divert the children of His creation from its path.

Those who understand the greatest of His commandments will not be deceived, but those who fail to understand the test of love will be diverted to dark paths; paths paved by evil, paths of struggle, paths of pain, paths which stray away from His light.

Blessed is the one who stood before Him and saw He is the Son of God, for through the church built from that moment, the generations receive the good news. Many stand to fight and criticize His church, but what do they criticize; the church or the sinners within the church? It is easy to say the church is at fault for whatever failure, but the church is served by the people within it; therefore, any failure subscribed to the church is the failure of its members. Many have failed Him since He told Peter what He would build, but He also promised the gates of the netherworld would not prevail against His church. If we have faith in His promise, we will be there the day of His victory.

From Peter and His disciples, His church has grown through the generations. The failures subscribed to the church are not of the church, but those who fail to serve it, for all within it are sinners seeking to find their way and subject to temptation. In prayer, we should ask, how have we failed His church and what can we do to turn from those failures and towards the blessings of His work? Alone, we are weak, but through Him, we can gain the wisdom and strength from which much good and grace may flourish. We may point to the failure of another, but if we all look first to what we can do to share His love, then, together, we do His work and fulfill His promise.

He did not build His church to be idle, but to nourish those within it. The people of the church have many needs and face many temptations. The people of the church also have many gifts from which to share and care for one another in fulfillment of His commandments to love. In prayer, we should ask to what purpose we may put our gifts for the blessings of Him and the body of His church.

All within the church are faced with the temptations of the evil one, no matter their calling or their position. As we fall to those temptations, we fail Him, the body of His church and ourselves. Blessed are we, for when we fail, we may be forgiven so we may learn and turn from our failure. Blessed are we, for as we live His Word, we turn from our temptations and fulfill the promise of His church.

May the peace and blessings of the Lord be with you always,
Prayer Soldier