Introduction

Laying the Foundation

Ezra 3:10–12
Now when the builders had laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, the priests stood in their apparel with trumpets…to praise the LORD.… They sang, praising and giving thanks to the LORD…all the people shouted with a great shout when they praised the LORD because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid.

The Temple Builders book has become a life-long labor. The labor started in 1985 when God began teaching me during a study in scripture about true ministry. At that moment God called me to become a temple builder. I had no idea what a temple builder was nor had I heard the term used. After God called me, my journey took me to unlikely places that would define Christian maturity from a unique perspective.

One year later at Bible college, God spoke to me about writing a book called Temple Builders. As with most words spoken to us from the Lord, I speculated that God would fulfill this specific prophecy right away. I researched, compiled notes, and wrote essays through 1989, always thinking that I was close to finishing. Yet, in reality, I was still far.

In 1989 I wrote the first computer version (though, somewhat short) of what is now the book Temple Builders: The High Calling. Afterward, I unexpectedly entered into a different phase of my life: a wilderness, sometimes an extreme fire designed to test the Temple Builders message and, assuredly, its messenger. Additionally, the distractions of life grabbed my attention, diverting my focus.

For several years I stopped writing, and the only message written was one of developing true character in my life. Many times we learn a teaching before acquiring wisdom and character; afterward, we achieve wisdom and character equal to the same teaching learned. Many assume they arrive at a higher call when they receive the message of God, but God’s true calling requires us to attain experiential wisdom and Godly character. Indeed, this principle—when understood—propels us to become a temple builder.

In 1996 I started writing this version, publishing it on the Internet in dozens of drafts so many could immediately learn from the wisdom of God. The testimonies came quick from all over the world, but I could not stop writing, and my ongoing personal wilderness journey changed the character of the book during the final years of writing. “What is your biggest obstacle?” you ask. In our wilderness journey, we are always the biggest obstacle, even as we drive towards the Promised Land.

Having learned the fear of God to some degree, the labor continued with caution, with much prayer, and with much pain. This final release is given as a gift to the people of God, who are characterized as ones panting after Him they call Master.

What Can We Expect in this Book?

This journal of my journey becomes a traveling experience for every reader God calls. For me, it has been a journey of witnessing the demonstration of God’s love, wisdom, and power in my life—not to mention the lives of those around me. Grievingly, it has also been a witnessing of the lack of God’s love, wisdom, and power, even its counterfeits in the lives of those around me.

What makes this book different from other Christian writings is the uniqueness of the journey chronicled throughout each page. Not only is the journey itself distinct, but the nuggets of wisdom found along the way are simply one-of-a-kind. Each journeyer can identify with some of these nuggets, but for some journeyers the nuggets may be life or death to their Christian service. Sometimes the wisdom nugget is simply a balanced perspective concerning a doctrine or Christian practice; at other times it is the fruit of enduring severe tribulation. At the least it is an insight into the mysteries of God I am compelled to share.

The Calling of a Temple Builder

A temple builder hungers for God, craving the pure milk of His words, yet not content with only His milk, a temple builder covets the strong meat God is providing as well. In relationship, a temple builder pants for intimacy with Jesus, pining away for the next opportunity to spend with Him and aching every moment spent away from His presence. We think all is well if we experience these qualities; however, we find these desires dissipating because of the distractions of the world and thwarted by a lack of fruit bearing. Frustrated and sick of our ever-present carnal nature, we scream to God, “there must be more.” Alas, we find in our lives an inability to grow up in Christ. Looking around in high expectation, we search for other Christians living the Gospel, but disappointment consumes us.

This message ministers to these people of God who have come to a desert place—a desert place God designs—a desert place with a void God fills when we know His destiny for our life. This dry place drives us to the end of our own abilities and ideas, having opened our heart to hear from heaven. As we wait, a voice comes—a voice where we must be attentive and active to hear, not precluding what form it may appear, for it is a voice not of this world. Earthly opinions originate from the god of this world, but God’s voice does not spring from the emptiness of opinions. Instead, as we walk through our destined desert, God’s voice fills us with His living water and bread. Hearing His voice is a necessity to complete our journey. If you are not confident in hearing God’s voice, I pray that the Spirit speaks loudly to you as you read.

A temple builder truly desires to mature in Jesus’ ways, convinced he or she fell short of the goal to fully please Jesus (compared to early church examples found in scripture). Not settling for complacency, a temple builder wants to apprehend all God has. These qualities indicate a passion in Christ willing to go higher than most Christians typically venture.

Temple Builder Abandonment

Venturing to God’s highest requires us to abandon the ways of man and examine God’s blueprint that builds His true temple. To obtain this clear view of His blueprint, the Lord tears down areas of our knowledge—uprooting areas of self-opinion. This process is painful to each of us, and some abandon better than others do.

So the process begins: Every time we heard a teaching and held it as true, we built our house. Many times we built using the wrong blueprint. So, our first task is getting the right blueprint. This in itself is a laborious task, but God sends us scripture and His Spirit to assist. Now—we exchange building materials resembling man’s house for building materials reflecting God’s true temple. Oops, don’t forget the tools: …not by might, not by power, but by the Spirit do we build.

I have a blueprint the Architect gave me, materials that fit perfectly, and tools that fasten and assemble—let’s build. Hold on! Unfortunately, we poured the foundation and built on it using a mixture of the Architect’s blueprint and man’s opinions of that blueprint. We found building materials that were not appropriate for God’s house, though well suited for our house. Making matters worse, we wielded tools with all our strength, tightly gripped in our hand, fastening together our building materials without anointing, without His might. In our dilemma, we face the prospect of disassembling parts of our house.

Without this tearing-down-process, we are building a new edifice of knowledge based on the true blueprint but on a faulty foundation. As well, we try to join temple building materials to man-made materials, both adorning our house. Erecting new construction to an unstable or faulty foundation causes it to topple. The result is pride preceding a great fall. Even more, welding together mismated materials results in a monument instead of a habitation—one: honoring man, and the other: honoring God.

In our lives, therefore, we must tear down false edifices of knowledge that do not conform to the image of God, digging up the foundation that this false edifice rested. Most Christians previously built immature foundations in themselves and others, seeing dimly the true blueprint. But when we see a vision of the true blueprint of God, we have ability to build maturely.

A wrestling of wills ensues in all of us when God selects an area of our life to uproot; will we allow it? All of us have accepted traditional views of scripture interpretation with its source in wrongly-read-scripture, but it takes courage to sort it out. It is a challenge to forfeit our will in such matters; however, God gives grace to us if we say, “Lord, if there be anything in me not of You, uproot it.”

Untangling the mess of conflicting doctrine requires us to receive ample grace from the Lord. Wrongly-read-scripture gives us our faulty foundation, an edifice not resembling the temple of God in great measure. In those hungering and thirsting for truth—is a wisdom found—an ability that reads scripture right. Hungering and thirsting for truth is a temple builder attribute that we will constantly
aim for.

Dealing with Issues

Setting the path straight demands us to address touchy issues. The greatest challenge is dealing with church issues or widely accepted doctrines—setting them straight—yanking them out. No doubt, uprooting issues hits a spiritually sensitive spot in most of us, much like removing a decayed tooth without Novocain. This is where we need the most courage! Despite this, however, God does not leave us comfortless, without hope in these things. He sends a helper—Himself, the Spirit in us.

To multiply our arsenal, God gives us one physical source to examine His ways: scripture. The Temple Builders message is only an interpretation and expounding of these scriptures, bringing edification to others—nothing more. If, indeed, we added other sources—not in line with God’s Word—maturity eludes us.

A Challenging Message

If you counted the costs to get to the top and now want to climb this challenging Everest of Christian teaching, this message is for you. This climb is an experience that possesses hardship but also the hope and satisfaction of reaching
the top.

The final fruit we can anticipate by being a temple builder is a new confidence to hear from God concerning His intention—when He penned scripture. We will no longer be solely dependent on ministers for our meals, for we have learned to approach God, partaking without encumbrance. When we do partake of God’s vessels, it will be in the most edifying way, causing the fruit of joy to explode in the growth of the harvest season. In this effort, in this journey upward, we bend every ounce of energy, every second of thought, around becoming a priest unto our God, having bypassed the middleman of distorted voices. This theme is a distinct note heard throughout this trumpet blast.

Prevalent Obstacles

All that matters with respect to Christian messages is the fruit that remains after the fire. If a message is a true representation of Jesus, be assured, it does not return void. This word is actively proceeding from His mouth—now. Thus, through God’s life, my utmost hope is that God’s trumpet blast message becomes an experience of growing up for you.

When I was born again and water baptized on October 21, 1979 I saved the church bulletin for that day. In the bulletin it said, “If a hypocrite is between you and God he is actually closer to God than you are.” I kept that saying as a trademark of my life to prevent the misbehavior of other Christians from separating me from Jesus. In spite of these convictions, I had valleys where I allowed separation to occur anyway. Disillusioned with the current church and ministry wineskin I disassociated myself from Jesus’ body. After restoration I saw the problem was never the church, the ministry, or the hypocrite. The problem always resided in my heart; God deals with my heart, and God is dealing with your heart—in any issue. No matter how many attacks from other believers you have endured and no matter how many poor witnesses confronted you, never allow that to hinder your relationship with Jesus and the race He has called you to finish.

The Temple Builders message gives hope in finishing, in being accepted in His love, and in being fitted into His true body. Instead of becoming bitter about church immaturity, God gives grace to become better, and that grace causes us to be an instrument bringing light to His ways, instead of remaining disillusioned by ministry immaturity. Our enemy is never our brother; our primary enemy is always what we allowed to enter into our heart. Truth sets us free from this enemy if we allow God to circumcise our hearts.

Finally My Brethren

Finally, I believe this message is a forerunning message. These truths are fresh insight to vague or misunderstood scripture. It is not new revelation as if God is speaking something He’s never spoken. It is simply God uncovering and unveiling scripture hidden to the mainstream church in this generation. This unveiling has been occurring all through the 20th century through many of God’s servants who have been forerunners of truth. As well, God is mounting up many more servants who handle His present truth, unveiling it to the 21st century believers.

Our challenge is to abandon old wineskins, receiving God’s new wineskin, full of the fruit of the vine—changing our thinking and changing our course to match this new thinking. It is not enough to learn these things; God destines us to walk in all these things if we choose Jesus’ way instead of man’s way. The Apostle Paul said, “I have finished the race.” We must come to a place where we follow this example Paul set. The temple builder sees God’s view of the race, obtaining ability to run that race.

Let’s Start Our Journey

As deep calleth unto deep, so God’s Spirit is calling out to a place within the depth of our soul; this is our experience as we proceed. As we read from beginning to ending, we build steps up to the top of the mountain. If we do not have our foundation built beneath us, the higher elevations are harder for us to traverse.

My ultimate desire is that you are humbled before God, having your heart dealt by Him—having an ear listening to His voice—even as you read. I am convinced: If you desire to know Jesus unreservedly, the Spirit of Truth shows Him to you. Jesus sets you free; He heals the broken places of your heart; He shows you His way—that you may walk in it—even as you read.

May the grace of the Lord be with you,

John Robert Lucas

—John Robert Lucas

"Temple Builders: The High Calling" Prophetic Book