Honoring God as Living Stones

“You and I have been given the same divine directive to go into all the world and preach the gospel.”

From the time stones were first stacked together to build an altar, mankind has sought to honor and obey God through building a place of worship.

One of the most remarkable accounts is the story of Jacob, who, after his life-changing dream of the ladder to heaven, poured oil upon his pillow stone and named the site Bethel, that is, “The House of God” (Genesis 28:19 KJV).

As the nomadic Children of Israel wandered through the wilderness, then settled in the land of Canaan, they painstakingly constructed first the Tabernacle, then the Temple according to God’s blueprints. Both were centerpieces for God’s people, as recorded throughout the Old Testament.

The Chief Cornerstone

In the New Testament, Jesus Christ was called the Chief Cornerstone (Matthew 21:42), and the church has also been called the building or house of God. 1 Peter 2:6-7 speaks of this new building:

Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner. (1 Peter 2:6-7 KJV)

Paul uses construction terms to speak of his ministry:

“According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 3:10-11).

God continues building His kingdom today through believers: “You also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:5 NKJV). You see, through the centuries, mankind has honored God with buildings of stone. Now, more than ever, God calls us to be “living stones.”

Throughout the centuries since Jesus Christ gave the Great Commission, every believer has received a divine mandate from heaven to be a kingdom builder. This timeless call is revealed in His words as He spoke to His disciples just before ascending into heaven. Often referred to as the “Great Commission,” He gave this command: “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15 KJV).

That includes you and me!

Perhaps you don’t see yourself as a modern-day Moses or Joshua, an Elijah or Apostle Paul. You may not be a Charles Finney, a Charles Spurgeon, a Kathryn Kuhlman, or a Billy Graham, but you are called to play a vital part in God’s plan for the nations!

Yes…you!

God has an important calling for you—so important, in fact, that the results will affect eternity—and the impact of this solemn charge was demonstrated in the lives of the disciples who were transformed into bold, dynamic witnesses for Christ. These emboldened disciples then helped change the world.

The hearts of believers in generation after generation have heeded this same eternal call!

Echoes from the Past

Great heroes of the faith from past generations have reflected this same passion. Although they have gone to be with the Lord, the words they penned resonate with intensity, conviction, and truth.

For example, the late J. Hudson Taylor, a dynamic English missionary to China during the 1800s, said, “The Great Commission is not an option to be considered; it is a command to be obeyed.” At his death in 1905, the China Inland Mission included 205 mission stations with more than 800 missionaries and 125,000 Chinese Christians.

Another English missionary and noted soulwinner was C. T. Studd (1860-1931). His motto was: “If Jesus Christ is God and died for me, then no sacrifice can be too great for me to make for Him.” The depth of his conviction is underscored by the many souls that came to the Lord as a result of his faithful service in China, India, and Africa.

These kingdom builders, along with many other men and women of God, touched their generations in a powerful, dynamic way, winning multitudes of souls. While yesterday’s great heroes of the faith may never be memorialized in world history or applauded on the world’s stage, their faithful service to the Master will be recognized and rewarded as multitudes of souls stand as trophies of righteousness before the throne of God forever.

“Living Stones” Today

You and I have been given the same divine directive to go into all the world and preach the gospel. As partners in ministry, you and I share the privilege of taking the message of God’s saving and healing power to the ends of the earth. And He has been so faithful everywhere we have gone.

Multitudes of souls have experienced the greatest miracle—salvation—and bodies have been freed from the torment and bondage of sickness. And to Jesus Christ, our Master, belongs all the glory for everything that has been accomplished!

Yet we must never become content and complacent with the victories of yesterday—for the future is filled with new and incredible opportunities to proclaim the Gospel to millions!

The greatest days are ahead! There are millions of souls waiting to hear the Gospel, and we must not be distracted or delayed from doing what God has called us to do together.

As we partner together in the months ahead as kingdom builders, we will have the privilege to preach the Gospel to millions of men, women, and children…many who have never, ever heard it. What a privilege we share to build the kingdom together!

My dear partner, you have stood with me, you have prayed, and you have sown precious seed to win lost souls. And because of your faithfulness to the Master’s command to go and preach the gospel, multitudes of lives around the world have been touched and transformed by His saving and healing power.

Go into All the World

There is so much more to do, and the need is so great, as we continue preaching the Gospel of the kingdom. Millions of people in every nation in the world are searching for truth. And no matter where they turn, nothing satisfies the unquenchable thirst of the soul or fills the God-shaped vacuum within that longs to know the only true and living God through Jesus Christ, His Son.

Today we have the technology to proclaim the Gospel to the ends of the earth. Yet there is so much to do in order for every man, woman, and child to hear the glorious message that Jesus saves.

Some are drawn by the preaching of the Word; others come to the Lord as they see His supernatural power perform the miraculous. More than ever, we have the capacity to send forth the life-changing message that Jesus saves. We can help make a difference in the lives of millions, even billions, for all eternity!

Think of it!

Individually, our ability to impact the world might be limited, but together we can proclaim the message of God’s saving and healing power. Together, we can take the Gospel message to millions! God is calling us to be “living stones.” And one day, eternity will reveal what we have accomplished together as builders for the Chief Cornerstone and the kingdom of God!

The resounding command of Jesus Christ recorded in Mark 16:15 to “Go into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” is timeless. More than ever, we must recognize that God is building His kingdom today through faithful believers.

Honoring the King of Kings

We must not delay…so sow your seed today for souls! We have this moment to make a difference as kingdom builders for all eternity!

And every time you give, you are preaching the Gospel. Your offerings mean that you travel with me wherever I go or whatever I do to spread His Word. Your precious seed goes directly toward taking the message of salvation to the nations. Your giving helps proclaim the power of Jesus Christ to change lives for eternity!

When you give, it is because you have heard the cry of heaven. When you plant your seed, it is to fulfill God’s burden for humanity. And when you give, you obey the greatest command ever given to man—our King’s Great Commission!

This is the greatest order God has given to you and me—to preach the Gospel, to go to the nations! It is the greatest burden and the highest calling as “living stones.”

When you give, you touch the deepest part of God’s heart, and He will bless you for it beyond your ability to receive those blessings.

Only when you give for the Gospel can you claim the promise: “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom” (Luke 6:38). Only then will He multiply the seed that you sow!

Giving for the Gospel brings blessings upon your life. Nothing else moves God as when you give to take the Gospel of His Son Jesus to lost souls.

I am asking you from the deepest part of my heart that you give today for this mighty work of God so we can continue to make advance preparations for each of the many outreaches around the world, and so we can take the good news of Jesus Christ through the awesome doors that have been opened to us.

As “living stones” working together for the Chief Cornerstone, we can fulfill His Great Commission while there is still time!

I await hearing from you today, and I pray that your gift will not only bring multitudes of lost souls to the cross, but I pray also that it will be multiplied into a vast harvest of financial blessings in your own life—in the mighty name of Jesus Christ—as we share this greatest burden!

For souls,

Benny Hinn