Thou Shalt Make

We would say it this way “You Shall Make”. This is such a fundamental principle! But it seems to be unnoticed and unconsidered by a large swath of the Body of Christ. The unbelievers seem to take it to heart, although in a selfish perverted manner, much more readily. The Bible says the children of this world may be wiser than the children of God (Luke 16:8) in some things.

“You shall make” is a key element in the believer’s walk with the Lord. Let me explain.

You Shall Make-Noah

The first time this phrase appears in the Bible is in Genesis where God is instructing Noah how to avoid the utter destruction of all flesh. Since Noah was also flesh, I think he was interested in what the Lord was revealing! God described the earth as corrupt in His eyes, and filled with violence (Genesis 6:11-13). He told Noah He was going to address the wickedness and violence and corruption of the people Noah lived among. God would need a partner, a man on earth who believed God and obeyed God, to help God do what needed to be done.

This was not God’s plan for Mankind. He intended for the Garden of Eden to be extended over the whole planet. The original mandate of man on earth was to extend the conditions of the Garden of Eden over the whole earth (Gen 1:26-28). The Garden of Eden represents the state of peace provision and protection enjoyed by all those who walk in submission to and obedience to and fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ.

Sin is missing the mark. Sin is anything that varies from or deviates from the original perfect creation of God. Sin is explained in Rom 14:23 as anything not done in faith. Any thought, any word, any action not rooted in and flowing from faith is missing the mark of the standard of Jesus Christ. Faith is therefore acting on the Word of God. Faith is a response to what God has said. Therefore, true Biblical faith is obedience to Him, agreeing with and acting on whatever He says to you. Sin could be described as not acting on His Word, or ignoring Him and what He said.

The people in Noah’s day were only 10 generations from the original human sinner, Adam. Satan has the crown of being the original sinner, the original fool, the original source of evil. Yet, in just a few generations the entire human race transformed from completely righteous to completely unrighteous, except for Noah. One man left on earth who still trusted and obeyed the Creator! And the Lord tapped this righteous believer with this phrase “You shall make” an ark of gopher wood (Genesis 6:14)

Noah’s Opportunity Is Our Opportunity

God presented Noah an opportunity. Not just to do something good. Not just a chance to make a difference in some small way. God offered Noah an opportunity to partner with the Lord as deliverer of the human race. God partnered with a man who trusted Him and obeyed Him to work a solution that would save all who believed Him from certain death. Three short words convey the transfer of authority from God to man, the delegation of responsibility from God to man, and the willingness of a sovereign Perfect Being to trust His imperfect son to help Him save the world. Wow!

Today the Lord is seeking people who will trust Him and obey Him. Those who respond in faith will be partners with the Lord in the most monumental and amazing rescue operation ever launched. Millions and millions of souls will be snatched out of the jaws of death by the obedience of believers. God is waiting for your attention. He is working in your life right now, preparing an opportunity for you to help Him save His people from certain death. Are you in?

You Shall Make-The Tabernacle

The Living God is pure, holy, unsullied by any carnal or negative impulse. Sin cannot exist in His presence. He is a consuming fire (Heb 12:29) which purges and cleanses all things until only righteousness remains. His fiery Word attacks the sin in our hearts and purifies our soul (John 15:3). He does this because He lives inside you if you are born again by His Spirit. And wherever the Lord dwells must be holy. It is a wonder to me that His holiness and purity are embedded in my human spirit! His love for His people impels Him to  reach out to the unholy and offer solutions. He makes the way when we cannot. Jesus Himself is the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6)

When the people of God were delivered miraculously from the mighty Egyptian army and escaped from 400 years of slavery, they were unaware of what the Lord was doing. In Exodus Chapter 19 the Lord told Moses what He was doing.

Exodus 19:3–6 (NKJV)

³And Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel:

⁴‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself.

⁵Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine.

⁶And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.”

The Lord wanted to separate His family from bondage and slavery to other gods, and BRING THEM TO HIMSELF. A personal reconciliation to begin a new personal relationship! The purity and intimacy of this new way of connecting with our Creator would be determined by our response to His Words. If we listen attentively and obey Him, we enjoy the best possible relationship ever imagined. If we ignore Him and disregard His communication we cannot expect much of a relationship. (the same goes for all inter-human relationships!)

Just a couple days later God issued the Ten Commandments to Moses (Ex 20:1-17). Then God discussed for several chapters the details of His new home He wanted Moses to build for Him. Can you imagine? Absolute perfection wanting to live amidst a bunch of ungrateful selfish idolaters? Our key phase “thou shalt make” (KJV) (most newer Bible versions will render it “you shall make”) appears over 50 times in this conversation. And every time God says to Moses “you shall make” He is revealing His will, painting a vision, and commanding His servant what He wants done. Every “you shall make” from God to you implies trust in you, builds confidence in your heart, and imparts the grace and wisdom and faith you need to make His dream a reality on earth.

The part that floors me about all this is that God directly involves people who sin every day in His desire to set up His new digs using materials that were used to worship idols just a few weeks ago! He still operates this way today. All Christians (defined as a “Christ-like one”, a believer in and follower of the Lord Jesus Christ) are forgiven, but no Christian is sinless. Yet God pours Himself into our lives and will flow through cracked and broken pots to release His love all over our world.

You Shall Make-YOU

The tabernacle built in the wilderness by the Israelites is a picture of our life. The outer court is our body, the Inner Court represents our soul, and The Holy of Holies is our spirit, where God dwells (He only dwells in a human spirit that is born again-not every human being has God on the inside of them-but they could if they asked Him!).God created a holy sanctuary surrounded by a barren unfruitful wilderness. The unfathomably precious and wonderful Creator, who is Love personified, allows hurting and broken souls to build Him a home. He wants to dwell within our unfruitfulness and barrenness and confusion. He wants to partner with us to “prepare Him a habitation” (Exodus 15:2)

Exodus 15:2 (KJV) The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father’s God, and I will exalt him.

Notice the Lord must be your salvation before you start preparing a place for Him to dwell. You must have a heart that sings for the Lord, a heart whose strength comes from the Living God. A casual acquaintance cannot build the King’s palace. But you and I can! If we want Him, esteem Him, respect Him, we will allow Him to work a wonder within our soul that causes His presence to seep out of our life and touch everyone around us.

He invites each one of us to work with Him on a special construction project where He cleanses and renovates our heart to make a place for the King to dwell. Hollywood cannot possibly write a better script! He chooses to take up residence within the human spirit of every person who selects and submits to Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour and Lord. Then, with our permission and agreement, He begins to renovate your heart.

Romans 12:2 (NKJV) And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

We renew our mind (change our thinking, adopt new mindsets, develop new paradigms) by hearing God and obeying Him. We start in the written Word (the Bible) and grow until we hear His voice and act on it. Think of it this way-every time you hear God and choose to obey Him, it is as if He said to you “you shall make”. For example, he convicts you about swearing and using His name as a curse word. That conviction in your heart is simply the Lord sharing with you “you shall make” this little adjustment, this small change in your thinking and speech, and if you do, something evil dies within you and something good grows.

“You shall make” can also be used by the Lord for good works, to minister life to people. For example, the Lord tells you while you are shopping to grab an extra loaf of bread, or a hot chicken meal. Then He lays it on your heart to go visit that elderly widow a couple doors down from you, and share the love of God with her, and bless her with food.

Our efforts and strengths and investments and schemes do not impress God. We can do nothing of lasting value without Him (John 15:5). If you do not have a living Word, a living “you shall make” from Him, you have zero grace, zero faith, and zero wisdom in terms of pleasing Him. When He speaks everything you need is embedded in the Words He spoke to you. Noah got all he needed to build a huge boat from a conversation with the Lord. Moses learned all about the tabernnacle and the worship service and priesthood from a (lengthy!) conversation with God. And you and I can accomplish our divine destiny, partner with the Lord in the final push of the redemption of mankind, and do everything God wants us to do, with a “you shall make” from Him.

And I say to you:

You shall make a difference in many lives!

You shall make the Lord smile thinking of you.

You shall make the devil wish he never met you!

And you shall make the Lord’s investment in you pay immense dividends.

Prayer for Repentance and Salvation.

If you have never accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and your Saviour, I invite you to ask Him into your heart. If you knew the Lord but have not been hungering for Him I invite you to consider your ways and repent. He is faithful and righteous to wipe your slate clean when you confess your sin to Him! (1 John 1:9)

1 John 1:9 (NASB95) If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

He gave His life for you, and you honour Him when you give your life for Him. It is the right thing to do!

1 Corinthians 6:20 (AV) For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

You must give yourself to God for Him to come into your life and help you change. He will not force you! Ever. But oh! The joy and peace and hope He gives you!

Romans 12:1–2 (NKJV) 1) I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2) And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Romans 10:9 (NKJV) that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

You must acknowledge Jesus Christ is Lord, and you must believe He was resurrected from the dead by the Father.

Say this prayer out loud.

Heavenly Father I turn to you and acknowledge You as the Almighty God, eternal and sovereign over all. I have been rebellious, selfish, and deceived trying to live without you. I believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God, that He died on the cross to redeem me from death and sin, and that He rose from the dead, alive forever with You. I ask you to forgive me of all my sin, known and unknown. Please come into my life as my Lord and my Saviour. Thank you for forgiving me, and redeeming me from sin. I choose to trust You and put You first in every area of my life. I will love You and serve You with all my heart, all my soul, all my mind, and all my resources, for the rest of my life, beginning right now. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen!

If you prayed this to the Lord, please let me know! I have some resources to share with you, and will help you on your journey with the Lord.