Isaiah 42:8 “My glory I will not give to another”. This applies not just to Christians or followers of Christ but to all mankind. Don't doubt!

We know what God asked the Israelites to do to fall the Jericho wall. They were asked to shout praises to Him and the wall fell. Who caused it to fall? Interesting question. Imagine one fellow got up and said, ''It was my shout that caused the wall to fall”. Foolishness! Then another got up and said “No it is not your shouting but mine that caused it to fall!” Foolishness again! Then another older “spiritual-looking and sounding'' man got up calmed them both and said, “No, it is neither his shouting nor yours, but it is OURS!” Sounds pious but sadly not true! Shouting has got nothing to do with a wall falling. However loud the shout not even a brick would fall. The answer is it was God who caused the wall to fall and all they were expected to do was to shout praises to Him “in advance” for something that God was about to do!

He makes sure He gets His deserved glory by asking His people to do things which in the natural would never bring in the outcome that HE is going to bring about - which would be way beyond the effort we put in so that no man takes the credit. Also anyone who is trying to take the credit will definitely appear obviously foolish to all in such an instance.

Look at Gideon who was asked to reduce the number from 300,000 to a mere 300 to win the war. Also how Jesus fed the five thousand from just 2 loaves and few fish. Could Gideon have claimed the glory? Or could the little boy? It is obvious it was not the man power that won the victory neither did the boy's 2 loaves that fed the 5000. We don't see either Gideon or the little boy claiming any credit at the end of both the incidents. God doesn't change - that's the same way He works even today. Can we be at least as wise as that little boy who claimed no credit for what Jesus did!

The greatest “task” that Jesus is doing today in the world is preparing or building His church and don't doubt at all the fact it is He who is building the church. And don't ever doubt that He would ever give any man credit for building His church when He is the One Who is doing it.

At one point of His life on earth Jesus said, 'Till I am in this world I am the light of this world.' Later He looked at His disciples and said, 'You are the light of this world.' But regarding building of His church Jesus said 'I will build my church' and this task was not handed over to anyone after He left the earth. Later He rose from the dead, came back to them and did NOT say, 'now I am going away from this world now you will build my church' - He did NOT say so. The church is His and the One who builds it is JESUS Himself. The church is His bride and it is the Bridegroom who dresses up the bride even in an earthly context the Bridegroom buys the dress and the ring for the bride.

“Whatever we see on this earth is a temporal shadow of things that are eternal”

Jesus said I will build MY church. Today when we look around there are so many well meaning people trying to build “their'' churches. Did Jesus ask anyone of us to build His church? Let's examine that statement clearly once again. It is clear by itself - Jesus said, “I will build My church.” The church is not ANY man's but His and it is He who is building it.

So am I saying that we are called to do nothing? Well the Israelites were asked to do something. He did not ask them to pull down the walls by their might or to calculate the decibels of sound which would help God to make the wall fall! They were just asked to shout praises to Him and let Him do what He promised He would because ONLY He could do it. Today are we doing just the opposite? Are we shouting praises to ourselves, our efforts or our organizations claiming that WE are building “our” churches - something Jesus never asked us to!

God takes/gets His glory when the effort we put obviously has got nothing to do with the outcome- which is way beyond what could be coming out of it in the natural. Regarding building of His church too this applies perfectly well.

When Jesus is building His church today what exactly has He asked US to do? Well one doesn't have to do another 40 days' fasting and prayer to know that. The Word is clear when Jesus came to them and said, “Go make disciples of all nations”. Instead of just obeying what was told we are trying to win the world, build His church (many even say “my” church when the church doesn't belong to anyone but Jesus Himself).Thank God for His GRACE that forgives our foolishness (? arrogance). We are planning strategies using human wisdom to build His church which is impossible. Only Jesus can build His church.

Now what are we called to do? 'Simple'- we are COMMANDED by Jesus to go and make disciples. Well Jesus' strategy doesn't sound very impressive? After all we are not talking about a few people but the whole world and you know the population! Well I think God knew it better than any researcher in this world and He knew it when He commanded us that “simple” strategy. He is not just sitting up there asking us to do certain things which is not workable. He Himself proved it works. What about the twelve disciples He made? These men turned the world upside down-God testifies that in His word. What in turn were the apostles seen to be doing in the Book of Acts? They went around making disciples and they gathered together, taught one another, prayed together, fellowshipped with one another and broke bread together which became His church (Acts 2:38). They preached and taught (made disciples according to the command received from Jesus) and He continued building His Church. Simple but effective “strategy''.

You may be asking, “Is everyone given the same task? Yes that's exactly what Jesus said, “Go Make disciples of all nations”. So does everyone have the same ministry? Well we all are called to make disciples but the way we do it are different according to the gifts given to each one, but the task is ONE 'to Go and Make disciples of all nations'. Let each one in the Body of Christ do this and leave the outcome to God - Jesus said, ''I will build My church”. Jesus is building His church and He knows well how to do it and to perfect it to be spotless. Lets not try to help Him do what He said He would do but obey what He has called us to do - that is “Go and make disciples of all nations.”

Finally when we see the miraculous working of God let us sing praises to Him and give all glory to Him rightfully rather than sing praises to our own names and our efforts and our Organizations and so on.

Revelation 5:13