Blueprints of Promise

Almost a year ago, as I began praying for this trip to Israel, I asked the Lord, “What do you have to say about this 2017 pilgrimage. Immediately, He dropped the following in my heart:

“Blueprints of Promise”

Blueprints, like the electric blue background with letters of white just like you would find on the draft tables of architects, engineers, and inventors.

“Okay, God. Blueprints… Could you expound?”

He took me from 0 to 60 in my mind’s eye, like when a car is going so fast you cannot keep up with watching the scenery flying by you. It makes your head spin.

He flipped image after image in split seconds. He started with His blueprints throughout scripture. He was gentle with me at first walking me through the more obvious ones. Like, the blueprints he handed Noah for the ark, the blueprints of the Tabernacle He bestowed unto Moses, the plans He presented for the Temple to King David that Solomon built,

People can receive their blueprints in different ways. The author of Hebrews said something pretty astounding:

“Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, ‘See,’ says he, ‘that you make all things according to the pattern showed to you in the mount.’”Hebrews 8:5

Many believe that God showed Moses a model of the Tabernacle. And then said go and build it. He gave instructions for the how, the who, the what… all of it!

King David, himself, had an unusual experience when it came to receiving his instructions. King David did not build the temple because of the blood on his hands, but how he got the plans that is a whole other story!

King David was very thorough in his instructions for Solomon. He spelled out his specific lists of porches and store houses. Even supplying specific amounts of gold and silver dedicated to certain instruments and additions. He weighed out the gold to be used for the ark of the covenant.

When David ended, his explanation of to-do lists and materials, he said to Solomon and all of the assembly of Israel:

“‘All [this], the Lord made me understand in writing by His hand upon me, even all the works of this pattern." 
1 Chronicles 28:19

Whoa! In verse 12, David says the God gave him these specifications “by the spirit” and in verse 19 “in the writing by His hand… the works of this pattern.” God gave him a blueprint in His handwriting for His house.

This wasn’t the only time we see God writing a pattern for people to follow: Moses received the tablets of stone that were "written with the finger of God" (Exodus 24:12, 31:18, 32:15-16) 

This blueprint was of His desire for how His people were to live everyday with Him- the Law.

God unrolled more and more before me. The blueprints that are the prophecies- ones fulfilled and others yet to be fulfilled. The blueprint of man’s heart to God in the psalms of David. He said David was a man after His own heart. I know that is taken as meaning he pursued God, but what if it means in the pattern of God. In the model of. From the blueprints of.

The blueprint of God’s heart toward man in the person of Jesus Christ. The blueprint of how He wants to connect to mankind, and mankind to Him in the work of the Holy Spirit.

The blueprint of the Cross, what its purpose was and is.  I believe the design God put in place for the temple and for His people gives a window into some of the beautiful mysteries of the Cross.

Just before His ascension, Jesus said He was going to prepare a place for us. He already has the blueprints. Can you imagine what this Carpenter from Galilee is preparing for us!

Then He breezed through history of His blueprint of how the gospel spread across the earth. How Jesus came at a time when people were just starting to travel. How the developments in technology coincided with the distribution of His Word like book binding, and the printing press… yes even the internet! His desire for every heart to know Him.

I, then, found myself face to face with the promises spoken over my own life. Words of Promise… Words of prayer. Prophetic words. The promises were blueprints of God’s best design and desire for my life. If I could stick to His plans.

Those coming on our trip have a promise that He will meet them in Israel because He has invited them.

Those of you following along will be able to bear witness to the work that God is about to perform. A work that very well may be the ground breaking ceremony of some of the blueprints of the lives involved.

He is the architect. God is the engineer. He is the inventor.

If we can get ahold of the blueprints He has for us and believe that their design is perfect, we may very well see something built in our lifetime that changes the skyline forever.

“For I know the plans (blueprints!) I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.” Jeremiah 29:11

Come build something amazing with us. Dust off your blueprints. Open up your promises. Look at what God longs to perform in your life. Believe Him.