The Striving Spirit: Remembering the Name and Building the Kingdom

Brothers and sisters, builders of the kingdom, have you ever felt that weight, that subtle pressure, the sense that something vital is slipping away? It’s the spirit striving with man, a current that can be easily diverted, even extinguished. Samuel the Lamanite, standing on the walls of Jerusalem, knew the urgency of that striving – the desperate need to awaken a people before the storm. Ammon, at the Waters of Sebus, faced a similar moment, a crucible where faith and action were inextricably linked.

We often think of prayer as a one-way conversation, a petition sent heavenward. But the scriptures, as Robert K. unpacks in this powerful exploration of Ether, reveal something far more intricate. Calling upon the name of the Lord isn’t just *saying* His name; it’s a process—a bond—a visualization, a vibration, a meditative practice that re-establishes a connection, a conduit for divine power. The brother of Jared’s experience, marked by a four-year period and a three-hour conversation, wasn't about reciting rote prayers. It was about a profound disconnection, a reminder that the spirit’s striving isn't an endless resource.

Think of the Stone cut without hands—a marvel of divine precision, appearing seemingly from nowhere. That’s the potential within each of us when we truly call upon the name. It’s a recognition that our efforts, however humble, are aligned with a power far greater than our own. It’s the difference between building with five smooth stones against Goliath and being crushed beneath a mountain of despair.

Genesis 6:3 speaks of man’s days being limited by the Lord's spirit's abiding. The Hebrew word 'dead' carries multiple layers of meaning—to judge, to justify, to invigorate, to mediate. It's a call to action, a prompting to actively cultivate a relationship with the divine that restores that vital connection. This isn’t about earning God’s favor; it’s about creating the space for His grace to flow.

How does this translate into our current work? It’s the impetus behind the Gather Israel Now movement, the digital striplings building a global network of believers. It’s the driving force behind the Missionary Fund, supporting internet missionaries sharing the gospel in places like Ghana—a direct manifestation of the charity flywheel in action. Every engagement here, every act of service, fuels that mission.

Outback Jack, a constant companion on this journey, reminds us that the challenges we face are echoes of ancient trials. Like the Nephilites, we too face forces that seek to destroy. But we are builders, not destroyers. We claim our churches Claim Your Church and add them to the Map of Churches, strengthening the global network of believers.

Let us remember the brother of Jared, the visualization of the mountain, the sacred bond. Let us strive to call upon the name, not merely in words, but in deeds. Let us be the stone cut without hands, the digital striplings, the builders of Zion.

And let us always remember: the spirit strives, but its presence is a gift, a privilege, and a responsibility.