OUR LIVES GODS BUILDING

A traveler comes across three bricklayers on a scaffold. The traveler asks the first one, "What are you doing?"

The first responds, "I am earning a wage."

The traveler then asks the second one, "What are you doing?"

The second responds, "I am building a wall."

They are doing the same "work." Which of the two is laying the better brick?

The traveler then asks the third one, "What are you doing?"

The third responds, "I am building a cathedral." Harris Kern

The story illustrates to us the power behind understanding the big picture on the everyday of laying bricks.But how does this story affects us.Its important that we understand that our lives is like a building in progress but no building is ever completed by one man,it’s a combination of the efforts of each worker that will bring about the completion of the building.

The bible makes it clear to us that we are Gods building,and that he is building us for his habitation.

The Blueprint

Before anyone starts a building he must first have a mental picture of the structure, from that mental picture , the architect can make the blueprint that will be used as guide for the building.No building is built without a blueprint,the blueprint gives you the whole idea of the building,how it is supposed to be layed out and how each room is supposed to be built.

The blueprint gives a clear picture or photo of the building,the blue print gives the big picture.Without an idea of where you are going,or where God wants you to be,you will certainly not get there.Its so important for your life that we understand the big picture of Gods plan and purpose of our life.

It is said to have success in movie production,its important that tedious planning is put into producing the end of the movie,so the end of the movie is rehersed first before the start.movie producers already know the end before they act the beginning.The same way God deals with us,he makes the end before he starts the beginning.

The end of our lives is already created but we determine largely if we will get to that end or not,but how we play out from the beginning determines whether we will get there.

We are taught to always start any project with the end in mind,that stands as a motivation for the finishing of the building,without a picture of the end in mind,we will always not build accordingly.

In football or any game,if you don’t know where the goal post is you cannot score.We must have the end in mind.The builder has the end in mind,as he builds he has a mental picture of the end in his mind.

The blueprint of a building or any product should be with the owner or architect,so how can our lives be built without the blueprint.The blueprint for the building of our lives is right here with us not in heaven,it is the bible that contains the word of God our maker.He created us with a purpose and for a purpose,and he gave us the word as a blueprint and when we build according to the blueprint,then we will be fulfilling his purpose for our lives.

Build according to the blueprint – Exodus 25:8-9;Hebrews 8:5

God called Moses to build for him a sanctuary that he may dwell in it,imagine God asking you to do that,what a huge responsibility,to build a house for God.Where God himself will live in.The same thing applies to us,we are been built for Gods habitation,Gods purpose is to use us,to bring glory to himself.We are created for his pleasure,God created us for himself,that’s the number one reason we were made.

He asked moses to build the sanctuary according to the pattern that,that he will show him.This is so interesting,God has a pattern he wants your life to be built,a specific pattern and its accorsding to his will,his word.

When you read from Exodus 25 down,you will see how God himself,clearly and precisely told moses how and what he is to use in the building of the sanctuary,who was to be involved and to what level,even as to the furnishings and materials that will be used in details.

That was for the building of a physical temple made with human hands,if God was so concerned about that sanctuary how much more do you think he will demand for the building of our lives,that is now Gods temple,the abode of the Holy Spirit.

Apostle Paul further explains that we should be careful how we build,we must also be careful the materials used in the building of our lives,not quatity but quality,the quality of materials you use for the building of your life will determine the quality of life you will have and live.But our focus is to build according to the blueprint given,shown.

Most times in our lives God gives us a mental picture of his purpose for our life,and as we walk with him he begins to give us a step by step plan on what and how to go about the building,he is our architect,our supervisor in the building of our lives and he showed us in his word how we should build and I would like to share how;

THE LAID FOUNDATION – 1CORINTHIANS 3:11

Paul emphasized that no one should lay another foundation,than the one already laid which is Christ Jesus.We cannot over-emphasize the importance of the foundation of a building,the foundation determines the structure of that building,the size and also how high the building can stand.Different structures are determined by their foundation.So is our lives,the kind of foundation will determine how far we will go in life.

Jesus in luke 6:46-49,illustrates this better,relating this to the word of God,as I earlier said your life without the word is hanging on a balance.He emphasized the importance of hearing and doing the word of God as a man who builds a house and digs deep down and laid the foundation on the rock,when the flood came ,the torrent struck the house but could not shake it and another man who hears the word and does nothing about it,is like a man who builds his house on the ground without a foundation and the moment the torrent comes and struck that house it collapsed and its destruction was complete.

This shows clearly how the hearing of the word of God and not just reading it,but hearing and putting it to practice,determines the strength of our foundation and the quality of our building.We can not have sure and good success without the hearing and practicing of Gods word.

The strength of our foundation will be tested,both men had the torrent come against their houses but the one with a solid foundation stood the test of times and the one with no foundation did not.

Jesus is our foundation the solid foundation that holds our building together,without him we would have a shaky building.The bible calls him the stone that the builders rejected “the chief corner stone”. The chief cornerstone is largely an important part of a structure. It was almost like a blue-print stone that was the determining factor in the shape, size, dimensions and ratios of the structure which it supports. It was the most expensive and most valuable stone in the whole house, temple or other building. It was crafted specifically for these purposes.

Jesus is our Chief Cornerstone in the Church, by which we all measure ourselves in spiritual growth a placement. With the chief cornerstone, the walls and entire building were structured in relationship to this precious stone. It was the largest stone, baring the greatest burden of all the stones in the structure. There would be other stones that were cornerstones, but only one chief cornerstone, by which even the other cornerstones were oriented

THE FOUNDATION OF THE FIVEFOLD – Ephesians 2:19-22

We also must understand the importance of the five fold ministry in the building of our lives,since we are building according to blueprint.When we talk of the fivefold,we speak of the Apostles,Prophets,Evangelists, Pastors and Teachers,not necessarily according to an order of importance but as they appeared according to a chronological order.

Ephesians 4:12-14;

And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:That we [henceforth] be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, [and] cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive

The purpose of the fivefold is to prepare Gods people works of service,so that the body of christ may be built up,until we all reach the unity of the faith,taking us to maturity,till we attain the fulness of the measure of christ,still following after the pattern.We are been built and patterned after Christ Jesus,the first purpose of God is that we attain to the meausure of the stature of christ.

So the fivefold is very important in this building,they are called and are building according to the pattern God has given them till we achieve God’s number one purpose which is attaining to the full meausre of the stature of christ.

We must be planted in a local denomination if this is to be achieved,you can not grow to that height until you are part of a local church,were the word of God is taught and preached to your hearing and as you hear the word and participate and practice it you grow to that stature of christ.

THE MATERIALS FOR THE BUILDING –

When God listed the materials for the building he was very particular about what was used and when you study Exodus 25,26.

you will not find anything of low quality in the building of the sanctuary,even as far as to the kind of builders,men that were renouned in their skill were men he chose by himself for the building.

Even paul when he listed,he spoke about gold,silver,costly stones,wood,hay or straw,we determine the quality of material we build with,the quality of material we put into the building will determine the quality of house and the longevity of the building when the season of trial will come.The building will be passed through fire and it kind of materials will be exposed,if it survives you will be rewarded but if its burned up,he will suffer loss,1Corithians 3:12-15

What materials are you using in building your life,I remenber a story of a man,a builder who was given a contract by his friend to build a house for him befitting for a king,and he was given more than enough money so he would be able to buy the very best of material for the building,but been a greedy man,he bought very low quality materials,and finished the building,on the day of the opening of the building,everyone was invited least did he know that it was meant to be a gift to him from the friend who gave him the contract.

That is some of us,God has provided all we need for the building of our lives,including the blueprint but we have decided to use low quality materials,thinking we can get the best by settling for less.You will only get what you put in,you can not give what you don’t have,you will only produce what you are.

How can you build without the big picture,do you have the big picture for your life,God is the owner of our lives and he has set out a structure on how and who should be a part of this building.There are so many people building on sand,building with very low quality material.

You have a vision of what you want to be in life but how much time are you giving daily to it.Success is achieved by the little things we do daily,every successful person has a routine.we must have and follow the picture of the future we want to have in this world.Not all that have dreams fulfill them,but if you must achieve your dreams you must have a blueprint of the building and begin to work with the architect till you achieve that building.

But we must build according to the blueprint.Permit me to say,if you don’t know Jesus as your lord and saviour,you are off track entirely,because the first step to knowing your God given purpose and be in it,is to accept Jesus as your lord and personal saviour and ask him to forgive your sins and come into your life,that is the first step,you can do that right now,and then put yourself in the track that is meant for you.

The next thing is to be part of a local church where you can hear the word of God and be taught,so that you can be built in faith to grow to the fulness of the stature of christ as you associate with other belivers and put to use what you hear.