Constructing Your House

Psalm 16:6 “The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.”

God’s Word is to be the framework of our lives from the inside out.

God’s rules for us are for our good. They keep us safe.

There are unimaginable rewards for those who completely abandon themselves to the Lord.

I once heard someone say, By rejecting God’s call to obedience in turn we are rejecting His protection.

The only way for our house to be structurally sound, is for us to build it up to “code”. And the only way that we can do that is by obeying the rules God has set in place for us. The rules or commands of God are found in our builders manual. And what is our builders manual? The bible.

***We have to build our houses up to code. If the house isn’t up to code, it doesn’t get the approval to be built. ***

Remember the verse we started off last week?

Psalm 127:1 “Unless the Lord builds a house, its builders labor over it in vain; unless the Lord watches over a city, the watchman stays alert in vain.”

Building codes are the minimum design and construction requirements to ensure safe and resilient structures. These codes reduce casualties, costs and damage by creating stronger buildings designed to withstand disasters. just like we were reading last week

Luke 6:46-48 ““Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and don’t do the things I say? I will show you what someone is like who comes to me, hears my words, and acts on them: He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. When the flood came, the river crashed against that house and couldn’t shake it, because it was well built.”

that person made sure that they built their life the way it was supposed to built.

Building your house the wrong way is unsafe and can lead to disaster.

Luke 14:27-29 “Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. “For which of you, wanting to build a tower, doesn’t first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, after he has laid the foundation and cannot finish it, all the onlookers will begin to ridicule him,”

We need to count the cost now, So we don’t pay the price later.

Know what you are getting into.

Luke 9:23-24 “Then he said to them all, “If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me will save it.”

There is a cost to following Jesus, there is a cost to making him the Lord of your life. The cost is faith and surrender.

It will cost you your life on Earth, to gain your life in Christ.

We have to take into account the cost, when it comes to becoming a disciple of Christ. In other words, we need to understand what it will take for us to finish this christian life before making the full commitment. So many people say yes now, and then later fall away and drift into a faithless lifestyle because they simply just wanted salvation, they didn’t want Jesus. They just want to do what they need to, to avoid hell, not also grow in the knowledge of Jesus

Proverbs 24:3-4 “A house is built by wisdom, and it is established by understanding; by knowledge the rooms are filled with every precious and beautiful treasure

The word built here used as a verb, means to combine materials. However used in the noun sense, it means person. Establish here, means to make stable and firmThink about that for a second. At first glance, we read just a house, but if we look further into it, The Lord is talking about us and our lives. So how do we get this wisdom and knowledge and understanding? If this verse here is talking about us and we may have missed this reference, then how many verses about us building our life are in the bible that we have been missing.

We must be intentional , so that we build our house the correct way.

The bible is full of discipleship. Stories and history of it being done the right and the wrong way. We need to be in those stories and learn from the successes and the mistakes of those who were before us.

James 3:17-18 “But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peace-loving, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without pretense. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who cultivate peace.”

James 1:5 “Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God—who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly—and it will be given to him.”

Our house needs Power

Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.””

The Holy Spirit is to be our energy source, our life source, the static in our veins and wired all around and in our house.

Galatians 5:16-18 “I say, then, walk by the Spirit and you will certainly not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit desires what is against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you don’t do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.”

1 John 1:5-7 “This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light, and there is absolutely no darkness in him. If we say, “We have fellowship with him,” and yet we walk in darkness, we are lying and are not practicing the truth. If we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.”

Rid yourself from anything that is not of light.

Matthew 5:14-16 ““You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lampstand, and it gives light for all who are in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.”

When we live in step with the Spirit, we are prepared for whatever comes our way.

Proverbs 18:10 “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are protected.”

We need to be strong towers and places of refuge for others when they are in need. We need to always be ready to love and comfort others when they are in need. Have you ever been in need and you knew the first person you could call or ask if you could head over and when you get them on the phone or meet up with them, they leave you feeling comforted, empowered, loved, and cared for? That’s what we need to be for others. and that only comes from a house that is powered by the Lord and His word.

1 Thessalonians 5:5 “For you are all children of light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or the darkness.”

Our house needs Peace

John 14:27 ““Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Don’t let your heart be troubled or fearful.”

we have all heard the saying “no Jesus, no peace. Know Jesus, know peace.” It’s true. The only way we can attain peace in this life is by surrendering our burdens and our fears to Him.

Peace is the result of trust and surrender.

1 Peter 5:7 “casting all your cares on him, because he cares about you.”

Philippians 4:6-7 “Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”

Our house take first Priority

2 Peter 3:18 “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity.”

God helps us now, so we can help others later.

we cannot disciple others if we have not yet been discipled ourselves. In order to bring understanding to other people we have to know and understand Him ourselves. We cannot lead other people to places that we have not been ourselves.

Ministry is last priority. Growing in Christ comes first.

Conclusion :

*Prioritize your prayer life and bible and devotional time with Jesus first. Don’t put anyone or anything before Him. He is with you and for you. Tap in and press in to the Lord daily, and ask Him this week to build you up, and establish His Word and Truth in you, so you can be the best disciple that you can be.

What in my life needs to be surrendered and/or entrusted to Jesus?

Who are the people in my life that I need to be around more and talk to more, that will aid me in living a Godly life? ((i.e. accountability partner, life group, home group.))

What is hindering my spiritual growth that I need to put below the Lord?