Faith, Hope Love

5 you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

Everyone belongs, but we must choose to believe in order to walk in our true identity in Christ, manifest our true testimony in the inheritance of Christ, and fulfill our purpose in the destiny of Christ.

Hebrews 4:16 NASB95

16 Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

The foundation of our lives is Christ –

1 Corinthians 3:9–17 NASB95

9 For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building. 10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it. 11 For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. 14 If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. 15 If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire. 16 Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 17 If any man destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him, for the temple of God is holy, and that is what you are.

1 Cor. 3:16 - We are the temple of God and the Holy Spirit dwells in us

· Gold - things of Divine nature and destiny

· Silver - things of redemptive purpose and inheritance

· Precious Stones - things with a testimony of God and Christ character

To be life-giving people we have to have a life-giving foundation in our lives

· The foundation of our life is Christ, the Living Stone

· The Rock of Christ in our lives causes us to be living stones –

o to be life-giving people, life-giving families, a life-giving community

1 Peter 2:4–6 NASB95

4 And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God, 5 you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For this is contained in Scripture: “Behold, I lay in Zion a choice stone, a precious corner stone, And he who believes in Him will not be disappointed.”

What are the stones in the foundation of your life?

· Are they life-giving stones? or, Are they stones of death?

· Stones of death create tomb stones or monuments.

Life-giving stones create a growing mountain of declaring:

· God is great,

· God is good, and

· His mercy endures forever!

What kind of stones does the presence of God create?

When King Solomon built the temple he used ‘large stones’, ‘costly stones’, and ‘hewn stones’

1 Kin. 5:17

These three types of stones are symbolic of the three qualities of stone found in the foundation of Christ.

· These are attributes of living stones.

· They each depict a characteristic of ‘life-giving’ stones for a spiritual house.

1 Cor. 13:13 - faith, hope, love

1. Large stones - God is Great

· Faith comes by hearing and it works through love

· God Loves You - Perfect love casts out all fear

· Fear can be exchanged for Faith

2. Precious Stones - things with a testimony of God and Christ character

· Hope is a testimony that comes by pressure, perseverance, character, hope –

· Rom. 5:1-5 - God is Good

· Doubt can be exchanged for Hope

· God’s grace can empower hope in your life

3. Hewn Stones

· Love is the stone that fits with other stones –

· It is what we become because of the repeated process of faith and hope

· His Mercy Endures Forever

· Unbelief can be exchanged for Love

Life-giving stones create a growing mountain declaring God is great, God is good, and His mercy endures forever!

· God is great - Faith

· God is good - Hope

· His mercy endures forever - Love

What do we see in the mirror?

2 Corinthians 3:18 NASB95

18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.

· These are the unshakable things

God loves all people because He is the Father of all flesh. His love declares that all people belong, but our love for Him declares we believe. His love for us is an invitation to come home and our love for Him is a testimony that we are a home for His presence in our lives. The life that we live we live by faith towards Him.

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