BE…Living & Building Pt4

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; [it is] the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9

Believing in the gospel message is living in the gospel message of Jesus Christ.

What we need to ask ourselves is “What are we trying to build up in our lives when we are not living in the gospel of Jesus Christ?

What am I building on the amazing foundation of Jesus Christ that I might disregard the simple powerful truth of the life saving gospel?

Knowing the pressure is off of proving ourselves- seats us in a place where we can live in Spirit and truth- we can have the mind of Christ. We can "do" and humbly and wonderfully receive without feeding our flesh.

Then Jesus explained: “My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work.” John 4:34

Led by the Spirit, we do the will of God -not “do” to prove ourselves and we receive joy by doing the will of God. The will of God is not just in the big things but everyday small things.

Can you imagine the joy God has everyday doing his work? The creative mind God has …and He created us to share in that joy of his work. The work not just around us but for Him to do His work through us so we might experience the same joy.

That is an amazing thought! Think about what it says in the first book of the bible.

“Then God looked over all he had made and he saw that it was excellent in every way” Genesis 1:31

Excellent in every way…

To live and be free in Christ is to lay down all other devices of justification and worth and see how much Christ matters in our lives. God loves us and in the Holy Spirit “living” grows buds, flowers and fruits of tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. (Reference: Colossians 3:11)

"If you are wise and understand God's ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with humility that comes from wisdom. But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don't cover up the truth with boasting and lying. For jealousy and selfishness are not God's kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. James 3:13-15

"For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. James 3:16-17

Contentment in what the Lord has done brings temperance in our lives. We aren’t one extreme or the other. We aren’t walking in man made rules and understandings that may seem wise and require strong devotion, humility and server bodily discipline but do nothing when it comes to overcoming the wants and desires of the flesh and for vain glory. In this “living” understanding, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. (Reference: Colossians 2:23 & 2 Peter 1:8) And you aren’t lukewarm or indifferent either… if you get my drift? (Reference: Revelation 3:15-19)

Of course from time to time we might allow others and circumstances in life to stand in front of the Lord’s love but it doesn't mean it still isn't there. Just because the sun is being blocked out from the dark clouds doesn't mean the sun isn't there, right?

BUILDING

A house has a foundation. It is probably the most unappreciated and unnoticed part of a house even though it is the most important. Everything that is built on a foundation will be effected by that foundation. If the foundation is true and the builder builds with materials that are not true on it, the foundation will show the faultiness of those materials. If the foundation is faulty then the builder will have a difficult time constructing a structure on that foundation and the house will not be able withstand the stresses and pressures that come against it.

“Righteousness and justice [are] the foundation of Your throne; Mercy and truth go before Your face.” Psalm 89:14

God has placed us on Jesus Christ as our foundation.

"According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 3:9-11

“For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, [you are] God's building.
“What does all this mean? Even though the Gentiles were not trying to follow God's standards, they were made right with God. And it was by faith that this took place.
But the people of Israel, who tried so hard to get right with God by keeping the law, never succeeded.
Why not? Because they were trying to get right with God by keeping the law instead of by trusting in him. They stumbled over the great rock in their path.
God warned them of this in the Scriptures when he said, "I am placing a stone in Jerusalem that makes people stumble, a rock that makes them fall. But anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced." Romans 9:30-33

Intentionally or unintentionally be careful of what you build or allow others to build on your foundation. If it isn’t in deeply rooted and getting nourishment from the freeing message of the gospel- do some demolish work and tear it off.

"But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do the things which I say?
"Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like: "He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock. "But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell. And the ruin of that house was great." Luke 6:46-49

Everything that isn’t abiding in the saving truth and love of Christ will be destroyed and cause confusion within us.

People mean well but they aren’t God.

“Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.“ Galatians 5:1

“For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation [with] gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one's work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is. If anyone's work which he has built on [it] endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire. Do you not know that you are the temple of God and [that] the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which [temple] you are. Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, "He catches the wise in their [own] craftiness"; and again, "The LORD knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile." Therefore let no one boast in men. For all things are yours: whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas, or the world or life or death, or things present or things to come--all are yours. And you [are] Christ's, and Christ [is] God's”. 1 Corinthians 3:11-23

He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, Out of the miry clay, And set my feet upon a rock, [And] established my steps. Psalm 40:2

Be-living and build in the joy and peace of the Lord Jesus Christ.