Building

Sometimes we believe we can hope in anything, and that God will redeem every situation. But that isn’t true. If a man builds on sand and a storm comes, the house will fall (Mt 7:24-27). God cannot make the house stand. What a man builds with, and where he builds are important.

A man must build with good materials. The tests of life will try his works as if by fire (1 Cor 3:10-15). If he has built with combustible material, all he builds will perish in the fire. There is no hope and no redemption for his works. He must start over.

There are many who seek favor with men and are commended and promoted by the same. We do not have this example in Jesus’ life. He built His ministry on seeing and doing what His Father showed Him. Jesus was no respecter of persons because His Father was no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34). All who seek favor with men are building with combustible material, for in the day of their testing they will do what pleases men and not what pleases God.

Satan deceives men into thinking compromise with the world is worth it. “Riches will show the unsaved person that God’s blessing is on your life” is a common lure into greed. “Tell them I accept them just as they are” is a common enticement into keeping relationships smooth and favorable. Yet, Jesus was loved by the Father and was not rich. His relationships with His disciples were solid, but the world hated Him.

What does Jesus have as a result of the work He built? He built with eternal materials and has an on-going ministry that will never end. All who have laid down their lives and followed Him also have works that bear fruit in coming generations. Their books have been read and their songs have been sung from generation to generation. The lessons they taught begat teachers who continue to pass the truths down for future times.

To have hope in the future we must build with good materials and upon the solid foundation of obedience to God’s Word. It is not faith to have hope in that which is poorly constructed. It is true faith to build with God. Let us go forward into those works appointed to us from the foundation of the world and build as if they will last forever. Amen.