Matthew 7:24-27(KJV) Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
We have all lived in a house, right? No one here has only lived in a cave?
Unless you were instrumental in the construction of that house, or unless you are a builder by nature, you probably took no thought to what it took to build that house. From site selection, to design, planning, permitting, purchasing material, hiring contractors, pouring the foundation, picking up a hammer, painting, roofing, etc. There are a thousand things to think about when you start the process. Forget something, and it’s just possible that everything will screech to a halt. Hire the wrong laborers and you can get unsatisfactory results. Run out of money – well we all understand that!
Let me share a couple of thoughts with you today on Build It Right.
First, with everything we do, we should always put God first!
Consider these scriptures:
Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness… (Mt 6:33)
When Isaac traveled, he built an altar to God before he put up his tent or dug a well. (Gen 26:23-25)
(Before home and before sustenance, God was first.)
Paul tells Corinth: 1 Corinthians 3:9-11 9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building. 10 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. 11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
There is no other foundation better laid first, than that foundation that is founded upon Christ
You see, the best lives, according to both Scripture and life experience, are built on the foundation of Christ, who is the Cornerstone of all things in our life.
You should always build your life on Christ. What does that mean in practical terms? Christ is our model in building who we are. Aren’t we tired of seeing people who try to mimic the fashions of the world? How does the world earn the privilege on telling us what to look like? How do we just give ourselves over to the worlds lifestyle and think this is pleasing to God?
Christ modeled for us what our life should be like. (Matt 6:25-33) “Take no thought…” for life, food, drink, clothing or about your body. If He can take care of the lilies of the field, how much more will He take care of us? He did not leave, nor has He forsaken us! He is with us through every part of our lives, even to the end of the world! He is the Glue that binds your physical and spiritual house from discord to unity!
Not just any ol’ building material will do – The Story of the Three Little Pigs
Once upon a time there were three little pigs, who went from home to seek their fortune.
The first that went off met a man with a bundle of straw, and said to him: “Good man, give me that straw to build me a house.”
The man gave the straw, and the little pig built his house with it.
Presently came along a wolf, and knocked at the door, and said: “Little pig, little pig, let me come in.”
But the pig answered: “No, no, by the hair of my chiny-chin-chin.”
So the wolf said: “Then I’ll huff, and I’ll puff, and I’ll blow your house in.”
So he huffed, and he puffed, and he blew his house in, and ate up the little pig.
The second little pig met a man with a bundle of furze, and said: “Good man, give me that furze to build me a house.”
The man gave the furze, and the pig built his house.
Then once more came the wolf, and said: “Little pig, little pig, let me come in.”
“No, no, by the hair of my chiny-chin-chin.”
“Then I’ll puff, and I’ll huff, and I’ll blow your house in.”
So he huffed, and he puffed, and he puffed and he huffed, and at last he blew the house in, and ate up the little pig.
The third little pig met a man with a load of bricks, and said: “Good man, give me those bricks to build me a house with.”
The man gave the bricks, and he built his house with them.
Again the wolf came, and said: “Little pig, little pig, let me come in.”
“No, no, by the hair of my chiny-chin-chin.”
“Then I’ll huff, and I’ll puff, and I’ll blow your house in.”
So he huffed, and he puffed, and he huffed, and he puffed, and he puffed and huffed; but he could NOT get the house down.
When your house is stronger than the enemy, he will start to send you enticements to leave your house! Not just once, but three times the wolf tries to entice the pig…
Finding that he could not, with all his huffing and puffing, blow the house down, he said: “Little pig, I know where there is a nice field of turnips.”
“Where?” said the little pig.
“Oh, in Mr Smith’s field, and if you will be ready to-morrow morning we will go together, and get some for dinner.”
“Very well,” said the little pig. “What time do you mean to go?”
“Oh, at six o’clock.”
So the little pig got up at five, and got the turnips before the wolf came crying:
“Little pig, are you ready?”
The little pig said: “Ready! I have been and come back again, and got a nice potful for dinner.”
The wolf felt very angry at this, but thought that he would be a match for the little pig somehow or other, so he said:
“Little pig, I know where there is a nice apple-tree.”
“Where?” said the pig.
“Down at Merry-garden,” replied the wolf, “and if you will not deceive me I will come for you, at five o’clock to-morrow, and get some apples.”
The little pig got up next morning at four o’clock, and went off for the apples, hoping to get back before the wolf came; but it took long to climb the tree, and just as he was coming down from it, he saw the wolf coming. When the wolf came up he said: “Little pig, what! are you here before me? Are they nice apples?”
“Yes, very,” said the little pig. “I will throw you down one.”
And he threw it so far that, while the wolf was gone to pick it up, the little pig jumped down and ran home.
The next day the wolf came again, and said to the little pig:–
“Little pig, there is a fair in town this afternoon; will you go?’
“Oh yes,” said the pig, “I will go; what time?”
“At three,” said the wolf. As usual the little pig went off before the time, and got to the fair, and bought a butter-churn, which he was rolling home when he saw the wolf coming. So he got into the churn to hide, and in so doing turned it round, and it rolled down the hill with the pig in it, which frightened the wolf so much that he ran home without going to the fair. He went to the little pig’s house, and told him how frightened he had been by a great round thing which came past him down the hill.
Then the little pig said. “Ha! ha! I frightened you, then!”
Then the wolf was very angry indeed, and tried to get down the chimney in order to eat up the little pig.
When the little pig saw what he was about, he put a pot full of water on the blazing fire, and, just as the wolf was coming down, he took off the cover, and in fell the wolf.
Quickly the little pig clapped on the cover, and when the wolf was boiled ate him for supper.
Jesus teaches a much more practical story than this fable.
He teaches us a story of two men who go to build a house.
All things being equal, their houses could have been identical.
Not only is the material important, you must also build in the right spot.
Yet the key is, the Storms of Life tests everyone equally.
The storms of life show how well you have built!
It’s less about the material, and more about your foundation.
1 Cor 3: 11-15 11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 13 Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. 14 If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. 15 If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.