Building Something That Lasts Series

When you are born again in Christ you receive the Holy Spirit. He takes up residence inside you. Your body becomes the temple in which God lives. The foundation for building a beautiful temple for God's glory and His purposes has been laid.

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Now the construction to make it a Holy residence for His presence begins. Each of us is responsible for its continued Holy construction for ourselves…and we are also helping others become Holy tenders. The bible calls this process - sanctification. It is the process of becoming like Jesus.

And if any of us presume to be builders for God we'd better build carefully using gold, silver or costly stones.

If we go outside of God's purpose and use wood, hay or straw…"The builders world will be shown for what it is…because the day will bring it to light…it will be tested by fire…and the fire will reveal the quality of each man's work

Paul chose gold, silver and costly stones when it came to the Corinthians. He chose to build maturity in their lives instead of choosing sides in petty arguments. He wanted to teach tem to be temples instead of outhouses.

Godly builders have to dig deep for these sacred truths. You might find straw, wood and hay just laying around on the surface---but the costly things….the things that last and stand the test of fire require courage to dig deep spiritually.

[Here's an example: suppose someone doesn't like something in the church and they begin to get critical or begin to tear down…do you dig deep and remind them of "the one purpose" or as you settle for wood, hay and straw by trying to placate and please…Do you try to make sure they're on your side… or do you share the expectation that building for the kingdom is much more important]

It seems clear there will be builders who chose the wood, hay and straw option…and they will not lose their salvation…."They'll suffer loss, but, he himself will be saved as one escaping through the flames"

But as a leader in God's house I don't want to stand before Jesus with a smoldering mulch pile behind me….I want to stand before him with people who have dug deep and are purified by the fire, like Gold and Silver, not burnt up.

People as the temple of God are so sacred each building block of ministry we lay…needs to be laid with the question…does it build up or destroy…does it help people grow up into Christ or does it keep them infants. Let me end by saying….A church with a powerful purpose is laid by men and woman who are spiritual in their thinking and wisdom. It is that Spirit that makes us sacred….It is that Spirity that gives us insight into the heart and mind of God according to Romans 8:27.

"And he who searches our hearts, knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will".

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Janus Chan in the book "Forgotten God" shares the reason the Holy Spirit exists in each believer. It's shared and it’s the right reason