Let The Lord Build Your House

"LET THE LORD BUILD YOUR HOUSE"

INTRODUCTION

As he surveyed the damage, Bill could not believe it. It was all ruined, everything. All that he had worked so hard for these many years. Everything was now laying in a huge pile on the ground...

In just one instant -- it was all gone. And as Bill walked around -- shifting through the debris, he began to think to himself.. "it really wasn’t that bad of a storm, sure the winds were high, but look at all the other houses around me, they look as though there never even was a storm. I think -- no I know, I really missed up this time.... I should have listened to the people who warned me not to take short cuts in building my house -- they told me that storms would come -- and that it was better to be prepared. But I didn’t want to hear any of it -- Yeah, I saved a little time and money (seemed like a good idea at the moment) -- but look at me now... I’d do anything to go back and do things right...

And as he was about to leave and go into town, under what was once his little girl’s bedroom wall was her favorite doll, "annie" Bill picked Annie up, and as he clutched that soiled toy -- tears flooded from his eyes.... as he sobbed, "they are all gone, all of them...what am I going to do."

Jesus had been preaching for a while, and the multitudes were in awe at what he had said -- never had they heard someone speak with such power, wisdom and authority. Everything Jesus had said was awesome -- and perhaps some, were wondering how would he conclude such a great message.... How do you bring such teaching to an end.

This is how Jesus concluded his sermon to the multitudes on the mountains on the shore of the Galilee.

LUKE 6:46-49

1994 is now history -- for some it was a good year, for others it was a year that they would rather forget about. For some, it was full of good times and good things -- and for others, it was full of heartache, disappointment and pain. But whatever the year 1994 brought your way, it is over and a new year is now shining forth from the horizon.

You know, there is really not much we can do about 1994 -- we can only hope that we will learn from both it’s failures and it’s successes.

So since I can’t do anything right now to improve your 94’ -- I’d like to instead tell you how to make plans for a better 95’.

Would you like your 95’ to be better than 94’? Could you use a really good year, this time around?

Well, today is the first day of the new year and if you follow the simple advise I will give you -- 1995 will be better -- AND MY ADVISE IS SIMPLY THIS, LET THE LORD BUILD YOUR HOUSE IN 95. The Psalmists writes in Psalm 127:1;

"UNLESS THE LORD BUILDS THE HOUSE, IT’S BUILDERS LABOR IN VAIN..." DO YOU BELIEVE THAT? IT’S TRUE!!

AND TODAY, I WANT TO BRING THIS CONCEPT HOME BY ANSWERING 3 QUESTIONS.

I. THE FIRST QUESTION IS, WHAT IS THE HOUSE THAT WE ARE TO LET THE LORD BUILD?

Well let me say up front that I have good news for those of you/ who like me, have little talent in carpentry or construction. BECAUSE, I am not talking about a house that is made up of wood, cement, nails and mortar.. No, I am talking about a much more important house...

THE HOUSE THAT YOU AND I ARE BUILDING: IS OUR LIFE -- IT’S WHAT WE THINK -- IT’S WHAT WE DO -- IT’S WHAT’S IMPORTANT TO US -- IT’S WHO WE ARE....

AND FOR US TO TRY TO BUILD OUR HOUSE/LIFE WITHOUT GOD AS THE ARCHITECT/AS THE MASTER DESIGNER -- IS TO LABOR IN VAIN.....

FOR US, TO LAY A FOUNDATION OTHER THEN GOD -- IS TO BUILD FOOLISHLY.

FOR US, TO ATTEMPT TO LIVE THIS LIFE WITHOUT GOD AT OUR CENTER -- IS TO SET A COURSE FOR DESTRUCTION & DISAPPOINTMENT.

FOR US, TO ATTEMPT TO BUILD A FAMILY WITHOUT GOD AT THE CORE IN A VERY REAL WAY -- IS A SURE PLAN FOR FAILURE... KIDS WILL GO ASTRAY AND PARENTS WILL SPLIT UP.

YES, FOR US TO PUT OTHER THINGS BEFORE GOD IS A SURE PATH TO HEARTACHE.

THE HOUSE THAT WE ARE TO BUILD IS ONE WHOSE CORE AND FOUNDATION IS A STRONG RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD -- GOD IS TO BE THE CORNERSTONE... IT IS TO BE A SPIRITUAL HOUSE.

And this house that we are to build consists of more than what we are as individuals; it also consists of our contributions to the Kingdom/Church.. Listen to the words of God in I Peter 2:4,5;