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Building on the Foundation – Precious Stones
Prayers 1. My spiritual building will not fall or fail in the name of Jesus Christ. 2. My spiritual journey will be pleasing to God in the name of Jesus.
Text: 1 Corinthians 3:9-15 9 For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building. 10 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. 11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 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. 14 If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.
We previously reviewed through how to identify and repair faulty foundations. We have also noted that each one of us is a building (1 Corinthians 3:9). We are not just any building but God’s building. Our lives individually are God’s house:
And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people.” (2 Corinthians 6:16)
We have been enjoined in V10 of our text that each one of us should take heed (be careful, be watchful, consider appropriately) how he or she builds on that foundation and what he or she builds on the foundation.
We have also noted that, it is not enough to have a good and solid foundation; it is equally important to build a good structure on the foundation to have a house that could be lived in safely, comfortably, put to good use and be beneficial.
We have already seen what it means to build with perishable materials such as hay, wood and stubble. Today, we are turning a corner to see how to build with enduring materials. What are precious stones? Why should we build our spiritual life, our building with precious stones?
We have already noted that the spiritual affects the physical body and determines the ultimate destination of the soul of man, since man is made of soul spirit and body (1 Thessalonians 5:23).
What are precious stones? Precious stones are stones that are precious.
These are stones that are rare, not easy to come by.
They are usually expensive.
Let us consider some natural precious stones before we look at spiritual precious stones.
The pearlsource.com provides a list of some very valuable and rare precious stones: What gemstone is most valuable? Here is the Top 10 list of most expensive gemstones in the world:
What is the most rare gem in the world? Check out the rarest 10 gems in the world:
What does it mean to build with precious stones?
How do you build with precious stones?
1. Building with something precious: This is the willingness to give to the Lord, all you have. In 1 Kings 17:8-24, the widow of Zarephath gave her last meal. Not just her last meal, but also the last meal of her son.
Parents are willing to sacrifice their meals for their children, but more unwilling to sacrifice the food of their children. This kind of sacrifice is a precious stone sacrifice for building the kingdom.
Peter sacrificed his daily living, left his fishing business and followed the Lord wholeheartedly.
James and John did the same.
Matthew left his taxation business to tend to the business of the King of kings.
Mary gave the Lord very precious ointment in John 12:3-8, when she anointed the Lord with very precious oil. It was so precious that people around began to complain about how expensive her gift to the Lord was. The gift was worth about a year’s wages. In today’s terms, it may have been close to spending $30,000 on a perfume and using it to anoint the Lord. This is a precious stone sacrifice.
2. Love: The greatest of all virtues and commandments. In John 15:12, Jesus commanded us to love one another as He has loved us. Love propels sacrifice.
3. Obedience: Sometimes obedience is not easy, but it is the pathway to building a structure with precious stones that will endure. Obedience is a precious stone that will cost you something. From the Old Testament to the New Testament, obedience is commanded. The Bible states in Deuteronomy 13:4
You shall walk after the LORD your God and fear Him, and keep His commandments and obey His voice; you shall serve Him and hold fast to Him.
4. Hold onto God: In both easy and difficult situations, knowing that God does not and cannot fail. Be like the 3 Hebrew boys in Daniel 3:8-30 who were willing to go into the fire without denying God’s love. They did not turn their backs to God even at the threat of death. They held onto Him with unwavering trust and God delivered them from the flames of the fire, slew their captors instead and turned the heart of the idolatrous king and nation of Babylon to the worship of God.
5. Unwavering commitment to God in Faith: Knowing that God wants the best for you and will give you the best. Faith is being sure that God will come through for you, no matter what is happening. Being sure that you will come out well in the end (Hebrews 11:1).
Abraham became the father of faith, an example to all of us because of his unwavering faith as stated in Romans 4: 18-21
18Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations; according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. 19And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb: 20He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; 21And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.
6. Be a willing sacrifice: Knowing that God owns you, all that you have and your spiritual building. This is possible through whole-hearted commitment to God as stated in Romans 12: 1-2
1I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
7. Be prayerful: Committing your cares and desires to God as you know that he cares for you. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. (1 Peter 5:7) The KJV version states: casting all your cares upon Him (God) for He cares for you.
Prayer 1. Holy Spirit help me run this race well till the end and let me finish strong in the name of Jesus.
The grace to build with something precious, acceptable to God, may God give to you in Jesus’ name. May the grace to love and be obedient to God come upon your life in Jesus’ name. Receive grace for unwavering faith and commitment to God in Jesus name. May the grace to be prayerful and to be a willing sacrifice come upon your life in Jesus’ name. May the Most High God help you in Jesus’ name. You will have a building of God, built with materials acceptable to heaven in Jesus mighty name.
Announcements
Prayers 1. Give thanks
2. Born again?
3. Every building of perishable items in my life, catch fire in the name of Jesus.
4. The grace to build with enduring materials come upon my life in Jesus’ name.
5. Love of the Father and my neighbors overshadow my life in Jesus’ name.
6. Grace to be prayerful and cast all my cares upon God, come upon my life in Jesus’ name.
7. Faith and unwavering trust in God, come upon my life in Jesus’ name.
8. Power to get wealth, come upon my life in Jesus’ name.
9. I receive healing and deliverance from every sickness and difficult situation in Jesus’ name.
10.Evil conspiracies against my life scatter in the name of Jesus.
11.Unrelenting antagonists and conspirators working against my life and progress, antagonise and destroy yourselves in Jesus’ name.
12.Goliath, Pharaoh and Herod of my father’s and mother’s houses die in Jesus name.
13.Father, heal all those who are sick or have been infected by the corona virus in Jesus’ name.
14.Lord, let the pandemic die out of lives, our communities and nations in the name of Jesus.
15.I bind every strongman that have stolen from me and recover my goods in Jesus name.
16.I will not die I will live by the power in the blood of Jesus.
17.I will have progressive increase, joy, peace, flourishing and great accomplishments in all areas of my life, family, career, academics, business, ministry and destiny in Jesus mighty name.
18.My life and family are shielded with the blood of Jesus against every attack from the kingdom of darkness in Jesus name.
19.I receive the anointing of ease in my endeavors in Jesus name.
20.Personal prayer points.
21.Give thanks. |
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