Tag: foundation
Works tested by fire
Scripture reading for August 3rd: 1st Corinthians 3, Psalm 4, Proverbs 30
1st Corinthians 3: 10-15 “According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds on it. For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw–each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.”
Paul emphasized that as a preacher for God, his job was to lay a foundation of faith in Jesus Christ as the cornerstone of each spiritual building. After that foundation, each person was responsible for how they built their lives on that foundation. The life of faith and good works that we chose or the life of living in the flesh will each be tested by fire at the judgment seat of Christ. The works will be tested by fire. Some believers will lose their reward because of works of flesh. Others will have a rich reward. All will still experience salvation. Our prayer should be for daily guidance in building on the solid foundation of Jesus.
Psalm 4:1, 3 “Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have given me relief when I was in distress. Be gracious to me and hear my prayer!” . . .“But know that the Lord has set apart the godly for Himself; the Lord hears when I call to Him.”
Prayer: Father God, thank You for the solid foundation of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Thank You for those who preached the Word of faith that I might hear and believe. Thank You for hearing my prayers and guiding my life each day into the works You have prepared for me. May my life and works bring glory to Your Name and expand Your kingdom rule to all who hear the Good News.
Proverbs 30:7-8 “Two things I ask of You; deny them not to me before I die: Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, . .”
The Day of Judgment tests our works
Scripture reading for August 29th: Isaiah 23-25, 1st Corinthians 3
1st Corinthians 3: 10-15 “According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw–each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through the fire.”
Paul explained the life of following Jesus Christ like building a house. Jesus Christ was the cornerstone of any true building for God. Each person who built upon that foundation would use various types of building materials to finish the structure. Some would use the gold of faith or the silver and precious stones of works of righteousness. Others would use materials that would not pass through the fire of judgment. Wood, hay or straw were self-centered works or life-styles that would be burned up. As long as Jesus Christ remained the foundation, all would be saved but some would loose their reward.
1st Corinthians 3:16-17 “Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy and you are that temple.”
Prayer: Father God, I have placed Jesus Christ as my cornerstone at Your Word. As I have gone through this life, I have sought to live by faith and apply Your Word to all situations. Forgive me for the times I have failed and used inferior building materials. Help me to remember that all believers are Your earthly ‘Temple’. May I always build up Your church and never destroy it by my actions or attitudes.
Isaiah 24:1,3 “Behold, the Lord will empty the earth and make it desolate, and He will twist its surface and scatter its inhabitants. . . . The earth shall be utterly empty and utterly plundered; for the Lord has spoken this Word.”
Be careful how you build!
Scripture reading for August 27th: Isaiah 23-25, 1st Corinthians 3
Key Scriptures: 1st Corinthians 3:10-13 “According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw–each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done.”
Paul used the example of our spiritual life as a building. As a preacher of the Gospel, he laid a foundation–Jesus Christ as Lord. Each person who received Christ is building on that foundation. Believers must be careful and thoughtful about what materials they are using. The attitudes and actions that we use day by day contribute to the building. Each person’s building –spiritual house– will be tested by fire on the Day of Christ at the judgment seat of Christ. Some works will not pass through the fire. Others done in obedience to Christ will result in reward. The believer will be saved but as through the fire.
Faith confession and prayer: I believe the Church’s One Foundation is Jesus Christ the Lord. Help me Lord, as I live on earth as a believer to be careful how I build my life by obeying Your Word and living by the Holy Spirit.
Isaiah 25:9 “It will be said on that day, “Behold, this is our God; we have waited for Him, that He might save us. This is the Lord; we have waited for Him; let us be glad and rejoice in His salvation.”
Praise for our Cornerstone!
Scripture reading for May 4th: 2nd Chronicles 35-36, Ezra 1-3
Key Scriptures: Ezra 3:10-11 “When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord, the priests in their vestments and with trumpets, and the Levites (the sons of Asaph) with cymbals, took their places to praise the Lord, as prescribed by David, king of Israel. With praise and thanksgiving they sang to the Lord: “He is good; His love to Israel endures forever.” And all the people gave a great shout of praise to the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid.”
Ezra and Zerubbabel organized the workers to rebuild the temple of the Lord at the decree of King Cyrus. They began the work in the second month of the second year of their arrival. The first stone laid was the cornerstone and then the rest of the foundation. When this was laid, the Levites and priests blew trumpets, crashed cymbals, and raised a great song of praise to God for His goodness and love!
Rejoice in our foundation: “For in Scripture it says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious Cornerstone, and the one who trusts in Him will never be put to shame.” Not to you who believe, this stone is precious. . .” (1st Peter 2:6-7)
Building your life on the Rock!
Scripture reading for January 11th: Matthew 7
Key Scriptures: Matthew 7:24-25 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who build his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.”
To have a home that stands the tests of water, storms, and wind, it must have a strong foundation. To have a life that stands the tests of the world, flesh, and the Devil, that life must be anchored to the Rock of Jesus Christ. According to Scripture, Jesus Christ is our Wisdom from God! (1st Corinthians 1:30) These verses promise everyone a guarantee of a life-foundation that will stand up to any test! Hearing God’s Word and putting it into daily practice will never fail to anchor our lives to the One who spoke the word in the first place. His words are true in floods, storms and winds! This foundation will stand up to anything coming against it.
Contrasting this was the man who built his house on the sand as a foundation. To have a sand foundation was to hear the word of God and ignore obedience. When the storms came, this fool’s house fell with a great crash! Jesus was warning against any foundation other than the applied word of God!
Observation for over-comers: Check the foundation of your life–are you hearing and applying the word of God to all areas of your life? “By Wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures.” (Proverbs 24:3-4)