Building your spiritual house (Pt.3)

Pt. 3-Firm Footing

“Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”-Matthew 7:24-27

One of the most important decisions that a person can make when building a house is choosing (not only the architect), but the location. Realtors have a mantra: “Location, Location, Location”; which means homes can experience large increases or decreases in value due to nothing other than where they are located. In Jesus’ parable, the focal point wasn’t about building in the right neighborhood, but that the house is built on the right kind of soil. I didn’t realize, until I started studying for this series, that from an engineering standpoint that soil integrity was so important to making sure that a house stays structurally sound. Apparently, however, Jesus knew it! 

There are some well-known examples of structural failures that resulted from a lack of soil knowledge. One of the most famous is the Leaning Tower of Pisa. The land beneath seemed stable during the dry season when building began, but the soil became unstable during the wet season and sank under the weight of the building. What’s worse, is it sank unevenly, causing the tower to lean. 

So choosing what to build your house on is an important first step. Jesus says that when we choose to obey God’s Word we build our lives on solid ground. When we choose to ignore God’s Word we build on shifting sand. 

One of these scenarios we sing about: “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness; I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus’ name. On Christ, the Solid Rock, I stand; all other ground is sinking sand, all other ground is sinking sand.”

The other is unreliable, unable to withstand the storms of life and gives no strength to our faith. You can build your life on a lot of things: worldly principles, personal desires or cultural norms. The problem is that each of these shifts with the times and preferences of society. 

However, God’s Word is unchanging:

“Forever, O Lord, your word is firmly fixed in the heavens.”- Psalm 119:89

When we build our lives on God’s Word we are choosing a foundation that is firmly fixed. It is at this point that our spiritual house is ready to be built, which begins with laying the cornerstone. 

Scott Burr

Dayspring Community Church 

Building your spiritual house (Pt.2)

(Part 2: The Architect)

“Unless the Lord builds a house, the work of the builders is wasted. Unless the Lord protects a city, guarding it with sentries will do no good.”-Psalm 127:1

Probably, next to choosing the right location, the most important decision a person building their dream home can make is to choose the right architect. 

When we try and build a life for God using our own design, our own plans, or our own wish list; we labor in vain because we are not building God’s house, we are building a house for God based on our own preferences. 

In Hebrews 11:10 we read how Abraham was searching for a city whose builder and maker is God:

“Abraham was confidently looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God.”-

Abraham left his home in Ur in search of the eternal architect. He had no idea where he was going but he knew who he was looking to find. He was passionate about the Architect before he ever knew the design plans. Blueprints, mind you, that God already had planned for Abraham’s life. 

A dream home doesn’t become a dream home when the project is complete and move-in ready. Rather, it becomes our dream home the moment our desire begins to formulate the design in our hearts and minds. 

God has been planning His dream home in you for a very long time:

““I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.”-Jeremiah 1:5

“You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.”-Psalm 139:16

The word of God teaches us through Jeremiah and David that His blueprints for our lives pre-date our existence. God has a vision for your life. He has a dream and a purpose:

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.”-Jeremiah 29:11

When we bought our current home, it wasn’t move in ready. It needed work. it needed counter tops, paint, lighting, plumbing work, and a deep clean. It wasn’t yet what we envisioned , but it was still our dream home. We still have a bathroom to remodel, cabinets to paint, and flooring to put down, but it is still our dream home. It’s a work in progress and so are you. 

You are a living stone that is bing built up as a spiritual house. The truth is, you don’t have to be move in ready to be God’s dream home. He isn’t afraid of fixer uppers. Your life doesn’t scare Him. He sees the completed project. The question is are you going to let Him be the architect of your life? 

Scott Burr

Dayspring Community Church 

Building your spiritual house (Pt.1)

(Part 1: God’s Dream Home)

“4 And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God, 5 you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”-1 Peter 2:4-5

I would venture to say that most people, at one time or another, have fantasized about their dream home. We’ve dreamed about its location, imagined it’s design, and considered the features it may include. In fact, as a culture we are so enamored by the idea of building or finding our dream homes that we have entire television network dedicated to it. Shows like Property Brothers, Fixer Upper, and Flip or Flop feed our desire to build or transform our houses into our ultimate forever home. 

But what about God? Does God have a dream home?

Throughout the Old Testament God had several places that he dwelt. Early on God met with Moses in a tent (Exodus 33:7). Later Moses built a tabernacle according to God’s design (Exodus 40:34-35). A little later in history, King David, purposed to build God a temple that later his son Solomon would construct (2 Samuel 7:2). However, Acts 7:48 declares something very interesting:

“However, the Most High does not dwell in houses made by human hands.”

Although God doesn’t live in man-made temples, He does have a dream home!

According to 1 Peter 2:4-5, you as living stones are bing built up as a spiritual house. The Apostle Paul built on this idea in 1 Corinthians 3:16:

“Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?”

You may have a hard time believing this, but you are God’s dream home. You are being built into a dwelling place for God! Perhaps, however, you feel more like a fixer upper than a dream home. It’s alright if you don’t see it yet, because God does. 

I am always amazed at architects and designers who can look at a dilapidated old building and see what others cannot. They are able to see past the broken banisters, crumbling foundation, and leaky roof because they have a vision of the completed project. They have a a dream for that space, just like God has a dream for the space He desires to occupy. 

Scott Burr

Dayspring Community Church 

Living a gospel-centered life (Pt.5)

Part 5

“You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.”-Philippians 2:5

To live a gospel-centered life we have to develop the same same selfless attitude towards ourselves as Jesus had towards himself. Philippians 2:6-8 helps us to understand how Jesus viewed himself:

“Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges: he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.”

Three things jump out from me from this passage:

1. Though He was God, He did not think of equality with God as something to hold onto. This flies in the face of our current culture that believes that striving to be in the top spot is the goal of life. 

     2.  He gave up His divine privileges and took the humble position of a servant.

           Jesus vacated His heavenly position, with all of its privileges, to become a servant. 

     3. He humbled Himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death. He laid aside 

          His own aspirations to fulfill His father’s will. 

Many people reject this line of thinking because they have convinced themselves that the only way to achieve any particular status is through self-promotion. However, look carefully at Philippians 2:9-11:

“Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,  in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

The word “therefore” means: for that reason. Because of Jesus’ selfless (gospel-centered) attitude, God promoted Him to the place of highest honor, gave Him a name above all other names, and great authority over heaven and earth. 

The Apostle Paul admonishes us to we should conduct ourselves in the very same way:

“Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him. Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people.”-Philippians 2:12-15

Ultimately, to live a gospel-centered life is to live a Jesus-centered life where Christ shines through us to communicate the love of God to a world full of hurting and broken people. 

Scott Burr

Dayspring Community Church