What is God Building in You

No, brethren, I've always been impressed by those who could build things. Not all that press with me, and impressed with me because I'm not that great of a builder in many ways, at least not the physical things. There are lots of ways to build, however. Some have learned to build buildings, they've learned to build houses and garages and game rooms. Others have learned to build swimming pools, motor homes, different types of automobiles, travel-wide trailers, tree houses.

Others have learned to build tractors and semi-trucks and cranes. Some have learned to build microscopes, telescopes, televisions, radios. Some have learned to build airplanes, jumbo jets, ships, cruisers, liners, helicopters, tanks, nuclear bombs, atomic bombs, hydrogen bombs. Some have built skyscrapers, castles, great cathedrals. Some have even built temples. Others know how to build microchips or computers, cell phones, even Swiss watches. So the list goes on and on and on and on, because so many things have been built. But ultimately, where did all this building come from?

The awesome Creator God obviously has a lot of marvelous qualities, he has a lot of wonderful traits. I submit to you that God is a master builder, both God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ. They're master builders, they're master designers, and ultimately all building, in a sense, comes from them. God has made mankind in his image with the ability to create and to build many marvelous things. In a real sense, we are chips off the old block. We've inherited from God this great ability to build and to design. In a very real sense, this ability to create is the very essence of who and what God is.

And most importantly, we know that God is building an eternal family. And in order to have an eternal family, God is in the business of creating godly character. We heard about that in the sermonette.

God does want us to develop godly character. He is building that within each and every one of us. But of course, he needs our cooperation. He also needs our submission to him. He will do the building, but we must each allow him to build character in us. So my question today is, what are you building in your life, or perhaps better yet, what is God building in you? So if you want a sermon title, that's it. What is God building in you?

We know that God is a builder. Let's go to Genesis chapter 1. We know that he has created the entire universe. The Bible begins with God creating, with God building. Verse 1, Genesis 1, In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. And we won't take the time to read all of this, of course, but it goes right down the line and shows what God built every single day. And then when we get to verse 26, God said, let us... He was speaking about the two beings that were part of the God family at that time.

God the Father and the One who became Jesus Christ, the One through whom He created all things. God said, let us make man in our image, according to our likeness, and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, over the cattle, over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth. So God created man in His own image. God built us. He built man. In the image of God, He created him, male and female. He created them.

And God blessed them, and God said to them, be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and subdue it. And He gave us dominion over all the creatures on the earth. And then when we go down to verse 31, then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the old saying, God makes no junk is certainly true. It was all very good, and indeed it was very, very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

Thus the heavens and the earth and all the host of them were finished. And God created these things. And on the seventh day, God ended His work, which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work, which He had done. So God is certainly the great builder, the great designer, the master developer, you might say. God is in verse 1 of chapter 2, Thus the heavens and the earth and all the host of them were finished.

And on the seventh day God ended His work, which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day. On this day, in the weekly cycle, the seventh day, God rested and sanctified it, and He rested from all that He had created and made. So again, we see that God is a builder of worlds. He is a builder of the human species. He is a builder of the family. We were all created in His image. And this means that we, too, are builders. Just look at our civilizations, and you will see that this is true.

Since ancient times, mankind has continuously built homes. They've continuously built palaces and temples and unique cultures around the world. It's really quite fascinating to study history, to study the different parts of the world, the different societies, and how they developed. So man is indeed a builder. In Genesis 11, it shows that man got together and decided to build a big tower that was referred to as the Tower of Babel. That's where God confused. That's what Babel means. He confused their languages because they were advancing so quickly. They said, let us build ourselves a city. Let's make a name for ourselves. Let's build ourselves a city. And they were beginning to do that.

And they had asphalt and mortar, and they were really beginning to build some amazing things. And true to our heritage, man is a builder of cities, a builder of empires, a builder of kingdoms and governments, different organizations. We are wired to have an uncontrollable need to create and build from the time that we're born, it seems. The desire to build is in our DNA. I like to build. I'm just not that accomplished at building some things. I don't know that you'd like to live in a house that I built, unless I got a lot of help.

But the desire to build is in our DNA. I wish in many ways that I had grown up where my father would have taught me a lot of these things, where I would have done a lot of work like that, construction work. It would have made things easier for me over the years.

But again, we all have different talents and abilities. We can't do everything. But the desire to build is certainly there, and I would actually like to become a better builder in the days ahead. I don't know that I will. I'm going to have to dedicate myself to that. I need to build that shed instead of buy it, Barbara. I'll probably buy a shed. But you know, God gave us all the innate desire to build, to improve, to increase our lot through building. So let's take a look at the Bible and what it says about building. And let's consider what is it that God is building in you.

In John 5, let's go there for a moment, John 5. So we fast forward all the way into the New Testament. And in chapter 5 of the book of John, Jesus healed a sick, crippled man, a man who had been sick for 38 years. He had been lame for 38 years. And Jesus intervened in his life, and he healed him. He restored his health. He built something beautiful in that he restored his body. He was healthy. In verse 17, because the Jews didn't like the fact that he healed someone. What a horrible thing to do, to heal someone who had been crippled for 38 years. That shows the pettiness of some religious leaders, certainly these Pharisees and Sadducees.

They sought to kill him because he did these things on the Sabbath. Very narrow-minded. The Sabbath was made for man. And Christ was healing on the Sabbath, and that was a wonderful thing, a good thing. Jesus answered them. He said, My father has been working. I'm in verse 17 of John chapter 5. My father has been working until now, and I have been working. And what is Christ and what are the Father continuing to do?

Their biggest work lies in us. As Mr. Whitlark said in the sermonette, we are to be superheroes. We are among the firstfruits that God is calling now, and God is in the process of developing His character within us. In John chapter 9, John chapter 9 verse 1, let's read a few verses here together. Now as Jesus passed by, he saw a man who was blind from birth. And his disciples asked him, saying, Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents? That he was born blind. You see what they had on their mind? Jesus answered, Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.

I must work the works of him who sent me while it is day. The night is coming when no one can work. So Christ was healing. He healed everyone who came to him, everyone who was crippled and lame and it came to him for healing. Christ healed them. And there were tremendous crowds that were developing that were following Christ wherever He went. He was doing a great work. God and Jesus Christ are continuing to do a great work. They are now building a people. They are indeed building a family. They're building a spiritual kingdom. They are healing and they're restoring lives. And God has healed and restored my life to a large degree and He's done the same thing in your life.

And He continues to do that in those lives that He's working with, those people He's calling now. So we need to be about building spiritual character. We need to need to learn to follow God and His Son more closely. We need to learn to have the same reactions that Christ would have. We need to put on His mind, as the Scripture clearly tells us to do in Philippians 2 verse 5, that this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. Thoughts that would dictate our actions.

When we know what to do and we do it, when we know what's right and good and we do it, that's developing character in us. On the other hand, when we know what to do and we don't do it, when we go against that, then we're tearing down the character that God wants to build in us.

And as again Mr. Whitlark mentioned in the Sermonette, there is a Satan out there, the God of this world. He's on the opposite side of the equation. He's not one who's building up. Satan is one who is attempting to tear down. He is one who destroys, he harms, he weakens.

And we must be aware that there is an enemy, there is an adversary. He is a roaring lion, he is seeking whom he may devour. And so we have to fight back spiritually. We have to put on the whole armor of God. One of Satan's main instruments in tearing down is war.

And we, as we look through our past human history, we see a tremendous destructive force in war. And we continue to battle and to fight one another. Satan uses this tool of war. He uses disunity.

He wants to tear us apart. He wants to divide us. When we look at the world governments right now and throughout history, we see nations at odds to a large degree. Sometimes we cooperate to some degree, but in large part there are many nations that are against other nations.

So we need to understand the world that we live in. And we need to know what God is doing and that he is calling us out of this world. God does test our spiritual building from time to time.

In 1 Corinthians chapter 3, let's read several verses together here where Paul instructs us in regard to what God is doing. What he's doing in your life, what he's doing in my life, what he's been doing throughout the ages and those who he is calling now. 1 Corinthians chapter 3.

1 Corinthians chapter 3 verse 6. Paul says, I planted, Apollo's watered, but God gave the increase. He's talking about preaching the gospel, preaching the good news of the kingdom of God, and God calling people, opening people's minds to his truth, his way of life.

Paul was instrumental in doing that. He was a chosen vessel.

And Apollos came along and he watered what Paul had done.

And God is the one that gives the increase and God is the one behind it all.

Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor, for we are God's fellow workers. You and I are working along with God. We're building along with God. In fact, it says you are God's building. You are God's building. Think what that means. You are God's building. God is building something very important in you.

You are his building. And God knows how to build. 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.

Paul realized that he had a responsibility as an apostle, as a minister of Christ, to lay a foundation. And he was instrumental in raising up churches through the various cities. We can read about it in the book of Acts. And many churches were raised up because Paul was there.

And he laid a foundation and another builds on it. Others came later, and they continued to build. And we see the same thing today. We see the same thing happening in the Church of God today that we are continuing to build. And those ministers who are faithful, they're building something that will last. And we are all building something that will last, because we're all in this together. We are God's building. For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Christ is our Savior. He is the Messiah. He's the one who gave his life for us, who sacrificed himself, setting an example that we should follow, that we should all dedicate ourselves and be willing to give all, to give everything, for this cause. There is no other foundation. Christ is our foundation. Now, if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, with silver, with precious stones, with wood, hay, and straw, and these are different elements, they're so different. Gold and straw, they're so different. Silver, precious stones, wood. Each one's work will become clear. How we are building makes a huge difference. You will be held accountable for the way that you build.

Each one's work will become clear, for the day will declare it. Notice the day is in a big D. There's a special day coming. It will be the return of Christ. That's when, certainly, judgment is going to be shown for the firstfruits. They will be changed in a moment, in a twinkling of an eye at the last trumpet. Those who have died will rise first. So, that 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, if anyone's work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

None of us are perfect. We all make mistakes. We all fall short. But God looks on our heart. He sees our attitude. He sees our approach. When we're repentant, God grants us repentance.

When he sees our heart and knows that we have that type of heart, he forgives us every sin. He forgives all of our shortcomings, and he continues to build in us something that will last for an eternity. And we will be saved through testing. God continues to test us all.

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

If anyone defiles the temple of God, then God will destroy him.

So, we have to be receptive to the Spirit of God that's in us. We should not quench God's Spirit.

We should not grieve God's Holy Spirit. Instead, we should stir up the Spirit that's within us.

For the temple of God is holy. We are holy. We are sanctified. We're set apart for a divine purpose, a divine reason. He says, For this temple of God is holy, which temple you are. God's not interested in physical buildings, physical temples, but he is very, very interested in what you're building and what he's able to build in you, what you're allowing him to build in you.

So, the fire will test each one's work of what sort it is.

So, there are many things that test us in life. Our jobs test us.

Sometimes our jobs can be a real pain, can't they?

Getting out on the freeway, driving an hour to work every morning, tests us.

Our marriage tests us.

Most everything that goes on in life tests us to some degree or another.

We are continually being tested. And how we respond to these tests is very important.

You know, if we have a rage every morning as we go to work, that's not healthy.

That's not a good thing. Listen to a sermon. Take it easy.

Don't worry about if you get caught in traffic, you get caught in traffic.

You know, all things work together for good somehow, even traffic jams.

But a lot of it has to do with our attitude and our approach to the things that God uses to test us.

Losing a job is a big test.

Having faith that God will provide another job is a test.

Trusting in Him, believing in Him, knowing that He will take care of us.

Paul states that we are God's field, that we are His building.

And if the foundation is sound, the building will not be totally destroyed.

Only the superstructure is going to suffer loss.

But the structure can be rebuilt.

Whatever you've done in your life, it can be rebuilt.

I am here to tell you that no matter what mistakes you've made in the past, no matter what sins you've committed, no matter what condition you are in right now, God will work through you if you let Him, and He will work it all out.

But you have to have faith, you have to trust Him, and then you have to do your part.

God won't do it for you, but you're here. This is a good place to be, and God's working with each and every one of us.

He wants us to have hope.

He wants us to believe that He can work miracles in our lives.

Sometimes we think there's no way out of this.

There's no way, but God provides a way.

So the structure can be rebuilt on a solid foundation, newer and better than ever.

You know, God is in the business of restoring.

God can do that.

God is indeed building us up into something useful and magnificent in His sight.

The foundation we need to have needs to be solid and it needs to be sound, and it has to be built based on our relationship with Christ.

That is our spiritual foundation.

The relationship that we have in Jesus Christ is all important.

If that is a strong spiritual foundation, if we have a closeness to Christ, Christ is living in us, Christ is doing a work in us, then we can face any personal trials that come along.

We can face any tragedies, and we can be the better for it on the other end of it. But you have to have faith and you have to believe that God will work a work in you.

A better work. We may not understand why God allows certain things to go on, why we have to face certain trials.

But God is allowing these things and He's testing us along the way, and it's our part to endure the testing and to make good choices along the way.

And that foundation is going to be reinforced through the struggles that we encounter along life's way.

The little song that the kids sang up here about producing the fruit of God's Spirit.

That's what this is all about.

God wants us to produce the fruit of His Spirit in our lives.

He's not nearly as concerned about your hours, you know, your hour commute or an hour and a half commute.

But if He sees you developing character along the way, that's a good thing.

That doesn't mean if you can get out of having to drive that hour.

I mean, if that's possible, that's fine, too.

In Hebrews 11, let's go there for a moment.

As I've said before, life is tough.

You know, it is hard. It's difficult.

But it's always been difficult. It's always been hard.

It's hard in different ways today than it was back at the time of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, but it was tough.

Back then, in Hebrews 11, it talks about faith. It says, faith is the substance of things hoped for. It's the evidence of things not seen. Faith is something that we hope for, but there's no proof or evidence there.

If you could only see it or taste it or hear it or smell it or touch it, it wouldn't require faith because you would have proof. You would have evidence of it.

So faith is something that you can't see, taste, hear, smell, touch.

But it's very, very real.

Hebrews 11 gives examples of people who have the right foundation. Their foundation is in God the Father and in Christ.

Faith is believing and knowing something, even though you can't prove it with any of your five senses. For example, when God told Sarah she was going to have a baby, when she was 90 years old and Abraham about a hundred, it took faith to really believe that would happen.

There was certainly no evidence of it. It wasn't something that was happening anywhere else.

This was unique. But they did trust in God, even though Sarah laughed, for a while, when she first heard it. She did still have faith, as Hebrews 11 says.

She was an example of faith. Abraham was an example of faith when he was willing to sacrifice his son Isaac. He knew that God would resurrect Isaac. He knew the promises would come through Isaac. He believed what God told him. His attitude was, if God promises it, then it's as good as done.

So he knew that it would be okay. He could sacrifice his son Isaac. God was going to provide.

I don't know how much of it he understood, but Hebrews 11 shows that he did believe in a resurrection. He did believe that God would work through Isaac. But it took a great deal of faith to be willing to follow through on that. That's because he had the right foundation.

We must have the right foundation. It has to be our relationship with the Father and with his son.

Because of Abraham's faith, because of Sarah's faith, they will dwell in the New Jerusalem.

God is building the New Jerusalem. That's where we will all dwell.

As mentioned earlier, there is a different plan, though, that is brought forth by a disloyal former member of the inner circle. He was a Lucifer who became a Satan. He was unfaithful. He was disloyal. He did not have that relationship with the Father and the one who became known as the son.

Instead, he was full of vanity and pride. He was jealous. He was envious. I mean, it all came out.

It started with pride, and it went from there.

So, in Revelation 9, it does speak of our adversary.

Revelation 9, verse 6. Revelation 9, verse 6.

Talking about times to come, times ahead. We don't know how long it's going to be. We may all be we may be all we may all be gone before this is actually fulfilled.

We really don't know when Christ is returning, but we do know that this is our day of salvation.

It's your day of salvation. It's my day of salvation. But there will come a time when these words will be true just prior to Christ's return. And I'm not saying we're all going to die. I don't know. It could be who knows how long it's going to be. We have to be careful that we don't act like we know. I don't know. I have no clue, really. I mean, I know that it's coming. I know we're closer now than we've ever been. But I really don't know if I'm going to be around when Christ returns. I may be in the grave awaiting the resurrection to life. In verse 6, in those days, speaking about the last days, men will seek death, they will not find it, they will desire to die, and death will flee from them. It's going to be very difficult on the earth. The shape of the locust was like horses prepared for battle. On their heads were crowns of something like gold, and their faces were like the faces of men. They had hair like women's hair, their teeth were like lions' teeth, they had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots with many horses running into battle. They had tails like scorpions, their stings were in their tails. Their power was to hurt men for five months, and they had, as king over them, the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, but in Greek, he has the name Apollyon. One woe has passed, behold still two more woes are coming after these things. These are prophecies that will be fulfilled, but my point is to point out the true nature of this king or this angel, this fallen angel who rules over dissident spirits.

He's assigned a name which is characteristic of his work, of what he's building. Actually, he's not building anything, he's destroying. The Hebrew word Abaddon and the Greek term Apollyon both signify destruction. That's what these names signify. According to the Believer's Study Bible, they signify destruction. However, this should not be understood as annihilation. The word Apollyon arises from two words, L-U-O in the Greek, luo, meaning to loose and apo, a-p-o-a preposition indicating movement away. The idea is that the destruction caused by Satan and sin is, in effect, the loss of all meaningful existence and is due to being loosed forever from God, being cut off from God. Satan and the other demonic spirits are not builders, but they are destroyers, and their goal is complete destruction of the human family, of mankind. They're jealous, they're envious of our future, what God has in store for us. They desire to tear down relationships now. That's what Satan wants. He wants to tear down relationships.

Satan is very active whenever relationships are strained, whenever relationships are suffering. It's because Satan's there, and people are listening to Satan, and they're allowing themselves to make some wrong choices. And they're not humbling themselves. They're becoming proud.

They're becoming vain, envious, jealous. These attributes that are referred to in the Bible in Galatians 5 as the works of the flesh. These are the works of the flesh, and Satan knows how to stir up the flesh because he's intent on destroying us, and he works through relationships.

Satan and his demonic spirits, they seek to cause alienation, frustration, brokenness in human lives.

So, there is a real enemy out there, and he's working in relationships primarily.

He's working, he's the prince of the power of the air. He broadcasts his ways, and we must fight back and not accept his ways, and not allow them to hurt our relationships one with another. Let's go to Acts 20. Acts 20.

We're going to read part of Paul's message from Miletus. Miletus was the port city for Ephesus.

Paul was about to leave Ephesus. He'd been there for some quite some time. He had developed a church there, or established a church. So, in Acts 20, verse 28, Acts 20, verse 28, Therefore take heed to yourselves. He is getting together with the elders here, with the leaders of the flock, and perhaps there were others there as well, some of the brethren, some of the leadership. Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God, which he purchased with his own blood. Christ purchased the church with his own blood. He is the head of the church. He's built a church. This is the church that Jesus built. We have a booklet. The church that Jesus built. It's a wonderful booklet. If you haven't read it lately, it would be good to go back and read it. But Christ has purchased us with his own blood, for I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you. Now, he's not talking about literal wolves. He's talking about people, individuals.

And they won't spare the flock. Also from among yourselves, men will rise up, speaking perverse things. Or misleading things, is what my margin says. Has that ever happened?

Misleading things. Subtlety. They will mislead people to draw away the disciples after themselves. They want a following. Therefore, watch and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears. You know, Paul was very intent on warning God's people that there would be wolves that would come in.

He was being a good shepherd. So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up. Again, God is building us up to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified, those who are set apart and made holy. He goes on to say, I have coveted no one's silver or gold or apparel. There were people who tried to tear Paul down. There were people who disparaged Paul.

Paul was a true servant of God. You know, he sacrificed himself. He laid his life down for God's people. He was a true shepherd of God's people. He wanted to build up the congregations that he served, and he gave himself up doing so. So Paul reminds the elders of their responsibility toward the flock. I'd like to mention three of them here. Number one, the sheep don't belong to any people or any group. The sheep, all of us, including me, I'm a sheep.

I hope I'm not a goat. I'm a sheep. The sheep don't belong to any people or any group. They belong to Jesus Christ. Christ who purchased them with his own blood. Is that not what we read?

You are Christ. Christ is the great shepherd. He is the good shepherd. Elders are simply overseers who are expected to nurture and to love the flock as a protector and as a trustee.

God entrusts people to leaders, to leadership. That's why it's so important to be faithful leaders, because God entrusts us. It's our job to nurture and to love and to build up the flock.

The New Century version of verse 28 that we read a while ago, Acts 20 verse 28, be careful for yourselves and for all the people the Holy Spirit has given to you to care for.

The Holy Spirit has given you these people to care for. You must be like shepherds to the Church of God, which he bought with the death of his own son. So here it's talking about how the Father bought the Church with the death of his own son. Of course, he resurrected him, he made him head of the Church. But we are to be shepherds to the Church of God and to be faithful shepherds who care for the sheep. So, number one, the sheep don't belong to any people or any group. You're not my sheep. This is not my congregation.

This is not my congregation.

We are all Christ's sheep. We are his congregation.

Number two, elders need to take heed and examine themselves and their own motives.

We elders need to take heed. We need to examine ourselves on a regular basis. We need to take stock of our own motives because clearly human beings can be twisted. They can become savage wolves, even. For any man to draw people toward himself or his own personal agenda is called a perverse thing. It is a perverse thing. It should never be done. The task of an elder is to build up.

It is not to destroy or to scatter the flock.

And we as God's people should be able to discern.

What's going on? Elders need to take heed and examine themselves. They need to examine their own motives. And undoubtedly, at times they need to repent. If Satan is trying to lead them astray and lead them down a wrong path, they're being tested. We're all being tested.

Number three, an elder should point the flock toward God and God's word. Not toward himself, but toward God and his word. When this is done faithfully, God grants his favor and he's able to build up his people. A healthy church culture is about building and growing.

Helping the brethren, not controlling them. It isn't about control.

It's about helping build and grow and edify the church. In fact, in Acts 9, it uses the word edify. Let's go back to chapter 9 of the book of Acts. Acts 9, verse 26. And when Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him. Yes, he had been persecuting the church of God. He had some people drug out and imprisoned and even martyred, killed. So they were all afraid of him. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the disciples and he vouched for him. And Paul began to speak boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, because he was a true servant of God, called out, chosen by God. He had repented of his evil ways, because he had been evil. He had been a deceived elder in the church or a great leader in the church, but he had been deceived and he had to repent of all that. Notice verse 31. Then the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace. When Paul and all the brethren were working together, when they accepted Paul, when Barnabas was willing to vouse for him, and the people saw his true fruits and they accepted him, then the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and they were edified. They were built up.

That's what the word edify is all about. It's a Greek word, oikodomio, or something like that. Oikodomio, it means to build up.

That's where we get the birth. This is an edifice. This building that we're in is an edifice.

We're here being edified today by God's word. We're being built up by God's word.

Instead of judging and competing with one another, all of the elect of God are called to comfort one another and to build each other up. Sometimes we have to stand up against opposition, but most of the time we can comfort and build each other up and help each other along the way. Thankfully, that's the majority of the time that we have with each other is positive.

It's good, but now every once in a while something happens and people have to have the courage to do the right thing and to speak up. In 1 Thessalonians chapter 5, 1 Thessalonians chapter 5, we also find this word edify, this ocado...

It's kind of like okey-dokey, but not quite. Let's see, 1 Thessalonians chapter 5.

1 Thessalonians chapter 5 verse 9, For God did not appoint us to wrath. That's not what God wants. God loves us. 2 Thessalonians chapter 5 verse 9, He is not a wrathful God. Yes, there are times when He becomes wrathful.

In fact, He will be very wrathful in the future. His wrath will be poured out on a sinning people who will not repent. But overall, God is not... He doesn't want to be that way. He's a God of peace, a God of comfort, a God of love. And even in His wrath, He does it out of love, because it has to be done. 3 For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.

God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should repent.

That all should come to a knowledge of His truth.

So God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, whether we're living or we've died, we should live together with Him. We can go to our graves in faith.

If we die in this life before Christ returns, just think of how wonderful it will be to be awakened instantly. I mean, I'm kind of looking forward to my death. Not anytime soon.

But when the time comes, if I'm 80 or 90 years old, hopefully, I'm going to think about that. I'm going to think, you know, I'm going to be dead here shortly, but I'm going to be alive again. And I'm going to be more vibrant and alive than I've ever been.

So I think when we go to our grave, that's what needs to be in our minds. When we're about to die, have faith that you will live again and you'll live instantly. You'll be up and at them.

And that's exciting to me. So funerals, I don't like funerals, but you know, they're something that needs to be done. And there's great hope in the resurrection. Once we've died, we've been sealed. If we died with the Spirit of God dwelling in us, we're sealed and we've made it. We'll be there. So going on, verse 11, Therefore comfort each other and edify one another. Build each other up. Edify each other.

That's what it's talking about. Build each other up. Comfort each other. Edify each other, just as you are also doing. That is what God wants from us. He wants us to comfort each other and build each other up. And that's the vast majority of what we should be doing in our lives, is building each other up. Edifying one another, not opposing each other, not being critical of each other, not harshly judging each other. Look, you're a sinner.

What right do you have to judge harshly? Is that how you want to be judged? It's not how I want to be judged. Instead of judging and competing, let us all build each other up and comfort each other. Let's talk about three ways that Satan, or three ways that we can be a builder like God, and not a destroyer. Three quick ways. We won't take long on these. The first one is to encourage and to comfort each other. We can do that. 2 Corinthians chapter 1, verse 21. 2 Corinthians chapter 1 verse 21. Now he who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee. It's a guarantee.

We can have faith in that. It's a guarantee. Moreover, I call God as witness against my soul that despair you. I came no more to Corinth. Not that we have dominion over your faith.

This is what Paul is saying to the brethren. We don't have dominion over your faith.

That's between you and God. It's your relationship with God that will make all the difference.

But we are fellow workers for your joy. That's what we want as God's ministry. We want to be fellow workers for your joy. For by faith, you stand. It is your faith in God.

If I become unfaithful, that's not going to affect you as long as you do the right thing, as long as you are faithful.

So we are actually called to help each other. We are to build up each other's faith.

I help you. We help each other. We all stay faithful. That's what we all need to be doing.

In context, Paul wrote a strong and corrective letter to Corinth in his previous letter, 1 Corinthians.

It was a strong, it was a corrective letter. But Paul knew in his heart that his major calling was to encourage God's people and to help them receive more spiritual fulfillment that leads to happiness and eternal life.

In 2 Corinthians 1, verse 24, the New Century version says, we are not trying to control your faith. You are strong in faith, but we are workers with you for your own joy. We are to be helpers of your joy. That's what we are to be doing as the ministry. Fellow workers together. On a construction side, all the tradesmen work together and coordinate their skills to get the building construction completed. Typically, it isn't one person that builds everything. There are different crews that come in and build certain parts of the house these days, especially. They know the blueprint, they know the drawings, and they do their part. It is God's plan revealed through the Holy Days that shows us His blueprint. What He is doing in our lives, and we are to coordinate with one another to fulfill His desire, His will for us. God is building His church. He's building each and every one of us individually. He's building us all collectively. So the first point in what we can do to become like God as far as building is concerned is to encourage and to comfort each other. Secondly, is to pray and fast for each other because there is great power in prayer and fasting. And some things don't happen except through prayer and fasting. In James chapter 5, of course, here we read about how people are to go to God in faith, to be anointed in faith, to look to God for healing. It doesn't mean that God instantly heals everyone.

It's not God's kingdom right now. And that's why sometimes we have to be patient and we have to wait on God. God's testing us. Will we wait on Him? Will we trust Him? Will we look to Him and have faith that in His time He will heal us? James chapter 5 verse 16, Confessor trespasses to one another and pray for each other that you may be healed.

The effective fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours. He was like us. He had human nature. He was frail. He was weak. He prayed earnestly that it would not reign. And it did not reign on the land for three years and six months. Of course, He was a prophet of God. He had a special calling, a special purpose, but He's the same as us. Who knows when God may decide to work miraculously through you? I don't know. I don't know. You know, if God miraculously decides to work through you, then I better praise God for that. And He prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.

He prayed. There was great power in His prayer. It didn't reign, and then it did reign.

I believe this is a true story. I believe it happened.

Pray and fast for each other can make a huge difference in people's lives. It can literally change the course of history. It can certainly change a person's life. So we do need to pray for each other and take these prayer requests seriously and go to God in prayer and not just be neglectful in praying for one another. That can be a sin of omission.

If you don't pray for each other, undoubtedly, you are sinning. There is a scripture, I think, in 1 Samuel that indicates that when we don't pray for each other in the way we should, then we could actually be sinning by not doing our part, a sin of omission.

Prayer is powerful. Fasting is powerful.

So let's all pray for each other more than we have in the past. This year, from this point forward, let's pray for each other more faithfully, more fervently, and let's fast for each other more.

Let's draw closer to each other as a result. In Psalm 35, and I don't have time to go there and to read this to you, but you can look it up later. In Psalm 35, verses 11 through 14, it speaks of King David and shows certainly why he was a man after God's own heart. David was someone who loved people, and he even prayed for the sick, for his enemies. He wasn't always perfect, but there were times when he said, a wonderful example of love. This was one of those times.

He said, I humbled myself with fasting. He fasted for his enemies. He prayed for his enemies. He said, I bowed down heavily as one who mourns for his mother, one who loves his mother, who mourns for his mother. Perhaps he's on her deathbed, and he prays for one another. So this was an incredible example of love by King David. Now, the third point, again, how can we become like God, the master builder? We can offer to help each other and care for each other. We can actually do something for each other. And again, we don't have time to go to James 2, but it talks about how faith and works are not in contrast. They're not in competition with each other, but they're both necessary. They work together. Faith and works work together to achieve great things. James 2, 14-26, you might want to look it up later. And it talks about the need to help each other. And James talks about what true religion is all about, visiting the sick, the infirmed, the elderly, the fatherless. Offer to help each other, to care for each other. The Bible is full of admonition to help each other. There are plenty opportunities to help each other in this congregation. We do a lot of things here.

There are plenty of ways to get involved. God is a master builder. He designed and built this physical world that we live in. He made mankind in his own image, and he gave us the desire to construct and to build. God is building character in us, and we have a desire also to build character. We want God to be able to build that character in us. So we learn to submit to him and to respond to him. Also remember that even in this physical life, Christ was a carpenter. First, he was a builder. He knew what it was like to build and to accomplish something like that, to build something worthwhile. On the other hand, Satan is our adversary. He is a destroyer. He is a master divider. He's a master control freak, you might say. Satan desires to destroy families and nations.

He wants chaos and confusion. That's what he's all about. He wants us to have contempt for each other. He wants us to have contempt and anger toward God. So whose example are you going to follow in the future? Are you going to follow Satan's example, or will you follow God and Christ's example? Brethren, make it your life mission to build up everything and everyone around you.

Make it your life mission. Will it always be appreciated and respected? Probably not.

But that isn't your problem. Your problem is to do your very best in building and edifying.

So, one final scripture in Romans chapter 14 verse 19. Romans chapter 14 verse 19.

So then, let us pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another.

That's what God wants us to do. Pursue all things which make for peace and the building up of one another.

Now, brethren, when you look at a typical construction site, and I've seen a little construction site, and I've seen a lot of construction sites this past year because where my wife and I live, it's a major development and they're always building new homes.

So we've been past many construction sites. We saw our own construction site as our house was being built. And just a few weeks before the grand opening, typically there's lots of trash, there's scattered construction parts everywhere. I remember my garage was filled with trash. They just piled it all in there. There were cockroaches. I wasn't too impressed with that.

They just piled it up. Inside it was great. It was getting better every day.

But there were parts of it that were pretty messy, pretty ugly. Does your life ever seem a little messy?

Does your construction site seem a little messy at times?

It's to be expected that God is building something great in you. You may feel like your life is a big mess, but don't become overly discouraged or question the wisdom of the builder. Instead, have faith that he will bring it all together. Trust him. Know that he's going to bring it all together. Believe in that. Have faith that before your grand opening in his kingdom, it will all come together before you die. Hopefully long before you die. Well, as long as it comes together before you die, maybe that's the best we can hope for. Let's get it together before our grand opening in his kingdom. So be patient with yourself, be patient with others, and please don't ever forget that you are God's building. You are his building. He is working something wonderful in you.

He is our master builder. He designed and built the physical world that we live in, and is it not an awesome creation? I marvel at the beauty of God's creation. He made mankind in his own image with the desire to construct and to build, and you have that same desire. You build in a number of physical ways. God is certainly building character in us. He is building a family.

So please surrender to God and do make it your life mission to build up everything and everyone around you, and certainly be good to yourself.

Build yourself up with God's help and let God live in you.