Ever watch what all goes into building a house? Before the keys are even given to the owner, there are several things that must happen. First, there has to be a plan for construction, the lot has to be prepared, a foundation laid, walls and roof must be framed, and many other steps before the house is even ready for the first picture is hung by the owners. This morning, as I was reading an article about the decline in single family new home construction, I couldn’t help but to notice the picture. I began thinking about the similarities in construction and the development of our walk with the Lord Jesus Christ.
A house is not just a few bricks, some shingles, boards, windows, and doors fastened together. It may look great from the outside but without all the necessary parts on the inside, the house will not survive the storms that come against it. It has to be fastened to the foundation and it must have a framework that gives the boards, bricks, and shingles a place on which to be fastened. As Christians, the same exists with our walk with the Lord Jesus. It is more than having an outward appearance of being a child of God. We must have a foundation, a plan, and a frame that supports the outward appearance. During His earthly ministry, Jesus taught, Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock (Matthew 7:24-25). Just as a house is as only strong as its foundation, our walk with the Lord Jesus Christ is only as strong as our spiritual foundation.
Looking back at my life, although I accepted the Jesus as my Lord and Savior in 1988, I projected a great Christian walk, but that’s all it was – a projection, a shell. While I may have fooled myself and others around me, I was not fooling the Lord: But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart (I Samuel 16:7). There are a lot of people out there that are doing the same thing that I did and think that they are actually fooling those around them. The apostle Paul even warned the early Christians and us in his second letter to the Corinthians about those that do this very thing: Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? If any man trust to himself that he is Christ’s, let him of himself think this again, that, as he is Christ’s, even so are we Christ’s (II Corinthians 10:7). There were times in my life, before my personal revival in 2006, that I wondered why God did not answer my prayers or attended to my needs. The prophet Jeremiah actually provided the answer for all that truly seek it: I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings (Jeremiah 17:10). When our spiritual life is hollow and we continue to live in sin, God cannot and will not bless us because we are living in a condition of disobedience. In other words, a real faith in Christ must be built on a firm foundation and must be genuine from the inside out.
For a strong Christian life, our foundation must be on faith in Christ alone; For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8). We are held to that foundation by the Holy Spirit, Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual (I Corinthians 2:13) and through our personal studying of the Bible, Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth (II Timothy 2:15). Just as a house is strengthened by its frame, we are strengthened by the Bible, by our fellowship with other Christians, and our regular participation within the local New Testament congregation. A strong walk with Christ does not happen by accident, but is something that is built over time.
As many of you know, I do mention the spiritual revival I had in 2006 quite often. It is not because I am proud of what I did back then, but because I am amazed at the long-suffering, guidance, concern, and kindness of God for me. In 2006, while facing some real spiritual battles and going through my Ph.D. program, I came across three verses that would change my life: But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul (Deuteronomy 4:29), Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you (Hosea 10:12), and That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us (Acts 17:27).
