Build Your House on Righteousness

I believe it should go without saying to build your house on righteousness, but what does that really mean. I have studied and written that righteousness is not something that we can assign to ourselves, only God can count us as righteous. So how are we to know we are building on righteousness.

“¹³Woe to him who builds his house by unrighteousness,

and his upper rooms by injustice,

who makes his neighbor serve him for nothing

and does not give him his wages,

¹⁴who says, ‘I will build myself a great house

with spacious upper rooms,’

who cuts out windows for it,

paneling it with cedar

and painting it with vermilion.”

— Jeremiah 22:13-14 (ESV)

In the verses above, we find what not to do. As I read the above, I see a selfish man who takes advantage of others in order to elevate himself. I see the one who is more concerned with his own possessions and status than that of others around him. This is certainly not righteous.

Now, having fine things and seeking assistance from others does not indicate unrighteousness. It is the using of others and placing those things above the well being of others where one demonstrates unrighteousness.

There it is, what is meant by building your house on righteousness. No, we cannot declare ourselves righteous, only God can. But, what we can do is demonstrate righteousness daily in all that we do. We should be doing righteous actions. We should be building others up as opposed to exploiting them. We should be sharing with others instead of building our own wealth and status. We are to love, care, and protect those less fortunate. We are to share the gospel with others as opposed to keeping the LORD to ourselves.

Righteous actions do not make us righteous and somehow make us better than others. It does not make our house any more or less than that of our neighbor. But, what righteous actions show is our understanding of where it all comes from. Righteous actions demonstrate the love of God flowing from our heart. Righteous actions show who and where we have given ourselves to, the LORD.

“¹⁵And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” – Joshua 24:15 (ESV)

Joshua makes it clear to the people that he gives himself to the LORD. He will serve the LORD and seek guidance from Him in all matters of His house. Joshua chose righteous action in the name of the LORD to build his house. He was not the selfish man taking advantage of others to elevate himself. He did not consider himself righteous. Joshua built his house on righteousness through his actions in the name of the LORD. We should be doing the same.

Where are you building your house? Are you gaining while those helping you get there are less than taken care of? What if you decided to build your house on righteousness through the actions in the name of the LORD instead?

The LORD Builds Our House

This morning as I study, I am reminded that the LORD is indeed the one to build my house.

“¹Unless the Lord builds the house,

those who build it labor in vain.

Unless the Lord watches over the city,

the watchman stays awake in vain.”

— Psalm 127:1 (ESV)

As noted in the commentary of my bible, “The basic theme of this wisdom psalm is that without the LORD’s blessing, all human toil is worthless.” “of course those who build a house must labor on it, and certainly the watchman of a city must stay awake. At the same time they must carry our their efforts in faith, trusting God to make the work beneficial.” In order for sustainability, there must be a reliance on the LORD.

I take this also to be more than just the physical building of the house and the watching over a city. I see this in the success of that which is in the house. I want to ensure that my family is built on the LORD and that which He provides.

The LORD is the author of me and I am to give Him the glory. He provides for and blesses me and my house. I know that He does so thanks to my accepting of His gift of salvation. Yet, in order for my house to maintain, I must be reliant on the LORD. In verse one above, the author states the LORD “builds the house”. I see that as not just building, but also maintaining as a sort of warranty plan to keep the house in good shape.

Our house will last many lifetimes when we take care to ensure that it is kept up according to the builder’s specifications. The builder here is the LORD and the specifications are His Word as He guides us from day to day. It is great that the Word of God is available to everyone and all the time to review and follow. There is no digging for the plans or working with out dated equipment. The specifications are timeless and always available. We only need to consult God’s Word for how to work through whatever has come up.

Lori and I are likely in our physical house for the foreseeable future and where the house itself is only 10 years old, we will have to look for and consult the plans to begin some of the maintenance even now. But, in our God fearing house, which will be 29 years in April, I like to believe that we are in constant review of the plans as even now the LORD is building. Our boys may have moved to begin work on their personal houses, Lori and I are adding rooms for what comes next. And what better place to consult for those rooms than the master builder Himself, the LORD our God.

Who is the builder of your house? Do you see your house as built and looking for the next? What if you see that your house if continuing to be built and maintained by the LORD and the plans are in His Word?

We Build Up One Another

“¹¹Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:11 (ESV)

It is pretty clear in this verse that we are to be encouraging to one another, be there for one another, and truly work to build one another up. And just who is it that we are to build up, one another in Christ. Fellow Christians. Paul is writing to the church at Thessalonica, and that is what I was thinking about this morning as I was reading and studying. I even have written in the margin of my bible to that point (Fellow Christians encourage one another).

“¹Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:1 (ESV)

Being an encouragement and builder of all around us is certainly the Christ-like approach we are to have as we progress in this world. Yet, who was Paul writing to and encouraging in this letter, the church. The first verse in this passage is clear who this instruction is for, “brothers” in Christ. Yes, Paul is writing to encourage fellow Christians and to remind us that we are to encourage and build up our brothers in Christ as He is doing in his letter.

I know what might be thought, aren’t we supposed to be encouraging to all, and the answer is yes. We are to build others up and work to ensure that they have the opportunity to accept the gospel and salvation given freely by Christ. But, we are to specifically work to build up and encourage our fellow Christians more. We are in fellowship with our brothers more often than we are with those outside the church and as such we should be deliberate in building them up more.

Doing the work of Christ is hard enough in this secular world. We know how hard it is for ourselves and that carries over to our brothers in Christ as well. I have to ensure that I am supporting my brothers. Thinking of sports teammates. During the game and/or practice and/or daily, we interact with and work to build one another up. This does not mean that we are not encouraging for the players on the other team to have individual success, but we build up our teammates more often and that encouragement is sustained over time. Our encouragement for fellow Christians is the same.

We are meant to encourage and build others up. It is the Christ-like approach we are to demonstrate daily. And there is more better place to show it than with our fellow Christians who are in need of it in this world. We know that we will be persecuted in our faith and as such can use all the encouragement that we are on the right path and will make it through. Remember the following that Jesus said, Christ is with us when we are together, and so we should be together always.

“¹⁹Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. ²⁰For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” – Matthew 18:19-20 (ESV)

Who are you building up? Are you focusing your attention on those who are simply your acquaintances? What if you devoted your time to your brothers in Christ and the two of you encouraged one another and then others together, with Christ?

Built up By and Through the Word

Jesus is the Temple. And we go to Him to worship and find our direction and our comfort and our mercy and our grace.

“¹In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” – John 1:1 (ESV)

Not only is Jesus the Temple where we worship, He is the Word of the LORD. I (we) have the pleasure of having the LORD with us always in Jesus. When we make our way to Him for worship we are not just entering the place where the LORD will “find” us, we find Him there as the word and can rely on Him for our everything.

“³²And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.” – Acts 20:32 (ESV)

Here we find Paul speaking to the elders of the church at Ephesus. He is laying out to them that they have all they need in Christ, and that he will be leaving them never to return again. Even as he will not be there to guide and carry them through the trials they will continue to face, He reminds them that they are not alone and that it was not he who was building them up and will continue to do so, but God.

We too often I believe feel as though we need someone at our side building us up and when we do not, we feel as though all is lost. Paul takes special care to ensure that the church at Ephesus know that they are not alone. They have the LORD by their side as He has always been and will always be. I (we) have to remember that as well. The LORD is always by my side and building me up.

“⁶Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, ⁷rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.” – Colossians 2:6 & 7 (ESV)

Above you see that Paul reminds the church of Colossae of the same. They have the Temple that is Jesus and the Word of the LORD to build them up. They are not left to themselves trying to make it. They have Christ by their side at all times, when they received Him and as they move forward in Him.

I am not alone. I may be by myself physically, but alone I am not. Christ is always with me as the Temple and the Word of the LORD. He provides me with all I need to make it in this world. He is my provision and certainly a blessing to me. He builds me up when I am in need, not just in the past, but now and in time to come.

What are you in need of to be built up? Are you looking for that one to be with you and when they are not, you feel all alone? What if you turned to Christ to be built up as He was with you before, is with you now, and will be with you always to build you up?

God’s Word, My Meditation

“⁹⁷Oh how I love your law!

It is my meditation all the day.”

— Psalm 119:97 (ESV)

And there you have it. I choose God’s Word to be my meditation all day every day.

I admit that God’s Word has not been my meditation or my “delight” as James MacDonald puts it. His Word has been more of a “desire” for me. I have bypassed the “discipline” step and am firmly planted in “desire”. I want to be in God’s Word, but find myself distracted by the things of this world. Work, providing, getting along, all of which are distracting from my devotion to God’s Word.

Now, that last sentence above is not all bad. I should be concerned with work, providing and getting along. The thing is where am I placing those in the hierarchy of my focus. Am I placing them above the Word of God. That is where the “delight” in God’s Word comes in. Placing God’s Word at the top of my hierarchy is the priority. Not for me but for God.

It is what God wants of me and not what I want of me. It is getting to the place where I am taking things on in this world as God has planned for me. I should be doing that what God wants of me and not looking in the mirror to see what I want. As I look in the mirror I should be searching for the picture of Jesus as He stands with me pointing me the direction I should go.

By delighting in God’s Word, I will find myself seeking His direction at every turn. When it comes to work, it is His Word that directs me. When it comes to providing, it is He who provides for me to provide for my family. As for getting along, oh how much easier when God is guiding me. My delight in God’s Word gives all that I could want and therefor I am able to move forward regardless of circumstance.

Where are you as pertains to God’s Word? Are you still looking in the mirror and seeing yourself? What if you were to see God there with you as you move forward and knowing that He is getting you where you are supposed to be?

My Authority, God’s Word

God’s Word is not just a book we pick up from time to time to read a few passages to get us through. It is and should be the ultimate authority in our life. We should be looking to and living out the instructions found in God’s Word in all situations.

It is easy to pick and choose different passages when we “need” them or to “justify” some action that we have taken or are considering. But, if we are cherry picking passages we are not really obeying God’s Word as the authority it is. We are simply using God’s Word and not living it.

God’s Word is more than a collection of actions we can take to relieve some ailing we have. It is not just a collection of positive reinforcement actions to keep us moving in the right direction. God’s Word is a way of going through life at all times.

I am over 50 years old and see the value of God’s Word for my daily life. I study or am led in God’s Word seven days a week. I look for how His Word can lead me in life. I look for how I can apply His teachings daily. I know that God’s Word can do all things in my life. His Word accomplished all things and will accomplish all things. By full faith in His Word there is nothing that cannot be done.

“⁸But the centurion replied, ‘Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed.’” – Matthew 8:8 (ESV)

The centurion from the passage above knew that Jesus only need to speak healing to happen. He knew that Jesus was the authority and that as God, His Word would do as spoken. The centurion understood the authority that was God’s Word.

“¹²For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” – Hebrews 4:12 (ESV)

I have to have the faith that God’s Word will do all things. It is not just there for me to pick up when “needed”. God’s Word should be in my bones and leading my every move. I have to lean on the authority of God’s Word to point me and guide me and lead me and protect me as I move along in this world.

What is your relationship to God’s Word? Are you using it to pick and choose how it can help you? What if you were to lean on God’s Word for all things and used it as your authority to point you, guide you, lead you, and protect you as you go along?

You Choose Whom You Serve

It is pretty clear in this world and life that we are the masters of our choices, as we have grown to understand them that is. As a small child we are not in understanding and therefor rely on our parents to decide for us. But now that we are not small children, we are in control of our choices and decisions.

The title of my writing this morning is the same as my study passage from James MacDonald. We are indeed in charge of our choices and the object of our service is certainly in that realm of choice. We like to think that we are the product of our circumstances and that things are left to chance and where it appears that way, it is not true. Yes, things happen and we are left to work through that which follows, but we can either be the victims or lean in and serve the one really in charge as we work through them. God allows things to happen and we have the choice to serve Him or abandon them in favor of ourselves or some other entity.

The Israelite people had the choice to serve the LORD or serve the idols of their ancestors or serve themselves. Joshua pointed out their choice and was clear where he and his family landed. And he made it clear that once the decision was made, the commitment would be held to account. God would remember and the outcome would not be of the people’s liking.

“¹⁹But Joshua said to the people, ‘You are not able to serve the Lord, for he is a holy God. He is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions or your sins. ²⁰If you forsake the Lord and serve foreign gods, then he will turn and do you harm and consume you, after having done you good.’” – Joshua 24:19-20 (ESV)

It is not just of words that we commit to serve. It is in action. We can say that we will serve, but not until the action is taken does the service come to being. Lori and I are members of a church plant, although we are now going on 5 years now. As a part of our membership, we committed to volunteer our service. But, just saying we would volunteer does not make it so, it is in our action of service that we are demonstrating our service. And for the 5 years of the Bridge Fellowship, we have served.

With God and service to Him, it is not something we can say and then get away with avoidance. He is watching and keeping account. As noted in verses 19 and 20 above, if we have committed and then turn away, we will be dealt with and held to account. Even as we were once doing as we committed. The choice is for now and forever.

I want to be careful to point out that our choice to serve is not a condition of our salvation. When we choose the LORD for our salvation (in our heart, mind, and body), that choice is made. We are saved. And then comes the next choice, to serve Him. We are still sinners and will be swayed easily by the evil one. We will still be subjected to the ways of the world. So, just because we have accepted salvation through the grace, mercy, and love of God, our job is not done. Service to Him comes next.

“⁵Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, ⁶not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, ⁷rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man,” – Ephesians 6:5-7 (ESV)

We do choose whom we serve. We are to make it clear and then act on that choice. The words have meaning to tell others of our choice, but it is the actions we take that demonstrates that choice. As Paul notes in his letter to the Ephesians to do “the will of God from the heart,…as to the LORD and not to man”. Actions speak louder than words and it is our actions that demonstrate our choice of just who we serve.

What actions are you taking to demonstrate your service? Have you said the words of choice and now leave it to chance as to how it plays out? What if you demonstrate your service to the LORD through your actions “from the heart,…as to the LORD and not to man”?

I Suck, God is Awesome

The title of my writing this morning is from a friend of mine, Jared Carter. During our discipleship study, with three other friends, Jared Campbell, Nelson Pereira, and Rob Whitehead we broke down our relationship with God and His with us. One of the themes that came up time and time again is that God’s mercy and grace and love are not what we should be getting, but, that is the thing with God, He is bigger and better than we.

This morning the question in my study by James MacDonald that hit me the hardest is this, when we die and are standing before God and He asks, “Why should I let you into heaven?” How will I answer? How will I plead my case for entrance. The answer from MacDonald shocked me a bit, but is true, “You Shouldn’t. Lord, I can’t believe I’m even here.”

This is so true. I don’t deserve the mercy and grace and love of God. I am a sinner who fails time and time again. I sin consciously and unconsciously. I cannot escape sin in this world. Yet, even in all of that He loves me and provides for me and has pardoned all of it so that I can enter His kingdom and rule with Him.

“⁵he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,” – Titus 3:5 (ESV)

“⁸For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,” – Ephesians 2:8 (ESV)

As sinful as we are, we are not able to get to Heaven on our own. We need help. There is nothing we can do to get there. No actions we can take. No tasks that check the right box. We cannot reach God and lay down a list of items completed to reach the pinnacle of favor with Him. We need His mercy, grace, and love. We need what He has already provided and offered to us, salvation. God gave His Son Jesus to die. He died for me. He took my sin upon Himself so that I would not have to die for them myself.

When I stand before God, and He asks why He should let me into Heaven, my answer will be something like this. I gave myself to you. I have believed that you gave Jesus to die for my sins. You shouldn’t let me in because I don’t deserve it. But I know you and love you and trust you and you mercy, grace, and love. GOD, I suck and YOU ARE AWESOME!!! I choose you.

What is you choice? Are you choosing to keep trying to measure up? What if you choose to surrender to Him and His mercy, grace, and love and recognize that we suck and God is Awesome?

The Way Out has Been Paid

Our way out of the consequences of sin has been paid. Yes, prepaid. We no longer have the payment for sin due. We only need accept the payment has been made and be grateful.

Notice what I wrote above, accept and be grateful. There is no repayment that can be made. I cannot make up the debt. God provided the payment for our sin and there is nothing we can do but accept that the payment has been made and be grateful for it.

“¹⁰In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” – 1 John 4:10 (ESV)

“²³for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” – Romans 3:23 (ESV)

I am a sinner and will always be a sinner in this world. But, the escape from the consequences has been provided. Christ came to this world to walk as I do and take on the sin that I commit and then He died so I do not have to. Not that I will not die, but Christ died in my place as the consequence for my sin.

“²³For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” – Romans 6:23 (ESV)

I was destined to die for my sin, and Jesus came, or rather was sent, to die in my place. It is the only way out and it was made so by God. God’s grace (getting what we don’t deserve) and mercy (not getting what we do deserve) is demonstrated in His offering of forgiveness for the sin that we are born with and will always have in this world. This offering of forgiveness is made possible only by payment and that payment was made by Jesus’ death.

Our role in all of this is to believe and choose the gift of salvation provided thanks to the payment for our sin. That payment was extreme and I will say, Thank you God for providing and Thank you Jesus for paying and Thank you Holy Spirit for walking with me daily. I believe and choose to escape the consequence of my sin through acceptance and gratefulness in you and your grace and mercy.

What is your understanding of the consequence for sin? Are you able to get out of it on you own? What if you accept that the payment has already been made and you should believe and choose to accept and be grateful for the grace and mercy of God?

The LORD Will Deliver

This morning and over the past few months, I am thinking of the deliverance that comes from the LORD. I am in Psalm 6 and the title in my ESV Bible is “O LORD, Deliver My Life”. As I read David’s plea for deliverance, I see that he is not taking any physical action. He is asking for deliverance with his words that come from his heart. David is asking the LORD to deliver him for he needs it.

“¹O Lord, rebuke me not in your anger,

nor discipline me in your wrath.

²Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am languishing;

heal me, O Lord, for my bones are troubled.

³My soul also is greatly troubled.

But you, O Lord—how long?

⁴Turn, O Lord, deliver my life;

save me for the sake of your steadfast love.”

— Psalm 6:1-4 (ESV)

In my discipleship group for the past few months we also dive into the grace and mercy of God. Mercy being God not giving us what we deserve and grace is Him giving us what we don’t deserve. David above is asking for mercy and we should be as well. The payment for mercy has already been paid through the shed blood of Christ Jesus and yet, for us to receive, all we have to do is ask. I don’t have to take any additional action, I need only to ask for the mercy of the LORD.

This is the deliverance that we should be seeking. It is from His wrath that we need deliverance. I have to accept that my sinfulness is that which separates me from the LORD and that I am in need of mercy to fill the chasm between us. I cannot do anything, physical action wise, to close the gap between the LORD and me. I can only seek His deliverance and give myself to Him knowing that He will save me through His mercy and grace.

“⁸For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, ⁹not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” – Ephesians 2:8-9 (ESV)

I am in need of saving and only the LORD can deliver. I need only ask with my words from my heart and He will deliver me.

What are you thoughts on deliverance? Are you looking to take action to be delivered? What if you understood that you need only ask from your heart to be delivered and accept the mercy through grace that only the LORD can provide to be saved?