1 Corinthians 3: 11-15

Just recently I have had a bit of a whiz read though 1 Corinthians, simply pulling out of each chapter little things to take note of. I highly recommend it. Check out one or two chapters a day.

One part, which stuck out for me, was.

1 Corinthians 3: 11-15 (The Message translation)
'Remember there is only one foundation, the one already laid by Jesus Christ. Take particular care in picking out your building materials. Eventually there is going to be an inspection. If you use cheap or inferior materials, you'll be found out. The inspection will be thorough and rigorous. You won't get by with a thing. If your work passes inspection, fine; if it doesn't, your part of the building will be torn out and started over. But you won't be torn out; you'll survive- but just barely.'

When you become a Christian you come to that point of decision where you acknowledge that Jesus is the way the truth and the life, you turn from following others and start to follow God's ways. You start to build your life with Jesus at the centre. Jesus as the foreman. Lord. The foundation is laid.

The next thing to form is the building up of your life. What do we build with? Where do we get our building materials from? There is nothing better that a bit of hardship to test not the strength of your foundation (that is rock solid, Jesus is faithful and 100% reliable), but rather the strength of your building work.

Sometimes I'm sure God allows things to happen in my life to reveal my dodgy building so I will return to His ways. If I have God but pursue money for selfish reasons, for greed, I hope God will take it away to bring me back to Him. I hope He gives me a rigorous inspection. I desire inspection not because I'm mad enough to desire pain, but because I want to be close to God. Better to be poor with God than rich without Him. I want to make sure that what I build is of God and therefore eternal rather than building my life around things which will pass away.

What about the final inspection when Jesus comes back? What treasures will be left and what will have been burnt up?

To use the words of the famous song..

'When the music fades and all is stripped away..' Can you say.?

1. God is the centre of my life, the pivot point of my life. If not I encourage you to put Him there.
2. You have built with Godly materials not earthly matters.

I challenge you like I have been challenged, to open yourself up for inspection. Ask God to show you His ways and where there is need for knocking down and rebuilding. It's not to late to start again, and you don't have to start alone. If you do build with Godly ways it might not sparkle in the world's eyes, they may call you a fool but when hardship happens it won't fall down.

God is in the building trade and has all you need to turn a rundown life into a new life. His profession is taking run down things and injecting life into them. Giving life to the dead or dry bones is one of His many specialist subjects.

He did it for me seven years ago and has done it again and again since.

Go ahead contact 'cornerstone builders' manager Jesus, and see the miracle take place.

Changing Rooms has nothing on this!!!