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KEY TEXT: Psalms 127:1 (KJV) – “Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman walketh but in vain.”

The question is, why are they laboring in vain? The reason why their labor is in vain is that the house they are building has a weak or no foundation.

What is the importance of having a solid foundation for a building?

1. The strength of a building lies in its foundation.
2. The foundation’s primary purpose is to hold the structure above it firmly upright. A foundation supports the load of the entire building, both the dead load (the weight of the form itself) and the live load (the weight of people and objects brought to the building).
3. A good and robust foundation keeps the building firm when the forces of nature cause havoc. It also retains its occupants safe and sound during natural disasters like earthquakes.

So, what makes a strong foundation?

1 Corinthians 3:11 (KJV) – “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus  Christ.”

The Bible clearly says that the only foundation you need in your life is Jesus. Therefore let Jesus be at the center of everything you do, from the most important things down to the minor things. And how do you put Jesus at the center? Surrendering your life to him (which needs to be done daily) and allowing God to direct you in all your plans.

Before you do something, ask yourself if what you are doing is pleasing God, and if it does not, stay away from it. That should be from major decisions such as purchasing property or starting a business to little choices such as liking photos on social media and posting.

And how do you know that you are doing the right thing? 1 Corinthians 10:31 (KJV) – “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” – What does whatsoever include? It includes everything. What does whatsoever exclude? It excludes nothing. The word means that all your life choices should glorify God, including the places you choose to go to. Therefore, when contemplating going somewhere, ask yourself, “Where I’m going is it to the glory of God,” and if it’s not, avoid it. That is the true meaning of putting God first.

Most Christians often say they put God first but do not understand what that means. Some of them think it only means to pray. If you find yourself doing something that aims to satisfy your feelings and is contrary to what the Word of God says, you have put yourself first and not God. If you want to please your friends at the expense of going against God’s will, you have placed your friends first, not God.

You may find yourself pursuing education, and while aiming for higher grades, you cheat in exams or carry out other exam malpractices. By doing so, you have esteemed your education above God. You find yourself in a career, and because you want to advance your career to high ranks, you go ahead and work on Sabbath, while the Bible clearly says rest on the Sabbath day. By doing so, you have esteemed your career above God.

If you go to work or school early but late to church, it is clear that you’ve placed school above God. You switch off your phone in courtrooms and business meetings, but while in the church, you are busy texting. Doing that clearly shows that there are things you respect more than God.

Matthew 24:37-39 (KJV) – “³⁷But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. ³⁸For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage until the day that Noah entered into the ark, ³⁹And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.”

Luke 17:28-30 (KJV) – “²⁸ Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; ²⁹ But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. ³⁰ Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.”  Take note that in those two contexts, the Bible did not say, “They were killing each other, stealing, committing adultery” One reason it did not say that is because it is too obvious that such things will get you lost. However, some things will get someone lost, which are not obvious, and are everyday things like working, marriage, business, eating, and drinking (as portrayed in the above verses).

There is nothing wrong with work because God created work, the same way he made marriage and the same way he created eating and drinking, but there is a way you can do them that makes them wrong, and that is putting them above the authority of God.

To many parents, their children are their small gods. To some, their spouses are their gods. In short, they have other gods before God, contrary to the first commandment. Proverbs 14:12 (KJV) – “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” Notice the wordings ‘it seems right, not wrong. Some things seem right but will get people lost.

The reason why most Christians have little fear of God is that they can’t see God physically with the optical apparatus. Therefore, they tend to put first the things they can see and place them above God (who they can’t see). Hebrews 11:27 (KJV) – “By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.” Moses did not fear Pharaoh, who was visible, and knew the harm he would have done to him (as there was no democracy in those days); instead, he chose to obey God (who is invisible).

Having reached this point, let’s look again at 1 Corinthians 3:11 (KJV) – “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”

The above verse means that there is nothing a human being can do that has not been done. There is nothing that human beings can create that has not been made. There is nothing new under the sun. Ecclesiastes 1:9 (KJV) – “The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.”

Christ has laid the foundation of everything we need, meaning He has done all the work. Our work is to build upon it. This understanding is why we need to recognize God as our foundation. Hebrews 11:10 (KJV) – “For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.” By looking for a city with foundations whose builder and maker is God, Abraham sought God first because he understood that no foundation is more potent than God.

What makes Jesus the most robust foundation that you can ever rely on? 1 Corinthians 1:25 (KJV) – “Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.” This verse means that where the wisdom and intelligence of a created being ends, that is where the foolishness of God begins. It also means that where the strength of a created being ends, that is where the weakness of God begins.

You may ask yourself, why is that the case? The answer lies in Genesis 1:1 – “In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth.” This verse shows that there are two forms of existence, the first one being the Creator and the second one being the creation. God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit exist as the Creator. The rest, animals, land, water, human beings, and angels (including the Devil), live as part of creation.

No matter how elevated we can be, we can only exist as part of creation, we can never be the Creator, and that is why a foundation solely dependent on ourselves which is contrary to God, is the weakest. A city that has foundations whose builder and maker is God is a city that has infinite strength because it lies on an unbreakable foundation.

Isaiah 14:13-14 (KJV) – “¹³For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: ¹⁴I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High.” Lucifer was the highest being ever in the universe after God, and thus he tried overthrowing God and taking God’s place, resulting in him being kicked out of heaven.

By dying on the cross, Christ has done 100% of the work for us. Our work is just to receive it by complying with Him. The grace given unto us, the mercy, and all the blessings that we enjoy, including financial gifts, results from Christ’s death and resurrection. We are just called upon to build on the foundation that Christ has already laid. Abraham looked for a city which has Jesus. A place with Jesus has no sin because God cannot mingle with sin. God hates sin.

Therefore, where there is sin, God is not present. Matthew 27:46 (KJV) – “And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken Me?” God forsook Jesus on the cross because Jesus had carried all the world’s sins. Therefore, in whatever you do, put God at the center of it, and if God is at the center of it, avoid evil.

Some sins that have matured and developed in the character of a human being are difficult to stop. By your power, you can’t stop them. Ask God to help you stop them. Go to God and confess your sins. Tell him to save you from that one sin you are holding on to.

In Mark 10:17, a man came to Jesus asking him what He needed to do to inherit eternal life. This is how Jesus answered Him: Mark 10:21 (KJV) – “Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest.” Many Christians are so close to entering the kingdom of God because they are doing everything right but still lacking one thing or holding on to one sin. It may be knowingly or unknowingly. Ask God to show you what that thing is in case you don’t know.

A perfect example of a literal building that did not have Jesus as a foundation is in Genesis 11:1-9, the story of the tower of Babel. The tower builders had an evil determination to go against God’s will. They started building the tower, and we can probably assume they had progressed quite far with the construction work.

Some historical sources say that they had built it for some years. Whatever the case was, God in His power did one simple thing, He made all of them speak different languages, and thus confusion kicked in, and they could not continue with their work. All the work they had done was in vain. That will happen if you do not include God in your dealings. They may succeed for a while, but in the midst of that ‘success’ something will happen, and all you have done gets destroyed. Another instance is that you may obtain financial success in this life and fail to access the life to come. Also, you may start without God determined to make a success out of what you’ve created and fail to reach the next step.

Another perfect example is the parable of the wise and foolish builders, Matthew 7:24-27 (KJV) – “²⁴ 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: ²⁵ 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. ²⁶ And every one that heareth these sayings of Mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: ²⁷ And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.”

In the above context, Jesus likens the one who hears His words and does them to the one who builds his house on a rock. It is not enough to pray and study the Bible. You have to do what it says. Prayer and Bible study should be accompanied by doing what the Bible says and what is written in the Bible is as powerful as God’s own voice. The power that said, “Let there be light,” and light came is the same power in God’s Word, and it is the same power that can work in your life.

Not only will God give you success, but he will also give you everlasting success, not just long-lasting success. A practical example is this: in the past years, many filthy rich people probably didn’t live their lives with God at the center, and now no one can remember them. Peter and John were not materially rich (In Acts 3:6. they told the lame man that they do not have silver and gold) and faced persecution several times. Almost 2000 years have passed, and we still read about them, and their message is still relevant. Is that not greatness?

There is nothing wrong with being rich and having distinction in the current life. God has promised that if you obey him, God will bless you in this life and the future. Mark 10:29-30 (KJV) – “²⁹ And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is  no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for My sake, and the gospel’s, ³⁰ But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.”

It is God’s will for his people to be rich and great. Abraham was rich (Genesis 13:2) and was blessed in all things (Genesis 24:1), same as Isaac (God blessed him greatly in a famine land, Genesis 26), same as Joseph (an enslaved person in a foreign nation who was exalted to the highest rank immediately after the king, Genesis 41:40-45), the same case with Daniel, Solomon possessed stupendous wisdom and wealth.

Mark 8:36 (KJV) – “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” God did not say don’t gain the world. He said, “don’t gain the world at the expense of your soul.” If more genuine Christians were billionaires, the world would be a wonderful place to live, and the gospel would have gone further than it is now.

You can gain the world but don’t do it at the expense of your soul. Many people don’t involve God in their dealings and choose other malpractices as schemes of ‘getting quick results’ because they think it takes God a long time to do great things in a person’s life. That is not the case, God wants to bless you quickly, and he wants to bless you immediately.

You need to do little and excellent work. Working extremely hard and getting minimal results after a long period is not God’s will. It is the Devil’s will, and why is it the Devil’s will? Because it is a result of sin. Genesis 3:17 (KJV) – “And unto Adam, He said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life.”

I’m not saying God has called us to be lazy, God created work, but work is meant to be enjoyable, not tiresome and painful. The same way work was enjoyable before Adam sinned is the same way it can be at this present time. Proverbs 10:22 (KJV) – “The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.” Psalm 127:2 (KJV) – “It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.” This verse (Psalm 127:2) comes immediately after the verse that says, “Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.”

The Israelites were enslaved people in the land of Egypt, and when they left the ground, God gave them favor in the eyes of the Egyptians, and the Egyptians gifted them with silver and Gold, among other riches. That is the same favor that God wants to give you. Luke 19:10 (KJV) – “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Reading this verse, we understand that the work of redemption is also the work of restoration. One of the things lost due to sin was work without pain, accompanied by significant and sure results. Jesus came to restore that.

“It was not His purpose that they should gain the land by warfare, but by strict obedience to His commands” – Patriarchs and Prophets, Page 392.3, Ellen G. White. War represents a struggle. Reading this quotation, we can conclude that it was not God’s will for the Israelites to struggle to obtain the land. All they had to do was to obey God. However, most human beings choose to struggle than obey God.

Sin carries curses. Obedience brings blessings, and obedience is the highest form of worship. Obeying God is doing exactly as He has said. Luke 19:5-6 (KJV) – “⁵ And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for today I must abide at thy house. ⁶ And he made haste, and came down, and received Him joyfully.” Zacchaeus did precisely what Jesus told him to do, and thus Jesus was pleased.

Are you living your life on the foundation Christ has set for you? If not, ask God to help you do it and as He leads you, be willing to comply 100%.

Ecclesiastes 12:13 (KJV) – “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.”

GOD BLESS YOU!

Author: Mark Alex   

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