Ye Are the Building of God
2004 Bible School Program

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We are all builders; we are soul house builders. Each one of us is building a spiritual house for eternity. Building our soul house is the most important building we will ever do. The Master Builder is Jesus Christ. He is the Great Architect. He has a divine plan for every boy and girl, and He says, "My plans are good!"

If you were to build a literal house, you would need to have a blueprint. You have to go by that blueprint; follow it to a "T" or things might go wrong. We have a blueprint for building our spiritual soul house. It is the Word of God. If you follow that blueprint, you can be a successful builder for Jesus Christ. If not, your efforts will all be in vain.

You cannot build a soul house in a day. It takes a lifetime of work and building. We are building everyday, and we should count the cost because we want to finish our soul house. There is nothing pretty about a half-finished house or a house that is falling down. We want to be successful builders.

This story is an allegory of two builders. We will call them the Wise Soul House Builder and the Foolish Soul House Builder. First, our builders had to choose where to build. The location for your soul house is critical, because you must start right. One builder chose the city of Zion for his location. He thought it was beautiful.

Now there was a sign in Zion that said, "Ye must be born again." Both builders looked at that sign, and they wondered, "Born again?" They did not know what that meant. The sign also said that one had to be citizen of Zion to build there. The builders thought, "How can you be a citizen of Zion?" Brother Trueheart came along. He was so glad to help the two builders. He told them, "You have to dig deep to build in Zion. You have to get everything out of your life–all of your evil habits, your ill will, and bitterness. Dig deep! You have to hit the rock!" One builder said, "It costs too much." The other builder said, "This is just what I've been looking for."

So, one builder rejected the rock–Jesus Christ, and the other accepted it. The foolish builder walked along until he came to some sandy land–the sandy land of sin. He looked and said, "Oh! This looks good. I don't have to dig so deep. I can have a lot of time left over for self and pleasure. This is my spot–the sandy land." Do you know who owned the sandy land? Sir Beelzebub owned the sandy land. The foolish builder met Sir Beelzebub, and he asked, "What's the price?" Sir Beelzebub said, "Give me your youth, and I'll give you the land free." The young man said, "No strict building codes?" and Sir Beelzebub said, "Build it your way." The young man bought the lie and bought the land. Beelzebub (who is the dirty, old devil) loves to help build soul houses. The young man sold his soul to the owner of the sandy land, for he was a foolish builder.

Meanwhile, in Zion the Wise Soul House Builder began digging deep. He began pitching out the dirt, throwing out everything in his life that was dirty. He dug deep, but Brother Trueheart said, "You must dig deeper." Finally, the builder said, "I hit it! I hit the rock!" Friend, when you hit the rock, Christ Jesus, you will know it. Everything changes. You will come up off of that rock with clean clothes, a new name, a new heart, and a new spirit. What a change!

With the gift of salvation came a plot of land in Zion. It was free! The builder received a deed to the land, and he automatically received a building permit because he had been born again. He now knew that being born again is asking God to forgive you, to repent, to say, "I'm sorry for my sins. God, forgive me." God takes a big eraser (the blood of Jesus Christ) and erases every sin. The blood of Jesus goes deeper than the stain of sin has gone. There is deliverance for every sinner. You have to hit the Rock (Jesus). That is the important thing. This soul builder is now a new creature in Christ Jesus.

The foundation of our soul house is critical. It has to be solid and strong, for it is going to bear the weight of the whole building. It has to be square and level. There is only one true foundation to build on, and that is the Lord Jesus Christ. Isaiah said, "Behold [in other words, stop and think about it], I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation" (Isaiah 28:16). God wants everyone to build on the sure foundation–Jesus Christ. It is the only way to build.

Then, the Wise Soul House Builder began to drive in stakes. Sometimes people go to church, move to an altar, and you never see them attend church services again. Why? What happened? They failed to drive those stakes. You must drive those stakes deep. Some of these stakes are called:

Determination: "I am going to live for you Lord, forever." Commitment: "Jesus, I am committed to You and Your cause forever." Steadfastness: "I'm not giving up, I'm not turning around. By the grace of God, I'll wear a shining crown someday."

A child of God must drive those stakes deep, deep on the rock. As the Wise Soul House Builder began to build, he looked at the blueprint and saw that it said, "Take heed, or be careful, how you build thereupon." He thought, "This is serious." So he went to the Everlasting Store (the Word of God). He needed some building materials and in God's Word we can find just what to use for our spiritual building. The Wise Soul House Builder found the best material. You cannot get anything better than the materials that are in the Everlasting Store.

So, one builder began to build on the Rock (Jesus), and the other began to build on the shifting sand (sin). One went by the Bible blueprint, the other had the attitude, "I'm going to build it my way." They started framing their houses. The first plank to go in the Foolish Soul House Builder's house was self-confidence. He thought he knew everything. He thought he knew how to build. You could not tell him anything. Then, in went the planks of self-pleasing, disobedience, bad words, hatred, lies, and all the worldly, sinful character traits of a foolish builder.

However, the Wise Soul House Builder took the first planks (holiness) and placed them all around the perimeter. Without holiness no man can see the Lord. He began putting in good, solid, sturdy character traits–Christian character traits. The first corner stud was a three-fold stud, strong and sturdy with prayer, Bible study and church attendance. What a sturdy stud to put in that house! Right behind that went obedience (we must obey the Word of God). He had the "Do-Rights": honesty, cheerfulness, and kindness. His top plank was faith, because without faith it is impossible to please God.

One of the planks in the Foolish Soul Builder's house was "Good Works." It was a seemingly sturdy plank. Yet, this plank of "Good Works" did not make this soul house acceptable to the Lord. Other "good" planks one may build with are "Obeying the Law" and "Paying Your Bills," but they do not make a soul house acceptable to the Lord Jesus Christ. On the other hand, what if just one sin goes into the Christian's soul house? What does it do to the soul house? It mars it. Just one sin will mar a soul house. One sin is not acceptable to Jesus Christ. You can repent and tear that plank of sin out, but sometimes it will cause a weakness in your soul house. You will have to fortify it. That is why you need to keep all sin out. Sin will condemn your soul house. You don't want that. You want to keep it clean.

Concerning the walls, Isaiah said, "Salvation will God appoint for walls" (Isaiah 26:1). The Wise Soul Builder took precious truth stones out of the Word of God (that is where you will find your truth stones), and he began to work those truth stones into his walls of salvation. He used the mortar of love to put them in. You must love the truth! You must buy it and sell it not. Living for God is based on love. It is not based on "half-to," but it is based on love: "want-to." Those truth stones made the walls of that soul house strong and sturdy. What a beautiful soul house!

The Foolish Soul House Builder did not go the Everlasting Store for supplies. He went to the salvage and junk yard whose owner was Beelzebub. Beelzebub said, "Come and buy. [He is out to get every soul house builder there is.] Cheapest prices in town. You don't have to do this and that. Just come and buy." He is out to get every soul house builder there is. He showed the foolish builder pre-fab walls. "They're cheap. I threw in a little self-love, a little self-indulgence. Come and buy!" The foolish builder said, "What is the price?" Beelzebub said, "You can have these walls IF you let me help you put them in." The Foolish Soul House Builder bought his lie, and he thought, "What a deal!"

It did not matter that the walls were imperfect; it did not matter that the walls were rotten. The builder said, "What a deal!" The devil is quite a salesman, the best you have ever heard. He will sell you a bill of goods. Too many times, people know it is not right; they know it is not the thing to do, but they buy from him anyway. Then they are building on the sandy land of sin.

Now, the walls of both houses are up, and the roofs are completed. Our house is covered with blessed assurance. (We all need insurance, but there is something better than insurance. It is blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!) The other house was covered with selfishness because it was all about self. So both builders have completed their houses.

Let us look inside of these two soul houses for it is the inside that is so important. What is on the inside comes outside. The Foolish Soul House Builder is busy. He says, "I am having a good time! I'm free!" His house is filled with cigarette smoke (would Jesus live in a house full of smoke?). He says that he is free to do what he wants, but he doesn't know that he is bound by the chords of his sins. He gets up in the morning and says, "I have to get a cigarette. Oh, I've got the shakes. Where's my next drink?" Yet he says he is free. What a deception!

The Foolish Soul House Builder spends his life partying, having what he calls a "good time." These habits are robbing him of his health, but that doesn't matter to him. He begins to bring in dirty magazines, R-rated movies, and other corruption into his soul house, and it becomes so dirty. The corruption of the world is filling his soul house. What is the whole problem? The heart is the problem. It is full of self and sin. Number one is sitting on the throne of his heart, and there is no room for Jesus. This house has no light, because Jesus is the Light. Since there is no light, it is dark and cold. There is no fire, just smoke.

Yet, this builder still says, "I'm free!" Can you see the lie that the devil is feeding him? His soul house is corrupt, but he thinks he is free. The poisonous fruits of drink, drugs, and cigarettes are killing him, but he goes on because he bought the devil's lie. The devil is a liar, and he has no mercy. He will trick every one of us if he can. The foolish builder has made his soul house a refuge of lies. Yet, he feels secure.

Brother Trueheart paid the Foolish Soul House Builder a few visits. He asked, "Oh, won't you give your heart to God? Won't you repent?" but the builder refused. "No! I don't want any part of that." Stubbornness and rebellion were in that house. "Leave me alone! I'm not interested! I'm going to do it my way."

Now let us look into the house of the Wise Soul House Builder. What a difference! Wisdom helped build his soul house. Understanding helped establish it, and knowledge has filled his rooms with treasures. Not only is Jesus Christ his salvation, but Jesus is the Light of his soul house. It is clean and bright. Of course, to have the light the soul builder had to be hooked into the higher power (Jesus Christ). His house is warm and cozy. The fire is burning brightly. That fire represents the Spirit of God.

Young person, keep the fire burning in your soul house. Keep it hot, on fire. We find the Wise Soul House Builder spending the evening with his close companion, the Word of God. He is eating of the fruit of the Spirit, he is partaking of the grapes of joy. There is joy in serving the Master! He is eating the bananas of longsuffering and an apple of goodness. The fruit of the Spirit is filling his house. Peace is within his walls. What a wonderful salvation! This is not the hard way. Sin is the hard way. This is the wonderful way.

This builder's heart is full of Jesus. There is no room for anything but the love of God. It fills his heart. His soul house is overflowing with the love of God. He wants to keep it clean. That is why he is reading the blueprint (God's Word). It not only tells him how to build, but it tells him how to keep his soul house clean. This is his safe haven. What a difference! The Bible says, "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?" (1 Corinthians 3:16). God wants us to be His temple. How wonderful that the great and mighty God of Heaven would condescend to come down to live in my heart and in your heart!

This soul house has some smoke too. That soul is sending up the sweet incense of prayer and thanksgiving. He says, "Thank You, Lord, for saving me. Thank You, Lord, for helping me to build my soul house. Thank You, Lord, for the sure foundation–Jesus Christ." That sweet incense of thanks is going right up to the throne of grace. His door becomes a door of praise to God. He is giving thanks always.

Both soul houses will have rains and storms of life. The wise soul house builder has a great enemy–that dirty, old devil. The devil likes to inspect soul houses. He will look for cracks of neglect. That devil wants to get into the Christian's soul house, and he is ever inspecting it, looking for holes, looking for a place where he can get in. It is the little foxes that spoil the vines. The devil hates these precious stone houses. He never gives up. He comes in many disguises, faces, and voices.

One day, the Wise Soul was feeling lonely. The devil knew it, and he began to whisper, "No one cares. No one called you today. You are all alone. Why don't you just give up and throw in the towel?" The little soul began to feel lower and lower, and he didn't even know why. Pretty soon the devil got bolder, and he knocked on the door. The little soul said, "Who's there?" The devil (in disguise) said, "I'm Miss Free Spirit. I've come to visit with you today. I want to be your friend. Will you open up your door?"

The Wise Soul said, "No! Not for the joy of my soul!" Even in temptation and trials, the Christian can still have deep-seated joy in the soul.

However, the devil does not give up: "Just open that door. Just break free. You're too strict. Break free and have a good time. Come on. Open that door." The little soul said, "No!" But the devil did not go away. He said, "Is it a sin to have fun?" The little soul thought, "Well, no." Then the devil said, "Is it a sin to have friends?" Again, the little soul thought, "No."

So, the devil kept talking. "Just open up, just a little. I can make you popular. I can give lots of friends. You will have such a good time. You will be with the 'in' crowd. You will not have to be lonely anymore."

Here comes peer pressure through the devil's talk. "Come on. Be part of the crowd. Just one cigarette, just one drink isn't going to hurt you." The devil is ever pressing on that soul house. Friend, you need a strong soul house to withstand peer pressure.

Miss Free Spirit says, "Break free. You can have fun like me." Child of God, when you are in the midst of temptation, what should you do? Go to the Word of God; get on your knees and pray to the Master Builder, saying, "God, I need Your help. I can feel the pressure of temptation. Please help me, Lord." That is what the Wise Soul did. He went to the Word of God and read that to follow Christ, you have to love less father, mother, sister, brother, and friends. Jesus Christ has to first.

The Wise Soul said, "Oh Jesus, I will not give in!" He had prayer, and through prayer the Master Builder strengthened him. He got the sword (the Word of God) and he saw dirty tracks around his house. He saw the devil's tail, and he realized that Miss Free Spirit was really a dirty, old wolf (the devil). He struck out with the sword, saying, "Thus saith the Word of God." The Word of God is what the Christian must use on the devil.

The devil was furious, but he had to leave. As he left, he said, "I hate Christian soul houses!" He wants to move into every soul house, but the Christian's soul house is built on the Rock, Jesus Christ. His walls are salvation, and he has the precious stones of the Word of God. The devil cannot get in as long as the Christian stays close to the Master Builder.

Now, the devil does not give up. Sometimes, he knows he cannot just move in the Christian's soul house, so he tries to come in inch by inch. He will try to get the Christian off center, just a little here and just a little there. He never gives up. The child of God must stay pleasing and obedient to the Master Builder. The Word of God says, "Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, that delighteth greatly in his commandments" (Psalm 112:1). God's commandments are not hard. They are blessings. God's commandments will keep your soul house. So, the house on the rock stood firm. It pays in every way to build on the Rock (Jesus).

The devil never gives up. We see him approach another soul house, the house of the Foolish Soul House Builder. The devil loves soul houses like this. He looks all around, but he does not knock at the door. Why? Because that soul house already belongs to him. As ruthless and as mean as he is, he brings in a storm of rain and hail. He huffs and he puffs.

The little soul has no power, no strength against the cravings of sin. He would like to give up the alcohol and the cigarettes, but a flood came against his soul house–a flood of craving, a flood of devices. There was no one to help him. The walls of that soul house began to shake and tremble. He had no power under this onslaught, and the walls began to crumble. In time the entire house fell down, and the devil cried out, "GOTCHA!"

Dear one, if you only knew how the devil mocks you and laughs when you buy his lies. The devil says, "You are foolish!" and he laughs. He says, "You bought my lies. You believed what I told you." The devil was a liar from the beginning. He mocks and laughs, and another soul is lost. Speaking of that house, the Bible says, "Great was the fall of it" (Matthew 7:27). Why was it a great fall? Because the soul went into eternity lost. Friend, there is still a Heaven, and there is still a hell. You are going to one of the two places.

The soul went into eternity saying, "What a fool I have been! It's too late to rebuild. It's too late to salvage my soul house." He cried for help, but there was no help because he had refused the Rock, Jesus Christ. You must have Jesus in your house or you will be lost forever.

We read in Psalm 127:1, "Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it." The Bible says, "Woe to one who builds this house in unrighteousness." Oh, how we need Jesus Christ! He loves every one of us. He knocks at our heart's door, saying, "Won't you let Me come in? Won't you let Me come and dwell in your soul house?" Sadly, many people say, "No, Jesus." He is a gentleman. He will never knock the door down.

What kind of soul house are you building? What kind of builder are you? Are you a wise soul house builder or are you a foolish soul house builder? The good news is, we can all be wise soul house builders, for Jesus came to this world so that whosoever might be saved. The ground at the Cross is level. There is room for all. You can build right through Jesus Christ. That is the good news of the Gospel–everyone can build a sturdy, beautiful soul house that will last forever.

Bible School 9-19-04

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