Category Archives: Building

Workers building a timber-frame house in a rural wooded landscape
Availability, Bible, Building, Hebrews, Imperishable, Perfection, Scripture

THE BUILDER OF ALL THINGS

HEBREWS 3:4

“For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.”

I have had the privilege to travel a good bit internationally over the years, and one thing I have noticed is the very different styles of buildings in every country. Let me give you one example of two different styles. In the rural villages of Uganda, most houses are built using homemade bricks made of clay. They are large bricks but not as big as cinderblocks. However, in Kenya, you will see the larger blocks made of a grayish material. Both use the available resources to build their homes. I wonder if Ugandans would like the Kenyan style or vice versa.

The point of the verse today is that God is “the builder of all things.” The word “builder” is the same word we saw in yesterday’s blog, kataskeuazó, which is more of like the architect, the planner, rather than the physical builder. The literal Greek reads much different than our translation above. It would read, “Indeed, every house is built by someone; the One however everything having built (is) God.” The phrase “having built” is an Aorist (factual event, one time) Participle (which describes God).

ASK QUESTIONS (Command to Obey, Promise to claim, Sin to avoid, Application to make, Something new about God)

What is the writer trying to tell us in this verse? I don’t think he is telling us not to build. He says, “For every house is built by someone.” We all have building to do. In my ministry, I am always praying for the Lord to use me to build into the lives of other men to lead them to be disciple makers so they too can build into the lives of other men. We call that generational growth. So, what do I see in this verse? An Application to make and maybe even a Command to Obey.

Another thing I notice is God is just like those Ugandans or Kenyans. He uses the available resources. 1 Corinthians 3:9 says,
“For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.” Now, let me ask you a question. If we are called “God’s building,” do you think He would use faulty materials? No way. He would only use the finest available. He has chosen to build us. We are even called “living stones” in 1 Peter 2:5. “you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”

The next time you drive by a construction site, take a look at the materials gathered. Some builders aren’t as honest as others and will try to cut corners to save money, risking the integrity of the structure. Satan will also build things that look legit until tested. Trust the Great Architect Who builds all. I promise His building plans are perfect.

Thank You, Father, for building me into Your image which is perfect.

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Architectural floor plans with drafting tools, coffee, and rolled blueprints on a wooden table
Bible, Building, Hebrews, Plan, Salvation, Scripture

THE BUILDER OF THE HOUSE

HEBREWS 3:3

“For He has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, by just so much as the builder of the house has more honor than the house.”

I have an uncle who has been drawing house plans for well over 50 years. He is 82 and still working. He has thousands of house plans on file. Some of those have been built more than once while others were a one time job. He is very detailed and still reads the state building codes as he builds. He knows every building that is built according to one of his plans must pass by all the engineering and building codes.

We see the comparison of Jesus and Moses once again. While Moses was highly revered by all Jews, he paled in comparison to Jesus. The writer says Jesus is “counted worthy of more glory than Moses.” Moses was used by God to lead the Jewish nation at a time when they were under great distress. And although he may have given them physical salvation from the slavery of Egypt, he could not offer them spiritual salvation from the slavery of sin. That job was already taken.

ASK QUESTIONS (Command to Obey, Promise to claim, Sin to avoid, Application to make, Something new about God)

The Something new about God I see in today’s verse is the fact that Jesus is the architect of our salvation. In fact, the Greek word used here for “builder” is not the one you may expect. It’s kataskeuazó, not the normal word oikodomo, which is used for a formal, material building. The Topical Lexicon says kataskeuazó “consistently portrays purposeful preparation or construction carried out so that God’s redemptive purposes can advance unhindered. Whether the work is performed by God, by His appointed servants, or by faithful believers, each occurrence underscores His sovereign intention to ready people, places, and plans for His glory.”

In Matthew 11:10, Mark 1:2 and Luke 7:27 this word is used to describe John the Baptist by Jesus Himself. He said, “‘WHO WILL PREPARE YOUR WAY BEFORE YOU.’” We’ll see it used five more times in Hebrews 3:4; 9:2,6; 11:7. Listen, this isn’t a sword drill competition, but I encourage you to look up each of those verses. What is the Lord saying here? I believe it is clear. Jesus doesn’t not do anything without a plan. Every action He has ever taken had a purpose. We get in the way of that when we refuse to yield to His building plan. Jesus will not force us to comply.

I have often thought how much better it would be if Jesus made all my decisions for me and all I had to do was follow afterwards. He has actually done that through His Word. Every decision we face can be guided by His Word. This, however, requires us to spend time in the Word daily. Study to show thyself approved we are told. Amen?

Thank You Lord for being the wise master builder in my life. Help me point all the glory to You.

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Two men in historical robes walking on a stone path through a mountainous rural area
Bible, Building, Encouragement, Peace, Romans, Scripture

BUILDING UP OTHERS

ROMANS 14:19

“So then we pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another.”

When I read today’s verse, I immediately thought of Barnabas, one of Paul’s early traveling companions in his missionary journeys. Barnabas means “Son of Encouragement.” Barnabas left Paul to prevent a fracture in their mission to reach the Gentiles for Christ. His focus was on building up the body, not tearing it down.

In verse 19 today, Paul reminds us to be about making peace and building each other up. He knew that judging each other and speaking unkind words to them and about them would only serve to hurt the young Christian church. He also knew that only Satan would be pleased by such behavior. This is not the only place where Paul wrote on this subject. Let’s look at some others.

APPLICATION

Psalm 19:14 comes to mind when I think about my mouth. “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.” Paul may have had this on his mind when he wrote in Ephesians 4:29, “Let no unwholesome word come out of your mouth, but if there is any good word for edification according to the need of the moment, say that, so that it will give grace to those who hear.” Our words can be swords for good or evil. Choose your words carefully as you talk to a brother or sister with whom you disagree.

And God had it in his plan for the early church to structure its leadership in such a way to focus on this skill of building each other up. In Ephesians 4:11-13 Paul writes, “11 And He gave some as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelists, some as pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the building up of the body of Christ; 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.” The whole reason we strive to build each other up is contained in that last verse. Read it again.

We also focus on building each other up to avoid confusion in the body. Paul addresses this in 1 Corinthians 14:26. “What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a psalm or a teaching, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. All of these must be done to build up the church.” There has to be order in the body of Christ. Otherwise, no one is built up, no one is encouraged. And if there are unbelievers present, they will be totally confused. They need to see a united body.

So, let’s focus on building and not tearing down, on peace and not warring against each other. This we know pleases the Father. Amen?

Guard my lips, O Lord, for any unfruitful words against a brother or sister.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Abiding, Building, Church, Dwelling, God's Will, Holy Spirit, Home, Indwelling, Kingdom, Scripture

GOD’S DWELLING PLACE

EPHESIANS 2:22

“in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.”

My wife and I recently bought a new bed for our guest room. It is nothing fancy, just a metal headboard and footboard with side rails and middle support braces. When I finally got around to putting it together, I opened the box, laid out all the pieces and checked them off against the parts list (how many times have you come up short a piece without doing this?). Then I brought all the pieces inside, laid them on the bedroom floor and began the tedious process of trying to figure out from the drawing what part went where. In the end, I achieved my goal. We now have a bed someone can rest on when they visit.

Why do I use that illustration? Because the phrase “being built together” is exactly that. God has taken all the “pieces” and put them together to make His “bed,” His dwelling place. Once again, this Greek word has the preposition sun which is that permanent “with.” We are being built up together with other believers into a place where God says He will dwell here on this earth until one day we will dwell with Him in His kingdom in heaven.

APPLICATION

I love what Ellicott’s Commentary says here. “This verse seems primarily intended simply to emphasize the truth already enunciated in Ephesians 2:20, that the Ephesians themselves are now being made part of the Church of Christ, ‘being built up together in Christ.’ But it may also illustrate to us the character of the unity of the Church, as, primarily, a direct individual unity with Christ—each stone being itself a complete and living stone—and, secondarily and indirectly, a unity with others and with the whole.”

Did you get that? We are individually the dwelling of God through His Holy Spirit, and we are part of the corporate dwelling of God as part of His church. Ain’t God good? Two houses in one. Only God can do that. And God’s house has no flaws. There are no plumbing leaks or cracks in the foundation. His building warranty is eternal.

Okay, enough building metaphors. Simply put – we are God’s dwelling here on earth. He chooses to live in and through us. What an honor! Are you keeping His dwelling presentable? Can others see Him in you? As the cliché goes, “You may be the only Jesus some people ever see.”

Live in me, Lord. Shine Your eternal light through my eyes so that others are drawn into Your dwelling.

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