“Except the LORD build the house” – Part 1

God has given us a spiritual blueprint in His holy word which helps us understand how the LORD will “build the house” and give the increase that comes from Him alone so that we can go from being carnal babes in Christ to mature sons in Him.

2Pe 3:18 But grow [build the house] in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

Notice in the following verses how “the error of the wicked” is connected to “they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.”

2Pe 3:16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.
2Pe 3:17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.

Therefore it is critical to examine ourselves to know if we are in the faith every day as the LORD builds the house with His word which sanctifies us through a lifetime of growing in “the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ”. LORD willing, we are submitting to and hearing Him as we learn of the plans and the process within the “spiritual blueprint” which He has laid out for each of us.

2Co 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you (Col 1:27), except ye be reprobates?

Joh 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word (Col 1:27) is truth.

Eph 5:21 Submitting yourselves one to another (Col 1:27) in the fear of God.
Eph 5:22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.

Jer 22:29 O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the LORD.

Jer 29:11 For I know the thoughts [“spiritual blue print”] that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

1Co 3:10 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed (2Co 13:5 ) how he buildeth thereupon.

The “error of the wicked” is caused by God to admonish us to stay focused on being obedient to Him, by doing what He commands us to do as we learn to operate in the measure of faith which he gives us, along with the sacrifice of thanksgiving on our lips all the time, rather than striving with with our Maker.

Don’t Strive With God

Isa 45:5 I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me:
Isa 45:6 That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, thatthere is none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else.
Isa 45:7 I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.
Isa 45:8 Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness: let the earth open, and let them bring forth salvation, and let righteousness spring up together; I the LORD have created it.
Isa 45:9 Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker!Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands?

Rom 9:19 Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?
Rom 9:20 Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?
Rom 9:21 Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?

Joh 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.

Mat 19:17 And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.

Rom 12:3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

Heb 13:15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.

Php 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.
Php 4:5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.

Many people throughout the ages have tried to reform the word of God (strive with God) to their own destruction as Peter writes in these verses we’ve looked at, and we are being strongly admonished to present ourselves a living sacrifice to God which looks to Christ as the author and finisher of our faith (Heb 12:2), and the captain of our salvation (Heb 2:10) to know our ownselves how that Jesus is within us (1Co 3:10, 2Co 13:5). If we are granted to do this we won’t strive with our maker but rather see ourselves as His workmanship that He is making anew according to His predetermined purpose as these scriptures below bear out.

1Co 3:10 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed (2Co 13:5) how he buildeth thereupon.

1Pe 1:20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,
1Pe 1:21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.
1Pe 1:22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:
1Pe 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
1Pe 1:24 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:
1Pe 1:25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.

1Jn 4:17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

Eph 1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

When we “take heed” or “examine ourselves” we are identifying with this fact that “the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you” (Joh 14:26). “the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost” is sent so that we can grow “in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ” who gives us the power, the patience and the soundness of mind to rightly divide the word of truth or read and make sense of the “spiritual blueprint”.

2Ti 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
2Ti 1:8 Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;
2Ti 1:9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose [His spiritual blue print] and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

2Ti 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
2Ti 2:16 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.
2Ti 2:17 And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus;
2Ti 2:18 Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some.
2Ti 2:19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure , having this seal , The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. [profane and vain babblings]

God’s spirit bears witness with our spirit that He is present in our life (Rom 8:16), and this is the gift which God has given His children in this age to understand and lay hold upon so we can overcome, not frustrating the grace of God but acknowledging His sovereign hand in all things, working in our lives (Php 2:13) and helping us know He is able to make us more than conquerors through Christ (Rom 8:36-38, Joh 8:36). Truly “the foundation of God standeth sure , having this seal, the Lord knoweth them that are his” (Eph 1:11, Rom 8:37).

Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves:it is the gift of God:
Eph 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Gal 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live bythe faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Gal 2:21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

2Ti 2:19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

Eph 1:12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
Eph 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise [2Pe 1:4],
Eph 1:14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

God’s elect are given to acknowledge that the first building is not acceptable before God (Rom 2:4) and that a new building must be constructed on a proper foundation (Joh 2:19). Now imagine right after this physical building that Gale and I are part of is finished, that we would have to come up to the main people involved in building it and tell them, “This building costing $$$ has to come down, not one stone on top of another!” That would be a major shock to everyone’s systems for starters, but that shock is going to pale into insignificance to when the saints come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau (Oba 1:21) and say the same thing Christ said in John 2:19 and Revelation 18:1-24 regarding the fall of Babylon.

We are growing in grace and in knowledge and appreciate the new building process within us, and God promises to finish what He has started in us through Christ. We will have no problem then at that day when we have to be like Joseph’s brothers who had the silver cup put in their bag showing them very clearly, as God has done to the saints who were first judged, that the initial foundation that we laid were never meant to be sustained but rather torn down and made anew by our LORD.

Php 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

Jer 18:4 And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.

The physical temples of Jerusalem which have been built and spoken of in the bible are physical blueprints as well which reveal spiritual concepts for us regarding how we will become those mature sons in Christ. Today, with Christ as our head, we can look at the physical which precedes the spiritual and see through the scriptures how those heavenly places spoken of in Hebrews 9:23 are actually being formed as Christ enters not into the “holy places made with hands” which are “the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:”

Heb 9:23 It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.
Heb 9:24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands,which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:

Eph 2:6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

When building a physical high-rise that we are so accustomed to looking at in our larger cities of the world, there are basic principles that are examined regarding the “design process” long before the “construction process” begins. My goal with this mini-series entitled “Except the LORD build the house” is to look at a few key sections of scripture which parallel certain parts of the “design process” and “construction process” which I have listed below. Additionally, I will point to some other scriptures which can also help us appreciate the amazing work that God is doing in the life of His children, who are the temple of God to which each of those ancient temples of Jerusalem point, and that modern construction can elude to as well.

1Co 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, andthat the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

1Ki 6:7 And the house, when it was in building, was built of stone made ready before it was brought thither: so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building.

Three of the major sections of scripture which I would like to address to aid us in understanding the parallels in our life of Christ’s workmanship, which we are (Eph 2:10), can be found in 1Corinthians 3:1-23, 2Timothy 3:1-17 and 2Timothy 2:1-26. I hope that we will be inspired to see that God’s goals have never deviated (Mal 3:6) and that the purpose for this temple which He is building is very singular in its goal [“having this seal” 2Ti 2:19 and “you were sealed “Eph 1:13] that being His desire for the temple to be filled with “true worshippers [who ] shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him” (Joh 4:23).

Notice as well that workmanship is being discussed right after Ephesians 2:6 because that is where this spiritual workmanship is taking place (Eph 2:10).

Joh 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
Joh 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

The first few parts of this study will cover the first two sections within the “construction process” entitled “breaking ground” and “foundation”. Not surprisingly, the foundation is the part of any building which takes the longest, and like the premise of any equation, it must be laid out very soundly to create the solid conditions on which are needed to build (1Co 3:1-23). If the premise is wrong, the entire building will be compromised!

The natural physical order for building a building is to look at the “design process” first, but as we have learned through God’s word, our Father declares the end from the beginning, so following that principle we will look at certain sections of the “construction process” first and then somewhere along the way, Lord willing, we will discuss how that “design process” has an is-was-and-will-be application for God’s elect as well. Interestingly enough, the last section of the “construction process” is the subject of “occupancy” so that being the last part of the second section, I’ll finish this introductory study titled “Except the LORD build the house” by observing what that goal of “occupancy” looks like for God’s elect today. I will list a few scriptures which demonstrate and declare that the LORD is working with us today, occupying our lives with His spirit, so that we can ultimately be made ready as the bride of Christ being currently raised in heavenly places together with each other in the LORD.

Joh 14:1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
Joh 14:2 In my Father’s house are many mansions^G3438: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
Joh 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

G3438 mone mon-ay’
From G3306; a staying, that is, residence (the act or the place): – abode, mansion.

1Pe 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
1Pe 2:10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

Joh 14:20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you. [our abode]
Joh 14:21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

Col 1:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

Php 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

Php 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
Php 2:14 Do all things without murmurings and disputings:

Psa 2:12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perishfrom the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.

Php 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.

Eph 1:14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

Rev 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. 

Rev 20:6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

Eph 2:6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenlyplaces in Christ Jesus:
Eph 2:7 That in the ages to come [the rest of humanity] he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

How exciting, and beyond our comprehension today, it will be to be with our LORD during the millennium seeing Him face to face (1Co 13:12) and being in on the very ground level of this the most AWESOME and INCREDIBLE build that will ever be known to mankind, as God lays the ground work for the salvation of all men through Jesus Christ and His body, who are a kind of first fruits and the foundation upon which God’s government is going to firmly stand.

1Co 13:12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

Rev 7:4 And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand [144,000 = multiple of 12 = foundation] of all the tribes of the children of Israel.

Construction Process
Break ground

•Excavation
•Digging
•Trenching procedures<

Foundation

•Concrete Forms
•Pour Foundation Wall
•Concrete Slab Pour
•Gravel
•Water Barrier
•Rigid Foam
•Rebar (and PEX tubing for radiant floor heating)
•Pour Concrete for Slab

Utilities

•Sewer, Electrical, Water, Gas
•Framing
•Balloon Framing
•Sheathing https://users.encs.concordia.ca/~raojw/crd/concept/concept000230.html

•Roof
•Stairs
•Windows
•Roofing
•Weather Resistant Barrier
•Rain Screen
•Rough Plumbing

Mechanical Systems

•HVAC
•Lighting and Electrical
•Ambient
•Task
•Accent
•Perimeter
•Air Sealing
•Insulation
•Spray Foam, Blown-in Insulation, or Batt Insulation

General trades

•Drywall
•Sheetrock, Mudding, Sanding, Primer
•Siding
•Flooring
•Tiling
•Painting
•Cabinets, Shelving
•Finish Plumbing
•Finish Electrical and Lighting

Legal

•Certificate of Occupancy
•Modifications
•Moving In 

Design Process

•Funding
•Brainstorm with other funder/executors
•Talk to City Planner
•Rough sketch some ideas with executors/friends
•Talk to neighbours
•Integrated Design Process
•Interview architects (test them with some small space design questions: eg. What are a couple things that you would do to make a small space feel and act bigger? tall ceilings, join living/dining room.
•Find builders and subs (ideally, you want to have identified a builder, plumber, mechanical, electrical subcontractor.)
•Architect draws up schematics for consideration
•Have meeting- talk through design goals
•Schematic refinement
•3D model (use SketchUp)
•Develop drawings for City
•Permit process- In Portland, processing takes 10 days for new construction, then another 10 days for
•corrections
•Permits