Building on the Foundation - Wood
Prayers
1. My work for the Lord will not be in vain in Jesus name.
2. My labor with the Lord will not be a wasted effort in Jesus name.
3. I will obtain eternal rewards for my work in the Kingdom of God in Jesus mighty name.
Text:
1 Corinthians 3:9-15
9 For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building. 10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. 11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. 14 If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.
We have already gone through how to identify and repair faulty foundations. It is worthy of note that each one of us is a building (1 Corinthians 3:9). Not just any building but God’s building. Our lives individually are God’s house:
And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people.” (2 Corinthians 6:16)
V10 of our scripture admonishes us that each one of us should take heed (be careful, be watchful, consider appropriately) how he builds on that foundation and what he or she builds on the foundation.
As stated last week, it is not enough to have a good and solid foundation; it is equally important to build a good structure on the foundation to have a house that could be lived in safely and comfortably.
The scriptures make us to understand, that a person could actually build his or her spiritual house with Wood. We have seen what it means to build with hay, we are now progressing to understand what it means to build with wood. Note that the spiritual affects the physical body and determines the ultimate destination of the soul of man, since man is made of soul spirit and body (1 Thessalonians 5:23).
What does it mean to build with Wood?
Firstly, what is wood?
Wood has been defined as the hard fibrous material that forms the main substance of the trunk or branches of a tree or shrub.
Wood has also been defined as an area of land, smaller than a forest, that is covered with growing trees.
The word wood is originally from the old English word Wudu.
Uses of wood:
· It is used for fuel or timber.
· Used for making paper, and of course even money, since money is essentially colored paper.
· As a construction material, including building homes. While hay may not be singlehandedly used to build a structure or a home as we saw last week, when hay is reinforced with wood, it can be used to build structures or dwellings.
· Wood is used for making tools, weapons and furniture.
· In some cases it is used as a feedstock for the production of purified cellulose and its derivatives, such as cellophane and cellulose acetate.
What does wood symbolize?
What does wood in the Bible represent?
The Ark was made of wood. The Ark of the Covenant which contained the Law and the cross on which Jesus died Jesus contained the effects of the law when He was crucified as us for our sins. This implies that wood represents salvation. It also represents the humanity of Jesus.
The boat of salvation which Noah made was made from wood, it symbolized the Ark as it was a picture of salvation for those who enter into the ark of salvation, represented by Jesus.
Other symbols of wood include:
The ancient symbol of the Tree has been found to represent:
· physical nourishment
· spiritual nourishment
· transformation
· liberation
· union and
· fertility.
They are seen as powerful symbols of
· growth and
· resurrection.
In many of folk religions, trees are said to be homes of spirits.
Focus on the above physical aspects of wood, without consideration for the relevant spiritual aspects result in building one’s spiritual house with wood.
Examples include:
Physical nourishment: The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 6:13 food for the stomach, the stomach for food (meats) God will destroy both. Kings eat only for strength – enough to get by and not for drunkenness – overfeeding.
Transformation without God: Jesus is the main transformer. In Philippians 3:21 the Bible says He will change our vile bodies to be like his glorious body.
Liberation without the liberator: Jesus is the chief liberator, from physical and spiritual bondage as stated in Isaiah 61:1-3 and John 8:32.
Union without the source of Unity e.g. marriage without God in it or not having God
Fertility without God. Seeking for children outside of God has led many into many unwanted problems bondage and destruction.
Having growth outside of God. It may appear beneficial for a while, but at the end it is wood for the fire burnt to ashes with no lasting eternal rewards. See john 15:1-3.
Jesus is the source of growth. Building without Jesus on the foundation of Jesus is a waste. Our efforts will not be wasted in Jesus name.
Remember that:
Wood can decay.
Wood can easily catch fire.
Wood can hurt people, falling trees, splinters can get into the skin etc.
Remember that: For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. (Acts 17:28)
Abide in Him and Build with Him.
Pray:
1. Every building of wood that will not be beneficial catch fire in Jesus name.
2. I pull down every negative building in my life and destiny in the name of Jesus
You will obtain beneficial rewards in Jesus name.
Your labor and efforts will not be wasted in Jesus name.
Announcements
Prayers
1. Give thanks
2. Born again?
3. Negative growth will not destroy my life and destiny in the name of Jesus.
4. Desire for food will not destroy my life in the name of Jesus.
5. I will be wealthy in line with God’s will in the name of Jesus.
6. I destroy evil transformation and liberty out of my life and destiny in the name of Jesus.
7. My life will be patterned after the life of the Son of God in Jesus name.
8. I destroy evil unions out of my life in Jesus name.
9. I will live in fullness of life in Christ in Jesus name.
10.I receive healing and deliverance from every sickness and difficult situation in Jesus name.
11.Evil conspiracies against my life scatter in the name of Jesus.
12.Unrelenting conspirators working against my life and progress, antagonise and destroy yourselves in Jesus name.
13.Goliath, Pharaoh and Herod of my father’s and mother’s houses die in Jesus name.
14.Father, heal all those who are sick or have been infected by the corona virus in Jesus name.
15.Lord, let the pandemic die out of lives, our communities and nations in Jesus name
16.I bind every strongman that have stolen from me and recover my goods in Jesus name.
17.I will not die I will live by the power in the blood of Jesus.
18.I will have progressive increase, joy, peace, flourishing and great accomplishments in all areas of my life, family, career, academics, business, ministry and destiny in Jesus mighty name.
19.My life and family are shielded with the blood of Jesus against every attack from the kingdom of darkness in Jesus name.
20.I receive the anointing of ease in my endeavors in Jesus name.
21.Personal prayer points.
22.Give thanks.
