By Mark Maher
The house of faith is always being built. Faithfulness is the foundation. “He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock.” (Luke 6:48) Then we begin to build the rooms one day at a time, brick by brick.
Room #1 Speak Life: A common theme interwoven with Christ is to encourage other people and to share the message of hope. Proverbs 18:21 states, “The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” Who reflects God to you? Who speaks life into you?
Room #2 Abounding Love: Love is a powerful theme throughout scripture and its value is immeasurable. “If I speak God’s Word with power, revealing all His mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, “Jump,” and it jumps, but I don’t love, I’m nothing.” (1 Corinthians 13:2 MSG)
Room #3 Everlasting Hope: Hope is the grace where we believe God’s going to take care of us and that He has good plans for our life. “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer.” (Romans 12:12) Hope tells me that even if life is trying, my job is to pray and worship, to simply keep nurturing the relationship with Christ, trusting His heart and His ways. Hope moves forward.
Room #4 Beyond Intentional: We must become DOERS of the Word. We must put into practice what we read in the Bible. “Do not merely listen to the Word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” (James 1:22)
This is where we focus on what really matters. Are you really giving it the time that it deserves? Do you have high expectations but in reality, have little invested time? Shift your focus to go beyond intentions, and to become a doer. To learn to become obedient to God‘s prompting. Let’s find out what’s on the other side of God’s whispered prompting.
Room #5 House of Prayer: Prayers is where we get to know His ways. Prayer is the conversation and the time spent with Christ that dictates my life. It sets me on the right course. “God promises to make His people joyful in His house of prayer.” (Isaiah 56:7)
“So above all, constantly seek God’s kingdom and his righteousness, then all these less important things will be given to you abundantly.” (Matthew 6:33 TPT)
Room #6 Fellowship: “Where no counsel is, the people fall: But in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.” (Proverbs 11:14) Fellowship is where we solidify our faith as “iron sharpens iron.” (Proverbs 27:17)
The place to build the house is alongside others. Allow others to help you grow in your faith. Embrace faith filled people who are sent from God to encourage, advise and who are willing to walk alongside you through the toughest times.
Room #7 Overcome Fear: “You must never allow fear to keep you grounded. The moment you choose to play it safe, you’ve lost the game. Instead of running from your fears, lean into them, for on the other side of them is the future you long for. If you truly live before you die, your life will have a power that not even death can conquer.” Erwin Raphael McManus
Room #8 Give God Everything: Elisha told him, “Strike the ground.” He struck it three times and stopped. The man of God was angry with him and said, “You should have struck the ground five or six times; then you would have defeated Aram and completely destroyed it.” (2 Kings 13:18-19)
Live life where we shoot all the arrows. We want to live life to the full, no regrets, no arrows left in the quiver. What do we have to lose? The only thing we are losing is time. Save nothing, live full, die empty. Keep pressing forward, and get the right people around you. You are never defined by your circumstances, you’ll be defined by how you respond.
Room # 9 Expect Process: You can’t have PROMISE without the PROCESS. Must have a sense of urgency to “run the race God has set before you” (Hebrews 12:1). It’s not about what you could do, it’s what you must do. No time to waste. Remember the scripture, “You should have struck the ground five or six times; then you would have completely destroyed the enemy.” You could have, if you would have. Look closely at your routines and your habits. You’re only as good as your habits.
Room #10 Unconditional Love: “Real love isn’t made on the heights but made in the depths, real love isn’t a peak experience, but experienced in the pits, and real love is found strong right at rock bottom. The love you’re looking for is found in the last place you’d look: in the valleys, and in the pits, and when everything else gives way — and one person reaches out and gives you their hand.” Ann Voskamp
