Each week, take 5 days to dive deeper into the heart of our Sunday sermons! Through key insights and scripture, this format will allow for further personal reflection and spiritual growth. Keeping this at the dinner table, discuss it with family and/or friends.

"LORD, I come before you in the name of your son Jesus. I lay before you every plan and ambition that I think I should have and ask you to confirm those things that only YOU want me to pursue. Help me to trust you, cooperate with you and together we can build the life that you want me to live for Your Glory! In Jesus name, Amen."

We’ve been called to ‘edify’ or build up. It doesn’t happen by chance. We have to be willing to edify our faith, the lives of others around us, our relationships, our way of thinking, character, and community. It is by choice. We are invited to collaborate with the Grace, Wisdom, and Truth of God to leverage a good marriage, overcome addictions, move past resentment and experience forgiveness. God invites us to the garage, He has opened the door and provided the tools to build, but we need to put our hand to the lever. We aren’t just saved from something, we are saved to something and that is to build and flourish in the life that He’s given us for the benefit of the Kingdom.

In what specific areas of your life do you feel God is inviting you to collaborate with His grace and wisdom to build up your faith and relationships? How can you take practical steps today to engage in that process?

Life isn’t merely to be observed–it’s not about accumulating stuff, status and shallow pursuits, it’s about building something. We were creating in the image of God through Christ and we have purpose in God’s plan if we’ll make the decision to partner with God and work to build His Kingdom.

Is there an area of your life where you are stuck in your ways and you feel God is calling you to build and invest in His purpose? How can you take a step forward in faith?

Sure, you can build something without God, but it won’t be what He made you to have. You may even notice more of a sense of striving and overwhelm when you try to fly solo. God is the general contractor. He’s not our co-pilot, He is the pilot! 

In what ways have you been trying to build on your own? How might you invite God to ensure that His presence and purpose shape what you are trying to accomplish?

We need the wisdom and understanding of God to build anything structurally sound and lasting. Only God sees the big picture and perfect plan for our life; He has the blueprints! Without God’s wisdom, anything we try to build on our own pales in comparison, or worse, falls apart at the seams.

How can we consult with the Lord in building a foundation for our home, marriage, business, parenting, or how we will serve our community? How can doing things God’s way yield a different result vs. doing it our way?

We are to edify and build up our faith, our relationships with others, our character, our mind and communities through yielding to Christ in us and the hope of His glory. We are called to His purpose and not our own. We need to seek the general contractor of our lives and be in sync with His plan. We do this by being grounded and rooted in His word, letting it renew our minds, seeking Him through prayer and yielding to the power of the Holy Spirit. We adopt a thankful and reflective attitude on the things He has done in our lives and trust Him with the rest of it.

In this New Year how can you commit your works to God and let Him establish your plans? How can you build with His foundation to ensure a lasting one in every area of your life?