It doesn't take any faith to criticise, it doesn't take any faith to tear anyone down; it takes faith to see a burnt stone, a broken life, a drug addict, an alcoholic, someone whose marriage is in tatters - it takes faith to see in that burnt stone, a restored stone, back in the wall of destiny. You and I are called to be those kinds of people, to do that kind of thing. So the Bible tells us we're to build. We're to build lots of things - but you're to build your personal life, and 1 Corinthians 3:9 it says: you are God's building; so the first part of the building is yourself. You are responsible for your personal growth, not someone else. I can't make you grow. You have to choose whether you'll grow. You'll choose whether you're going to build your life or not. You'll choose whether you waste the opportunities or use them; but all building requires a commitment and we're called to build. Jude 20: building yourselves up in your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, so you can build your spirit. I can't do that for you!
You can build your character - I can't do that for you either. You can build your capacity - I'm sorry, I can't do that for you either. You can build and develop your skills, so you have more to contribute to the work of God - we can help you with a bit of that. We can help you with all of those things to some extent, but actually you have to make a decision: I don't want to be a weak Christian, who's ineffective for God. I want my life to count. I want to be a builder. You have to make that decision every day when you get up: I'll build my life. I'll build an altar to God, and place a prayer - time in the word of God; time beginning to lay before God my day, and starting to think: how will I walk with God today? You're called to build your life, because everything takes effort to build. It takes commitment, it takes perseverance, and there are obstacles, there are enemies, and we're called to build the house of God of course, called to build. 1 Corinthians 14:12 it says: if you're zealous for spiritual gifts, and love the power of the Holy Ghost, wonderful - but let it be to build up the church, desire to excel in building up people. Isn't that amazing aye?
1 Corinthians 14:12, so every believer is given spiritual gifts. Some don't even realise that, and some don't operate in them. However God gives every believer spiritual giftings - and there's only one reason for them: they're for building up people. Get words of knowledge, prophesy for people - it's all for building people up and encouraging people. Pray for the sick and get them healed - it's all to encourage people and build them up. Get them delivered is to build them up! Don't focus on the devils, we focus on building a house for God. See, don't focus on a haunted house, focus on the temple, what the temple could look like filled with the presence of God. So we're all called to be builders. You're called to be a builder, you are a builder, it's just a matter of whether you're busy in what you're building - or whether you're smoking on the job. Having lunch, long lunch. A lot of Christians are having a long lunch - just out to lunch some; but you know we're not like that. We're here to work on the house of God and to build people, encourage people.
Everyone's called to be an encourager, to be a builder of people. You can do that and it works through relationships. In Ephesians 4:15-16 it tells us that what we have to contribute, flows through from one member of the body to the other, through joints - so you have to build relationships. You may have some great call on your life, but if you don't develop that and build relationships, it can't come about. We have to build relationships. It's through relationships that the gifts in life of God flows, and relationships are challenging to build. There's often difficulties in building relationships; but on the other hand, it's through relationships that you have a chance to minister to people. If you want to see people saved, you've got to build a friendship with them, build a connection with them. Don't start talking to them about Jesus, take an interest in them, and begin to find out where they are, and what's going on in their life. Think that's a burnt stone there. They don't know it, but I know it, and in a short time after I've asked a few questions, and listened, I'll begin to find out just the extent to which that life is damaged. I'll be able to offer help and support, or maybe just practical kindness. Most people, its just kindness will open their heart, for you to connect into them, so then you can be a builder of their life.