Foundation the Works of the Flesh and Christ the Cornerstone

FOREWARD

This is my second book and it will attempt to clarify a few things that we as men pile over while we sojourn the length breathe height and depth of this earth as aliens and strangers.

My first book was intended to lay a foundation of the life on the streets as cats wage turf war over drugs guns hookers as they spill blood in the name of manhood and machismo and like King Kong beat cats up with banana hands for touching their stuff!
Dang...

In this book I will address man’s need of building a foundation for his life and the temptation we all face that of trying to improve upon the foundation laid by Christ through blind ambition.

And a plain disregard of the caution the apostles warned us with of folks who through false doctrine have attempted to make believers regress backward to the fundamentals of the way of salvation and repentance from dead works and faith towards God.

The only true foundation is that which the lord laid as the chief cornerstone the body of believers build on the foundation of the apostles and prophets.

Now we are no longer strangers and aliens but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God...
 
BLIND AMBITION

Romans 15:18-20,
For I will not venture to speak anything except what Christ has wrought through me to win obedience from the Gentiles by word and deed.

By the power of signs and wonders by the power of the Holy Spirit so that from Jerusalem and as far round as Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.

This is my ambition to preach the gospel not where Christ has already been named lest I build on another man’s foundation.

There is this momentum which the church fathers have been building up on like steam from a locomotive engine. And at the advent of the Church Age the third and fourth century gate keepers have slowly through false doctrine and manmade theology have eroded the work of the Old Testament writers by rewriting the Ten Commandments in a blatant disrespect of the Law of Moses...

Whom at the same time were introducing through edicts and edifices a watered down version of the Law of Christ that of loving the Father with all our hearts all our minds all our soul and all our strength which is the First Great Commandment.

And the Second which is Like unto It ... love thy neighbour as thou loves thyself...
Look at what these church fathers of the Apostolic Age ignored by coming up with the Edict of Milan in AD 313 and The Council Of Nicaea in AD 325.

The Edict of Milan was signed by Emperor Constantine and Licinius that proclaimed religious tolerance in the Roman Empire shortly after the end of the persecution of Christians by Emperor Diocletian.

And the Council Of Nicaea at the first Ecumenical church meeting in ancient Nicaea an unbaptized catechumen Emperor Constantine presided this meeting in hopes of solving a problem created by the Eastern Church by Arius of Alexandria that confirmed that Christ was not divine created.

Matthew 4 where we see the tempter’s dealings with Christ Jesus in the Wilderness of Temptation...

Vv 3-4,

And the tempter came and said to him... If you are the Son of God command these stones to become loaves of bread.

But he answered... It is written Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.

Vv 5-7,

Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple.
And he said to him... If you are the Son of God throw yourself down; for it is written... He will give his angels charge of you and on their hands they will bear you lest you strike your foot against a stone.

Jesus said to him... Again it is written... You shall not tempt the Lord your God.

Vv 8-10,

Again the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the earth.
And said to him... All these I will give you if you fall down and worship me.

Then Jesus said to him... Begone Satan for it written... You shall worship the Lord your God and him alone shall you serve.

Like John Bradshaw says... It is written man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God...
 
A BELIEVERS BODY AS ATEMPLE

Ephesians 2:19-22,

So then you are no longer strangers and sojourners but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God.

Built up on the foundation of the apostles and prophets Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone.
In whom the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord.

In whom you are also built into for the dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

Christ said that where I go you cannot come with me but if I go I will prepare a place for you and where IAM there you will be also. We are born aliens and strangers on this planet and like King David prayed to God teach me to number my days for my time here is short...

Man has no permanent dwelling place zip code street hood and home address while he lives inside his body which an earthly tent.

Hebrews 11:13-16,

These all died in faith not having received what was promised but having seen it greeted it from afar and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.

For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland.
If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out of they would have an opportunity to return.

But as it is they desire a better country that is a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God for he has prepared them a city.

But Paul says that though we are just passersby travelling to a better country... To all who God is not ashamed to be called their God we are no longer estranged to our heavenly Dad. For we are members of God’s household and fellow citizens with the saints...

Those who died before they received their promise but greeted it from afar Paul said it this way... Let us persevere and not faint knowing we are encompassed by such a great cloud of witnesses...

Christ himself being the chief corner of the stone in which the whole structure is joined together and grows into a Holy Temple in the Lord. Built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets in whom we are built into a pure dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

1 Peter 2:4-10,

Come to him to that living stone rejected by men but in God’s sight chosen and precious.
And like living stones be yourselves built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

For as it stands in scripture... Behold IAM laying in Zion a corner stone chosen and precious and he who believes in him will not be put to shame.

To you therefore who believe in him he is precious but for those who do not believe... The very stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner.

And a stone that will make men stumble a rock that will make them fall for they stumble because they disobey the word as they were destined to do.

But you are a chosen race a royal priesthood a holy nation God’s own people that you may declare the wonderful deeds of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.

Once you were not people but now you are God’s people once you had not received mercy but now you have received mercy.
 
CAUTION

Luke 14:28-30,

For which of you desiring to build a tower does not first sit down and count the cost whether he has enough to complete it?

Otherwise when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish all who see it begin to mock him.
Saying... This man began to build and was unable to finish.

This is a universal law that we must first count the cost whether we have enough to finish what it is we started...

A journey of a thousand miles starts with the first step. And the Roman Empire was not built in a day...

Anything that we start in life be it schooling business married life friendship courtship a pet project or a side hustle we would be fools in the eyes of our peers if we erred in the mathematics and failed to consider the cost benefit ratio.

Any man who has a double mind does things half hearted or worse still digs a hole in the ground and buries his head in the sand like the ostrich trouble comes he ducks. Playing dodge ball with God only leaves one stranded in a blizzard of sin guilt and despair like a rescue team abandoning the search!!!

Matthew 25:14-15,

For it will be as a man going on a journey called his servants and he entrusted to them his property.
To one he gave five talents to another two to another one each according to his ability. Then he went away.

Vv 24-25,

He also who had received the one talent came forward saying... Master I knew you to be a hard man reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you did not winnow.

So I was afraid and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.
I keep telling blokes in my generation to bury their gifts in the sand and complain about not receiving anything good from the lord...

Exodus 4:1-2,

Then Moses answered... But behold they will not believe me or listen to my voice for they will say... The LORD did not appear to you.

The LORD said to him... What is that you have in your hand? He said... A rod.
And my ninja what has God put in your hand???

And what things are you doing with it that now you’re complaining bitterly to the Lord that he is not blessing your way. Moses cast his rod and it became a serpent. Then he picked it up by the tail and it turned back to his rod (Exodus 4:3-5)

No use digging a hole in the sand to bury your gifts talents and abilities only to hear this from the Master...

Matthew 25:26-30,

But his master answered him... You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sowed and gather where I have not winnowed?

Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers and at my coming I should have received what was my own interest.

So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents.
For to everyone who has will more be given and he who has not even what he has will be taken away.

And cast the worthless servant into outer darkness there men will weep and gnash their teeth.

COMMANDMENTS IN EPISTLES
1 Timothy 6:17-20,

As for the rich in this world charge them not to be so haughty nor to set their hopes on uncertain riches but on God who richly furnishes us with everything to enjoy.

They are to do good to be rich in good deeds liberal and generous.

Thus laying up for themselves a good foundation for the future so that they may take hold of the life which is life indeed.

O Timothy guard what was has been entrusted to you. Avoid the godless character and contradiction of what is falsely called knowledge.

For by professing it some have missed the mark in regard to faith. Grace be with you.

The truth is in this age of globalization cats have turned the planet into a microcosm where money flows from one end of the world to the other end at the speed of light. One click of a button and I can have my bank account credited or debited from anywhere in the world...

Mobile money transfer has become one of those things we do without thinking much about and in an era of the WWW the things we are capable of doing with a mouse pad and cursor are outstanding.

Solomon says that those who put their sights on their finances status will watch that money grow wings and return to its maker...

Haggai 1:4-6,

Is it time for yourselves to live in your panelled houses while this house lies in ruins?
Now therefore thus says the LORD of hosts... Consider how you have fared.

You have sown much and harvested little you eat but never have enough you drink but you never have your fill you clothe yourselves but no one is warm and he who earns wages earn wages to put them into a bag with holes.

But it’s not bad thing to be financially stable in these days of high inflation lower wages rent food clothing car payments medical insurance and school fees that shoot through the roof every post election period...

Not to mention all the gadgets that consume our money every month as we get hyper on entertainment. Paul tells us those who are rich in this world not to be haughty and set their sights on uncertain riches but to put their hope in God who richly gives us all good things to enjoy.

Part of the material possessions we have is for our immediate use but we are not to be unaware that material prosperity is God given and us men are to be rich in good deeds liberal and generous.

Those who trust in the uncertainty of their riches bring upon themselves many afflictions and a snare and dig for themselves ditches to fall in. By being rich in doing good and being rich in good deeds and by being liberal and generous....

We thus lay up for ourselves a good foundation for the future so that we may take hold of the life which is life indeed.

MAN’S CONDUCT TOWARDS GOD

Hebrews 6:1,

Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and faith toward God.

There has been a real push by the church over the last one hundred years that has kept believers stuck in the same place they were at the inception of salvation. Paul said that he would rather talk to us as mature Christians....

But as yet we are still grappling with the tenets of salvation where as at this time we ought to be preachers and teachers of the gospel of our LORD and Saviour Christ Jesus. Peter said that as newly born babes in Christ we should earnestly desire the pure milk of the word of God.

At the same time we should feed on the solid meat of the gospel. As babes in Christ we are still to grow our capacity to chow on mature content by reading widely on various topics that are not just what we call the bare minimum.

Bible tells us that my people perish for lack of knowledge....

Proverbs 1:20-28,

Wisdom cries aloud in the streets in the market she raises her voice.

On top of the walls she cries out at the entrance of the city gates she speaks.

How long O simple ones will you love being simple? How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing and fools hate knowledge?

Give heed to my reproof... behold I will pour out my thoughts to you... I will make my words knows to you.

Because I have called you and you refused to listen have I stretched out my hand and no one has heeded.

And you ignored all my counsel and would have none of my reproof.

I also will laugh at your calamity... I will mock when panic strikes you.

When panic strikes like a storm and your calamity comes like a whirlwind when distress and anguish come upon you.

Then they will call upon me but I will not answer they will seek me diligently but will not find me.
How long will you simple ones love your simplicity???

And how long will the scornful delight in their scornful ways???
And how long will fools despise knowledge???

There is a way that seems right to a man but to the All Seeing Eye it becomes a lifeless plan. All things are permissible but not all are beneficial. All things are lawful but not all are permissible.

Like I said earlier that in deed this is the dumb down era where man has lost his visual IQ and has developed premature deafness in both ears... And in our wisdom we have become fools and exchanged the truth of God for a lie.

And worshipped and served the creature instead of the creator. We replaced the glory of the immortal God for images of mortal man and birds and reptiles and beasts. Thus God gave them up to the lusts of their hearts to impurity to the dishonouring of their bodies among themselves.

For this reason God gave them up to dishonouring passions... Their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural relations with other women. And like wise men gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with a passion for one another.

Men committed shameful acts with men receiving in their own persons the due penalty for their error... (Romans 1:21-27)