TAKE HEED HOW YOU BUILD ON THE FOUNDATION—JESUS CHRIST

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."
1 Corinthians 3:10–13 (NKJV)

Jesus is the foundation of the church, the chief cornerstone (Isaiah 28:16; 1 Corinthians 3:11; Ephesians 2:20).
The church is God’s building, that is, the believers collectively are God’s building—God dwells in us collectively and individually: “DO YOU NOT KNOW AND UNDERSTAND THAT YOU [the church] ARE THE TEMPLE OF GOD, AND THAT THE SPIRIT OF GOD DWELLS [permanently] IN YOU [collectively and individually]?” (1 Corinthians 3:16 Amp.)
Whatever you do in the vineyard of God, you are building the church of Christ, the temple of God (1 Corinthians 3:9).
Albeit, you need to be circumspect about the type of materials you are building with.

In our text 1 Corinthians 3:12; it says each individual believer is building with different materials:
• Some are building with gold, silver, precious stones, while some with wood, hay, and straw.
• The quality of the materials you build with determines whether you will receive a reward or not, for the work you do here on earth.
• Everyone’s work would be tested by fire, of what sort it is (1 Corinthians 3:13).

This calls for sombreness, careful and serious thought.
What advantage or benefit would it be, after you have laboured so much on earth, expecting a reward at the end of your journey here, only to discover or realised there is no reward for you? That your work, every effort of yours, in God’s kingdom is wasted (Matthew 16:26).
If this will not be your experience, that is, if you will not be shocked at the end of your journey on earth; you will need to pay attention to the quality of the materials you are building with, in God’s vineyard.

The work you are assigned to do in God’s vineyard: How are you doing it?
• Some are doing the work that was assigned to them with levity, they are not faithful and diligent in doing the work (1 Corinthians 4:2).
• A number of believers are doing the work that they might receive the praise of men (1 Thessalonians 2:4-6).
READ: Romans 2:29; 1 Corinthians 4:5
• While some others are doing the work of the kingdom because of their belly, that is, they are doing the work because of the material benefits they will receive from it (Romans 16:17,18).

18 FOR MANY WALK, OF WHOM I HAVE TOLD YOU OFTEN, AND NOW TELL YOU EVEN WEEPING, THAT THEY ARE THE ENEMIES OF THE CROSS OF CHRIST:
19 WHOSE END IS DESTRUCTION, WHOSE god IS THEIR BELLY, AND WHOSE GLORY IS IN THEIR SHAME—WHO SET THEIR MIND ON EARTHLY THINGS.”
Philippians 3:18,19 (NKJV)

People have different motives in their minds about the work of the kingdom—ministry work—and by and large, that determines how they do the work.
If you are doing the work with a wrong motive: motive to please men, or be seen by men and be praised; motive to make money, or receive material benefits; and motive of being famous—you may not receive any rewards at the end.
If the motive with which you do the work is different from that of God, it means you are building with substandard materials—not acceptable materials—that would not survive the test of fire at the end (1 Corinthians 3:14,15).

The Bible says some people’s works shall be burnt, their works would not survive the test of fire, because their works are built with substandard materials—wood, hay, and straw (1 Corinthians 3:12,15).
On the other hand, a number of people’s works will survive, because their works were built with standard materials—gold, silver, precious stones (1 Corinthians 3:12,14).

If I may ask you:
• How are you doing the work you are assigned to do?
• Are you faithful in doing the work assigned to you in your local church?
• The work impressed on your heart by the Holy Spirit to do among the youth, Have you started it?
• What about that work of witnessing and counseling assigned to you by God through the Holy Spirit; What have you done about it?
• About the intercessory work you are burdened to start, What have you done on it?
• That book strongly impressed on your heart to write, the one the Holy Spirit gave you a burden to write; What have you done about it?

If in your own case, you are doing the work, then, How are you doing it?
It is not enough to do the work; the heart, motive, with which you do the work matters to God.
Remember, you will be rewarded mainly, based on the work you are assigned to do, and how you do it?

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.”
1 Corinthians 3:14,15 (NKJV)

“AND SAY TO ARCHIPPUS, "TAKE HEED TO THE MINISTRY WHICH YOU HAVE RECEIVED IN THE LORD, THAT YOU MAY FULFIL IT."
Colossians 4:17(NKJV)

Remember, God expects you to grow and bear fruits in the kingdom:
1 "I AM THE TRUE VINE, AND MY FATHER IS THE VINEDRESSER.
2 "EVERY BRANCH IN ME THAT DOES NOT BEAR FRUIT HE TAKES AWAY; AND EVERY BRANCH THAT BEARS FRUIT HE PRUNES, THAT IT MAY BEAR MORE FRUIT."
John 15:1,2 (NKJV)

What you should not be:
• You should be neither barren nor unfruitful in God’s kingdom on earth (2 Peter 1:8).
• Also, you should not take up space for nothing (Luke 13:7).

You will not fail in Jesus’ name. Peace!