Building a Christ-Centered Life and Home

Devotional

Day 1: Unless the Lord Builds the House

True spiritual growth and lasting relationships are only possible when God is at the center of our lives, homes, and efforts. Attempting to build our lives, marriages, or families on our own strength leads to frustration and futility, but when we surrender our plans and daily actions to the Lord, He provides the foundation and guidance we need. Whether single, married, or part of a larger community, we are called to rely on the Holy Spirit and invite God to be the builder and protector of all we do. Let God be the centerpiece and the glue that holds everything together, for only then will our labor have lasting value. [25:41]

Psalm 127:1 (ESV)
Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.

Reflection: In what area of your life have you been trying to “build” on your own strength? How can you invite God to take the central place in that area today?

Day 2: God’s Presence and Worship in the Home

A strong Christian life and family are marked by the active presence of God, which is cultivated through worship, prayer, and stewardship. When we intentionally make space for God—both in our gatherings and in our daily routines—we model faith for those around us and experience His peace, power, and purpose, even in the midst of life’s challenges. Worship is not just a Sunday activity but a daily practice, and stewardship extends beyond finances to every aspect of our lives. God promises to be with us and to watch over us wherever we go, and His presence brings blessing and assurance. [34:35]

Genesis 28:15 (ESV)
Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.

Reflection: What is one practical way you can make God’s presence more visible in your home or daily routine this week?

Day 3: God’s Providence—Divine Guidance and Care

God’s providence means that He is actively guiding and caring for us, orchestrating events and relationships in ways we may not always see at first. Just as Jacob’s journey led him to Rachel at the right time and place, God arranges divine appointments and connections in our lives for our good and His purposes. Even when our plans seem disrupted or unexpected things happen, we can trust that God is working behind the scenes, weaving together the details of our stories. Seek His guidance in your decisions and trust that He is leading you, even when the path is unclear. [39:41]

Proverbs 3:5-6 (ESV)
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

Reflection: Can you recall a time when God’s guidance became clear in hindsight? How might you look for His providence in your current circumstances?

Day 4: The Power of Love—From Eros to Agape

Love is a powerful force in relationships, but for it to endure and flourish, it must go deeper than feelings or attraction. Jacob’s love for Rachel was strong enough to motivate years of service, but true, lasting love is marked by selflessness and sacrifice—what the Bible calls agape love. This kind of love is not just an emotion but a daily choice to act with kindness, patience, and grace, even when it’s difficult. As we practice agape love in our families and communities, we reflect God’s own love for us and create an environment where relationships can heal and grow. [41:41]

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (ESV)
Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Reflection: Who in your life needs to experience agape love from you today, and what is one specific action you can take to show it?

Day 5: Perseverance—Enduring Through Trials

Building a godly life or home requires perseverance and determination, especially when faced with conflict, disappointment, or hardship. Jacob’s story was filled with challenges—family strife, broken agreements, and personal failures—yet he continued to work hard and seek God’s help. Our own journeys will not always be easy, but God calls us to press on, trusting that He is with us and that our labor is not in vain when we rely on Him. Perseverance is not about perfection but about faithfulness, knowing that God’s love and grace are sufficient for every trial we face. [46:03]

James 1:2-4 (ESV)
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Reflection: What is one area where you are tempted to give up? How can you ask God for renewed perseverance and faithfulness in that situation today?

Sermon Summary

Today’s focus is on the essential “building materials” needed to construct a strong spiritual life, a godly marriage, and a Christ-centered home. Just as a house requires concrete, wood, and nails, our walk with God requires intentional investment in certain spiritual disciplines. These five means of growth—Bible, prayer, worship, fellowship, and witness—are not just for married couples, but for every believer, whether single, married, or somewhere in between. The foundation of all our efforts must be the Lord Himself; as Psalm 127:1 reminds us, “Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain.” Without God at the center, all our striving is ultimately empty.

Looking at the story of Jacob, Esau, and the family dynamics in Genesis, we see a household in disarray—marked by deception, rivalry, and broken relationships. Yet, even in the midst of dysfunction, God’s presence, providence, power, and perseverance are at work. Jacob’s journey is a reminder that God meets us in our imperfection. Jacob’s life was far from easy: he faced betrayal, family conflict, and years of hard labor. But through it all, God’s promises remained steadfast. Jacob learned to invite God’s presence into his life, to trust in God’s providence for divine appointments, to experience the transforming power of love, and to persevere through trials.

Worship and stewardship are highlighted as key practices for inviting God’s presence into our homes. Worship is not just a Sunday activity, but a daily posture—reading Scripture, praying together, and making space for Jesus in our everyday routines. Stewardship extends beyond finances; it’s about recognizing that everything we have belongs to God and giving back with gratitude. God’s providence is seen in the way He orchestrates relationships and life events, often in ways we only recognize in hindsight. The power of love, especially agape love, is what transforms marriages and families from mere obligation to deep, selfless commitment. Finally, perseverance is necessary because every family, every relationship, faces seasons of hardship. The call is to keep pressing on, relying on God’s strength, and using the right spiritual “building materials” to weather the storms.

Key Takeaways

1. God’s Presence is Foundational Inviting the presence of God into our lives and homes is not a passive act, but a daily choice. Worship, prayer, and visible reminders of Christ’s place in our family life help anchor us in His reality. When God is truly present, our actions flow from love and gratitude rather than obligation, and our children see faith as genuine and alive. This presence brings peace and purpose, even when life is hard. [34:35]
2. Providence: Trusting God’s Divine Appointments God’s providence means He is actively guiding and caring for us, even when we don’t see it in the moment. The story of Jacob meeting Rachel reminds us that God orchestrates the details of our lives, often using unexpected circumstances to fulfill His purposes. Trusting in His providence allows us to rest, knowing that our relationships and futures are in His hands. Sometimes, what seems like coincidence is actually God’s careful design. [39:41]
3. The Power of Love: From Eros to Agape While romantic love (eros) may draw us together, it is agape love—selfless, sacrificial, and unconditional—that sustains relationships through difficulty. Acts of kindness, even when they begin as discipline or duty, can transform hearts and heal wounds. True love in marriage and family is not just a feeling, but a daily decision to serve, forgive, and put others first, reflecting Christ’s love for us. [41:41]
4. Perseverance Through Imperfection Jacob’s life was marked by conflict, disappointment, and hardship, yet he persevered. Building a godly home or a strong spiritual life is not about perfection, but about determination to keep going, even when things are messy. God honors those who persist, who work hard, and who refuse to give up, trusting that He is working even through our failures and struggles. [46:03]
5. God Must Be the Centerpiece All our efforts—whether in marriage, family, or personal faith—are in vain if God is not at the center. He is the glue that holds us together, the builder who gives our labor meaning. Surrendering every area of life to Him is the only way to experience lasting joy, peace, and purpose, both now and for eternity. [47:49]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:10] - Introduction: Miracles and God’s Work Today
[03:05] - The 50-Day Adventure: Noticing God’s Hand
[05:20] - Building Materials for Spiritual Growth
[08:30] - The Importance of Doing Things Right
[11:45] - Psalm 127:1 and the Need for God’s Involvement
[14:50] - Laboring in Vain: Playing the Christian Game
[17:30] - God at the Center of Marriage and Family
[21:19] - The Story of Jacob and Esau: Family in Disarray
[25:41] - Jacob’s Flight and God’s Promise
[28:01] - Jacob Meets Rachel: Divine Appointments
[31:28] - Deception, Disappointment, and New Beginnings
[34:35] - Building with God’s Presence: Worship and Stewardship
[37:00] - Providence: God’s Guidance in Relationships
[39:41] - The Power of Love: Eros and Agape
[41:41] - Perseverance in the Face of Hardship
[46:03] - Lessons from Jacob’s Struggles
[47:49] - Making God the Centerpiece
[54:22] - Closing Prayer and Blessing

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Psalm 127:1 — "Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain."

- Genesis 27–31
(Key events: Jacob and Esau’s conflict, Jacob’s journey, meeting Rachel, and building his family.)

Observation Questions

In Psalm 127:1, what does the psalmist say happens if the Lord is not involved in building the house?
According to the story in Genesis, what were some of the problems and conflicts in Jacob’s family? ([27:17])
What two spiritual practices did Jacob begin after encountering God, as mentioned in the sermon? ([34:35])
How did Jacob show perseverance during his years with Laban? ([46:03])

Interpretation Questions

Why does the sermon emphasize that God’s presence must be intentionally invited into our homes and lives, rather than assumed? ([34:35])
What does Jacob’s story teach about God working through imperfect people and messy situations? ([31:28])
How does the difference between eros (romantic love) and agape (selfless love) affect the way relationships are built and sustained? ([41:41])
What does it mean to trust in God’s providence, especially when life feels out of control or disappointing? ([39:41])

Application Questions

The sermon talked about making God’s presence visible in our homes, even suggesting setting an extra chair for Jesus at the table. What is one practical way you could make God’s presence more real in your daily routines? ([34:35])
Think about a time when you recognized God’s providence only in hindsight. How can you become more aware of God’s “divine appointments” as they happen? ([39:41])
The story of Jacob and Rachel shows both romantic and sacrificial love. In your closest relationships, where do you see opportunities to move from “eros” to “agape” love? What would that look like this week? ([41:41])
Jacob’s life was full of setbacks, disappointments, and hard work. When you face discouragement or conflict in your family or faith, what helps you persevere? Is there a specific area where you need to keep going right now? ([46:03])
Stewardship was described as more than just giving money—it’s about recognizing everything belongs to God. What is one area of your life (time, resources, talents) you could offer back to God with gratitude this week? ([34:35])
The sermon said, “All our efforts are in vain if God is not at the center.” Are there areas of your life, marriage, or family where you’ve been “laboring in vain”? What would it look like to surrender those areas to God? ([47:49])
For those who are single, the message was that these “building materials” are for everyone. Which of the five means of growth (Bible, prayer, worship, fellowship, witness) do you most want to strengthen in your life right now? ([05:20])

Sermon Clips

The problem is sometimes we just don't look for them. Years ago, our church went through what we call a 50-day adventure, and we looked specifically, had a pen and piece of paper with us all day, and we would mark down on that piece of paper how we saw God working in our lives. And it was very helpful. You could go back and see evidence of God working and doing miracles in our lives. [00:19:52]

But in our spiritual life, we have materials too, building materials that we need to use in our spiritual life to grow, if we want to grow in the Lord. And I name them the five means of growth. It's Bible, prayer, worship, fellowship, and witness. We need to put all those building materials into our spiritual life so that we grow closer to God every day. [00:21:19]

That should be our same attitude with our relationship with Jesus Christ. We want our relationship to be done right, right? We want to practice our growth every day. Today when you woke up hopefully it's a better day today than it was yesterday and each day we draw close to the Lord by them five means of growth that I mentioned. [00:23:09]

As Christians, as singles, as married couples here today we need to rely on the Holy Spirit every day to help us to help us grow and to help us in our in our labor in our or the Bible tells us if we don't if we try to do it on our own the scriptures text we just says we labor in vain we go through the motions. [00:23:53]

A married couple without Jesus will never ever experience the full benefit, uh, and the spiritual bond that God wants us to have. In other words, in our marriage, in our home, in our life, God needs to be center of that life and we want to have a full experience and relationship with him. [00:24:56]

We see it in our society today, don't we? We see it in cities that don't honor or glorify God and they crumble. You go back to the Old Testament, there's several examples in the Old Testament. Look at Sodom and Gomorrah. They took God out of the picture in Sodom and Gomorrah. It was so corrupt and God destroyed the city. [00:25:22]

A strong Christian family will worship together. A strong Christian family comes to church together to worship, but a strong Christian family worships at home as well. They read their Bible, they do devotions, they pray together, they let their children see that this is the real deal, that we are honoring God and the presence of God is here. [00:34:35]

When we have the presence of God in our life, we will want to do these things. It won't be an obligation to us, but it'll be a blessing to us to be able to give back what's already God's, a tithe, an offering. [00:35:57]

This doesn't mean just because we do all these things that God shelters us from problems or from issues or the hard knocks of life. This doesn't mean just because we do all these things that we don't have to be able to do. But what it does mean, when the hard knocks of life do come, that we will have peace, we will have power, and we will have purpose that comes from being obedient to our Lord and Savior, again, when those hard knocks of life do come. [00:36:12]

Listen to what God tells Jacob in chapter 28, verse 15, the first part of that verse. He says, I am with you, and I will watch over you wherever you go. What a promise. I am with you, and I'm going to watch over you no matter where you go. You know, God makes that promise to you and to me today. [00:36:37]

Providence simply means this, divine guidance and care. Divine guidance and care. As Jacob now arrives in Haran here, isn't it amazing? At just the right time, at just the right place, at just the right family, there appears Rachel out of nowhere, right? God is divine in your life, and God is divine in my life. [00:37:18]

But we need to understand that God is divine. God is divine, and he works in all things. He sets up divine appointments for you and for me. [00:38:42]

If you think of your story and how God orchestrated it for you and your spouse. But we need, for those that aren't married here, for those that perhaps are seeking marriage, ask the Lord to give you guidance. [00:39:48]

The third ingredient is the power, the power of love, the power of God, the power of love. In verse 20 of chapter 29, it says, so Jacob served seven years. I'm going to read this verse again. So Jacob served seven years to get Rachel, but they seemed only like a few days to him because of his love for her. [00:40:12]

But it can never be the found, the only foundation for a successful marriage. The Greek word for this type of love is called eros, E-R-O-S. What it is, it's a physical love and an affection between a man and a woman. It must go deeper than that if you want the marriage to succeed. [00:40:52]

Her acts of kindness, her acts of doing what God wanted her to do, it might have started a little fake but it ended up being a good thing. It ended up being what we call an agape love. Now agape love is this, the highest form of love, it's a selfless unconditional love. [00:42:32]

The final ingredient this morning for the building materials is perseverance, perseverance and determination. Perseverance and determination is needed to build a godly home no matter how hard the fight is. Perseverance is needed in your daily Christian walk as well. [00:43:03]

If we're honest with ourselves, our home isn't always rosy, right? Our homes, even for us as Christians and good married couples, it always it isn't just rosy. We have issues at times, we have problems at times. There will be those who persevere though and say when the going gets tough the tough get going, right? [00:43:34]

We saw that Jacob didn't always do the right thing. We talked about earlier in this message, I don't always do the right thing. Jacob didn't always do the right thing. But in the end, he used the right building materials that were needed for his relationship, not only with God, but with his family, his wife, his two wives and grandchildren. [00:47:07]

You see, the Bible tells us that God loved Jacob. Well, it's no secret here today. Today God loves you as well. The Bible makes that very clear in John 3 16. He loves you so much. He loves you with an everlasting life. Love the Bible tells us. He loves you so much that he came and he died for you. An imperfect person like I'm an imperfect person. I'm a sinner just like you. He died for us for our sins. [00:47:30]

Remember our scripture text which we read here this morning again. Psalms 127 1 says this again. Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stand guard in vain. In other words, God needs to be the centerpiece in our life. God needs to be the glue that holds your Christian walk together with his relationship with him. Because remember we are married to him. We are his bride. He's coming back for us someday. So we need to surrender all to him so we can spend eternity with him in heaven forever and ever. [00:48:22]

So make your home beautiful by furnishing it with God's presence in your life, with God's providence, with God's power and his perseverance. [00:49:05]

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