Phil Beach Jr. emphasizes that the building of the house of God is not about physical structures but about the spiritual dwelling of God within His people. He urges the congregation to pray for the eyes of their hearts to be opened to understand God's eternal purpose and the significance of the church as the body of Christ. Beach highlights that God's desire has always been to find a permanent home on earth where He can dwell, which is fulfilled in Jesus and continues through the church. He calls for believers to recognize their role as living stones in this spiritual house, emphasizing the need for divine revelation to grasp the hope of God's calling. Ultimately, the sermon challenges the church to move beyond mere rituals and to embrace their identity and purpose in Christ.

And we're going to discover what the Lord is looking for. But before we go into the scriptures, we need to recognize that the Holy Spirit is seeking to give us eyes to see in our heart. The eyes of our heart being open that we could see and understand what God is after. And it's so vitally important that we pray that the eyes of our heart would be opened so we can see God's heart for us this morning. Let's begin in Genesis chapter one. Genesis chapter one. Genesis chapter one. You remember last Sunday we began to talk about the building of the house of God. It is very, very imperative that we remember that the building of the house of God has nothing to do with the erecting of buildings. The building of the house of God has absolutely nothing to do with temples that are made by hands. The building of the house of God has absolutely nothing to do with an outward form. Genesis chapter one. Let's begin in verse number one. It's a good place to begin. In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form and void. And darkness was upon the face of the deep. Now, the next phrase is what we want to look at for a few moments. Because this next phrase is what has been governing God from the very beginning of time. Now, listen. The very beginning of time. Now, before time began, eternity is. It was, it is, and it ever shall be. And so, what governed God in time was what was in His heart in eternity. This is it right here. Everything that the Lord does is governed by His purpose. Is governed by His intention. We will totally miss what God is after as the church in this hour. If we do not understand what He originally was looking for in eternity. And then when time was introduced. And God began to create, and God began to move in the realm of time. That which He wanted in eternity began to unfold. And so, what we want to do is get the broad picture of what God is after. That will affect our lives drastically. But for emphasis, we want to be very, very clear on this particular point. God's purpose is not related to the things that men can do. The outward things. I think if I asked the question this morning, mostly everybody would know the answer. But let's just see. What is the church? Is it a building? Is the church a building that we go to? What is the church? The body of Christ. Yet, we say, let's go to church. And our children say, are we going to church? Right? And the impression, the idea is, we're going to the church. We're going to church. And even though we, in our hearts, recognize that that's not really true, yet that idea is perpetuated. We have to be free from the wrong idea which can lead us down a wrong street. We, God's people, those born again, are the church. We have to keep this in mind. All right, let's begin in Genesis chapter 1. In the beginning, as we read, there was darkness. The earth was without form. And listen now. The Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. Here's what that phrase actually means. According to the original language, it's the picture of an eagle. That is, hovering over a particular area. And he is earnestly looking, she is earnestly looking for a home. A place to build her nest where she can abide. This one phrase captures, in possibly one of the most vivid pictures in the Old Testament, the heart, cry, and purpose of God. He's looking to find. He has been looking. He is looking. He's looking to find a place. Listen. On earth, where he can call his own. Where his rights are honored. Now, beloved, let's turn to Psalm 132. Beginning in verse 1. Lord, remember David and his afflictions, how he swore unto the Lord and vowed unto the mighty God of Jacob. Listen. Surely I will not come into the tabernacle of my house nor go up into my bed. I will not give sleep to my eyes or slumber to my eyelids until I find out a place for the Lord. A habitation for the mighty God of Jacob, Isaiah 66. This is where we just sang the song. This is where it comes from. Isaiah chapter 66. Thus saith the Lord. The heaven is my throne and the earth is my footstool. Where is the house that you build unto me? So you see, God's cry in Genesis. God's cry in the Psalm. Now here's God's cry in Isaiah. The same cry. He's looking for a place. Watch what he says. Where is the house that you build unto me? And where is the place of my rest? The idea there is where is the place where I can find where I can find a permanent, not a temporary. A permanent abiding place that I can call my permanent home. Where is that place? Let's ask ourself that question. Where is that place? Watch what he says. Verse 2. For all those things hath my hand made and all those things have been, saith the Lord. But to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and trembles at my word. But to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my word. In order to understand, beloved, the building of the house of God. We have to focus in and see that God wants a place. A house. A dwelling. Now we know, we go to Matthew chapter 4. Matthew chapter 4. Or Matthew chapter 3, I'm sorry. Matthew chapter 3, beginning in verse number 13. The scripture says, Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John to be baptized of him. But John forbid him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee. And comest thou to me? And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now. For thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness. Then he suffered him. Now listen closely. And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water. And, lo, the heavens were opened unto him. And he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting upon him. And, lo, a voice from heaven saying, This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. Listen, all of God's heart cry that we just read about in Genesis. Then in Psalms. Then in Isaiah. And we're just touching on it. The whole Testament is about the cry of God calling out Abraham. Why did God call Abraham out of the Ur of the Chaldees? Because he wanted a place, a heart, a people that would receive him as king. He was looking for that nest. So he called Abraham out. And he revealed himself to Abraham, to Isaac, to Jacob. And then the twelve tribes of Jacob. And he gathered them together as a nation. And he revealed himself to them. And he said, I want you as my own people. I've been looking for eternity for a dwelling place on earth. Where all of my rights and all of my glory and all of my beauty and all of my splendor. Can have a permanent place of expression. We know the story. God's people time and time and time again missed the heart of God. Missed the heart of God. Got involved in all manner of different things. But they missed the heart of God. And the result was God never ever satisfied his heart. Then we come to the New Testament. And we see the Lord Jesus Christ. And there, in the person of his son. God fulfilled the desire of his heart. And he found, listen carefully. He found a place, finally. Where he was entirely welcome. In his son, Emmanuel, God with us. He said, this is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased. You know that God never said that about any other person in the whole world. From the very beginning. In whom I am well pleased. And so, all of eternity's desire in God's heart to find a dwelling place on earth. Where he would have absolute rights. Was realized when his son came and manifested to the world. The dwelling place of God. But let me say, listen carefully. That was not God's entire intention. Just to find one where his dwelling can be manifest on earth. Let me show you. Now, let's go, if we could, to the book of Ephesians. Okay? We're just laying a foundation now. Because it is imperative that we understand this foundation. If we're going to be built together. As the house of God. And satisfy the longing of his heart. Okay? But now watch. God found in his son the place that he was looking for in all eternity. His son walked and honored him. His son walked and revealed his love and his nature and his character to the whole world. That's what God was looking for. But now watch this. In Ephesians chapter 1. Ephesians chapter 1 verse number 17. Or let's begin with verse number 15. Okay? Now listen carefully. This is the eternal purpose of God. Watch. Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. And the love unto all the saints. This is the Holy Spirit speaking through Paul. Cease not to give thanks for you. Making mention of you in my prayers. Oh, we can just spend a lot of time on each one of these verses. But we'll try not to. Because we want to get the whole picture. Sometimes it's hard to get the whole picture. Because each part of the picture is so rich and so full. And you can focus in. But for the sake of laying a foundation. We're going to try not to do that. Alright? I make mention of you in my prayers. I'm giving thanks for you. What a true heart here. Just listen carefully. What a true heart here. Of someone who is really lost in the purposes of God. Here's someone who's lost in the purposes of God. They're giving thanks for you. Let me ask a question. Is your heart filled with thanksgiving for the church? For your brothers and sisters? I mean, do you give thanks to God every day for your brothers and sisters? Do you thank God for them? Are you giving thanks? Are you making mention of them in your prayers? You scratch your head and say, Well, I can't really say I do that. I'm a little too busy with my own life. You see the depths to which God has to yet bring us. I cease not to give thanks for you and make mention of you in my prayers. That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you. Now listen, beloved. Listen to these phrases here. The spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him. Now if you mark your Bible, underline it. If not, write in your notes. Write in your notes this. In order to understand the purpose of God. God must give us the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him. That is something that God must give us. Or else we will inevitably reduce the heavenliness of what God is doing down to an earthly thing. We'll make the church a building. We'll make what's important to God earthly things. Rituals. See, without the spirit of wisdom and revelation, we'll reduce everything to an earthly plane. And we'll create a religion called Christianity. Sterile. Void of truth. Alright, now watch what we're praying for now. The spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him. The eyes of your understanding or the eyes of your heart. See what's necessary? Being enlightened. That word means to be flooded with light. Brilliant light. Radiant light. Can you see these? Can you see what the Holy Spirit is doing now? He just got done talking about the eternal purpose of God in Ephesians 1. And then he bursts out into prayer. He's saying, Oh dear beloved, we need the spirit of wisdom and revelation. We need light from heaven. Flooding the eyes of our heart. Enabling us to see. Enabling us to grasp. Enabling us to comprehend. The eyes of your heart being enlightened that you may know what is the hope of His calling. The hope of His calling. And what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints. Let's just try to go on here now. Oh, I pray if anything, beloved, you would be intrigued by this portion of Scripture. And you would meditate upon it during the week. And pray over it. Now watch this. So let's just make a list here now. What are we praying for here? Number one. The spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him. Now let me ask a question. All right. Be honest. When was the last time you were weeping before God because you were longing for the spirit of wisdom and revelation to more fully work in your life? Can't remember. OK, number two. Now, what else? What else is Paul praying for? That the eyes of our heart would be flooded with radiant, brilliant light from heaven, enabling us to see. You see the setting here that we have to enter into together in order to capture the meaning of this stuff? You know, as we were worshiping the Lord this morning, there was such a presence of the Lord. And you know why? It's all about this in His Word. He's after this. He wants this. He longs for us to see that life is more than getting up, brushing your teeth, eating eggs, pancakes, going to work, as our brother said, trying to make a dollar, coming home, sitting in front of the TV. Life is more than these things. God is longing for us to realize that life for the church is more than just going about our normal affairs of life. Life is about capturing, about being overcome with the revelation by God to see that we are called as God's people with a purpose to fulfill the intention of God. To fulfill the purpose of God. Young people especially, listen please. Your life is more than just getting up and saying, what am I going to do with my life? Who am I going to marry? What school am I going to go to? I think this is what our brother was trying to say. You hear the Lord. You hear the Lord in His way of talking. You could tell He's from another country. But did you go beyond that? Did you hear the Lord? Did you hear the Holy Spirit? Holy Spirit was saying, don't, don't, don't just live an ordinary life. Don't be motivated. Don't be governed. Don't be energized by your natural impulses. You'll miss the purpose of God. We'll miss the purpose of God. That's what this is all about here. Your life is more than just existing for ourself, for myself, for my good, for my benefit. But brothers and sisters, we will never touch this. Oh, I could teach it. And you could get it in your notebook. And you could learn it. And you can talk about it. But if it doesn't conquer us, if it doesn't overcome us, if it doesn't devastate us, if it doesn't change us, if it doesn't affect our very way of living, then it's just another chapter in our religion. It's got to get a hold of us. It's got to grip us. This is why Paul burst out into prayer. This is why the Holy Spirit burst out through Paul. He was touching something so significant, so heavenly, and he sensed that there was dull of hearing. It was hard for these Ephesian believers to capture this, and likewise it's hard for us to capture it, isn't it? So let's move on here now. We're looking for the Spirit of wisdom and revelation. We're looking for heaven's light to come and flood the eyes of our heart. We're looking that we might know what is the hope of his calling. Let me ask you this. If everyone here enrolled in a school where you had to go four years and afterwards you would receive a diploma, what would be the hope that you would have in your heart the first day of the semester? Get through. Michelle can relate to that, right? She's a college student now. I mean, that's a hope. That carries you through. I mean, it's the hours you spend, the times when you feel like you don't even want to go back. There's a hope in your heart. You want to get the diploma. You want to be able to go through and say, I've got my certificate. Well, there's the hope of his calling. There's a hope that holds us because there is a calling, and with that calling there is an intention, a purpose. And when we see that purpose, it ignites hope. And when there's hope in our heart, we can go through the tough times and the hard difficulties because hope empowers us to go on knowing that we're going to obtain the promise if we faint not. Do you know what the hope of the calling is? That's what we're going to see. That's what we're going to look at. This is the building of the house of God. Alright? So, there's the hope of the calling and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints. This is incredible. There's an inheritance that He is receiving. And there's an inheritance that we're receiving. Now listen. Listen, please. We're on the topic, the building of the house of God. Okay? Every one of these prayers that we just looked at are an integral part of God building His house. And the reason why the house of God is not understood today is because these essential prayers are not really being fulfilled in our heart. That's why we need to cry and pray. But now, listen. We're not done. Watch this. Verse number 19. And what is the exceeding greatness of His power? To usward who believe. There is a power that is available to we who believe. But now remember, this power is not an unrelated thing. This power is connected to the obtaining of the promise. See, if we take this power and unrelate it, then it becomes a power for me to do what I want. A power for me to fulfill my plans. That's not what the power is about. Everything is related to God's purpose. Everything is related to God's whole. So watch now. What is the exceeding greatness of His power to us who are believing? According to the working of His mighty power, which He wrought in Christ when He raised Him from the dead. Now let's stop right there. The power that is available to we who believe is the same power. It's in accordance to the power, listen closely, that was working in Christ when God raised Him from the dead. So there is available the very resurrection power that was working in Jesus. Now it's available to the believer. But it's related to God's purpose. Nowadays, most all the preaching that I hear on TV and most all the books that I read, that I get from the bookstore, when the subject of power is discussed, it's connected to God wants to give you power so you can become something. So you can succeed. So you can prosper. So you can rule over your enemies. So you can be the head, not the bottom. Power. Power. Power to get things. Brothers and sisters, the power that God is making available to you and I as believers directly relates to the fulfillment of His purpose, which is what we're going to read right here. Verse 20, which He wrought in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion and every name that is named, not only in this world but also in that which is to come, and hath put all things under His feet and gave Him to be the head over all things to the church. Now watch. Which is His body. The church is His body. The fullness of Him that filleth all and all. So in our first point, as we mentioned last week in our overview of the building of the house of God, we learned in the first point that we must see the whole purpose of God before we can understand how God's building His house. We just saw it right here, beloved. The church is what? What is the church? What does it say? His body. The fullness. Listen. The church, it says it right here. The church is the fullness of Him that filleth all and all. The church is the place, listen, where God fulfills His desire to find a permanent home, where His Son can be displayed for all heaven and all earth to marvel at. Now that has nothing to do, this has nothing to do with buildings, nothing to do with outward religion right now. Now watch this. Let's turn our Bibles to 1 Peter. 1 Peter 2, verse number 5. 1 Peter 2, 5. Ye also, it's talking about believers now, watch this. You also are living stones, are built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Wherefore also it is contained in the Scripture, Behold, I lay in Zion a cornerstone, elect, precious, and he that believes on him shall not be confounded. Verse 9. But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people, that you should show forth the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. So there you have it, beloved. The church. The place of His fullness. The place where He wants to dwell, the place where He wants to rule. And that's our hearts. And that's our lives. So what we can do this morning, we're going to stop right here. We don't want to go any further. We just want to spend time before the Lord and ask Him to begin this process. And it's a process, it takes time. To begin this process in giving us the desire to pray for the eyes of our heart to be opened, that we might see the significance of Christ and what the church really is, who the church is, and what God's purpose is. Okay?