ARE YOU BUILDING A FOUNDATION FOR YOUR LIFE ON GOD OR THE WORLD ?

5/3/2019

FROM THE VERY BEGINNING OF CREATION, GOD MADE IT CLEAR THAT EVERYTHING HAD AN ORDER AND THAT HIS COMMANDMENTS ESTABLISHED A FOUNDATION THAT WE COULD BUILD OUR LIVES ON TO PROSPER AND LIVE IN HIS JOY AND BLESSINGS. THROUGHOUT SCRIPTURE WE ARE TAUGHT THAT GOD HAS LAID A FOUNDATION THAT WE MUST TRUST IN AND BELIEVE IN TO BE FULFILLED.

THEREFORE THUS SAYS THE LORD GOD, “BEHOLD, I AM LAYING IN ZION A STONE, A TESTED STONE, A COSTLY CORNERSTONE FOR THE FOUNDATION, FIRMLY PLACED. HE WHO BELIEVES IN IT WILL NOT BE DISTURBED”. Isaiah 28:16

FOR NO MAN CAN LAY A FOUNDATION OTHER THAN THE ONE WHICH IS LAID, WHICH IS JESUS CHRIST. 1 Corinthians 3:11

HOW AMAZING IS IT THAT ISAIAH WAS TELLING THE JEWISH PEOPLE THAT GOD WAS GOING TO LAY A CORNERSTONE FOR ALL TIME THAT WOULD BE VERY COSTLY, AND WHOEVER BELIEVED IN THE CORNERSTONE WOULD BE ON SOLID FOOTING. YEARS AND YEARS LATER, JESUS CAME TO BE THAT VERY CORNERSTONE. AND HE PAID THE ULTIMATE PRICE FOR US…..A GREAT COST INDEED. HIS LIFE FOR OUR LIFE. HIS LIFE FOR OUR SINS. HIS LIFE FOR OUR SALVATION.

THE VERSES IN FIRST CORINTHIANS MAKE IT CRYSTAL CLEAR THAT TRY AS HARD AS WE MIGHT, WE CANNOT LAY A STRONG FOUNDATION ON ANYTHING OR ANYONE BUT JESUS. HE IS THE ROCK THAT WE PLACE OUR FEET AND OUR FAITH ON AND IN TO BE COMPLETE. HE NEVER SHIFTS TO AND FRO AS SAND DOES WHEN WE STAND IN THE OCEAN. EVERY WAVE CHALLENGES OUR BALANCE AS WE ARE PUSHED TO AND FRO. OUR FEET FIND NO SOLID GRIP…..AND AFTER A WHILE, IT IS EXHAUSTING. EVERYTHING ELSE THAT WE PLACE AS THE KEYS TO OUR LIVES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE. BUT NOT GOD. HE IS ROCK SOLID, AND HIS LOVE FOR US NEVER CHANGES. PSALM 33:11 STATES IT PRETTY CLEARLY; “THE COUNSEL OF THE LORD STANDS FOREVER, THE PLANS OF HIS HEART TO ALL GENERATIONS”. AND IN PSALM 119:90; “ YOUR FAITHFULNESS ENDURES TO ALL GENERATIONS: YOU HAVE ESTABLISHED THE EARTH AND IT STANDS FAST”.

THE WORLD WOULD HAVE YOU BELIEVE THAT THIS IS ALL WISHFUL THINKING, BASED ON A FAIRYTALE OR FALSE HOPES. THE REAL WAY TO BE ON SOLID GROUND IS TO TRUST IN YOURSELF, AND FIND THINGS THAT MAKE YOU POWERFUL, OR HAPPY, OR RICH, OR RESPECTED BY OTHERS. SOUNDS GOOD, BUT IF WE LOOK AT OUR LIVES AND THE THINGS WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH ON A DAILY BASIS, I FEEL A LOT OF SAND UNDER ME, CONSTANTLY CAUSING ME TO RE-ADJUST MY FOOTING. HISTORY ALSO SEEMS TO SHOW US THAT DESPITE ALL OUR GOOD INTENTIONS AND MAGNIFICENT KNOWLEDGE, WE CAN HARDLY SOLVE ANY MAJOR PROBLEMS, AND LIKE ROME, WE WILL DISAPPEAR INTO THE PAST. I GOT TIRED OF TRUSTING IN MYSELF, AND I DECIDED TO HAND OVER MY LIFE TO THE FATHER, JESUS, AND THE HOLY SPIRIT AND LET THEM PUT MY FEET AND HEART AND MIND ON THEIR FOUNDATION…..AND THE CHANGE WAS INCREDIBLE.

I SPEND A LOT OF TIME TODAY TALKING TO OTHER MEN ABOUT THEIR FOUNDATION IN LIFE, AND WHY IT ABSOLUTELY MUST BE IN GOD. WE HAVE A DUTY AS MEN, AND A PURPOSE TO BE THE FOUNDATION FOR OUR WIVES AND OUR KIDS TO STAND ON. IF YOU ARE SINGLE, YOU HAVE A DUTY TO YOURSELF TO BE SOLID, CONSTANTLY GROWING IN FAITH AND PURPOSE, AND SHINING YOUR LIGHT INTO THE LIVES OF OTHERS. IF YOU ARE A MAN STANDING ON SAND, YOU CAN HARDLY HOLD YOURSELF UP, LET ALONE THOSE YOU LOVE SO DEARLY. IF YOU ARE MARRIED,THE WOMAN YOU ARE WITH NEEDS YOU STRONG IN YOUR PURPOSE SO SHE CAN BE STRONG IN HERS. TOGETHER, YOU MAKE YOUR FAMILY SOLID, AND YOU MAKE EACH OTHER BETTER IN EVERYTHING, AND YOU CAN ADD SO MUCH INTO YOUR LIFE AND THE LIFE OF OTHERS TOO. IF SINGLE, YOU CAN INFLUENCE YOUR FRIENDS, HELPING THEM WITH THEIR PURPOSE AND FAITH AS WELL. YOU CAN BE ROCK SOLID IN WHO AND WHOSE YOU ARE. I AM BLESSED TO BE WITH AN AWESOME WIFE AND GREAT KIDS. GOD IS THE CENTER OF OUR LIFE. I WANT THAT SO BADLY FOR EVERYONE…..BUT IT DOES TAKE BELIEF, TIME, AND BEING IN GOD’S PRESENCE. JUST LIKE MEN, WOMEN WHO FINDS THEIR FOUNDATION BUILT ON GOD WILL BE BLESSED IN PURPOSE AND IN VALUE, POURING BLESSINGS INTO ALL THEY ARE INVOLVED IN !

DO YOU WANT TO WORK ON A FOUNDATION IN YOUR LIFE THAT IS SOLID AND FULL OF JOY ? THESE ARE A FEW OF THE BUILDING BLOCKS THAT I BELIEVE ARE REALLY IMPORTANT TO EMBRACE:

SEEK GOD THE FATHER, AND DISCOVER WHO HE IS. TALK TO HIM, ASK HIM QUESTIONS, AND SEE THAT HE IS REAL.

MEET JESUS, AND SEE WHY HE CAME TO BE AMONG US, AND HOW HE DIED FOR YOU. BE REBORN INTO HIM AS YOUR LORD AND SAVIOR.

SEE THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, AND SEEK TO HAVE YOUR LIFE GUIDED BY THE SPIRIT EVERY DAY.

START READING SCRIPTURE, SLOWLY AND DEEPLY. READ A CHAPTER AND STOP. THINK ABOUT WHAT IT SAYS AND MEANS FOR YOUR LIFE. READ THE ENTIRE BIBLE. FIND KNOWLEDGE, UNDERSTANDING, AND WISDOM.

START YOUR DAY WITH PRAYER, AND END IT THE SAME WAY. PRAY WITH YOUR WIFE AND FAMILY TOO. PRAY FOR OTHERS IN NEED. IT REALLY BECOMES MEANINGFUL !

BE WITH OTHER BELIEVERS. COMMUNITY MAKES YOU STRONGER, AND IT MAKES YOU SEEK DISCIPLESHIP. JESUS WANTS US TO SHARE HIM. HELP SOMEONE ELSE MEET HIM !

LET GO OF THE WORLD, AND FIND YOUR IDENTITY IN JESUS. GET QUIET AND LISTEN FOR HIS VOICE. HE IS REALLY AND TRULY THERE FOR YOU.

ARE YOU READY ? PICK UP A STONE AND START BUILDING. GOD IS WATCHING AND WAITING. MAKE SURE YOU LOOK BESIDE YOU……JESUS IS RIGHT THERE, HELPING YOU BUILD FOR ETERNITY :)

BE STRONG AND BE BLESSED. JA