Tag: foundations

Foundations: Part 2

You cannot build upon a broken foundation. A broken foundation only produces cracks and blemishes in the structure and if not fixed will eventually fall. I don’t like seeing the blemishes or potential structural problems on the walls or foundations. My first thought is how serious is it and my next is wondering how much it is going to cost to get it fixed.

I think that is why I hate mirrors so much. What I see with my natural eyes is often just a reflection of a broken man. I see the cracks and the blemishes of the foundation that I have laid through myself and not the person that God made me. I see wounds and hurts and heartache and shattered dreams but God sees the person who is fearfully and wonderfully made. He sees me as created in the image of God. He sees a person that He loves with an everlasting love. 

A wise man knows that his source of strength, that his shelter comes from someone other than himself. 

Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. 

Psalm 91

He become the shelter of the wise man. A wise man recognizes that his strength is in Him and not in himself. A wise man who has his foundation in Jesus is not afraid of the terrors of the night, nor the arrow that flies in the day.

6 He does not dread the disease that stalks in darkness, nor the disaster that strikes at midday. He is at perfect peace knowing he is safe and secure.

Thunder and Lightening, very, very frightening?

No, not for him because he knows that”
 ‘Though a thousand fall at his side, then ten thousand at his right hand’ but he will keep walking by faith knowing those evils will not touch him.

Building a foundation upon Christ begins by understanding who He is. It’s understanding His power. It is being in awe (reverent fear) of His power and majesty.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge (Prov. 1:7). The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Prov. 9:10). There is no want for them who fear Him (Ps. 34:9). In the fear of the Lord, there is strong confidence and a fountain of life (Prov. 14:26-27). 

Your foundation is in him. He holds you together when it seems the world around you is falling apart. In some ways we can say that quite literally.

There is a protein in our body that helps hold every cell together . It is called Laminin. If we did not have this particular protein then we would fall apart. Here is a picture of what the protein looks like:

The Book of Colossians states that we exist for Him. We exist because of him. Everything is held together through Him and built on His foundation. This is the foundation that your life is built upon when you first put your faith and trust in someone other than yourself. By doing so, you have the hope that no matter what you go through in life, you are still going to be ok. He is going to hold you together! 

It doesn’t matter that the world is closing in around you or that storms are closing in, your faith will not be shaken.

I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”

John 16:33

In those times that your faith is tested, you start to wonder if it is worth it. You may question if God is even listening. You are so tempted to go back to what you know and what is familiar. That is leaning on your own strength instead of God. It is in those times of trials and temptation that it seems that God is most silent. 

However, James reminds us that trials and temptations will come and he tells us what kind of perspective we should have when we go through them.

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds,  because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.  Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

James 1:2-3

James goes on to say that the one who perseveres under trial is blessed because they stood the test, and that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.

The more we walk in Him, the more we see how faithful He is, the more we learn to trust Him to take care all of our needs.  Even when it appears that God is silent to our prayers or deaf to our cry, our foundation in Him is not shaken because we know that the answer is on its way.

Shortly after Jesus was resurrected, He appeared to his disciples and spent time with them before he ascended into Heaven. He instructed them to remain in Jerusalem and wait for the Holy Spirit to come upon them. So they waited and prayed, but they were not really sure how the Holy Spirit would be revealed. Acts 2 tells us happens. 

On the day of Pentecost[a] all the believers were meeting together in one place. 2 Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. 3 Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them.4 And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages,[b] as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.

That one little word, “suddenly”, means so much more when you are waiting for an answer from God. So even at the final hour, the last minute God always shows up on time. The check comes in the mail, you get a call that you got the job, the prayers for healing have finally been answered, the spirit of depression has lifted, and the anxiety subsided so that you can finally rest at night. What ever you have been asking, seeking, praying hoping for suddenly comes and your prayers have been answered. It is because your faith is built on a foundation that cannot be shaken by trials, circumstances, by situations, by anything else, that this world can throw at you.

We have a sure foundation built upon Him that will stand the test of time and will never crack or falter.  The hymn writer Edward Mote penned these words in the early 1800’s, and it sums up the solid foundation we have in Him:

When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh, may I then in Him be found,
Clothed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne!
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand.

Foundations Part 1

24 “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. 25 Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. 26 But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. 27 When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.”

Matthew 7:24-27

We all know that a foundation is pretty important in building a house. If the foundation is flawed, the structural integrity of the entire building is in jeopardy. 

            If you ever sold a home, you know that it can be a very stressful time in a person’s life. So much had to be fixed or updated in order to attract potential buyers. When I sold my home, I was so paranoid about every little crack or blemish in the drywall. If I saw just a small crack in the wall, I researched about what could be a foundation problem or what could be just the house naturally settling over time. I don’t think I slept at all until the inspection report came back saying everything was ok. 

Those house inspectors work hours going over every detail making sure that everything is in working order. They have to be sure that there are no safety issues and that it doesn’t violate any code that would determine the home is un-livable. 

Then you get the report. Mine was about 17 pages long describing what the inspector did and the trouble he saw or the recommendation that he made. However, by the end of it, I knew that I had a home that was safe and livable. What peace of mind it was knowing that if the storms come rolling in, I would be safe and my family would be secure. That peace of mind started with knowing that there was a solid foundation for the house to be built upon.

If so much attention and details go into inspecting and making sure that the foundations of our natural buildings are on solid ground, then how much more diligent should we be to insure that our spiritual foundations are solid, as well. 

When the storms of life come, are we standing on our own foundation that we built with our own wisdom and strength or are they built upon a more solid foundation? What your life is built upon will determine how well you will weather the storms and trials of life.

I was a ministry leader for a 12-step Christian based recovery group for 10 years. When we first started it, I was so excited about how many people that it had the potential to help. However, what I didn’t realize was that as I worked the steps and principles, I realized that I needed to reevaluate my own foundations in my life. There were things that I still needed to work on. That meant that I had to dig down to the foundations of my life and do some repair work.

However, before I do that repair work, I had to make sure that my life was built upon a solid foundation. From the very beginning of the recovery process, it establishes a few things that are essential to a Christian, if they are going build a firm foundation and get through the storms of life.

Step 1

 We admitted we were powerless over our addictions and compulsive behaviors, that our lives had become unmanageable.

I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. Romans 7:18

Romans 7:18

There are some things in my life that I cannot control. I my thoughts, emotions and behaviors at times can be unmanageable. I had to say that I am not God, and in my own strength, I am powerless to fix things on my own. Even as a Christian there are still things that affect me from my past and contribute to certain thoughts and behaviors.

Step 2

We came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.

For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.

Philippians 2:13

I had to come to a point that since I am not God, I cannot repair the foundations of my life on my own. I needed a power greater than me to restore me to a functional person. This is hard to do at times. It takes denying yourself, swallowing your pride, and admitting that you cannot fix yourself. This is hard for most people, especially those who have control issues.

Step 3

We made a decision to turn our lives and our wills over to the care of God.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your  spiritual act of worship.

Romans 12:1

I had to consciously choose to submit to the master builder. I had to trust that he could do what I could not. By doing so, I chose to allow him todo that repair work and rebuild the broken areas of my life.

You see before you go any further in the program, before you tackle the spiritual inventory, you have to establish the foundation that you are going to build upon. You cannot do a searching and fearless inventory of yourself if you do not have a solid foundation to fall back upon. 

Our Christian walk  has to be built upon a foundation that is stronger than ourselves. We have cracks and blemishes from the past that have effected our ability to live a fulfilled life. It is in the person and life of Jesus that we find that solid foundation to build our own life upon. So, if you fall or fail, or feel that you are on shaky ground, you can fall back on that firm foundation of faith in Him.

No matter what life throws at you, no matter what type of trials or the stresses of life that taunts you, even in the midst of destruction, you can always rebuild, as long as your hope, your peace, your strength is in the foundation of Jesus Christ.

The Solid Rock

A wise man once wrote:

1. My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand.

2. When darkness veils His lovely face,
I rest on His unchanging grace;
In every high and stormy gale
My anchor holds within the veil.
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand.

However, a foolish person doesn’t understand about this hope. He doesn’t understand that he cant get through what life throws at you on your own. Regarding his  own nature the scriptures state the fool has said in his heart that there is no God. If there is no God, then any attempt to stand the storms of life has to be on your own strength. 

You cannot build upon a broken foundation. A broken foundation only produces cracks and blemishes in the structure that if not fixed, will eventually crumble to the ground.