Questions:
How firm is your
foundation in Christ?
Are you shaken by your
feelings or doubt God will keep His promises?
Do you stand firm by
the principles laid out to you in God’s Word?
Are your principles
more in line with God or the culture?
A Believers firm
foundation is their Unshakeable faith and trust in Jesus and the gospel.
I love the passage from
proverbs which says:
Proverbs 3:5-6 New
International Version
5 Trust in the Lord with
all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.
The idea that we don’t
lean on our own understanding resonates with me because
We have a supernatural
God that can accomplish things that I can’t even imagine
So, trusting in God
firmly plants my faith and trust in what He has already done, what He has the
ability to do, and what He will do based on His promises. We have assurance of
salvation and eternal life that that cannot be snatched away. This assurance is
not based on our feelings but what God’s eternal Word tells us. We can easily
be shaken by local, national and world events. There are many people in various
media, and social media, who spread fear to manipulate our thoughts and
emotions and could in some cases effectively influence us to listen to their
voices more so than what God has already said and promised. We cannot give in to worldly prognosticators
and purveyors of lies. Instead, we have to stay firmly planted in God’s Word,
and promises.
So why is God’s Word so
important:
2 Timothy 3:16-17
NIV
16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for
teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so
that the servant of God[a] may
be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
They key is that
Scripture is God breathed and equips us to serve God and live set apart to Him.
The key to a God centered life is believing the Scripture and doing what
it says. A firm foundation can be strengthened when we effectively distinguish
God’s truth over the worlds lies, and when we are led by the Holy Spirit and
not our own limited emotional roller coaster.
Let’s keep it simple:
James 1:22-25 New
International Version
22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive
yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the
word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a
mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and
immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But whoever
looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom and continues in
it—not forgetting what they have heard but doing it—they will be blessed in
what they do.
If we want to
strengthen our foundation in Christ, let’s do what the Word says.
If we wake up every day
and acknowledge God but forget to live as devoted followers of Jesus, we could
cause ourselves and others to stumble. With
a strong faith and foundation, we can attest to living as a new creation and model
that new creation for others to see.
There are good reasons
for us to put on and live out the new self. Not only are we encouraged to do
so, but our lives can impact the lives of others who need good examples of what
it looks like to follow Jesus.
Ephesians 4:22-24
NIV
22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of
life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its
deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of
your minds; 24 and to put on the new
self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
I love the encouraging lyrics
from this Hymn because it reminds me that God will help us live out our faith. As
followers of Jesus, we will experience His love and grace. He is our refuge and
strength. His Word and deeds are part of the firm foundation we stand upon.
How A Firm Foundation (Anonymous/Unknown, pub.1787):
- How firm a
foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in His excellent word!
What more can He say than to you He hath said—
To you who for refuge to Jesus have fled? - “Fear
not, I am with thee, oh, be not dismayed,
For I am thy God, and will still give thee aid;
I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,
Upheld by My gracious, omnipotent hand. - “When
through the deep waters I call thee to go,
The rivers of sorrow shall not overflow;
For I will be with thee thy trouble to bless,
And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress. - “When
through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie,
My grace, all-sufficient, shall be thy supply;
The flame shall not harm thee; I only design
Thy dross to consume and thy gold to refine. - “The
soul that on Jesus doth lean for repose,
I will not, I will not, desert to his foes;
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I’ll never, no never, no never forsake.”
We are blessed to have
God’s Word, Songs of praise, Hymns, the Holy Spirit, and Godly men to help us with
our walk with God. We have the words, the works, and life of Jesus to model How
we are to live and work for God and shape our perspective.
I mentioned earlier
about the importance of having a God-centered life. When our lives
revolve around God, when we are Spirit led, and we follow Jesus, our Lord and
Savoir, God will, like the proverb alluded to, make our paths straight.
When we get caught up
and shook up by the surrounding political environment, wars,
Natural disasters. Job
concerns, difficult family situations, sickness, discontent, loss, hurt
feelings, and broken relationships, we need to rely on God’s eternal perspective
so that we don’t start living in fear and begin to seriously doubt whether God
is still in control or that maybe He has decided to abandon His people.
Listen to these words
from Jesus:
John 10:27-29 NIV
27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know
them, and they follow me.
28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no
one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has
given them to me, is greater than all[a]; no
one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.
God gives us the Holy
Spirit, His Word, Godly counsel, and eternal perspective to help us navigate
the turbulence we will experience in this world. Jesus clearly states that that
we will experience trouble in in this world but to take heart because He has
overcome the world (John 16:33). As
believers we have assurance that God is still present, active and in control,
even though we may not initially see it that way. Our solid ground is partly
based on our hearts and minds remembering all that God has done in us and
through us, and how all that He has promised has and will come to pass. We can
gratefully acknowledge that the Holy Spirit was given to us to be our helper who
will remind us of those words that Jesus spoke.
John 14:26 English
Standard Version
26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the
Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring
to your remembrance all that I have said to you.
Jesus’ Words will
deepen our understanding of mission and purpose. With a firm foundation in
Christ, we can effectively share the Gospel and go and make disciples. Our obedience to the Word and to the desires
of God will draw us closer to Him and through the power of the Holy Spirit to
become more like our Lord and Savior Jesus. As we firmly rest in Christ, we
will experience His peace and love even when we are in the midst of difficulty.
Here is another encouragement from Jesus:
John 14:27 NIV
27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do
not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and
do not be afraid.
Let’s face it, we need
daily help and strength from God to stand firm in our faith. That help from the
Lord can give us the right perspective and discernment to ward off outside
forces trying to distract us and pull us away from Him and from our mission and
purpose in this world.
Remember:
Psalm 46:1 NIV
God is our refuge and strength, an
ever-present help in trouble.
Psalm 119:105 ESV
Your word is a lamp to
my feet and a light to my path.
Isaiah 33:5-6 New
International Version
5 The Lord is
exalted, for he dwells on high; he will fill Zion with his
justice and righteousness.
6 He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store
of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure.[a]
……………………………………………………………………………………………
Discussion Time:
Let’s now take a look
at some passages of scripture that can help us strengthen our foundation in
Christ. Take a few moments to read through them and then look at the question
section below. If you so desire, share your thoughts with your group from some
of the questions you have read.
1 Corinthians 3:11
New International Version
For no one can lay any
foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.
Matthew 7:24-27 New
International Version
The Wise and Foolish
Builders
24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and
puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the
rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the
winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its
foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these
words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who
built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the
streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with
a great crash.”
Psalm 63:8 New
International Version
I cling to you; your
right hand upholds me.
Luke 19:10 NIV
For the Son of Man came
to seek and to save the lost.
John 8:12 NIV
“I am the light of
the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have
the light of life.”
2 Corinthians 1:3-11
NIV
Praise be to the God
and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God
of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can
comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.
Matthew 11:28-30 NIV
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened,
and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from
me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your
souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Isaiah 41:10 NIV
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be
dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my
righteous right hand.
Joshua 1:9 NIV
Have I not commanded
you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be
discouraged, for the Lord your
God will be with you wherever you go.”
2 Corinthians 12:9
NIV
But he said to
me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made
perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my
weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
Joshua 24:15 NIV
But if serving
the Lord seems
undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve,
whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the
Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my
household, we will serve the Lord.”
Ephesians 2:8-9 New
International Version
8 For it is by grace you have been
saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of
God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
2 Timothy 3:16-17
NIV
16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for
teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so
that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Questions:
·
What daily
spiritual disciplines help in connecting you with God and support your
foundation in Jesus?
·
What verse or
passage of scripture reminds you of your foundation in Christ?
·
Do you believe
Jesus’ work is the only way to salvation or are you trying to earn it?
·
When your
world starts to fall apart who do you turn to first?
·
What things or
situations in your life affect your spiritual condition?
·
How are you
allowing the Holy Spirit to lead your life and filter your thoughts?
·
Are you
willing to identify and deal with the sin in your life?
·
What other
things in your daily life affect your relationship with God?
·
Will you pray
for God to make changes in your life that will lead to being closer to Him?
·
Is Jesus the
foundation in your life?
·
What does it
mean to stand on solid ground?
·
Where in your
life is your foundation like sinking sand?
