Category: Orthopraxy

  • Foundations – What are you building on?

    Collapsing building foundation showing

    The news article showed a building that is  dangerously close to collapsing entirely. Indeed, it wasn’t safe to enter. The cause? A poor foundation.

    We often talk about the need for good foundations in faith and life, but it is surprising how seldom we take the time to build them.

    Relationships are often built on lies. There are the lies the world tells us about what good relationships are. There are the lies that come from our own experience. We build on lies about our expectations of a relationship. We lie about who we are and who we want our partners to be. It is no wonder that so many relationships crumble or, like this old building, are in danger of falling.

    Non-Christians plan their eternity on a wide variety of things. They wish and hope that, somehow, God will let them skate through their sin. They hope that all roads lead to God. On judgment day, Christ’s words will ring damningly in their ears.

    Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6 ESV

    Even those of us who know Him and have our salvation assured do not build on solid foundations. We live our lives based on half-truths, other’s opinions and wishful thinking. We seldom take the time to go to God’s Word, chew on it, and truly digest its contents. We are often foolish builders.

    “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.” Matthew 7:24-27 ESV

    Poor theology and doctrine won’t keep you out of heaven if your faith is truly in Christ.  However, it will distort your view of who God is and what your relationship with Him and others ought to be. It will rob you of joy and blessings. 

    What condition is your spiritual house in? Is it firmly anchored in the truth of God’s Word, like the wise man building on the rock? Is it sinking into quicksand? Is it leaning dangerously like that old porch?

    It is not too late to do some repair work. Get into the Word and learn what it has to say. Then, apply that knowledge to shore up the weak spots.

    Until next time, may you be resting on a solid foundation.

    Hallelu Yah / Praise God 

    Kevin

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  • House cats and petty squabbles

    two cats curled up asleep on a blanket

    We have two grand cats, which means the family has two house cats that sometimes visit us. They most likely visit when we look after our granddaughters, especially if the girls have friends over.

    Leeloo (the female) and Vader (the male) are siblings who have been together from birth. Like human siblings, they can be best friends or want nothing to do with one another.

    Yesterday afternoon, they wandered down for a visit. Leeloo hopped onto a blanket on the couch, where she sometimes sits beside Kathy. It’s also one of Vader’s favorite spots. He was not impressed that his sister beat him to it.

    She chased him away with a few nasty ears-back looks, and a couple of bats on the head with her paw. He gave up for the moment and spent the next couple of hours trying to convince her to go somewhere else. After a while, it became apparent that she no longer wanted the spot but also didn’t want him to have it.

    Eventually, he forced his way up, and they reluctantly shared it, with neither particularly happy about it. They drifted off to sleep, each trying to nudge the other off the blanket.

    Now, you’d think that as human adults, we’d be more mature than a couple of house cats. Apparently not.

    What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore, whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. James 4:1-4 ESV

    The lusts of our eyes and hearts lead us to quarrels and divisions. At times, we want things just because someone else has them. We can be jealous, petty, and greedy. Even as believers, we can fall into this trap.

    Fortunately, James reminds us that the Lord offers a way out.

    But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you. Luke 4:6-10 ESV

    As we grow to be more like our Lord, may we be less prone to pettiness and jealousy and have less desire for the things of this world.

    May we learn to be more mature and gracious than a couple of house cats.

    Kevin

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