Tag: Bible reading

  • 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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  • Self – the source of our problems

    Man wearing a blindfold that says SELF

    A familiar passage in the gospels warns of the  dangers of self-righteousness.

    He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” Luke 18:9-14 ESV

    Hopefully, most believers understand that our salvation is solely based on the completed work of Christ by grace and faith. Yet self-righteousness is a trap we can all easily fall into.

    We do it when we want to deny the effects of our own sin, thinking, “Well, yes, I do that, but at least I’m not as bad as someone else.”

    The battle against self is the greatest one we will ever face. Self is the source of all sin. Adam and Eve wanted to be like God. 

    Jesus’ brother, James, puts it this way.

    Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when lured and enticed by his desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. James 1:13-15 ESV

    Our sinful nature is selfish. This is compounded by the fact that we live in a fallen world that encourages us to be self-centered and follow our sin-filled hearts. Giving into temptation is glorified as a victory and our right. That thinking is straight from the pit of hell and smells like smoke.

    To battle self, let us fix our eyes upon Jesus. The Holy Spirit strengthens us, and the Word encourages and directs us.

    Lord Jesus, teach us to understand who we are in you and to live accordingly. Help us set aside our old, self-reliant ways and guard us from sin.

    Until next time, may you be ever more like Jesus.

    Be blessed

    Hallelu Yah / Praise God 

    Kevin

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