A Solid Foundation

 

     Is your faith set firmly on solid ground? Is your faith in Jesus new or even non-existent at this point? Is your faith a little shaky when a sign of trouble is on the horizon? Does doubt creep in? The Bible talks about the foundation of faith. Let’s take a look.

So this is what the Sovereign Lord says; “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who relies on it will never be stricken with panic.”  Isaiah 28:16

     This verse was written hundreds of years before Christ came to earth. Who or what is this precious cornerstone, this tested stone, the sure foundation, the one we should rely on so we will never panic?

     The Scriptures are so deep and beautiful and true. Scripture interprets Scripture. I heard someone say something like this; the Bible is shallow enough for a child to understand and deep enough that the greatest scholar will never get to the bottom of it.

Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of His household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the chief cornerstone. 

Ephesians 2:19-20

     Yes, our faith is built on the word of the prophets, like the verse above written by the prophet Isaiah and the verses above from Paul written to the church at Ephesus.

As for everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. 

Luke 6:47-48

     Jesus tells us to dig deep into His words. He compares those that hear and practice the word as a man building a house on what? ROCK.  Jesus is the cornerstone. Don’t you love it?

      Why not begin to dig a little deeper and put His words in your heart. Let’s build our spiritual houses on a firm foundation. The trials and tribulations of life can come gradually or unexpectedly. Either way, God will get us through on our foundation of faith. Trust the cornerstone. It’s always best to plan ahead and prepare before you see the next storm on the horizon. Jesus will protect you before, during and after the storms of life. His arms are wide open and willing to take you into His shelter before the first drop of rain.

Dear Father,

Thank you for giving us Your word that builds up our faith onto a solid foundation. Open our spiritual eyes to take in more and more of it. Jesus is the tested stone, the precious cornerstone of our sure foundation.

We praise You for that today.

Amen

Standing on Holy Ground

 

      I love going barefoot. Socks? Despise them and I toss them aside as soon as I walk through the door. I love to go barefoot around the house, spring, summer, winter or fall. The impossibility of going barefoot through months of long Minnesota winters only makes my anticipation and appreciation grow as spring and summer draw near. One day while reading the Bible, I paused at the following Scripture verse.

“Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” Exodus 3:5

     Moses was called to meet God. We can only imagine the encounter and what it meant. The ground was holy. No sandals allowed. Imagine my surprise. God asked Moses to be barefoot while in His presence.

     In Old Testament days, only the high priest could enter the Holy of Holies. This was the inner sanctum of the temple. No ordinary folk allowed. It was a sacred place, a reverential place. It contained the presence of God.

     After Christ’s death, burial and resurrection, He gave His followers a foretaste of heaven. He left His disciples (including us) with the gift of His Holy Spirit. Yes, the Spirit of God within us! No more outer temple. The very temple of our God lives within.

     Not only is Christ beside us, around us, and in front of us, His Holy Spirit remains in us.

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you whom you have received from God? You are not your own. 1 Corinthians 6:19

     Now that the temple of the Lord is within us, everywhere we step can be considered holy ground. Wherever you are right now is Holy ground. Wiggle your toes. Where will you step today? Will it be in God’s creation?

     You may feel the rough terrain of a mountain path or sift through the soft sand of a sunny beach. Let the fertile soil of your backyard garden ooze through your toes. Tap the linoleum of your kitchen floor as you wash the evening dishes. Feel the texture of the carpet as you tuck your kids in bed. Wrap your feet around the rungs of the chair beneath your desk. Feel God’s presence around you. Wherever you stand, walk, sit or dance is indeed Holy ground.

     We are the temple of the Spirit of God. Jesus is with us each day as we visit the magnificent and the minute, the extraordinary and ordinary, the mountaintop view and the laundry room floor, the miraculous and the mundane. What a profound thought. We are His ambassadors as we walk the earth.

     So take off your shoes as you wash, and tuck, and type, as you speak and listen, as you walk through your day.  Maybe you can lead others to see the holiness around them, too.

     And, one day soon, Jesus will walk us from the pull of the earth’s blessed ground to step onto heaven’s eternal garden path. As I meet Him finally, face to face and He asks me to take off my earthly shoes, I will gladly obey and run barefoot with Him forevermore.

Dear Jesus,

Thank you for the gift of the Holy Spirit. Let that Spirit grow so strong that wherever we are and whatever we do, we recognize Your power and presence with each step.

Amen

 

Spiritual Power

 

     The Holy Spirit begins His work in us by convicting us and convincing us of our need for a Savior (John 16:8). When we first believe, God seals us forever with His Spirit (Ephesians 1:13-14).  The Holy Spirit within us testifies to us that we now belong to God and that we are His beloved children (Romans 8:16).

     Read through these verses and believe in the work of the Spirit. He lives within us, ready to teach us, to strengthen us, to counsel us and to lead us into truth.

I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being. Ephesians 3:16

But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.  John 14:26

And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another counselor to be with you forever, the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept Him because it neither sees Him nor knows Him, but you know Him for He lives with you and will be in you. John 14:15--17

For God has not given us a Spirit of fear, but of love, and of power, and of a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7

     Just as the moon’s light is a reflection of the sun, so we reflect the light of the Son. Allow His Holy Spirit to shine from within with the light that will never fade.

And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness, with every increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:18

Jesus,

Increase Your glory within us through Your Spirit, so we may continue to shine until You bring us home.

Amen

 

Forever His

 

     Jesus picks up the broken pieces of our lives. He forges the path ahead and straightens our path for the future. He speaks to our inner souls with the power of His Spirit. He is always and forevermore on our side. He is working for us. He protects us. He listens to  our prayers.  His presence surrounds us, and nothing, no nothing will ever separate us from our Savior.

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39

     The height of our pride will not separate us. The depths of despair will not separate us. The demons tempting us will not separate us. Death will not separate us. He is here, there, and everywhere, our ever-present Savior. He adores you.

 

Jesus,

Thank you for Your uncompromising and unconditional love that far exceeds any earthly love. Your promises are eternally true. You are the way, the truth and the life.

Amen

Even to Your Old Age

 

     Along with my husband, many of our friends have retired. What’s next? Do we put our feet up, sit on a beach and indulge ourselves for our remaining years? It’s a tricky question. Certainly, God has placed enjoyment and pleasure in His creation. The warm sunshine, good friends, refreshment and relaxation.

     On the other hand, He never tells us to retire from His service. He has purpose for our lives until He takes us home. What is He asking you to do? Moses did not lead his people out of Egypt until he was 80 years old. Abraham and Sarah had Isaac in their 90’s. Caleb was just as strong at 85 as he was when he began serving God as a young man. John was given the revelation of Christ when he was well over 90.

     No matter what we do, no matter where we land, He gives us the ability to encourage, to share, to teach, to serve, to show mercy, to gain knowledge, and to love. What an adventure! We have only just begun.

They will still bear fruit in old age; they will stay fresh and green, proclaiming, “The Lord is upright. He is my Rock and there is no wickedness in Him.” Psalm 92:14-15

Even to your old age and gray hairs, I am He. I am He who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you. I will sustain you and I will rescue you. Isaiah 46:4

     How wonderful! Only God knows the number of our days. If we are blessed to live into old age, we will stay fresh and green in Spirit as He continues to sustain us, to carry us and to rescue us. We all need rescuing, don’t we?

Father,

We want to bear fruit at every age. Give us purpose and opportunities until we walk through heaven’s door. Give us more and more love to share.

In Jesus name,

Amen

 

 

There is a Time

 

     Is today a day to be strong? Is today a day to be humble? Is today a day to speak up? Is today a day to keep quiet? Is today a day to mourn? Is today a day to dance? Is today a day to be busy? Is today a day to relax? Is today a day to make a friend? Is today a day to begin again? Is today a day to look back? Is today a day to step out in kindness? Is today a day to seek justice? Is today a day to say, “I love you?” Is today a day for a goodbye?

     The minutes become hours. The hours turn into days. The days transition into weeks, the weeks into months and the months into years. The years become seasons of our lives. The days blur together as the decades fall behind, yet each day continues to hold its own beauty, its own promise. A life is lived, and each life is precious to our God. With Jesus, each day holds its own purpose.

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens; a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace. Ecclesiastes 1:1-8

 Jesus,

Whatever this day brings, You are with us. Let each season bring lessons, love and laughter. Give us Your sense of this present moment, along with the perspective of eternity spent with You.

Amen

Fullness of Life

 

     Before Jesus claims our hearts and souls, we (whether we know it or not) are slaves to darkness and sin. It is impossible to release guilt, anger, shame and unforgiveness. Jesus sets us free from death and bondage. Remove the clothes of mourning. You are alive in Christ forever! The Holy Spirit can move you into more light and freedom each day.

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.  Galatians 5:1

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.  Galatians 2:4

     Take a deep breath. Relax in the joy of salvation. You are set free from sin and death forever. Lift your arms in worship and praise. Feel the lightness in your soul. Let the burdens of life be lifted once and for all and feel the deep peace and joy of the Lord wash over you.

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come that they may have life and have it to the full. John 10:10

I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness. John 12;46

Jesus,

You bring us freedom from death, freedom from sin, freedom from what has bound us in the past. You bring light and the fullness of life.

Amen