Foundation of Faith

Matthew 7:24-28 (NKJV)  

²⁴ “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: ²⁵ and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. 

²⁶ “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: ²⁷ and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”  

²⁸ And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching.

If you have ever experienced an earthquake, then you understand what it feels like to have the earth move beneath your feet. 

We lived in Los Angeles during the Northridge earthquake in January 2004.  I remember looking at the clock on the night stand next to my bed and the numbers glared 4:31am.  It was dark and all I heard was a deep rumbling, the sound of glass shattering and furniture toppling all around. I tried to crawl out of bed but the force of the jack hammer type movement tossed me around like a rag doll.  It didn’t last long, but in the moment it felt like it would never stop. Fortunately we were not injured, but it turned out to be a wake up call for better preparedness for future such potential disasters. 

In this passage, Jesus teaches us to build our lives on a strong foundation of faith so that we are prepared to weather every storm and situation in life. We have and will continue to face many challenging events in life for which we may not always be prepared financially, emotionally or mentally. The best way to be prepared for all situations is by building a rock solid foundation of faith. 

Loss of job, bankruptcy, loss of a marriage or partnership, loss of a home or loss of a loved one are not the types of things we plan for when we start out in life. Sometimes there is no way of predicting or preventing situations that happen to us. There is one thing that we can control and count on and it is that our Father will never leave us and by having a solid foundation of faith we preserve our integrity, self-esteem, health and maintain hope for a future. We start by reading his word, prayer, doing the right thing everyday and by trusting in him in ALL circumstances.  

You may have seen this video before, and if so then it is an excellent reminder.  Remember God is in all circumstances in our life and while we may not like them, it may be his way of protecting us. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAxuGpO8uWU   

Ephesians 2:8 ⁸ For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God

E.W. Kenyon - “Faith talks in the language of God. Doubt talks in the language of man.”

Embracing a New Day

Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV) ¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 

Rose sat on the raised hearth of the fireplace in the predawn darkness sipping hot black coffee from a Styrofoam cup. The house was boxed up and ready for the movers.  But was she?

Rose and Charlie bought this house shortly after they were married 26 years ago. She worked hard to make it a safe and loving home for their family. Their two children, Matthew and Lydia grew up in this house.  It was the hub for holiday and family celebrations, the launching pad for school dances and sporting events and a place where the kids gathered after school.  It was a place of comfort and love, just the way she had planned it. 

It all changed ten months ago when Charlie died suddenly in a car accident. Since then she has been in a fog of disorientation and indecision. How could God take the love of her life from her? She was his little Rose and he was her rock and her soul mate!  They had built a beautiful life and Christian home together.  They had plans to move to a ranch, after the kids moved out and to grow old together with a farm of organic vegetables and exotic roses from all over the world.  In an instant, all her hopes and dreams were gone.  

She ached for her dear sweet Charlie wondering if she was making the right decision to sell the house.  She prayed about it for the last three months.  Five weeks ago, her good friend Carol, a real estate agent approached her about a beautiful ranch located 30 miles outside of town. If she sold this house, she would have enough equity to pay cash for the ranch and live out their dream. At first Rose resisted and wondered how she could possibly do this without Charlie!  

Matthew, Lydia and Carol finally convinced her that it is the right thing to do and that it was what Charlie would want her to do. To carry on with their plans.  She had an offer on the house within a week after it was listed.  Her dear sweet Lydia reminded her that when it is God’s plan, everything falls into place easily.   

Rose set the empty coffee cup down on the hearth and clasped her hands together and bowed her head to pray. 

Dear God,

I admit that I am afraid Father, but I am putting my total trust in you. Your plans may not be exactly what I had planned or hoped for, but I trust that you are guiding my path and that you know what is best for me.  Help me to adapt and embrace the changes and accept the direction and path you have set for me.  I know that you will walk with me and will not let me fall.  I am so grateful and blessed for my life and all that you have given to me. 

Amen. 

When Rose opened her eyes she could see the first light of dawn and glorious streams of light streaking across the sky through the early morning clouds.  Just then she saw the moving truck pull in rumbling up the driveway.   

She smiled looking up at the clouds and said, “Okay God, it is a new day and I am ready”. 

^{Joshua 1:9}  This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Corinthians 15:51 - ⁵¹ Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed—

Letting go of the familiar and navigating through change can be very difficult, but also very rewarding if we can learn to trust God.  When we allow change in our life, letting go of the grip we open the door for God to help us grow and live the abundant life he has planned for us. When we resist change out of fear, we can become complacent and stuck in our routine. Without change, life cannot continue to exist and will eventually die as a vine without water.    

God is the creator of change. It is what nourishes us and allows us to grow in mind, body and spirit. The seasons change, the light changes to darkness and darkness to dawn.  Change is healthy and all around us.  Embrace it when God presents it and surrender to him even when it doesn’t feel good, as it is His way of moving you forward according to his plan.  He loves you and will never let you down.  

“God’s plan for your life, far exceeds the circumstances of your day”  Louis Giglio

Lonely Road of Faith

My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.  James 1:2-4

When I woke this morning, I lay quietly in my bed feeling tired and discouraged by seemingly impossible hurdles. Unable to make decisions and feeling sad, I lay wondering how I could possibly write a blog that would lift and inspire others. I prayed for guidance as I do everyday and a million thoughts swirled around me like rainbow of light, but I was still confused. So I poured a cup of coffee and sat down in front of the computer. After a few minutes, God led me to youtube.  Smile now. It is a sign of our times and I believe that God uses every vehicle possible to communicate with us.

I came across this lovely song called Lonely Road of Faith. The lyrics and the youtube link are listed below. It gave me the lift I needed and I hope it will do the same for you.

Indeed, throughout our lives we will walk that lonely road of faith. Our faith is tested and grows as we walk through each storm and trial in life. Life will never be perfect. There will always be difficulties.  It is how we choose to navigate the winds of change and the trials that is the mark of our faith as Christians.

We can choose to feel sad, angry, discouraged or we can choose to stand tall and walk through the storm knowing that we are never alone. God is with us guiding our path through the calm and stormy days alike. Just hold on, God won’t let you fall.

Have a blessed day and enjoy this beautiful song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSgTAJiWXvs

Lonely Road of Faith, Written by RJ Ritchie and performed by Kid Rock

Up and down that lonely road of faith
I have been there
Unprepared for the storms and the tides that rise
I've realized one thing, how much I love you
And it hurts to see, see you cryin'
I believe we can make it through the winds of change

God is great indeed
If you believe, in the everlife
Yeah we gotta
Make some sense of the pieces that we've found
And if you just hold on, I wont let ya fall
We can make it through the storms and the winds of change

Though I walk through the valley of darkness
I am not afraid
Cause I know I'm not alone

And if the wind blows east, would you follow me
And if the wind blows north, would ya stay your course
And if the wind blows west, would ya second guess
And if it blows to the south, would you count me out
And if the sun don't shine, would you still be mine
And if the sky turns grey, would you walk away
Would you say I do, if I say I'll be
And walk this road through life with me
You know I love youuuuuu

On this lonely road of faith
On this lonely road of faith

Lonely Road Of Faith lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.