What is on your foundation?

For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so by fire. I Corinthians 3:11-15

Yesterday during my Bible reading, this scripture stood out to me. (Bible reading is amazing, even though you are reading the same book over and over again, God's Word has a way of ministering a fresh word every time.) As I pondered the verses the sweet pain of conviction, sadness and regret filled my soul. I was given the privilege of being born into an amazing heritage. My grandparents passed on the blessings and example of an intimate walk with God. My grandmothers were very steadfast in the Faith and prayed for each of us more times than I can count I am sure. My grandfather and uncles built churches that have impacted thousands and many decades after their death is still making a mark. Their foundation, like mine, was Jesus Christ. The foundation of Christ is sure and will not be shifted by the trends or modern ways of thinking. Regardless of how the winds blow or the storms come, God is ever faithful and sure. It is what we have built on top of that foundation that makes the difference. My grandparents built a sure work made of gold, silver, and precious stones. The fires of time have a way of refining their work, rather than destroying it. Even today, decades after the passing of my grandfather, there are people coming to God in the churches that he planted. My parents, in their 80's, are still adding precious stones and beams of gold to their life's work in God's kingdom. In ten or twenty years, the young people and children that they pick up for church today will pass that heritage on to their children and my parent's work in the kingdom will continue to grow. Yes, fires of discouragement and trials may come but it will only prove to burn off the chaffe of their work for God's kingdom but not detract from the beauty of their walk with God.

That brings me to what I have built of the foundation that God has blessed me with - that sure foundation that is faithful and true. Well, the Bible says that every man's work will be manifest for what it is. If it is of hay or stubble then the fires of trials and despair will prove it to be of little worth. Sure, I have a couple beams of silver and perhaps a few precious stones standing on my foundation but the walls that protect me from the storms were made of stubble rather than real faith. My walls of positivity cannot take the fires of job loss, death or depression only a true faith in God can withstand those fires. Pleading urgent prayers only when I feel overwhelmed cannot take the heat like the precious stones of daily intercessory prayer. Having faith in the good times doesn't stand a chance during the storms like simply believing that He is faithful all the time. Busyness for the kingdom is good but doesn't necessarily have the longevity of prayerfully intervening for the kingdom.

So here I stand with the fires of trials and the winds of spiritual storms having left my foundation bare of everything but that which is precious. It is now up to me what I will build on this very stable foundation. Will I spend the remainder of my life interceding, working and allowing Jesus Christ to shine brightly through me or will I continue to add short-term desperate faith that gets burnt up with the first flush of hardship. Will my grandchildren and great-grandchildren hear from others how they are followers of Christ because of what I built today? Will I add to the beautiful spiritual structure that my grandparents, parents, aunts and uncles have built that draws people to God or will I continue to regret my poor choices when my work is manifest by fire.

The Consistent Witness

"Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savor; so doth a little folly him that in reputation for wisdom and honor." Ecclesiastes 10:1

Have you ever wondered how your harvest field views your walk with God? Do you think they see you as consistent and faithful? Would your harvest field see that you have grown closer to God or farther away? Do you think your witness is just as sweet and healing as it was last week or last year or five years ago? Or do you think they find you changeable? Does your harvest field come to you for wisdom and direction in their walk with God or with only jokes and light-hearted matters?

For quite some time I have been going through a very hard time physically, emotionally and thereby spiritually. There were times I felt so broken, abandoned, depressed, anxious and betrayed that my faith was just a glimmer. It was all I could do to get up in the morning, get to work and cope with the necessities of life. I didn't want to talk with anyone. I didn't want to be nice. I didn't want to care about my co-workers' problems or concerns because, after all, I had my own. There were times I was so low that I just wanted to shut the door on the world until life got better, until I was healed, until I was strong again. But as a follower of Christ, that wasn't what I was called to do. Jesus didn't give me salvation and His Spirit to hide it from those that needed to see Him through me. It seemed to never fail on those days that life was at it's most difficult that God would open my eyes and I would see the hurting, the seeking, the need for a savior. More days than not, God had to remind me that my harvest field is judging my witness and though I am going through a prolonged trial my witness must not waiver. Just because times may be difficult does not change God's goodness or grace so I must consistently display that goodness and grace to my harvest field. Your harvest field isn't judging you for having a difficult time or a trial but they will notice HOW you go through it. When life is tough do you pick up a vice rather than prayer? When someone hurts or betrays you, do you pull away from God or draw closer to him? Do you change your convictions or beliefs on a regular basis based on who you are with, what day of the week it is or where you go to church? Is the light of Jesus shining brightly through your life or does it flicker and blink like a shorting out light bulb?

My prayer and desire is to be a consistent witness and to be identified as an ardent follower of Christ and growing ever closer to him.

Exchanging My Burden for God's Yoke

Have you ever noticed that a heavy load seems to draw your focus more strongly than a beautiful scenery? A sad event draws your concentration more fully and for longer than a joyful happening. It seems that in this life grief lasts longer and is deeper than happiness. I am not sure why this happens but I know that this has plagued me for several years now. Perhaps it is because of an empty nest, or because of the change of life, or because of a medical issue but lately I have not been finding much joy in my journey. It seems that my journey is instead filled with sadness, frustration, paralyzing depression, fear and anxiety. This is not something I have chosen nor do I wish to stay in this state but all my efforts to be free of this has been in vain. I have not been able to volunteer nor socialize my way out of this darkness. Medication has helped but only to an extent of being able to cope and function with the darkness. Sure I can find humor in the silly and laugh at that puniest of jokes but underneath the laughter and smile is a deep sadness.  I can be friendly and kind but I don't really engage and can't seem to build a true friendship/relationship. I dislike the way that I feel and I have prayed for healing and balance but it hasn't yet come. 

Last evening as I was driving through my hometown for my 2nd job, I was struck by the sadness and despair that runs rampant through some neighborhoods in my hometown (and I am sure that this is true for your hometown too). I started praying for the communities that I was driving through and asking God to bring hope, healing, opportunities and revival to these neighborhoods. As I was praying I was struck by the irony of someone who is in a very dark place praying for light for those around me and I felt like God was telling me that this exact burden would be my way out of the darkness. 

Isaiah speaks of how we fast and pray yet we do not see the hand of God move. Verse 3 says, "Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge?" Our whole concentration is usually on what we are missing, what we have laid aside and what trials we are surrounded with. We hold tight to the scriptures that promise us no burdens or at least very light burdens. We like to quote, "Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." or "Cast all your care on him; for he careth for you" I think we get so tied up in our own burdens, our own trials, our own short-comings and how we want God to help us to live burden-free and care-free that we fail to see or take on His burdens and His cares. 

In verses 6 &7 he says, "Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?" As I was driving I felt like God was telling me to take my concentration off of MY darkness and instead be burdened for and prayerfully concentrate on the neighborhoods in my hometown that are filled with darkness and despair. When I lift my neighbor in prayer and lift the burdens of the least among us is when God will answer when I cry. Verse 8 says, "Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thy reward." The answer to my deliverance (and yours) from the darkness is tied closely with prayerfully lifting others out of their darkness and taking on God's burden for our world.