All rights reserved. Sound foundations. Sound substance in the structural components. Sound in being level, plumb, square and true. Spiritually, here are some specification basics for building our spiritual house: ). 5. We need to count the cost. In 2005 my wife and I visited Nigeria, and we were amazed at the number of unfinished houses. Mary Ann Pratt married ParleyP. Pratt in 1837. Jesus said to him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life. When the floodwaters rise and break against that house, it stands firm because it is well built. The construction process is a significant undertaking, and maintenance is a lifetime effort. Gods grace is so very good to deepen our spiritual foundation even though we are not perfect. There I witness the power of God, Gods promise, Gods provision, and Gods presence. You can always find ways to deepen your own spiritual foundation. A strong foundation is contingent upon these three beliefs, all of which are made possible by Christs sacrifice on the cross. Believing them strengthens our walk, and grow us in His grace. Michael Jakes is an Associate Pastor, Bible teacher, and writer. He is co-founder of Thats The Word! Afterall, Hes the chief cornerstone of your faith (Ephesians 2:19-22)! This is not something that comes from just hearing Gods Word. When we adhere to these instructions, happiness, joy, peace, mercy and heaven will be ours. Philippians 3:11-21: Are you running lifes race with passion? Copyright 2023, VITAL WorkLife. This message illustrates the outcome of forgiveness vs unforgiveness and gives us three truths to live by. In Matthew 7:2427, Jesus concluded the Sermon on the Mount with a parable that illustrates what will happen on judgment day. Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. Matthew 14:23-33: Feeling overwhelmed, scared, or unnerved? He was making the Word of God come alive to them. We can begin to grow spiritually by asking Jesus for help. Colossians 1:1-8: What choices are you making this year? Ministries, a distinctly Cross-centered outreach. This means that there are Gods children whose foundations have been shattered and they are unaware of it. We might question if we are living for God or for ourselves. Build a strong spiritual foundation and profound faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast (Ephesians 2:8-9). Many individuals are impeded in the spirit because of their predecessors sins, and blood is speaking against them for vengeance because of their forefathers terrible foundation before the Lord. Michael is also the author of two books,The Lights In The Windows, andChurchified Or Sanctified? Nowadays, many single women are parenting their children on their own. For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. This sermon offers thanks and encouragement. Haggai 2:1-15: Want to be closer to God? This message challenges us to avoid deception and invites us to look intently into the word of God and allow it to change us. She wrote, I shared his dungeon, which was a damp, dark, filthy place, without ventilation, merely having a small grating on one side. Take a step of faith. If we are to invest in a sure spiritual foundation, we need to look to God. This weeks message teaches us how to live for Christ in a fallen world. In a gospel There are many ways to train yourself and discipline yourself so that your faith grows. I hope that you will join me on this foundation building journey. Developing self-discipline is essential to progress because it seamlessly connects learning and doing. For all His disciples and followers, Jesus was using teaching methods that were engaging and interesting. With Ramadan 2023 just around the corner, it's important to start preparing early to make the most of this blessed month. Get up, dress, and go, no matter how difficult it is. What is spiritual growth? you may be thinking. 1 Samuel 17:12-28: Feel defeated, afraid, or unable to move? Weve witnessed examples where the blood of virgins is screaming out against individuals because their forefathers slaughtered virgins to gods for money or power, and decades later, the blood of such virgins is still calling out for revenge on the offspring of the men who sacrificed them. Matthew 15:21-28: Today is Mothers Day and we want to say thank you to women in our lives for all the things you have done for us! The concrete footings and foundations were then tied to the granite bedrock with rock anchors to resist even torrential wind and powerful groundwater. I once heard someone say, If you get Jesus wrong, it doesnt matter what you get right, because your foundation is wrong.. I have always treasured being able to recall Gods Word in my daily life and most certainly in my prayer life. We should trust the Lord and know that the promises of God are sure. Elder Pratt ultimately died a martyrs death while serving another mission. This short message encourages us to call out to Jesus. How can we stand steady in faith when the storms of life hit us? Jesus leaves no room for confusion. A shaky and weak foundation is unable to support any structure. This teaching was totally opposite of what the scribes and religious leaders were focused on and how they lived their lives. So, assuming that since you devoted your heart to Jesus, the evil done by your parents and forefathers is wiped away is naive. In the busyness of life, we may lose sight of the fact spiritual living is not an after work or week-end obligation. Photographs above: EricP. Johnsen; Jared Doxey; Katrin_Timoff/iStock/Thinkstock; matsilvan/iStock/Thinkstock; Ingram Publishing/Thinkstock; Zoonar RF/Zoonar/Thinkstock. He will respect our desire and attempts to become closer to him. Design your foundation layout. This helps us build a strong spiritual foundation. God is fighting for you! Formally, we make covenants with God through priesthood ordinances. James 1:1-4: Did you know that trials have a purpose? When you carefully invest in these areas, you will grow more spiritually, relationally, financially, physically, emotionally, and socially fit to live an influential life for Christ. The spiritual foundation definition is defined as a foundation founded on God that develops unwavering faith and life and helps us to be living examples to others. Building a solid spiritual foundation entails investing, examining, and maintaining the foundationand God has given us the guidelines to do so! And nothing brings me more delight than when my children are recalling Scripture in their everyday life. Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. This could not be further from the truth. Photo credit: Getty Images/digitalskillet. If youre going to have a strong foundation, you must believe that the Bible is Gods Word. Copyright 2023, Bible Study Tools. Are you stuck without hope, or using hope to catapult you into Gods plans for you? For this reason, its wise to seek God daily and ask him to search your heart and make known what displeases him (Psalm 139:23-24). I want us to consider our foundation and what we have built our lives on. In order to grow spiritually as a couple, you need to seek God together. Life Is a Journey, part 21, How to Walk by Faith, Not Fear: Youre Not Alone Life Is a Journey, part 20, How to Reclaim Joy: Fear Not Today Life Is a Journey, part 19, Focus on Your Mission Life Is a Journey, part 16, Focus on Christ to Get Through Trials Life Is a Journey, part 14, Liberty or Bondage? There are many ways to train yourself and discipline yourself so that your faith grows. You can enhance your relationship with God by doing the following: Prayer is more than just saying a few words. The same is true with anything you want to be good at in life. Pray, worship, fellowship, witness and study the bible together. If you want to be a carpenter, you will invest your time in learning carpentry to be a good carpenter. Upon moving to Missouri, USA, along with other Saints, they endured horrific persecution. Consider your Bible to be a manual. We often call these promises covenants. The Lord has provided us with these beautiful books to help us build our foundation. Walking, hiking, running (even more beneficial when donein nature! You can spend as long, or as brief, on this process as you desire. Learn to trust God with the small stuff. La movilidad, el ritmo de la campaa de vacunacin y el cumplimiento o no de las medidas del gobierno, fueron algunos de los temas evaluados por los ms de 50 mdicos, cientficos e ingenieros, entre otros profesionales que asesoran al gobierno. 5. It is to build your spiritual and temporal foundation upon scriptures and revelation. A spiritual foundation is not built without setbacks and missed opportunities. He chose 12 men to train and disciple intimately. WebBuilding on a Solid Foundation 1. Without believing this vital truth, we can plunge our life in Christ into a chasm of legalism and religion. So, whether you want to accomplish exploits for the Lord or become the CEO of a great national corporation, it will never work if your foundation is weak or wrong. We must be selfless and adopt the principles that Christ has taught us in our life. We must take His Word as it is and not do it any violence by trying to disprove what we do not understand. We pray for them every day. Is It Ok for Christians to Follow Zodiac Signs? In the middle of a storm? We tend our spiritual life much like a gardener who waters, feeds and weeds in order to have a healthy harvest. In order to have a strong foundation, there are certain things that as a Christian you must believe beyond a shadow of doubt. In a circular globe, structural and soil engineers are asked to inspect the earth and soil conditions of a site where a high-rise skyscraper is proposed to be built. Making disciples of Jesus who live on mission. This message explains the call God has placed on each of our lives, and how to understand the goal and work toward the prize. Youve been added to our email list. My husband is a band director spending many hours investing in the band students and supporting their interest in music. The hole was dug into native Pennsylvania granite to provide an immovable foundation upon which to build. Privacy Policy, Wheel of Well Being overview and assessment. Put aside vain religious philosophy, all forms of ungodliness, repent and get real with Jesus so that others may know there truly is We can become seekers of wisdom and nourishing actswhen we make space in our lives for the intentional nurturing of a stronger foundation of our spirits. The best way to prepare ourselves for these unpredictable events is to use our time now to take a good look at the foundation of our testimony in the gospel of Jesus This message is good advice for any situation. The only way to build up these old waste places is to restore trust between the lost and our witness. Knowing that these forces would relentlessly attack the temple, the engineers designed, and the contractor excavated, a hole 32 feet (10m) deep under the entire footprint of the structure. This is a wonderful reflective exercise when we pause for a moment and ask, how do I define spirituality? After you have reflected, then continue reading for additional thoughts to consider. It is important for us to awaken to all the ways that our spiritual lives are being newly formed. We are to focus on the spiritual more than the physical. Keep in touch with your church, even if you dont feel like it. I want to end with this thought: If youre looking for water that will last during a long drought, youll need to dig a deep well. From a Church Educational System devotional address, How Firm a Foundation, delivered at the Ogden Tabernacle in Ogden, Utah, on November2, 2014. Dig your spiritual foundation deep. A strong foundation is contingent upon these three beliefs, all of which are made possible by Christs sacrifice on the cross. There are many potential ways to answer this question. This message offers encouragement and actionable steps to overcome worry and find Gods path for you. At times this inner seeking challenges us in how we currently think, live and act in the world. We need to pray. The emphatic repetition of the phrase "unless the Lord" tells us that God's involvement is absolutely essential. Matthew 5:1-12: Did you know there are divine blessings available to you? Ephesians 2:11-13: Did you know that hope keeps us going and changes lives? Kay guides individual, team, department and organization-wide approaches in deepening collaboration and collegiality as an executive coach to senior management with medical group practices and large health care systems. What is an essential discipline in our spirituality is the tending of our spiritual life. Matthew 28:16-20: Whats your calling and how do you accomplish it? However you choose to nurture your spirit, thisinvestment will ensure you havea consistent source of hope, strength, comfort, meaning and peace. The people in your life and your relationships with them are important to God, and they need to be valued and esteemed fittingly. Its one of the greatest lessons we can learn. You should not assume any of them are correct without first verifying them. Ultimately, the strength of our spiritual foundation is shown by how we live our lives, especially in times of disappointment and challenge. Instead of listening to yourself, talk to yourself. Building a sure spiritual foundation means investing, inspecting, and ensuring the foundation is maintainedand Gods given us the instructions to do this! If a good guy leaves a nice inheritance for his offspring, a bad man will leave a terrible legacy for his children. The common thread among them is that they all generate the same result: spiritual growth and a greater relationship with God. This message helps us understand what it means to give our burdens to Christ and be free from the responsibilities were not meant to carry. He would also explain familiar Bible stories and Scriptures from a new perspective taking a more in-depth approach and yet somehow keeping it all in simple terms. - Luke 10:27. Just fill in the form below and one of our mentors will get back to you as soon as possible. By asking Him, we might sometimes immediately see possibilities in front of us. WebBuilding upon bedrock consists of 1) accepting Christ as Lord, 2) hearing what He says, and most importantly, 3) putting these words into practicedoing as well as hearing, Next we ask ourselves how we can best nurture our spiritual life. How Daniels Prophecy of 70 Weeks Connects to the End Times, 4 Ways the Parable of the Sower Encourages Spiritual Growth. As a follower of Christ, your spiritual foundation is vital to your life, both here on earth and in eternity. If we base our faith on anything other than the Cross of Jesus Christ, then that foundation is faulty. Having a sure foundation in Christ, and a life built on Christ, is rewarded by eternal life with Christ for all eternity. Believing them strengthens our walk, and grow us in His grace. When storms of life come your way, youll be grounded in biblical truths and remain steady as a rock in your moral beliefs. Jesus wants people to make His teachings part of their everyday lives. If the foundation is faulty, then everything built upon it will be unsteady, unsafe, and will eventually crumble. In defining spirituality, there is the Buddhist definition naming spirituality as shamatha, or tranquil abiding. Others describe spirituality as the spirit piece of our lives. They listened carefully and asked questions. The law was more than dos and donts. When you manage your finances wisely, you eliminate needless stress (Mark 8:36). But what you can't do is pour a foundation when it is raining. He would explain how following the commandments demand more than outward action; they demand inward motive. For a week we worked on homes in one of the poorest, yet most beautiful regions in the country. The foundation comes from putting into practice Jesus teachings. We need to read the Bible. Galatians 5:22-23: Are you settling for less than Gods abundant plan for you? We will even choose to discard other identities and their accompanying practicessome highly valued by the world. This message reveals what we can do to remain rooted in Christ and why its so important. As you are hiking through the woods, point out Gods creativity and wonder in awe as you gaze at the stars. What hit home for you in this article? Also, knowing that bad company corrupts good character (1 Corinthians 15:33-34), be careful about whom you spend time with. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself. President HenryB. Eyring, First Counselor in the First Presidency, warned: Looking for the path to safety in the counsel of prophets makes sense to those with strong faith. Mounzer is known for his compassion and great listening skills. Plus, find out what to do when we dont know Gods will. Go, no matter how difficult it is well built remain steady as a Christian you must believe that Bible! Faith ( Ephesians 2:19-22 ) in being level, plumb, square and true the Lights in the form and... Is faulty, Jesus concluded the Sermon on the spiritual more than the one which laid. And one of the Sower encourages spiritual growth and a greater relationship with God believe beyond a shadow of.. That foundation is not something that comes from just hearing Gods Word to focus on spiritual! 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