(This was intended to be sent yesterday, however, my computer shut off- funny how things work!)
(1 Corinthians 3:11) “For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”
Beloved,
Recently a friend of mine informed me her fiancé over in Guantanamo Bay Base in Cuba. She was a little concerned because there was what is called a category 4 that was announced to occur. (Not sure if it has) If I may digress for just a minute, a category 4 storm is winds that are going as fast as 130-156 mph. This category is disastrous!
According to Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale (which estimates probable property damage), ‘Catastrophic damage will occur: Well-built framed homes can sustain severe damage with loss of most of the roof structure and /or some exterior walls. Most trees will be snapped or uprooted and power poles downed. Fallen trees and power poles will isolate residential areas. Power outages will last weeks to possible months. Most of the area will be uninhabitable for weeks or months,’ mind you this is second to the last level, 5.
If I may deviate once more, the other night my husband and I were discussing the different structural foundations for buildings. We were talking about how in different states/countries, the buildings structural systems seem to be based on the climate of the weather. A few house foundations I came across were built of bamboo and grass, other places brick, poured concrete, frost-protected (protection from extreme temperatures), permanent wood, and raised foundations – just to name a few. These foundations are based on climate.
In the book of Matthew 7 verses 24-27 Jesus tells a parable of two men. One man built his house upon a rock where it weathered the storms and climate change, he was considered wise. The other man built his house on sands- when the flood came, the house collapsed and he was considered foolish.
As I mentioned above describing the type of foundations, this scripture goes in hand in hand. One, the builder and two the type of material. It seems as though in different areas houses are only built for the mean time. Architects are great builders but it also depends on the material they use.
One day we would like to build a house but we must be wise with how we build it. Though California is only considered to get earthquakes, who’s to say a thunderstorm with a flood of rain won’t hit and depending on where we are building our house could sink. Take Texas for example- we need to be smart about Hurricanes that pass through- so what type of material there. Or, for instance because the weather is changing, the way climate use to be isn’t the same everywhere – for example, I just spoke with a representative on the phone and she was informing me that in Utah, two tornadoes hit- though small, that isn’t normal. It’s normal to have snow there since their surrounding by Mountains, but not tornadoes. This wasn’t Utah’s typical weather.
During my study, there was one house left standing made of concrete during Hurricane Katrina in a Pass Christian, MS, neighborhood. Architects found that asphalt shingles tend to fail with catastrophic climate changes. The holes from stapling causes an uncertain foundation. Clay roofs made be a bit sturdy then asphalt, however, still apt to shatter. The list goes on and taking into account the windows, etc.
This is similar to the guarding of our hearts – don’t you think?
And the same with life! One minute all can be going well but the next minute you have no idea if the Lord and Satan had a conversation. Take a look at
Job, Chapter 1:
“There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job. That man was blameless and upright, fearing God and avoiding evil. Seven sons and three daughters were born to him. His possessions were seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred female donkeys, and very many servants. This man was the greatest of all the people of the East … Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and the Adversary also came among them. And the Lord said to the Adversary, “From where have you come?” Then the Adversary answered the Lord, saying, “From roaming on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.”
Pause for just a second – 1 Peter 5:8 “Be sober and watchful, because your adversary the devil walks around as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” Genesis 4:7, “But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it [overcome it] and be its master.”
Back to Job-
And the Lord said to the Adversary, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and an upright man, who fears God, and avoids evil?”
Then the Adversary answered the Lord, saying, “… Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But stretch out Your hand now, and touch all that he has, and he will curse You to Your face.” …While he was still speaking, another came and said, “Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house, and suddenly a great wind came from the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people, and they are dead; and I alone have escaped to tell you!.”
Now if that isn’t a big pill to swallow, I don’t know what is! There, a few verses up, you’ll read Job lost his oxen, donkeys, camels etc. This was an extreme climate change in the life of Job – Oh and that was only the beginning!
Keep in mind there isn’t always warning to a climate change!
Throughout the book of Job, you will read Satan continues to ask the Lord to remove hedges and allow him to take Job’s body in order for Job to curse God. Job is then given boils all over his body, his wife tells him to curse God and die, his friends try directing him telling him that it is something hes done wrong to deserve this, etc. Job continues to pray and ask God – and only until chapter 38 does the Lord answer Job.
Let’s take a look at this, we have no idea how long that is in years. Remember one day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day (Ref. 2 Peter 3:8). Wow! And we complain if we have to wait a day, let alone a couple of hours.
My point beloved, Job never cursed God. His foundation was sure, though the winds came, the thunderstorm, rain, hurricane and even tornadoes, Job remained standing flat footed and firm… Job 13:15 “Though He slay me, YET I will trust Him.” Throughout the bible there are many faithful followers of Christ who built their foundation upon a rock- THE ROCK!
We build our foundations on money, image, people/relationships, careers, our past, even our future but none of this is sure! Many of us are foolish when it comes to our building and waste time building in the first place. Architects have to take into account of the climate changes prior to building. But we think about the here and now! However, this life is temporary. Architects assess the right layout in order to build a person’s house on a sure foundation, anchored. Have you?
Don’t miss the point, it’s not about YOU building the house but Matthew 7:24 “Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” Each and every single one of us are actually building every day- the question is, how and what are you building on? The bedrock for life, for our relationships, for our careers is on the Word of the Living God of Jesus Christ. James reminds us “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.”
The pressures of life are continually increasing, but we must be careful not to buckle under pressure. I often wonder how it would be living back in the ages where there wasn’t much television shows, internet, social media etc., we wouldn’t be as easily deceived and detoured from the bedrock for our life- a sure foundation! Now isn’t the time to buckle under a category 1 or 2 especially not a category 4 Hurricane. Need I remind you that one whose foundation is set and anchored in Christ, who trust in the Lord is like a tree planted by the waters, spreading its roots by the river, And will not fear when heat comes, nor anxious in the year of drought, nor cease from yielding fruit (Jeremiah 17:7-8).
If I might recap, a sure foundation is built on being a hearer and doer of the Word for obedience is better than sacrifice, prayer, Faith, studying scriptures, daily repentance and the Holy Ghost. A life apart from having the Holy Ghost doesn’t allow Christ to express Himself in your life. When the Holy Ghost controls our lives, Paul tells us He will produce the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control… (Lets save that for another time). What I am getting at is the foundation must be built based on what we do not see, moving away from walking by sight and living by Faith!
So, how have you been building your foundation? What is the structural frame like? Remember, Satan roams the earth seeking whom he may devour and you don’t know if the question asked was, “Have you considered my servant…?”
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as you go throughout your day- say Yes to the Lord. Ask the Lord to give you a Yes in your Spirit!
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Beloved each of us were brought with a price, a high price at that, to be free in Christ. To be free from bondage and yet instead of fighting our emotions and the lies of the enemy with the WORD of God we fall prey to the familiarity of bondage. 
The Truth will make you Free! 