Get Through Anything: Here’s How to Build a Sure Foundation

When we build on a firm foundation of Christ, we can withstand whatever comes our way. A foundation based on God produces steadfast faith and life, and allows us to be living examples to others.

Dig your spiritual foundation deep; develop deep faith. Building a sure spiritual foundation means investing, inspecting, and ensuring the foundation is maintained—and God’s given us the instructions to do this!

Learn to trust God with the small stuff. When you do, you will find it easier to trust God with the big stuff.

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You Can Get Through Anything When You Build a Strong Foundation in Christ

A Foundation for Life

In Matthew 7 we find Jesus is finishing His Sermon on the Mount. Jesus gives a word of warning and a word of affirmation and hope to all who are listening. A warning to those who might ignore Jesus’ teaching and a word of affirmation, hope and encouragement to those who put His teaching into practice. Just because we hear Jesus’ teaching and respond in a somewhat positive way, doesn’t mean we’ll put Jesus’ teaching into practice and build a sure foundation.

The devil, the enemy of God and the enemy of your soul, will do all he can to trick you into thinking you are OK and how you are living is OK; even as things are crashing down around you.

The devil wants you to think that there are shortcuts to obedience. Shortcuts regarding faithfulness. Workarounds dealing with truth; that there are many ways to heaven. Or how about the idea that God will understand and that God will look the other way if you ignore Godly instruction? If this is you, and you continue to ignore Godly instruction, you may be surprised to hear the words “I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers”.

With that let’s read:

‘“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. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” 28 When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, 29 because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.’ (Matthew 7:24-29, NIV).

Jesus is relating a physical foundation for the purpose of teaching about a spiritual truth. Something drastic often has to to happen for us to see that our spiritual foundation is compromised by a shortcut, and everything collapses under the stress caused by the winds and storms of life.

Another way to think about it is: Why would you give the appearance of obedience and submission to God when you reject the very teaching of God by the actions of your own personal life?

Jesus is teaching an important truth in that it doesn’t really matter how the building looks on the outside, it’s the foundation—it’s what most don’t see—that is what truly matters. A building will either stand or fall depending on the foundation it is built upon. We will either stand firm or fall depending upon the foundation that we believe. When we build on a firm foundation of Christ, we can withstand whatever comes our way. When a foundation is based on the true meaning and spirit of the word of God it produces steadfast faith and life.

Jesus gives us a clear picture of two very different people and what they built their lives upon in Matthew 7. The first is someone who hears the teaching of Jesus and applies the teaching to how they live. The second is someone who also hears the teaching of Jesus but only appears to follow Jesus’ teaching.

Jesus taught the way of life that was born out of love and of having a living relationship with God that expressed loving mercy, grace and forgiveness that produced life and hope in God.

Jesus’ teaching on the Sermon on the Mount cut through the hopelessness of the law and gave us understandable reasons to live and obey the teaching. Outward actions were one thing, but the inward intention of the heart was the real issue that Jesus wanted to highlight and address. You can honor and glorify God by how you live. The law points to a spiritual need; obedience from the heart is what truly matters.

Jesus’ intent was to relate the laws of God in such a way that all people would understand. The law was more than dos and don’ts. The law was to instruct you to a way of life: to first God, and then others, to honor God and love others. God blesses those who live by faith, by these Godly priorities.

What did Jesus teach about Daily Living?

Jesus was teaching and explaining the foundation for living both in the present life and for all eternity.

• When we adhere to these instructions, happiness, joy, peace, mercy and heaven will be ours.

• If we hunger and thirst for righteousness, we will be filled and called sons and daughters of God.

• The law is to honor God, not man, and the law is to be the basis for living each day.

• We are to put others before ourselves.

• We are to focus on God, and an inward change of the heart.

• We are to focus on the spiritual more than the physical.

This teaching was totally opposite of what the scribes and religious leaders were focused on and how they lived their lives.

Jesus was calling the followers of God to stop living as hypocrites, but rather, to be a living example of people of faith to others, to inspire others to live a life of faith in God, and that could only be done by building one’s life on Jesus—the solid rock.

What makes a Sure Foundation?

I want us to consider our foundation and what we have built our lives on.

What insight does this scripture give us regarding a firm foundation? How can we stand steady in faith when the storms of life hit us?

1. We need to invest in a sure and solid spiritual foundation.

2. We need to inspect our spiritual foundation.

3. We need to ensure our spiritual foundation remains on the solid foundation.

If we are to invest in a sure spiritual foundation, we need to look to God. We need to be willing to invest time and learn all we can about God and what we are building our future upon: Jesus.

God created the heavens and the earth. He spoke everything into existence, so who better to go to than God and the scriptures when considering a sure spiritual foundation"?

If you want to be a carpenter, you will invest your time in learning carpentry to be a good carpenter. The same is true with anything you want to be good at in life. It is also true when considering building a sure spiritual foundation.

Once you've invested in forming a spiritual foundation, you’ll want to inspect it for strength and quality; that it will stand up to the storms of life.

Next, you should ensure your foundation remains in good condition and free of weak points, periodically addressing possible problem areas and getting outside when necessary.

How to Build a Strong Foundation

How should we respond to Jesus’ teaching regarding the wise and foolish builder?

• We should trust the Lord and know that the promises of God are sure.

• We need to abide in God’s word.where we see the power of God, the promise of God, the provision of God, and the presence of God.

• We need to apply God’s word to our lives: believe it, live it, trust it, apply it and pray according to Gods word.

• And last, we need to have faith in Jesus and in God’s word.

If we are going to stand firm in faith, if our spiritual foundation is going to be a sure foundation, we must:

• Invest time into reading the scriptures: studying the scriptures, praying the scriptures, seeking the presence of God in every decision we make.

• Inspect our foundation: what have we based our lives on? Allow the Holy Spirit complete access of your heart and soul; ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you any area that is in spiritual disrepair; acknowledge and begin the spiritual repairs without delay; focus on every area that needs attention.

• Ensure maintenance: we remain spiritually vigilant and seek to do the will of God in our lives; decide to remain faithful; determine to listen to the Holy Spirit’s prompting; disregard the temptation to spiritually coast through life.

Learn to trust God with the small stuff. When you do, you will find trusting God in the big stuff comes much easier.

I want to end with this thought: If you’re looking for water that will last during a long drought, you’ll need to dig a deep well. A shallow well may produce water but in the time of a drought it will dry up. Only a deep well will provide enough cool water in times of a drought.

Dig your spiritual foundation deep. Dig your spiritual well deep.

Develop deep faith, lasting faith; when the storms of life blow strong, your foundation will be secure.

Having a sure spiritual foundation means investing, inspecting, and ensuring the foundation is maintained in good repair. It takes work and continued moderating against outside forces.

Having a sure foundation in Christ, and a life built on Christ, is rewarded by eternal life with Christ for all eternity.

Suggested Praise and Worship

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This and other sermons brought to you by Faith Chapel, an Assemblies of God church in Pleasanton, CA.