Wednesday, September 7, 2011

September 4, 2011 - Pastor Leslie Crockett, Jr.

A Strong Foundation!

2 Timothy 2:15, 19 ~ 15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. 19 Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.”

We have to present our bodies as vessels of honor before God! Be diligent! be mindful! Build a foundation in the Word which leads to faith in God! We must have a true foundation, rooted in the Word so we can stand in the times of trouble! You must depart from sin to have a relationship with, and thus build a foundation strong in the things of God. If you are in sin, how can you have a relationship with Him? Get enough Word while you can so in case there comes a time when you are unable to pick up your bible & read/study, the scriptures you know can be applied to your life's situation. If you don't KNOW the Word, it does you no good!

1 Corinthians 3 ~ 1 Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly—mere infants in Christ. 2 I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. 3 You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans? 4 For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not mere human beings?  5 What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. 6 I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. 7 So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 8 The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. 9 For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.
 10 By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. 14 If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. 15 If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.

 16 Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? 17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple.

 18 Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise by the standards of this age, you should become “fools” so that you may become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness”; 20 and again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.” 21 So then, no more boasting about human leaders! All things are yours, 22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, 23 and you are of Christ, and Christ is of God.

Even though we may plant a seed, someone else will come along & water it, but only God can give the increase! Only through God do we move, breathe & are alive! The foundation can only be built by God & we must allow Him to have His way in us. By no other way can we stand; our foundation must be in Him. God has drawn the blueprint for our lives - the Holy Scriptures - & we must carry out His plan & build according to his will; if we don't, whatever we build will fall! The Holy Spirit CANNOT & will NOT, dwell in a place that is not built on God's foundation. Storms of life will come, but if our foundation is in Christ, we can stand & have peace knowing that God has already worked out the situation! God's infinite wisdom has provided the master plan; nothing we think we know can allow us to come with a better plan!

2 Timothy 2:20 ~ 20 In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for special purposes and some for common use.

We have to be instruments of honor to be used by God & to be prepared to do every good work. God is our Commander in Chief; we are soldiers in the Army of God, therefore we must be good soldiers, enduring all things, ready to do His will, NOT ours & NOT & eager to put aside the affairs of this world that we were entangled in before we were saved! If we try to be a part of the world & serve God we cannot please God because our foundation will be shaken! How can two walk together unless they agree! You will love one & hate the other so you must choose where your loyalty lies!

2 John 10, 2 Timothy 2:12, 14, 16 ~ 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take them into your house or welcome them. 12 if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us...  14 Keep reminding God’s people of these things. Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen. 16 Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly.

Stay away from people who are teaching anything other than the Word of God/Gospel of Jesus of Jesus because seducing spirits come to shake your foundation! Stay out of conversations that are not of God because it leads to ungodly behavior. God is not pleased when we argue, even about the Word because He is not the author of confusion. There is no liberty in that; how can someone be set free in a hostile environment. Act in love & stand on the foundation that God has given us!

Trust & believe in God & His Word; it is the only way to assure your salvation & to ensure a sold foundation to be able to stand against the enemy!

No comments: