Foundations

During the past few weeks, I've been thinking more and more about my "foundations" --
what I have built my life, my faith, my hopes on. I've gained a lot of insights into my own heart, some good with assurances and a basic knowledge of how to pass it on, and some. . . well, let's say I found out I needed some brushing up and studying to do.

As my brother went through the final stages of lung cancer, he shared with me some of the "projects" he had been working on. I think that anytime a question was raised that he could not answer, it became an unending quest until he was satisfied with the answers he found. Doubts? I don't know. We always seem to criticize the word, "doubt," as it sounds so opposite to the word, "faith." Yet, is it not our doubts and questions in life that send us on our quests to find the ultimate truth in Christ? I know I have my brother to thank for igniting the spark in me to dig around my "foundations" and see if they are right and built upon the true Word of God.

Years ago, my pastor did a series called, "On These We Stand." Week by week, he went through the doctrines (like Sanctification, Justification, etc), and made it all so simple to understand. Ever since the day I was born, I was in church. From the cradle roll all the way through I never missed a Sunday School class, church services 3 times a week, youth groups, DVBS, camp, and whatever else was going on. I did all the Bible Memory Association verses, memorized chapters for contests, etc. I even went to Bible School for 3 years. But all of this learning was never "filed away" in some sort of "grab it and use it" kind of way. It was through this series of messages that I finally got a filing cabinet in my mind where things started falling into their proper places!!! Thank you, Dan!

I don't think I ever realized before how important it is to get the "foundation" right. Paul says in I Cor. 15, "So, then, brothers and sisters, don't let anyone move you off the foundation of your faith." In my old age, though, I have come to see how everything topples and falls apart if the foundation is not right from the beginning. When all is said and done in life, it all boils down to where we put our trust and faith. Most of the guilt, fears, doubts and regrets that we carry with us are so unnecessary, but are there because we have built our lives and beliefs on foundations that are incorrectly taught to us.

Hosea 6:3 says, "Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord." To know Him is to know the truth. And this was Paul's utmost desire as he expressed it in Philippians 3 -- "That I may know Him. . ."

There were so many sleepless nights for me during Tony's illness, and I would dig into the deepest parts of my heart and brain for stuff I had once learned but had forgotten. It bugged me to no end! I don't like loose ends and unanswered questions. My brother had spent so much of his life searching the Scriptures, and I'm sure he knew them way better than I do. I have him to thank for rattling my cage because I found lots of rusty hinges and loose screws!!!

Beth Moore is challenging women to memorize at least 24 verses this year -- that's just 2 verses a month.

http://blog.lproof.org/2011/01/2011-siesta-scripture-memory-team-verse-2.html

She even has a little spiral notebook you can buy (or download for free and print out yourself) to write your verses out and join in on the challenge. Since I love tags, I made my own and I'm off and running with it. I'm picking verses that are foundational to my faith in Christ, promises I can count on through eternity, and principles I can live by. I don't know what's in my future or who I will yet meet along the way, but I NEVER want to be caught without an answer!

I feel like I'm rambling today. Maybe it is because I feel I'm entering new doors and I don't know where they are taking me. Maybe it is because there are holes in my heart that need to be filled. Anyhow, thanks for listening!