Date:___________
How does one begin this journey? How does one know the next step in building this strong foundation? In my early twenties I had learned a lot about construction. While I was studying architectural engineering, I was building commercial buildings, apartment buildings, new homes and restoring older run-down homes. One of the first things I learned was about the part of the foundation that most don’t expound upon. It’s a bit boring subject, however it is the most important beginning stage of any new construction project, “The Footings.” Its importance is easy to determine as it is the section that all structures stand. I think the most important attribute of the footing is that it must begin with the end in mind. What is the vision of the finished structure?
In our walk with Christ the question would be the same...What do I want my family, friends, co-workers, neighbors, strangers and mostly God say at the end of my life. Would I do things different if a was told I have three years to live? If my answer is yes, maybe my footings are not put in their proper place, I did not use enough concrete, maybe they aren't deep enough, wide enough or strong enough to endure the weight.
Proverbs 29:18 Where there are no vision “revelation” people cast off moral restraints. However, when people obey God’s word they are blessed.
The goal or vision that all believers must have been sharing Christ and making Disciples. Knowing that the day of His return is eminent and that after life is “Eternity!”
Today I will pursue Christ By
Date:__________
Most men never hear the call from God because they are so busy that when He calls, they would not hear or recognize the voice. Be honest and ask yourself, “are you on this merry-go-round of life that never seems to stop?” Have you allowed Satan to steal your time? Are you so busy chasing the things of the world that God has been placed on the backburner of life? It seems that in today’s world of technology it is easy to get caught up into the never-ending addiction of technology. Not long ago my wife and I were having dinner at a restaurant not far from our house. The hostess sat a family of four at the table nest to us. We noticed as soon as they set down the phones came out. Mom, Dad and the two children didn’t speak until it was time to pray over the dinner. I thought good now they are going to spend family time together around the dinner table but then it happened…after the father prayed it was back to texting. That’s why it is important to turn-off and draw near to God. Learn to trust God and allow Him to lead you on the path of your calling. Four things that helped me slow down and draw closer to God.
1. Meditate; spend time alone with God
2. Ask; Ask God to give you wisdom
3. Listen; Listen to the Holy Spirit, God and the Word
4. Pursue Christ; everyday pursue being more Christ like
Slowing our lives down is exceedingly difficult for men. For me it was a difficult process but one that over time I have made great strides. Ask God to show you areas of your life that you need to eliminate in you desire to spend more time with Him.
Today I will pursue Christ by:
Date:__________
1. Meditate: spend time alone with God.
What does it mean to meditate on God's word the Bible?
Meditation in the Bible means reflective thinking on biblical truth so that God can speak to us through Scripture and through the thoughts that come to mind as we are reflecting on the Word, but that must also be filtered by the Word.
How does a Christian meditate?
Steps Find a quiet place to meditate on God's way, preferably where no one else is. Focus on God since this is the most important thing to do anyway. Set your mind on things of Christ's Spirit. Pray to God through the Holy Spirit, to get into a direct connection to Him.
Psalm 19:14-15 May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.
I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways.
Psalm 104:34 May my meditation be pleasing to him, as I rejoice in the LORD.
Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things.
Today I will pursue Christ by:
Date:__________
2. Ask; Ask God to give you wisdom
We seek God because He has invited us to do so. Knowing God is a privilege. We seek Him through prayer, Scripture reading, worship, and fellowship. In seeking God we come to know Him better and we bring Him glory.
Are we allowed to ask God questions?
We are free to ask Him questions because we can rest assured that God is God. Even Jesus asked questions. If Jesus demonstrated humanity at its best-as God originally intended-it would make sense that we follow His example.
John 15:16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit-fruit that will last-and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.
Jeremiah 29:12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Matthew 7:7-8 "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
Today I will pursue Christ by:
Date:__________
3. Listen; Listen to the Holy Spirit, God and the Word
In silence we need to be quiet and listen. To hear and recognize God’s voice requires us to put down what we are doing, cast our anxieties and troubles on Him.
Through Scripture “The word of God is living and effective” (Heb. 4:12). The Word of God is not merely proclaimed to people in general.
Through your conscience we find that when we examine our consciences, we listen for God’s voice: “Deep within his conscience man discovers a law which he has not laid upon himself but ...Through the beauty of nature Every creature bears the mark of the Creator. Through the wonders of nature, God speaks to us of his own infinite beauty.
Pray this: Lord help me hear the things that I desperately need to hear!!!
James 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.
Proverbs 2:1-5 My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you, making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.
Today I will pursue Christ by:
Date:__________
4. Pursue Christ; everyday pursue being more,” Christ Like.”
Now that we have spent time with God through “Meditation” and asking Him for direction then listening to His call, now we are ready to pursue Him. God has a plan for each one of us. Today will be the day that you change your past failures into tomorrow’s strengths. That your legacy will be one build not on the things of this world but on the things of Christ. Colossians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Philippians 3:13-14 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Paul never removed the past from his life or memory, but he refused to allow his past to become an obstacle for his future. To finish life as not the man I was but the man I became. When I hear the Lord say, “Well done my faithful servant.”
Today I will strengthen my walk with Christ. Today I will put the proper foundation in place. Today I will put my shaky past behind me to build a stronger tomorrow. Not tomorrow, not next week, or when I’m old, but today!!!
Today I will pursue Christ by:
Date:__________
A good example of not having your “footings” complete was demonstrated in the house where I was raised. When we moved into our home it was only a couple of years old. I would have been about eight years old. Eight years later we noticed that the hall in the middle of the house was bowing down about two inches. The house was on a crawl space therefore my father could only look in the small opening to assess the reason. Everything looked good from that opening...foundation blocks appeared to be holding up the center support beam. Because of my size dad sent me into the crawl space to do further investigations. I found the problem...the problem the builder did not put a footing under the blocks. He had decided to just place the foundation blocks on the dirt. If we didn’t secure the foundation, over time the center of the house would come crashing down. The only remine, I had to shore up the house and pour footings under each center pier.
Today maybe you need shore up your walk with God by installing or repairing your God footings. Building your house on solid ground.
I know this; it would have been a lot easier for the builder to put the footings under the foundation when he built the house. It was much more difficult to install the footings after the house had been built. Stand on the word, get your footings strong, then your house will stand firm.
James 1:22-24 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.
Today I will pursue Christ by
DATE: ___________
Today as we continue our journey through the prosses of building a Strong Foundation by ensuring our footing are properly established. Most builders know, once you have the end structure in mind, now you can begin installing your footings. Before you begin working on your foundation there are a few things that must be understood.
1. You must be on solid ground.
a. Pouring your footings on weak soil or sand would end up being a future disaster. It is the same in our walk with Christ. Asking Christ into our life is the beginning of our journey as a believer. The solid ground is trusting and believing that all things stand on his word and resurrection.
b. In the beatitudes, or the sermon on the mount, Matthew writes the words of Christ teaching on how we as Christians are to live our life's. Everything from “Adultery” to “The Way into the Kingdom”. Then he ends with this:
Matthew 7:24-27 "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. 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. 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. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash."
Today I will pursue Christ by:
Date:___________
The second attribute of a Strong Foundation...the footings and foundation must have:
1. Forms or boundaries.
a. I have poured footings on the top of the ground by using wood forms and I have also had a backhoe dig the footings right into the ground itself. Either way the purpose was to keep the concrete in its proper place. If not for the forms and boundaries the concrete would just run out of control.
b. When we don’t establish Christ like boundaries, we can become unstable in our walk. Like concrete out of control our result in the end is not Christ centered but world centered.
Romans 8:5-6 Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.
1 John 2:15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them.
What the heart loves, the will chooses, and the mind justifies!!!
Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.
Our minds must be transformed to fight the desires of the flesh.
Today I will pursue Christ by:
Date:___________
Once you have established your forms and boundaries you need to make sure the footings are strong. This is accomplished by the process of adding re-bar to your footings. Re-bar is a steal round bar that contractors use to strengthen the footing. It will tie all the concrete together and over time stabilize the footing from cracking and shifting. For me the re-bar in my life would be surrounding myself with other men believers that can keep me stable in my walk. Frankly this is a tough one for me as I'm sure it is for other men as well. It’s not that I don’t want to be around other men believers, it’s just that life seems to keep me so busy that I don’t find the time. However, men...we must make the time!!! The bible has many scriptures teaching the importance of this. Find one man or put a study group of men together that will hold each other accountable.
Proverbs 27:17 As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.
James 5:16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
Galatians 6:1-2 Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other's burdens, and in this way, you will fulfill the law of Christ.
Today I will pursue Christ by:
Date:___________
Do not allow yourself to get caught up into the things of this world. Satin is always looking for the thing…that one thing that will get you off track. I know that for everyone it something different. For some there could be several things that have brought you to this uncertain place in your life. Uncertainty about who you are in your walk with Christ.
They say you can’t eat an elephant in one bite, so you must eat it one bite at a time. So how does on start? It is easier to start with that “One Thing.” The one thing for me, “I didn’t want to be poor.”
Date:___________
Today we want to look at the problem that crops up when the concrete is not properly mixed. If the concrete is not properly mixed the results won’t always show up immediately. It might take months or years before you see the results of poorly mixed concrete. I saw the results of this in 1975 when I received a call from a contractor that was having problems in a small AT&T sending station. The problem seemed to be that the tile on the floor was coming up in one section of the floor. It didn’t take long to find that the tile on the floor was not the problem but the concrete under the tile was falling apart. In this section of the floor someone had not mixed the concrete properly and it was becoming a major problem for the equipment setting in that section of the building.
2 Timothy 4:3-4 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.
Galatians 1:8-9 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God's curse! As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God's curse!
Be strong in the word. Verify that everything you read or hear measures up to what the Bible says. When men begin to understand the importance of this “Footings” part of the foundation it becomes easier when building a strong walk with Christ
Today I will pursue Christ by:
Date:___________
As we begin to move in the direction that God wants to take us, we can accomplish it with a “God Confidence”. That simply means that the confidence we hold comes from the truth that God never leaves us or forsakes us.
Psalm 46:1-5 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.
Building a strong footing and foundation doesn’t happen overnight. For those that have been Christians for many years possibly have already built a strong foundation. While others have excepted Christ and are still in the process of digging their footings. Possibly there are some that are not sure what the vision of their future looks like. As one builds this foundation of being the man God wants us to be, one will find that soon one will discover what God has called us to do. The question...What do you value in life? Don’t ask yourself, what do I like, what do I want or what’s in it for me? Ask “What do I value?” Do I value the thing of the world, or do I value the things of God?
Today I will pursue Christ by:
Holding On!!!
The question one must ask,
what am I holding on to that is holding me back?
Date:___________
The question I have always asked myself and I’m sure most men have asked, “How do I know that I am on the right path with God?” How one knows that they are on the right path with Christ is going to be evident in one’s actions with others. It was especially evident in my life when I was with someone that was not in my church, men’s group, bible study or home group’s. I know this, that I always knew when my foundation was starting to crack or when I was not walking on the path that God wants me to be on. If or when my old nature would kick in it would be evident in my conversation.
In Paul’s letter to the Colossians and the Romans he distinguishes between the old man and the new man. He tells us how we know that are footings and foundation is strong. That our old man, (old way of living) was crucified with Christ.
Romans 6:6 For we know that our old self (old man or old nature) was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin-
It goes on to say that anyone that has died to sin has been set free.
Part of the building of our strong foundation is knowing when we look in the mirror, we see the new man. By what they are willing to give up to server him
Today I will pursue Christ by:
Date:___________
To become the man that God calls use to be we must continue to make the changes in our life’s to become more like Christ. My footings and foundations must be built on the cornerstone of Christ.
1 Peter 2:6 For in Scripture it says: "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame."
Peter in his writings to these first-generation Christians tells them that Christ is the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy of the coming messiah.
Isaiah 28:16 So this is what the Sovereign LORD says: "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who relies on it will never be stricken with panic.
During the time of Isaiah, the cornerstone was the most important stone for the foundation. The size, placement and how solid it was would determine the strength of the final structure. It would ensure that the building would not fall. Peter tells us that Christ is the cornerstone that our belief, hope, faith, and salvations stands.
1 Peter 2:4-5 Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
The first word Coming should say-Keep Coming to Him. Lithos-Stone has been quarried, hewed, and ready for construction. Now we must consider ourselves as living stones built into a spiritual house.
Today I will pursue Christ by:
Date:___________
I recently read a book by Rabbi Jason Sobel titled Mysteries of The Messiah. The sixth chapter, THE MESSIAH GREATER THAN MOSES, took me back to my introduction where I used Mosses as an example of great leaders of God that had wondered “Why Me?” This brought me to understand, not just the call of God to Moses, but the call of God to each of us.
Moses had this encounter with the Lord in the thornbush while he was alone, going about his ordinary routine of shepherding his father-in-law’s flock in the desert. God prepares us through the seemingly mundane. All of life is preparing you for who you are called to be and what you are called to do.
Often it is not convenient when God calls us. But when it happens, it can happen in a moment, as it did for Moses and David. When we are called, we must drop everything, just as some of the disciples dropped their net, and go where the Lord calls.
The question one must ask…what has the Lord called me to do? When the Lord calls, will I follow? God is looking for modern-day Moseses.
Isaiah 6:8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.”
The world needs people who will hear the Lord’s call and bring His message of salvation and healing to a hurting and dying world.
Today I will pursue Christ by:
Date:___________
Remember that no matter whare you have been or what your past failures are in is not to late to get back on the right path. At times it might seem that your goals and dreams of yesterday have come to a screeching halt. When you feel that there is no hope, no place to turn or that you are stuck in the desert of mediocracy, when you can’t find a way out…” just look up.” That’s when you will find that God is there and has prepared a way our of darkness and through His Son has given us the ability to live in His marvelous Light.
Philippians 4:11-13 Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things, I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
One will find that at times in the desert there is place of transformation. For example, the Lord used the desert to transform the Israelites and prepare them for the Promised Land.
The Desert was the place of renewal and redemption.
Hosea 3:14-15
“Therefore, behold, I will allure her,
Will bring her into the wilderness,
And speak comfort to her.
I will give her her vineyards from there,
And the Valley of Achor as a door of hope;
She shall sing there,
As in the days of her youth,
As in the day when she came up from the land of Egypt.
When in the desert of mediocracy don’t walk away, give God the opportunity to change you.