All other ground is sinking sand. This lyrics from a hymn that most of us is familiar with. 12 days of year 2014 have passed, what foundation are we building our lives on?
Scripture is very clear that if we want to bear fruit, fruit that will last we must be connected to Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord. Jesus said, “I am the vine you are the branches (Our nutrients come from the vine). If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit, apart from me you can do nothing.”
What resolution are you making for yourselves in 2014? If you haven’t made one, “To know Jesus Christ and make Him known” would be a great one.
How do we go about knowing Jesus Christ? I guess the best way to get to know someone is to directly relate with the person. It means spending time with the person, communicating with each other when together. That’s right, sharing your ups and downs, your joys and sorrows, your successes and failures, your frustrations and so on. It also means studying the person, what makes the person tick.
Yes, we will be deceiving ourselves if we think we can know Jesus Christ without spending regular time in prayer and studying the Word of God. Yes, it also means after knowing the Word of God, we must act upon them in obedience.
“Therefore everyone who hear these words of mine and put them into practice is like a wise man who build his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose and the wind blew and beat against that house, yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But if it is not put into practice, is like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. Haiyan Typhoon came and it fell with a great crash.
The test on whether we are building our foundation on the ROCK is whether we are still standing strong after the typhoon.
This reminds me of an 8 storey Bible College that was built in Myanmar, Cyclone Nargis came with very strong winds, rain and the streams rose. Many buildings were destroyed, trees uprooted, roof blown away but this building stood firm. The founding pastor commented that the building has stood the test as it has stand firm after the cyclone.
All of us will face or have faced our Haiyan Typhoon or Cyclone Nargis, do you know how you will fare or have fared? Are you building your house on the Solid Rock, Emmanuel, God with us.
Many of us will talk about our investment. Where is Your Investment? Please look well into your investment. Take care of yourself well first. You can only give what you have.
Jesus Christ is our role model. Keep our focus on Jesus.
In Psalms 27:4-5, King David says “One thing (Focus) I ask of the Lord this is what I seek that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek Him in his temple. For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling, he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a ROCK”
In Phil 3:8-9 Paul has no confidence in his flesh but in Jesus Christ. He considered everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteous that is from God and is by faith.
The Word of God said blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him.
He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its root by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes, its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.
We will bear much fruit when we are connected to our LORD Jesus Christ regularly. We become the light and salt of the world and therefore we will be able to make Jesus Christ known.
Dear Heavenly Father, thank you that you are always with us, we desire to be in your presence daily, we will put our confidence and trust in Jesus Christ so that we will grow to be more like Him each passing day. Amen.
Brother David Chua Eng Bee
