Sunflower Faith

Before a home can be built, it helps to have a strong foundation.

Follow that with an idea of what type of home that you want.

Then there is the blueprint.

The blueprint shows the structure and layout of the home and while building the home, the plans are closely examined, studied and followed, to ensure that the home being built, follows the creator’s intentions.

As followers of Christ, we are given a special outline, a blueprint, of God’s plan of Salvation, showing the beginning and the final result and when we study and read and followed what He has laid out, we find ourselves building a strong foundation of faith that, based on His word, can face all that life has before us.

¹¹ I say this because I know what I am planning for you,” says the Lord. “I have good plans for you, not plans to hurt you. I will give you hope and a good future. (Jeremiah 29:11, New Century Version)

Ever remember the parable of the two builders?

One built his home on sand and we all know what happens to homes built on sandy foundations. It’s unstable. It can be washed away by the sea, in earthquakes, it can easily fall apart, it can be swallowed by sinkholes.

The other. He built his home on rock and follow three simple principles:

1. Building his home on a rock, he was listening and reading God’s word and doing the following:

• ¹⁵ Make an effort to present yourself to God as a tried-and-true worker, who doesn’t need to be ashamed but is one who interprets the message of truth correctly. (2 Timothy 2:15, Common English Bible)
• ¹⁷ So, faith comes from listening, but it’s listening by means of Christ’s message. (Romans 10:17, Common English Bible)

2.  He didn’t just say I am a builder, but he obey and follow God’s words and teachings. The builder who built his home on a solid foundation, took his time and was a doer.

•  ²¹ “Not everybody who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will get into the kingdom of heaven. Only those who do the will of my Father who is in heaven will enter. (Matthew 7:21, Common English Bible)

3. The builder followed his faith and followed what he knew was sound principles and a foundation.

• ¹⁹ Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.”
  (2 Timothy 2:19, New King James Version)
• ¹¹ For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. ¹² Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, ¹³ each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. ¹⁴ If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. (1 Corinthians 3:11-14, New King James Version)

We can tell a lot the difference between a home built to withstand heavy storms or say if in a hurricane prone area, withstand up to a certain hurricane category and followed required building codes and procedures versus one that hasn’t.

Someone close said….oak trees are pretty,but take a bad storm and it doesn’t take long to see how shallow their roots can really be.

So the same can be said of our faith.

A good dose of trials….persecution….whatever it is and it doesn’t take much to see who is truly strong in their faith and who is…well…built on sand, whose foundation easily shift from one thing to another.

Those with a good strong foundation…whose follow the blueprints…tend to be consistant in what and who they are.

¹² Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. ¹³ But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away. ¹⁴ Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity. (Luke 8:12-14, New King James Version)

The Matthew Henry Commentary, looks into the parable of the sower and shares the following insight,
“There are many very needful and excellent rules and cautions for hearing the word, in the parable of the sower, and the application of it.

Happy are we, and for ever indebted to free grace, if the same thing that is a parable to others, with which they are only amused, is a plain truth to us, by which we are taught and governed.

We ought to take heed of the things that will hinder our profiting by the word we hear; to take heed lest we hear carelessly and slightly, lest we entertain prejudices against the word we hear; and to take heed to our spirits after we have heard the word, lest we lose what we have gained. The gifts we have, will be continued to us or not, as we use them for the glory of God, and the good of our brethren. Nor is it enough not to hold the truth in unrighteousness; we should desire to hold forth the word of life, and to shine, giving light to all around.

Great encouragement is given to those who prove themselves faithful hearers of the word, by being doers of the work. Christ owns them as his relations. (Lu 8:22-40)”

Are you using the blueprints (The Bible) God has given us to establish a strong foundation in our growth and relationship with Him? If not….its never too late to dust off the cover and open it up…

Download Jeremiah 29:11 Bookmark here

****This was originally posted on December 12, 2012****

© 2012, Sunflower Faith. All rights reserved.

Sunflower Faith is a quiet, sometimes silly, sometimes sarcastic, sometimes serious, follower of Christ sharing words of devotion, encouragement and hope that is always about our Father in Heaven. So grab a cup of coffee and join Sunflower Faith in words of growth, hope and more all in the spirit of 2 Peter 1:5-8.

Sunflower Faith

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