When building a house, you first want to have the foundation of your house built solid. If the foundation is not strong, the house will collapse. This is no different than Christians building their lives in Christ. Your life must be built on Jesus Christ. “Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone. This was the LORD’S doing, And it is marvelous in our eyes’? Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it. And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder.“
The trials that we go through are not to destroy us, but to build us up. Everything dear to us will be challenged to see if we love God more than what is closest to our hearts. Even if this is removed from us, God is willing to restore double what the enemy has stolen from us. “Now the LORD blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning; for he had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, one thousand yoke of oxen, and one thousand female donkeys.” The trials don’t come to bring you down, but to test your faith to see if it is genuine or not. “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” The testing is because you have been saved by grace through faith. The genuineness of your faith is the question. “In this, you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith––the salvation of your souls.” Your faith in Christ will be challenged in every aspect of your life. Let me paint this scenario to show you what I mean. If you were hauled into court and God is the judge. The prosecution is the devil and Jesus is your defense attorney. Does your life lived to prove what you believe? Will your faith in Christ, your life, withstand any accusations that would come against you? “For in it (the gospel) the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.” Fascinating that the church teaches Ephesians 2:8-9 and not adding verse 10, Verse 10 is the reason for verses 8 and 9. “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” If you don’t walk in the works that have already been prepared for you to walk in, the question will be asked, “Where is your faith?” “But He said to them, “Where is your faith?” And they were afraid, and marveled, saying to one another, “Who can this be? For He commands even the winds and water, and they obey Him!“
I pray that the eyes of your understanding be enlightened to have Jesus as your sure foundation in your life. “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.” Be blessed, my friends.