Foundations...

Foundations...they're everywhere! In your home, your workplace, church. We know that when the foundations of a building isn't strong or of good quality, the building or structure may collapse – it's unsafe!

Foundations do not only apply to buildings, but also to our lives as Christ Followers.

Paul writes in the book of 1 Corinthians:

"By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ" - 1 Corinthians 3:10 – 11

I am amazed at Paul's statement "I laid a foundation as an expert builder" – as we minister or go about our daily business, interacting with people around us...do we lay foundations for Christ like expert builders? Is our foundation HIM? As people, we often seek the 'experience' of praise and worship rather than the lifestyle of Praise & Worship. We seek the experience of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, yet we often don't walk in step with the Holy Spirit. If our only focus is the experience, we need to re-evaluate our foundation...and if necessary "go back to the basics" – Christ!

Is your foundation Christ? If it is, are you building like an expert builder? If not, what is it then?

A Transformed Mind results in a Transformed Heart

As we journey together as Christ Followers, we become more aware that often times serving Christ is an act of the will – a conscious decision. When things are going well it is easy to follow Christ, but at other times, we really have to 'draw deep' to continue through tough times. You may at times be so bombarded by the world and the things of this world that we 'lose heart'. It could be work pressures, pressures at home, people's pressure or just the sheer volume of events and things that are seemingly going 'wrong'.

The answer lies in renewed thinking. Romans 12:2 says: "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will".

Renewed thinking results in a new perspective, a new reality – GOD'S REALITY.

We read in Psalm 43:5 "Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.". The Psalmist is clearly in a bad place – he poses some questions to himself because something is not as it should be, however he does not let the condition of his soul drive him, but changes it to putting his hope and trust in God - the renewed thinking.

How do you renew your mind? By spending time in the Word – meditating on it, getting to know our Father in Heaven who has only the best planned for us! Once we know this, we don't allow the condition of our "soul" (feelings, emotions etc) to dictate to us how we should act, but instead we stand on the word of God and allow it to renew our thoughts...which ultimately results in a renewed heart – a heart after God's own heart!

"...be transformed by the renewing of your mind..." – the result...."Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is..."