It’s Tuesday, July 9, 2024. When we built our house about 15 years ago, we laid a foundation that was strong and deep. It was evaluated, inspected, and passed. However, as beautiful as it was, we didn’t sit around and admire it, adore the measurements, or talk about the amount of cement we poured. No, instead, we started building, and when we did, we built with confidence. There is a foundation to our faith, certain fundamentals that should be set in concrete. However, many still struggle, not with the advanced things, but with the fundamentals. Read on …
Today's Reading:
Micah 1,2,3,4; Hebrews 6
Scripture
"Therefore, leaving the elementary teaching about Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of instruction about washings and laying on of hands, and about the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment. And this we will do, if God permits…” (Hebrews 6:1-2)
Observation
There are elementary teachings that must be part of our foundation. Once they are in place, we can invest our efforts in maturing, forging character, growing in wisdom, and building a godly influence with our families and community. As Hebrews states, there were many who “ought to be teachers by now,” but instead, they struggled with the fundamentals. They tripped when it came to the basics of right and wrong or what was wise or unwise. They compromised. They made excuses. They operated at a high level of reputation yet stumbled over low levels of character.
Application
God tests how well we are versed in our fundamentals by allowing tests to come our way. He tests our level of humility, teachability, and patience. He tests our ability to submit to leadership. He tests our obedience and our courage to obey.
If our fundamentals are solid, the rest will come easier. Then, we can press on toward maturity and apprehending God's promises. If not, we grow older, but we never grow up.
I have met MEN who were 23 years old and BOYS who were 40. I have met women whose beauty shines brighter with every word and others whose beauty drastically fades with every word.
Here are the fundamentals that Hebrews mentions: knowing how to repent, total and unquestionable trust in God, standing on our commitment to Jesus in public, knowing my eternal purpose, and the assurance that we have eternal life. These foundational truths woven into our lives will give us confidence to build a life worth living.
Prayer
Thank you, Jesus, for helping me firmly understand the fundamentals so I can move forward into maturity. If I still stumble over fundamentals, then I know you are showing me certain flat spots that I have ignored or disregarded in the past. Please forgive me. Thank You for bringing these items to my attention so that I can re-learn them and continue to move on to maturity.
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