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Confident to the Finish

4/29/2018

FAITH IN THE FOUNDATION
Terry R. Baughman

“Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6 NIV).

The writer of the Book of Hebrews identified Jesus as, “The author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2). He is the one who has the power of the pen. His initiative brought about out our beginning as He authored our creation and maturity. He is also the one who will write our final chapter and finish the story of our faith journey. The New International Version (NIV) translates this passage as, “Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.”

Our faith is not a defined and packaged item that we received when we responded to the call of the Gospel, rather it is many packages, many facets of illumination, and many confirmations of understanding of who God is and how He is revealed in our lives. He indeed is the pioneer who blazed the trail and marked the way to salvation. “He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you,” as we make our progression through life’s difficult passages (Deuteronomy 31:6). He is forever, “God with us!” He is continually developing and defining our faith.

Paul assured that we can be confident of His enduring work in the unfinished structure of our faith’s construction. We can be certain that the work is continuing, and optimistic of the outcome. Jesus will carry on the building program until its completion, until the day we stand in His presence. (See the text above.)

The greatest guarantee of a successful construction is the security of the foundation. When you are built on the sure foundation you have no reason to fear and no need for panic. The prophet proclaimed the word of the Lord, “I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who relies on it will never be stricken with panic” (Isaiah 28:16 NIV).

Have no fear. The carpenter’s son from Nazareth is in control of the construction. He is also the cornerstone of the foundation. When we trust the architect we will not be afraid for the outcome of the finished work. From the foundation of the world God had a plan. It was His intention and desire to pay the price and to provide the blueprint for the finished work of Calvary.

John saw Him in prophetic past as, “The Lamb slain from the foundation of the world” (Revelation 13:8). Peter wrote of God’s eternal purpose and recognized that, “He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you” (1 Peter 1:20). Jesus came with a purpose. It was all a part of that eternal plan. On the cross His final words were, “It is finished” (John 19:30). The work was done. He faithfully completed His mission.

Because of Christ’s great victory over death, hell, and the grave, we have tremendous confidence in His ability to finish what He has started in our lives. Paul recognized that, “He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world” (Ephesians 1:4). His plan is not rushed or reactionary. His purpose was predicted from the beginning and we can be confident of its completion.

We can trust in Him. We are confident to the finish!

Scripture:
“I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation” (Isaiah 28:16 NIV).

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A Sure Foundation

4/21/2018

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FAITH IN THE FOUNDATION
Terry R. Baughman

Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his …” (2 Timothy 2:19 NIV).

An enduring structure is dependent on a stable foundation. History is replete with grand designs and great construction, some where insufficient attention was given to the integrity of the bedrock upon which it was built. One of the most well known is the Torre di Pisa, known as the Leaning Tower of Pisa, a freestanding bell tower associated with the cathedral of the Italian city of Pisa.

Construction of the tower began in August of 1173 and continued for almost 200 years. Due to unstable subsurface soils the building began to shift during its lengthy construction. A critical point in the shift was reached in 1990. Engineers desperately sought a remedy to stop the shift and restore the building to stability. Measured steps were taken within the decade in a restoration project that brought the tower from 5.5 degrees of incline to a stable 3.99 degrees. The leaning tower is a pictorial lesson on the importance of a solid foundation.

Spiritual construction is so much more important. There is no last minute fix or emergency measures that can compensate for an improper foundation and prevent a total collapse. The building must begin right. The foundation must be carefully chosen. Paul affirmed that, “No other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 3:11). Therein is the success of our construction and the security of our spiritual development. All must be built on the sure foundation of faith in Jesus Christ.

Paul wrote to another church that we have been, “Built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord” (Ephesians 2:20–21). Jesus gives security to our foundation, definition of our design, and connects the structure bringing us together in the resultant holy temple of our Holy God.

In Paul’s letter to Timothy he stressed the rudimentary integrity of our faith, “God’s solid foundation stands firm,” and we find stability in our relationship with Him, “The Lord knows those who are his” (2 Timothy 2:19 NIV).

On Christ the Solid Rock, an ancient hymn by Edward Mote (1834) celebrates the foundation of Christ, “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness; I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus' name. On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand; all other ground is sinking sand.” This refrain has endured many years and enjoyed revival in every successive generation. Jesus is the foundation of our faith and the hope of our future. The final verse inspires our faith, “When He shall come with trumpet sound, O may I then in Him be found, dressed in His righteousness alone, faultless to stand before the throne.”

The foundation of God stands sure! We can trust the foundation. We are secure in Jesus Christ and we can live our lives confident in Him.

Scripture:
“I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation” (Isaiah 28:16 NIV).

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Build on the Rock

4/14/2018

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FAITH IN THE FOUNDATION
Terry R. Baughman

Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus answered and said to him, … “On this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:16–18).

Upon Peter’s confession of the deity of Jesus, that He indeed was the Anointed One, the Son of the living God, a declaration was given. Jesus asserted, “On this rock I will build My church!” The knowledge of His authority, His revealed purpose, His irrevocable initiative, and His unquestioned divinity provides the ultimate assurance of this promise.

Having a promise from the One of whom it is said that He cannot lie assures us of the success of His construction. He will build what He set out to build. “It is impossible for God to lie…. This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast” (Hebrews 6:18–19). If it is God’s purpose to build His church we can be assured of success as we align our purposes with His.

It is evident that His construction is not a material one but a spiritual house. While we may have many meeting places or at times no physical structure at all, we are still His construction. His purpose was not to have temples, shrines, and monuments of material construction. His desire is to have a living breathing temple. Paul said, “Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own” (1 Corinthians 6:19). We are a breathing building of living stones. According to Peter, we as, “living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:5).

God has given us a sure foundation. He has provided the framework for the structure. His plan is flawless and His blueprints are sealed by the Spirit. It is up to us to build!

When we think of a foundation, construction, and building we naturally think of material design and fabrication. Physical church plants and acquired facilities provide a meeting place and a center of teaching, evangelism, and discipleship training. These are worthy endeavors and should be pursued in most cases. However, we must not view the architecture as the ultimate fulfillment of God’s purpose. Our greatest efforts and our optimum vision must be to construct an enduring spiritual edifice on the eternal foundation. Paul said, “Let each one take heed how he builds on it. For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 3:10–11).

It is time to build! This is our hour and the moment of our greatest opportunity. As the storm clouds of the apocalypse encroach on the horizon of prophetic fulfillment we are given one last opportunity to expand the Kingdom of God. It is time to advance the cause and establish the truth of the Word of God in a new generation.

Let us build on the Rock, the sure foundation of the eternal truth!

Scripture:
“I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation” (Isaiah 28:16 NIV).

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For Every Fear

4/8/2018

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THE RISEN ONE HAS OVERCOME
Terry R. Baughman

“That through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage” (Hebrews 2:14–15).

Everyone is afraid of something. Whether real or imagined, rational or unlikely, there are some things that evoke a feeling of dread or outright fear in our psyche. The patriarch Job gave voice to his phobia when he lamented, “For the thing I greatly feared has come upon me, And what I dreaded has happened to me” (Job 3:25).

We often turn to the Book of Job during times of trouble or when dealing with incredible losses. He is one who turned to God and found solace when tragedy had stripped him of all that he possessed and robbed him of children. As bad as our situation is we have probably not suffered as much as Job did. An incredibly wealthy man with land, crops, livestock, and ten children, Job and his wife lost all they had in a single day.

Some of our greatest fears are never realized and all our worry is in vain. Yet, we go through life plagued with unfounded fear. From the Psalms we can find an answer to our phobias, “God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, Even though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though its waters roar and be troubled, Though the mountains shake with its swelling” (Psalm 46: 1–3).

God is our refuge and strength when the very earth is moved beneath our feet. Our whole world may be in turmoil but we find help in our God. Another Psalm gives us confidence to trust only in Him, “The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psalm 27:1).

“The name of the Lord is a strong tower; The righteous run to it and are safe” (Proverbs 18:10). His name and its authority give us the hope of salvation. There is no other name that holds that promise. Peter declared, “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

The Gospel of Jesus Christ was proclaimed in power after His resurrection from the dead. Paul recognized that through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ all the claims of this message have authority. Paul argued, “But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty.” … “But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Corinthians 15:13–14, 20).

In the lyrics of Overcome, by Elevation Worship, “And for every fear there's an empty grave, for the risen One has overcome.” Bring every fear to the empty tomb. As we witness the evidence of the resurrection we come to understand, there is no reason to be afraid. He is risen. He’s alive. The Risen One has Overcome!

Jesus died so we can live. Jesus experienced the pain of death and the tremors of suffering so we could find hope, healing, and salvation. In the empty tomb there is plenty of room for all of our fears. “Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7).

Scripture:
“Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:57 NIV).

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Confident to the Finish

A Sure Foundation

Build on the Rock

For Every Fear

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