Upon The Solid Rock

Laying your faith upon the proper cornerstone in the proper direction is vital to your walk with Christ.

Transcript

This week’s devotional will be titled Upon The Solid Rock

Let us pray before we start

Pray

Lord Jesus, I come to you in prayer in belief and hope that you’re among us here today. The Word says, “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” I just pray your presence over this episode and guidance in my words, that they may be of true value to those listening. I pray Lord that you help me give clear and concise scripture and commentary and that this devotional can lead people to you and your glory. In your name, Jesus I pray, Amen.

I know this devotion will sound similar to others I have posted. Bear with me as I am finishing up a few devotions on doctrinal issues. This doesn’t mean I won’t touch doctrine again, but I’m going to be switching topics soon. Don’t worry, Next month I will be starting a series on emotional well-being. I will discuss things like depression, anger, envy and covetousness, etc. 

Now to get started with this week.

“This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Acts 4:11-12.

“Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.” Matthew 7:24-27

When constructing a building, the foundation is the most important part. Back in Bible times, they didn’t use concrete foundations. They built with stone right on the ground. Even now, on top of the foundation, the first brick, wood or metal stud, log, or another cornerstone, is crucial. If the first stone is wrong, the whole building will be wrong. If it’s off by even a little bit and you use it as your guide, the whole building will       be unlevel, unsquared and offset. The cornerstone provides guidance, integrity, stability, direction and is your measuring stick. It is what is used as a basis for the entire build. 

Ancient builders used stone and thus, the cornerstone. The first stone laid was the most important. If it wasn’t completely level and straight in the direction they wanted, the entire building would be off. Builders then, just as builders now, know that the first steps are crucial to constructing anything. Well, applies to all aspects of life. The foundation of parenting, the foundations of education, the foundation of all relationships, the foundation of a software program, etc etc. 

The same goes with our faith in the Bible and Christianity. As I read in the book of Matthew, Jesus is our Cornerstone. 

Matthew 21:42 says “Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?”

Mark speaks about this time as well, in chapter 12:10-11 “And have ye not read this scripture; The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner: This was the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?”

And Luke in 20:17 “And he beheld them, and said, What is this then that is written, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner?”

John 14:6 says “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

You cannot have Christianity without Jesus. You cannot have a true relationship and walk with Christ without having the cornerstone laid correctly. You can believe in Jesus, but without laying that cornerstone properly, level and square and straight in the proper direction, it means nothing. The devil knows Jesus, but he will not spend eternity in Heaven. 

Matthew 7:21-23 says “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”

You must have the proper cornerstone and use it properly. We try not to fuss over denomination, well I try not to, but they are highly important. You must decide for yourself which Christian denomination, or lack thereof to follow. In my not so humble opinion, nondenominational is like taking all the cans at the store, removing the labels and then trying to find corn. You may even find a vegetable, but you may find dog food. Biblical doctrine is key in a proper walk with God. Doctrine lays the cornerstone directly how it should lay, or some may not lay it correctly. Doctrinal issues cover the full “Cornerstone” per se. It speaks on the entire Divinity, the Holy Trinity; God the Father, God the Son and the Holy Spirit. When you mess those up and the relationship with each other, you have laid the cornerstone in the wrong direction, or possibly even have the wrong cornerstone. I won’t speak on religion in this devotional, but some so called Christian religions have added to and twisted doctrine so bad that it’s no longer Jesus Christ laid down correctly as the foundation of your faith. It has become a shadow of Jesus or a look alike. They say we all have a doppelganger in the world somewhere but even look alikes are not us. Even identical twins are not each other. If you don’t have the true cornerstone from the Word of God then you have messed it up completely and the building of your faith is off the mark. 

Matthew 7:13-14 says “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.”

Do you want to be one of the people that will show up in Heaven just for Jesus to say “I never knew you:”? I sure don’t. I have faith in my Jesus, my Lord and Savior. I do my best to “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15. I spend time in the Word of God and in prayer and walk with Jesus. I want to make my Lord proud. I mess up daily, yes. I am human and not perfect, only a sinner saved by grace. The goal is not to dwell on our mistakes and failures, but to seek forgiveness and get back up. The goal is to keep walking with Jesus and never look back. You must have that childlike faith.

“And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 18:3-4

When a child has full and complete faith in someone without any experience to back it up, that’s the faith that Jesus says we must have in Him. 

Mark 10:52 says “And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.”

Mark 5:34 says “And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.”

“But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.” Gensis 19:26

“If ye love me, keep my commandments.” John 14:15

“Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” Matthew 16:24

“If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.” John 12:26

We may not turn to salt as Lot’s wife did. The fact remains, if we don’t have that true faith in God, we will not enter into the kingdom of Heaven. Lot had been spared from death but as his wife didn’t have faith, she was not. Don’t be like her. Trust in the Lord Jesus as the cornerstone of your faith. Lay that cornerstone down properly as the foundation of your faith and follow and obey. Once again, the Devil knows Jesus and was there with Him in heaven, before pride took his soul and he sinned, getting him kicked out of heaven. The Devil; however, will not spend eternity in Heaven with God. You must believe in Jesus as your savior. We can know Jesus in our minds but “But without faith it is impossible to please him”. 

So I pray now, that you choose to believe in and have faith in Jesus Christ. Believe that you’re a sinner needing salvation, that Jesus died and rose again after 3 days. Have faith in Him as your savior. Confess your sins and ask Him for forgiveness and to be your Lord. I pray for you and your families. May you all have a blessed week and remember Jesus is the true cornerstone of life itself.