foundation – Cross Culture Church

Meditation: December 28

Posted by wwalker Categories: Meditations

“A wise man will hear and increase learning, and a man of understanding will attain wise counsel.” Proverb 1:5

It is a mark of wisdom to listen attentively rather than talking. It is the meditations of the heart that will adhere to the soul. Only then will wisdom become a part of you. Otherwise, the information will merely pass through the head and become information used to impress others, Questions asked reveal interest. It is wise to be aware that there is much to be learned in light of the little that is known. The disciple will seek out wisdom where it may be found. Then there can be a foundation laid for more truth to be attached.”For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him.”(Luke 8:18). The learner is wise enough to learn. The fool is content with what he thinks he already knows. Listen well with an open heart to truth, and the Spirit of God will give you understanding.

19 Nov 0Comments 0Likes

Meditation: November 19

Posted by wwalker Categories: Meditations

“Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation, A tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; Whoever believes will not act hastily.” Isaiah 28:16

With all that the Church and the believers must suffer in these last days, doubt may enter into the minds of many. Evil appears to triumph over good and decisions to support what is wrong outweighs the support of the truth. Yet God has made a promise to His people. His foundation is sure for He knows His own. The foundation stone or touchstone of the Lord has been laid in Zion which represents the Church. It is the support of all that God is erecting. He will hold His Church together to weather the storms of adversity because His very life is invested in her. This is the hope of the believer, not to be a reactionary to the sudden storms that may arise from time to time, for our lives are anchored in the hope of His promises. God will have the final word, but we must endure to the end. The time will come when what in the past has been ignored will be greatly treasured. People will flock to hear the Word of the Lord when all that they have desired to hear has failed them. Not only will they hear but also see the glory of the Lord rising upon His people.

21 Jul 0Comments 0Likes

Meditation: July 21

Posted by wwalker Categories: Meditations, Uncategorized

“Storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life” (1Ti 6:19).

The grace of God produces works of righteousness. It is from a heart of love that we do the will of God and not for the sake of earning His favor. If we love Jesus Christ, we will do His will and find pleasure in doing it. Those who are rich often think of themselves as having all that they need. Paul’s admonishment was not that they become impoverished, but rather to make sure that their hearts are not held captive by the things of this world. Those who find greater pleasure here and now, but lack a heavenly perspective will sacrifice eternal life for what their money is able to buy them. When Christ is our foundation we store up riches for the time to come. Every act is centered in our love for the Lord and given full expression through how we use our resources. We participate with the Lord in what He is doing on the earth as fellow laborers in His garden and in the construction of His house. After our work is complete, we will spend eternity with Him giving full expression of what has been developed within us as the result of our labor of love.

03 Feb 0Comments 0Likes

Meditation: February 3

Posted by wwalker Categories: Meditations

“He was supreme in the beginning and — leading the resurrection parade — he is supreme in the end. From beginning to end he’s there, towering far above everything, everyone.” Colossians 1:18 (MSG)

Jesus Christ is supreme over all. His supremacy did not evolve over time, nor was it necessary for Him to usurp authority from another. He was there from the beginning. All things were brought forth from Him, by Him, and for Him. There were saints who have stood as witnesses of His preeminence. They did not defend their personal lives or dignity. What mattered most to them was to bring to the forefront the truth concerning Christ to whom they were willing to suffer the loss of all things. Those who have come to know what they had known stand today in defense of the faith. While this current trend may be to raise issues in defense of common interests and compromises, are reached to settle arguments. There remains a standard raised from the foundation of the world that will crush to powder anything that competes with absolute truth. He will reign supreme over all created things.

“And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us:
The Prince of Darkness grim, we tremble not for him;
His rage we can endure, for lo, his doom is sure,
One little word shall fell him.” __Martin Luther

25 Oct 0Comments 0Likes

Meditation: October 25

Posted by wwalker Categories: Meditations

“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.” Hebrews 12:1

The host of heaven gives witness to our challenge. All of the saints that have gone before us give witness to our challenge. They are awaiting us to finish well what we have been assigned to accomplish. Therefore all of the impediments of heart and mind must be dispensed of unless they restrict our mobility and entrap us, holding us as slaves to old habits. Our minds must constantly be renewed in order for us to know what the will of the Lord is. Never should our pursuit fall short of those that have gone before us. We are to build upon the foundation that has already been established by them. The weights are spurned from the sin that would remain as a stronghold. Whatever is our greatest weakness is the sin awaiting the opportunity to be given full expression. Only when we maintain our focus on the Jesus Christ could we be empowered to resist it.

26 Sep 0Comments 0Likes

Meditation: September 26

Posted by wwalker Categories: Meditations

“The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone,” 1 Peter 2:7

What man often finds as most useful, God rejects. And what man rejects God accepts. The material used by God to build lives, community, and His Church is not what we in the natural would always consider. He builds with character. He makes sure that what is being erected can support the winds of change and the waves of adversity. The example is a house built upon the sand. Even though the structure is elaborate and is a thing of beauty. It has no foundation and eventually the inevitable would come to test its strength. The strength of a structure is its foundation. And no other foundation can be laid other than Jesus Christ. The accuracy of the establishment of Christ in the life of the believer will keep him stable in the most difficult of times. Christ is often rejected or redefined because the majority of people do not see any use for Him as He is. They attempt to either fit Him in as they please or eliminate Him altogether. Yet He is the only One we can turn to when we are forced to acknowledge how little we really know. He is able to heal and to guide, but He must be in place before our minds are able to acknowledge how much He is really needed. When we understand that we need Him, then we discover what held us together even when we thought it was ourselves. He has become the chief cornerstone among those who worship Him because they realize that in Him we live, move and have our being.

16 Sep 0Comments 0Likes

Meditation: September 16

Posted by wwalker Categories: Meditations

“Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.” 1 Timothy 4:16

Doctrines have been the dividing line among many within the Church. The debate over doctrine has split brethren from fellowshipping with each other. And some who do not understand the importance of doctrine may either generalize all beliefs as being of equal value or dismiss all beliefs as being false. Doctrine or Didache is teaching or what is taught. Right teaching or instructions will produce righteous living. Paul was admonishing Timothy to pay attention to how his own character was being developed in relation to what was being taught.

Is there an adherence to the Word of God bringing you into conformity to a godly standard? This can only take place when you continue in the original instructions which brought you to salvation, and build upon the foundation of those truths that which leads to spiritual maturity. Once you veer away to the left or to the right of the road rather than remaining on the path of truth, your capabilities to discern will be compromised. The life of the instructor and the life of the student must remain focused on the Chief Shepherd of our souls. Then the Holy Spirit can correct what is in need of correction in both. The student will not be trying to overtake the teacher neither will the teacher attempt to overtake God. Proper order will be established in order for Jesus to get His message through to all who are willing to learn from Him.

19 Aug 0Comments 0Likes

Meditation: August 19

Posted by wwalker Categories: Meditations

“And though the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, Yet your teachers will not be moved into a corner anymore, But your eyes shall see your teachers. Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” Isa 30:20-21

The departure from the Way is the root cause of the adversity that comes from the Lord. There are challenges that come as result of obedience and challenges that are rooted in rebellion. The difference between the two is the adherence on the part of the challenged to hear the instructions that come from the Lord. He is available to deliver us from all of our trouble, but do we listen to His voice before us to lead or have we left what He has to say to us behind? Their teachers were sidelined and replaced with guides who misguided them. They listened to falsehoods as blind guides led them into pits. But God did not abandon them even though they had abandoned Him. From behind His voice could still be heard. From the rear, the places inhabited and celebrated was the voice of God speaking to them in order for them to return to the old landmarks and to walk in the tried and proven Way. What foundation was the Lord building within you and what is being built upon it now? The wood, hay, and stubble of worldliness are of a different quality from the gold, silver, and precious stones of righteousness, holiness, and sanctification. Though your heart may desire many things, God will often calls us to go back rather than forward in order to revisit what we have left and be restored to the spiritual state we were once in. Those who were there are still there, but the question is, where are you? Can you in this state of mind and heart receive or has the hardness set in so that the journey is determined by feelings rather than faith? God says, “This is the Way, walk in it.”

31 Jul 0Comments 0Likes

Meditation: July 31

Posted by wwalker Categories: Meditations

“Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.” Hebrews 10:25

Is Church the place that we attend or a people in the process of being made? Many place more emphasis on place than in purpose. It is not a matter of getting what we consider to be our needs met. To be honest, we do not really know precisely what our needs are. There are symptoms, but our needs go much deeper. God knows. He knows our frame or the substance on which all that we have become was constructed upon. The foundation of our soul; mind, will, and emotion, is taken into account when the Word of God is spoken under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. We are challenged at the very core of our being in order to discover His intentions for our lives. We are not in place to merely receive affirmations. They will only strengthen the soul in its rebellious state against the knowledge of God. He is our Father. He rebukes us, challenges us, and affirms us. Oftentimes Church becomes a very uncomfortable place. We are called to reckon with God in relation to the sin that so easily beset us in order for His character to be formed in us. We are not human beings, but rather human becomings. We are a work in process. Whatever we are becoming, all that we expose ourselves to contribute to the formation of our lives. Every moment counts. Time is too valuable to be wasted.

Many have opted out of attending Church altogether. Their expectations were not met, or a disappointment was so devastating that they distanced themselves from the Church. Maybe unrealistic expectations have driven you away. It could have been the test of character warranting a difference response from you. The Church does not comprise of perfect people, but rather committed people. The commitment will be tested but the Word of God will bring understanding over time. Patience is the virtue which must be established with our hearts. God is beckoning His people to come home and be established.

Attend Church this week in order to worship God. Allow Him to reveal Himself to you and do not lean to your own understanding. The definition that I use for worship is “worship is our active response to God’s revelation of Himself whereby we declare His worth.” It is not about us. If worship is to be real it must be about Him! Out of our worship He will be glorified and His glory will always be for our good. You may not see it now, but when patience is perfected we are made to see further. We can then see aspects of the Kingdom of God unknown to us before His work in us began!

30 Jul 0Comments 0Likes

Meditation: July 30

Posted by wwalker Categories: Meditations

“ For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.”(1 Corinthians 2:2)

Memory is a gift from God. When appropriately used, it can serve as a blessing. But when the lingering effects of memory close our minds to God, it is then a curse. During times of stillness the mind can relive experiences of the past. Our memories capture those moments and freeze-frame them into the catalogue of our minds. Things we have learned lay the foundation for further knowledge.

Paul realized this and made a decision. He said, “for I determined…” The word “determined” in the Greek language is “krino” which means, “to separate.” Paul was in essence saying, “I separate the knowledge of the past from the knowledge of Jesus Christ.” God was determined to separate light from darkness. It is not that Paul was ignorant of other things. He knew many things, but now possessed the ability to separate what he knew from who he is in the process of knowing. To know Jesus Christ is a full time job that ought to occupy our undivided attention.

All other information must pass through the filter of the revelation of Jesus in order for it to translate into wisdom. Wisdom is knowledge effectively and skillfully applied to life. What should this mean to us? It is saying that since the life of Jesus is to become life to us, we cannot afford to allow competing information to separate us from what we are convinced of. The discernment of the Christian is the ability to see through the lenses of Christ what He sees. Only then can His judgments become our own. The wisdom that comes from beneath is sensual and self-seeking. The wisdom that comes from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. James 3:17-18. It will not come through mere wishful thinking. It is yours only when you are determined to know nothing other than Jesus Christ, and to know Him as crucified for us as well as the rest of the world.

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