Focus on the FundamentalsSample

What does the future hold? Regardless of what you believe about the end times, the level of tension for the Christian in today’s society is increasing and indeed there will always be trials and tribulations to prepare for. Are you ready for battle? How would you even know if you are ready? How are you ready for a negative medical diagnosis, a broken relationship, a church split, the loss of a loved one, a defamatory accusation, or the very threat of death? How are you ready for… well, life? I believe the answer is simple, but it is not easy. Often the simple solutions for things are not easy. Exercising, eating right, being motivated, showing love, etc. These things have easy solutions, but we know that doing them is often challenging. We need to focus on the fundamentals of the Christian faith and by doing this there are daily disciplines we need to focus on. Maybe you’ve been through a storm recently or are going through one now. Our level of preparation ahead of time is a key indicator for our success in weathering the storm. Think of the level of prep that goes into getting ready for a hurricane. Those who do not prepare will be left with destroyed homes, destroyed businesses, and even loss of life. It’s not the absence of trials in the life of the Christian, but the presence of trials with the presence of Jesus that sets us apart. 1 Peter 1:7 says this about trials, “These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” If you claim Jesus is Lord but then crumble at the slightest storm, then you have not built your foundation on the rock, Jesus, as He tells us in Matthew 7:24-27. Your foundation cannot be on anything that you can lose! Jesus did not say if the rain comes, but when, and we need to be ready. You are ready by what you do before the storm comes, not during, because during is too late! This is not a fear-based approach, where we are afraid of the next storm. We can be fearless in Christ, knowing that we have Someone who will be with us in the midst of anything in life we face. It takes practice to prepare, practicing for anything is not a onetime thing. Just think of the dedication it takes to learn an instrument, practice a sport, or train for the military. We will explore this concept further tomorrow.