Cornerstone

Zechariah 10:4
“From him comes the cornerstone,
From him the tent peg,
From him the battle bow,
From him every ruler together”

/home/wpcom/public_html/wp-content/blogs.dir/b9a/30989304/files/2014/12/img_1261.jpgZechariah referred to the coming Messiah as the cornerstone. A cornerstone is the stone which forms the base of a building. It supports the weight of the adjoining walls and is the set stone necessary to plum the rest of the building. If that stone is unstable, or too weak to support the weight of the structure, the building itself will collapse. If that stone is out of square, the entire building will be crooked. Every builder understood the importance of the cornerstone. Zechariah was not the only writer to refer to the Messiah as the cornerstone. Isaiah put it this way,

Isaiah 28:16
“Therefore thus says the Lord God:
“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.”

The prophets are declaring Christ is the foundation stone we must build our lives upon. Other foundations are faulty and are not  able to support our lives.

Years ago, we conducted an outreach in a Boys and Girls Club in England. After the event ended, I, and a handful of others, were discussing the gospel with some of the teenagers. I made the comment to a couple of young men, that they needed to receive Christ and He needed to be the foundation upon which they built their lives. Suddenly, our conversation was interrupted by an older man who declared he did not need Christ, he had recently undergone triple by-pass surgery, and his own strength and the support of his family was enough. He declared, his experience proved Christ was unnecessary for life.

Many build their lives on foundations other than Christ, and some even find these foundations are enough to support them through much of the difficulties of life. The question each one must face is, what about death? Your foundation may stand the test of time, but only Christ, as our chief cornerstone, will stand the test of eternity.

Friends, money, good health, and morality, may prove to be valid foundations for much of life, but they will not be enough come eternity. Christ alone is the cornerstone upon which eternal life is built. Have you trusted in yourself, your accomplishments, your morality, or have you trusted Christ as Savior, and given yourself over to Him as Lord?

Pastor Jim

 

The Ant

Proverbs 6:6-8
“Go to the ant, you sluggard!
Consider her ways and be wise,
Which, having no captain, overseer or ruler,
Provides her supplies in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest.”

Solomon used the natural world as a teacher of spiritual truth. Not to the extent that his understanding of God was built on what he saw in nature, but rather that nature has a way of illustrating many Biblical truths. In Proverbs, it is common to find references to the animal kingdom as a teaching method.

The ant is a means of reminding us of the need to plan ahead. To the casual observer, they seem to have no ruler, yet they all march in line to store up for the future. Solomon suggests the reason we fail to prepare for what is ahead is laziness. Twice in the passage, the man who does not plan for his future is referred to as a sluggard. Webster defines a sluggard as an habitually lazy person, or someone who is inactive.

While it seems clear, Solomon has our financial well being in mind, this truth has its fullest application in preparing for eternity. Every person, rich or poor, man or woman, free or slave, will one day breath his last and step out of time and into eternity. Tragically, not all of us are prepared for that. Some put it off thinking they will get around to it later, only to be caught by death unaware. Others, purposely try to avoid any thought of death or eternity by filling their minds with earthly things. Whatever the case, we must “go to the ant” and learn to prepare for our ultimate fate; being face to face with the God who made us.

The way to prepare for eternity is first to receive Christ as Savior and Lord. Accept the fact that you are a sinner and He is the Savior. Bow your head, your heart, and your life to Him and ask Him to forgive your sins. Second, we need to store up treasures in heaven by living for Him on earth. Take time to pray for others and tell them about your relationship with Christ. Look for ways to get involved in serving Him by ministering to others.

Go to the ant, Heaven is waiting.

Pastor Jim

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