This word is submitted by Paul Edwards (pedwards@emily.net)

True Foundation
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Recently, while spending time with the Lord, He showed me a picture of a very beautiful, ornate church building. Inside and out, the church had the appearance of excellence. Nothing but the best had gone into building this house of God. .

The architecture that went into this church was determined by the interests of those who did the building. There were very large ornate doors that graced the entrance. They were placed there by those who felt the most important ministry of the church was to welcome in the lost. To enter through these doors would surely be the key of forgiveness to all those who were seeking love and forgiveness.

There were many windows, and the sanctuary was filled with bright rays of sunlight. They had been placed there by those who felt that the most important ministry of the church was to shine the light and truth of Jesus on every part of their lives.

Toward the front of the sanctuary was a platform on which many instruments were lined up, waiting to be played to the glory of God. The platform was placed there by those who saw praise and worship as the most important part of the church.

Kneeling benches lined the platform, because some thought prayer was the most important thing.

Many smaller rooms had been built to accommodate teaching of the Word. Teaching was the key to those who had built these walls.....and on it went.

In pondering this picture, I saw many good and necessary things that people saw as most important to the church, but I asked the Lord what He saw as most important to the structure. Immediately I was taken to the basement of the church. There I saw what on the surface seemed to be a very sound, and secure foundation. The footings went deep, the cement appeared thick and strong. Then the Lord showed me a cross section of the foundation.

Much to my surprise, I saw many things imbedded in the cement. I saw words that had long ago been spoken,not by God, but by man. I saw sheets of music, and instruments of praise. I saw religious people, and family members,and I saw stacks of money imbedded into the rock hard cement. There were many other things, all placed there by those who felt these things were necessary for a firm, and solid foundation.

Then the ground started to shake. The pressure on the foundation became very great. As the shaking continued, these "good" things that had made their way into the foundation began to cave in under the weight and pressure of the shaking. In the places where the foundation had appeared to be firm and strong only minutes before, now were crumbling and caving in. Many found the very ground on which they were standing began to fall away. As the ground continued to shake, the weak places became traps to all those who were relying on them to hold them firm in a time of trouble. Only those corners that were truly undergirded by true foundation were safe. All those who found themselves standing on places that had anything else added to the foundation were in danger.

Then I heard the Lord say "I am coming to test the foundation of My church."

There are many who have placed many good things in their foundation, but none of these things will be able to stand in a time of shaking. Many people were not even aware that what lay under their feet was not solid until the shaking began. God in His mercy is shaking His church to reveal the weak places that need to be repaired. No other foundation except Jesus will stand.

I Cor 3:11
For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is layed, which is Jesus Christ.