It has often been said that your core is the foundation of your body, but it is also one of the weakest parts of the body for many people. We often associate our core with having “6 pack” abs, but our core affects more than our stomach area. It also affects our back, posture, balance, and even our breathing. If you have weak core muscles, your back isn’t able to support your weight as fully as it should, which can lead to back pain, slumping, and slouching.
It is the same way in our walk with the Lord. Christ needs to be your foundation. He is your anchor. He is the core of who you are and what you do. When He is the cornerstone of your being and life, then everything else will fall into place. Every other area in your life will be in alignment.
But this all starts with salvation. Do you have a personal relationship with Christ? Have you called out to Him and placed your trust in Him as your Savior? He is the Son of God. He lived a perfect, sinless life and died as a sacrifice for you and me for the forgiveness of sins. Do you believe that?
Romans 10:9-10, “that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.”
Without first having believed in Christ, we will have no foundation on which to place our faith and trust. It is hard to trust people if we don’t believe they are worthy. The Bible says that Christ alone is worthy, but we each have to decide if we want to accept that truth.
Isaiah 28:16, “Therefore this is what the Lord God says: “Behold, I am laying a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for the foundation, firmly placed. The one who believes in it will not be disturbed.”
Deuteronomy 10:21, “He is your glory and He is your God, who has done these great and awesome things for you which your eyes have seen.”
Simply acknowledging Christ is not enough. Many people believe Jesus existed, but they choose not to accept Him into their life as Savior and Lord. They choose not to confess Him as Lord of their life. This is a sad reality for them, and they don’t even consider the eternal consequences of their decision to reject Christ and the salvation He offers us. As believers, our hope is rooted in Christ’s gift of salvation, that we have accepted. That hope and the peace of Christ, the gift of salvation and the forgiveness of sins, can be theirs as well, if only they would choose Him.
God’s Word is active in salvation! Romans 10:17 tells us that faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the Word of Christ. And not only is God’s Word important for salvation, but also after salvation. We need to stay in God’s Word every day. If we do not remain rooted in Christ and His Word, we will be weak and susceptible to the attacks of the enemy. Satan is always looking for ways to pull us away from God, but we can resist by staying strong in the faith.
– Billy Graham
“Nothing can take the place of a daily devotional life with Christ. Your quiet time, your prayer time, the time you spend in the Word, is absolutely essential.”
The Word of God equips you to serve God. It gives you knowledge, wisdom, and understanding as you grow in a right relationship with God. The Word of God is spiritual food for your “new man” in Christ. The Bible teaches us what God wants us to know. It points out to us what is wrong and establishes what is right. The Bible also shows us how to maintain what is right.
2 Timothy 3:16-17, “All Scripture is inspired by God and beneficial for teaching, for rebuke, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be fully capable, equipped for every good work.”
If you are not spending time with God in His Word, I want to challenge you to start today. Pray and ask the Lord to wake you up in the morning and provide you a time away from distractions to sit with Him in His Word.
If you find it difficult to focus on what you’re reading, then journal as you read and study. Write down what God has shown you in His Word and make note of questions you have. Take those questions to your pastor of other strong believers in your church who can help guide you in your faith. Seek commentary for concepts you struggle with. One of the best commentaries is the Bible itself. It is filled with examples of self-definitions through cross-references and comparisons within its own pages.
Stay strong in your faith by keeping a firm foundation in Christ and His Word. When you start to feel weakness creeping in, and your foundation is showing cracks, and your core needs strengthened, then return to Christ. Depend on Him and seek Him in all you do. He will renew your strength, refresh your faith and give you a spiritual revival.