Deeper "Firm Foundation"

*Introduce myself:

-Discipleship Pastor , Bay Area raised lived in Washington for almost 10 years, met the love of my life Canaan Baca, have our sweet 7 month old Brave

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-Brave nursing and I know what she needs before she even asks

-Ever have those weeks where everything just seems like it’s coming against you? You get sick, baby gets sick, husband get sick.. things just hit the fan

- He knows what we need before we even ask for it (Matthew 6:8).

So how do we know what we need? How do we really know. I think we all WANT a lot of things but what do we need that comes from the Father that will sustain us? When the going gets tough, when the waves are high and you are in over your head… we need a firm foundation to keep us grounded. No job, no object, no home, no spouse, no child will ever be it but HE WHO IS OUR FIRM FOUNDATION will be what grounds us.

When we go through trying times we see what our faith is made of. Do we get tossed to and from like Paul talks about in Ephesians 4:14

“we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes’

Eph 4:14.

Paul is saying this to the church of Ephesus, to the audience in the Bible because in this chapter he is calling believers deeper. Or another way to put it, he is calling them to go deeper in their faith and to live a worthy life according to the calling God has over their lives.

You see in Ephesians 1-3, Paul has already talked to the church the nature of what their calling should look like and what it should not look like. That this calling is not of their making but only from God. That our walk isn’t really ours but it’s Gods and we get to be stewards of it. So now knowing this call of going deeper in the faith requires sensitivity to WHO he is. Paul invites the Ephesians and invites you and me to understand what it looks like to have this sensitivity, what it looks like to live this out in our day to day.

Now going deeper in any situation whether that’s in a friendship, relationship, maybe a counseling session…going deeper takes time. It’s not always easy either. Sometime if feel like it takes work. But really its intentionality. And sometimes that can be emotional. But can I be honest with you…anything good takes times. And it may bring sweat and tears…but so does many others things that produce miracles.

I don't want the top ramen relationship with God, I want the bone broth that’s been stewing for days to cook them noodles. 24 hours of it simmering.

I want the deep relationship with the Lord that my future grandkids admire because they know I spend time with Jesus.

Now let me tell ya, before I had Brave I did not realize how much time I really did have. I think I was a little naive to what motherhood would do to “my schedule”. Canaan and I were like we are just going to take her to all the things and she’ll adapt… we were the one’s who adapted.

Schedule…. That thing…It really isn’t mine anymore.

You see I love my early morning quiet time. I love getting up and it still be dark, you gotta use a side table light to see what you are reading. That kind of early morning. But since being mama, I knew sleep would be an adjustment but it didn’t click that my cute quiet morning would no longer be as easy as just slipping out of the bed.

*show picture of Brave on the monitor awake***

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This is Brave at 6am and mommy is trying to get a little Jesus time. For monthsssss my time with the Lord looked like rocking her (putting down the phone and praying). Putting a podcast on. Ladies, my bible got dusty! But how many know that even if seasons change doesn’t mean our relationship with the Lord has to be quenched. We gotta have grit. Grit to pursue him in new ways. Grit dont quit! My rhythms may have changed but my relationship with the Lord didn’t have to be compromised. And maybe for you, you have never laid that foundation of quiet time. You don’t know where to start. Can I let you in on a little secret. It is NEVER too late. I met with a gal from the church a few months ago and she shared with me the hunger she had for the Lord word, she couldn’t wait for Sundays. And I leaned in to say to her “you know, you don’t have to wait until Sunday to get that fix…you can have access to it daily”. Her eyes lit up. WE have access through HIS WORD.

-Talk about the I Believe Class , ABCs of our faith

-I truly believe that if we get “A” down everything else like B and C will follow suit

Abide in him daily

John 15 says this

“15 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abidesin the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. 9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. 11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

Jesus is teaching the disciples here and sharing with them metaphorically that he is the vine. He is the source of life that they need. As followers, we are the branches .

Jesus most likely is referring to a grape vine and he is the center source. Now if we don’t remain attached to the vine, the fruit that is meant to be produced doesn’t fulfill its full potential that the maker intended. We need the vine. The vine has: potential, purpose, identity, a future set out before us

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The word “abide” means to dwell and actually in the greek the word is “monē”. My daughter’s name is Brave Monē. As you know, name have power. They can tear down or build up. We chose Monē because our prayer is that she would abide. She would dwell in the house of the Lord. She would dwell in the presence of her heavenly father to give her security. Identity. Purpose. Now for those who have accepted Christ into our lives we are temples of his Holy Spirit where he dwells within in us. Jesus speaks of God’s presence residing in each believer continually as something like an individual temple of his presence.

Any botanist in here or plant people.

If you take care of plants then you know that as soon as you start to see a part of the plant that isn’t healthy you MUST cut off or it takes life away from the plant entire plant as a whole. As we remain in him, we recognize the area in our lives that we need to cut out. And I will go deeper into this thought later on…

Maybe you dont know where to start! You don’t know how to abide daily. You aren’t alone, it can be intimidating. This is WHY we have groups because we are all on a journey in our faith and we need to be spurred about by others who may have been in it a little longer than us. Rooted, teaches you to have a daily devotional life. In our I Believe class we use an acronym called

Word of G.O.D.

Word: what is the main point of the scripture here (word)

What Does it Reveal AboutGod.

What Does it Reveal About Ourselves.

What Do we do now?

It is another great way to engage in scripture. After the women’s conference, we are even sending a bible reading plan out that you can do through your phone.

Deeper Bible Reading Plan

The rhythm of daily devotion to Christ through prayer , study, journaling will change your walk with Christ to be vibrant. You are alive in Christ now lets walk it out !!!

Paul says,

4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus[1]

There are other practices too that can help foster your relationship…deepen it. Fasting, silence, and solitude, serving. A great book that references many of these spiritual habits or disciplines. “Celebration of Disciplines “ by Richard Foster.

One of my favorite things about being a pastor is hearing from many of you how the Lord has spoken to you and deepened your faith. And what you do to cater this. Let’s hear from some New Life women and hear what they have to say.

Pray.