Nearing Home by Billy Graham (e book reader free TXT) 📕

might shift after a period of prolonged rain. At his recommendation the builder dug down through the surface soil to the bedrock and poured concrete pilings to make our house stable and secure. It proved to be the right solution.

We need a foundation that is as solid as that bedrock. Only God can provide it. Jesus Christ is the bedrock on which we need to build our lives. As we commit our lives to Him and grow in our relationship with Him, we discover He truly is the solid foundation we need. Every other foundation proves false. The Bible says, “Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself” (Ephesians 2:20 NLT).

CHRIST, THE SURE FOUNDATION

Why should we build our lives on Christ? The first reason is because of who He is. Jesus Christ wasn’t just a great religious teacher who walked on earth some two thousand years ago. The Bible says He was far more than that: He was God in human flesh. This is what we celebrate every Christmas—and this is what we should celebrate every day of our lives. The Bible tells us that on that first Christmas, God did something you and I can barely imagine: He came down from Heaven and became a man. That man was Jesus, who was both fully divine and fully human.

Do you want to know what God is like? Look at Jesus, for He was God in human flesh. The Bible says, “He is the image of the invisible God. . . . For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form” (Colossians 1:15; 2:9). The proof was His resurrection from the dead, which confirmed not only His victory over sin and death and Satan and Hell but also the truth of His divine nature. His teachings aren’t just the musings of a profound philosopher or religious teacher; they are God’s message to us. His deeds of mercy weren’t just the actions of a particularly compassionate individual; they were a demonstration of God’s love and concern for each one of us.

Second, Christ should be our foundation because of what He did for us. Our greatest need is to be reconciled to God and become part of His family—but one insurmountable barrier stands in the way, and that is our sin. Sin separates us from God and brings us under His judgment, and no matter how hard we try, we cannot erase our sins by our own efforts. We are alienated from God and guilty in His holy eyes. The prophet Isaiah said, “But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear” (59:2). Only God can take away our sins; He made this possible by sending His only Son into the world to die for us. Because He was divine, Jesus Christ was without sin. But on the cross all our sins were placed on Him, and by His death He took upon Himself the judgment and Hell we deserve. He did for us what we could never do for ourselves, and now He freely offers us the gifts of forgiveness and eternal life if we will accept them. As Paul reminds us, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23). Think of it: God now offers you the free gift of salvation—free because Jesus Christ has already paid the price for it.

When we come to Him and trust Him alone for our salvation, God forgives our sins, and we become reconciled to Him forever. He also comes to live within us by His Holy Spirit and adopts us into His family as His sons and daughters. And because we now belong to Him, we will be with Him in Heaven someday. In the meantime He is with us every moment of the day, to the very end of our earthly journey.

It is never too late to begin building your life on the foundation of Jesus Christ and His will for your life, “for no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 3:11). Is He the foundation of your life?

LIFE’S GREATEST DECISION

The first action a builder takes as he starts the actual construction of a new building is laying its foundation. He knows that if he skips that step, or if he fails to construct it properly, then that building—no matter how beautiful or impressive it may appear on the outside—is fatally flawed and simply will not last. Sooner or later it will weaken and collapse.

However, before he begins construction or even sets foot on the property, something else must first take place. That something is a decision—a personal commitment by the owner—to build the building. And this must be our first step. We all want a happy and secure life; we all want a solid and lasting foundation beneath us. But wishful thinking is not enough! We need to make a decision—a personal commitment to Jesus Christ and His will for our lives.

Have you committed your life to Jesus Christ? No matter how young or old you are, are you seeking to build your life on Him? The most important decision you will ever make is to give your life to Christ and become His follower. Don’t wait until life’s storms begin to batter you; then it may be too late. Open your heart and life to Him now. “Now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2).

If you have never invited Jesus Christ to come into your life, or if you are unsure of your salvation, I invite you to pause right now and ask Him to come into your life, to forgive you, and to save you—and He will. To help you make this commitment, I