1 Corinthians 2:5

that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

• What we do and say, the very way we conduct our lives, is many times based on the things about us, the things we have seen, the things we have heard, the things we have experienced – all man’s wisdom.
• Our faith is simply based on the power of God, on the ability of God to move and act and touch our lives.
• That faith, based in the power of God has its foundation, its cornerstone in the Lord Jesus Christ

• The one who came to earth
• The one who agonized in the garden
• The one who died on the cross
• The one who was laid in the tomb
• The one who rose again the third day
• The one who ascended on high
• The one who is now making intercession on our behalf
• The one who is coming again to take his children home to be with Him

• Let’s look a moment at the scriptures to see what it says about our foundation.

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.’”

Ephesians 2:19-20 – “Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.”

1 Peter 2:6-8 – “Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, ‘Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect, precious, and he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.’  Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, ‘The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone,’ and ‘A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.’  They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed.”

Acts 4:8-12 – “Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, ‘Rulers of the people and elders of Israel:  If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well, let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’² Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.’”

• But after the foundation has been laid, after the cornerstone has been set, we build our lives based on the Word of God.  The Word of God, not the wisdom of man, the Word of God.
• Remember the children of Israel.  Caleb and Joshua brought back a good report.  It was rejected and the children of Israel were doomed to wonder around in the wilderness for 40 more years before they went in and took the land God had promised them.
• Whose report are you going to believe?
• The doubters
• The skeptics
• The worry warts
• The TV
• The newspapers
• Or the Word of God
• Man’s wisdom – We moan, groan and complain and say within us and verbally, “I can’t get through this trial, this time of difficulty.”
• God’s power – Philippians 4:13 – “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

• Man’s wisdom – “I’m sick, I hurt, and I’m not going to make it.  I’m in pain. 
• God’s power – Isaiah 53:5 – “But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.”

• Man’s wisdom – I’m financially not going to be able to pay all my bills and obligations.
• God’s power – Philippians 4:19 – “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”

• Man’s wisdom – looks at our family, the sin and degradation they are involved in and we say they are just hopeless.
• God’s power – Isaiah 59:1 – “Behold, the LORD’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; nor His ear heavy, that it cannot hear.”

• Man’s wisdom – looks at our country and says it’s going down the tubes.
• God’s power – 2 Chronicles 7:14 – “if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

• Man’s wisdom – says I’m afraid.
• God’s wisdom – 1 John 4:18 – “but perfect love casts out fear.”

• If we have built on the sure foundation, Jesus Christ, we can be like Jairus who told Jesus, “Just say the word and my daughter will be healed.”

Don’t Doubt

Don’t pout

Shout it out

“I believe!”

• If we really believe, if we truly have built on a sure foundation, Jesus Christ, we can agree boldly and triumphantly with 1 John 5:14 –  “This is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.”

• Where does your faith stand?

• In the wisdom of man
• In the power of God

• My God is big enough to meet every need I have – every need you have.