A giant sinkhole opened up in Schmalkalden, Germany, about 98 feet across and about 65 feet deep that swallowed a car, part of a garage and house. Yet, it was small compared to the sinkhole that opened up in Guatemala City in 2007. Reportedly, residents heard rumblings for weeks but no one knew why. In one day, almost instantly, a perfectly round plot of earth disappeared and left a hole more than thirty stories deep!
Experts suppose that sinkholes appear because of the movement of earth beneath what we see everyday. The problem can be caused by the movement of water, flooding or changing weather patterns. Sinkholes occur when there is literally no ground under the ground, and everything pays the price for the lack of foundation, especially what’s on the surface.
There are some Christians who are like those sinkholes; they have no foundation under the surface. When circumstances are right, their lives “cave in” and cause damages that no one would have believed or expected. Spiritual sinkholes occur because of lack of knowledge in the word of God (Heb. 5:12-14). Spiritual sinkholes occur when someone fails to act on their faith (cf. Matt. 7:24-27; 2 Pet. 1:5-11).
How does a person guard against erosion of their faith? Second Peter 1:5-7 teaches that the guard is a solid foundation of faith, virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love. “These things” repeated in verse 8, verse 9, verse 10, verse 12, and verse 15 are the surest way to solidify the foundation of faith. The promise is that one who “abounds in these things” will not be “unfruitful” or “barren,” “shortsighted,” and “will never stumble.”
Spiritual sinkholes can be avoided if there is more examination of self and examination of faith (Phil. 2:12; 2 Cor. 13:5)! Are our lives vulnerable to spiritual sinkholes brought about by lack of a firm foundation? We would all do well to thoughtfully and prayerfully make sure that we are building only on the solid foundation of Jesus Christ and His word (Matt. 7:24-27).
Andy Baker – Graeber Road church of Christ Rosenberg, TX
Out of love for one another…….
We are currently requiring everyone attending the Sunday morning worship assembly and Wednesday evening Bible study to wear a mask in keeping with the Health Departments guidelines. Once inside and seated, you may remove your mask. When you leave your seat, we ask you to wear your mask again. We thank you for your consideration of and care for others. Masks are available if you need one.
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35 ESV)
Scripture of the Week
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” ~~ James 1:2-4
Something to Smile About
A preacher decided to skip church one Sunday morning and go play golf.
He told a friend that he wasn’t feeling well and please fill in for him. He drove to a golf course in another city, so nobody would know him.He teed off on the first hole. A huge gust of wind caught his ball, carried is an extra hundred yards and dropped it right in the hole, for a 450 yard hole in one.
An angel looked at God and said “What’d you do that for?” God smiled and said, “Who’s he going to tell?”
Think About It
Thoughts to Ponder
― “The constant habit of perusing devout books is so indispensable, that it has been termed the oil of the lamp of prayer. Too much reading, however, and too little meditation, may produce the effect of a lamp inverted; which is extinguished by the very excess of that ailment, whose property is to feed it.” — Hannah More
― “Has someone wronged you recently? Resist the urge to judge that person. Instead, pray that God might use you to reach the offender.” — Warren Wiersbe
― “A slowness to applaud betrays a cold temper or an envious spirit.” — Hannah More
― “The test of the artist does not lie in the will with which he goes to work, but in the excellence of the work he produces.” — Thomas Aquinas
― “We have little control over the circumstances of life. We can’t control the weather or the economy, and we can’t control what other people say about or do to us. There is only one area where we have control–we can rule the kingdom inside. The heart of every problem is the problem in the heart.” — Warren Wiersbe
―” It’s not the load that breaks you down, it’s the way you carry it.” ― Lou Holtz
