“But not long after there arose against it a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon. And when the ship was caught, and could not bear up into the wind, we let her drive. And running under a certain island which is called Clauda, we had much work to come by the boat: Which when they had taken up, they used helps, undergirding the ship; and, fearing lest they should fall into the quicksands, strake sail, and so were driven.”

— Acts 27:14-17

Notice the phrasing in that last verse:  “undergirding the ship.”  I don’t know about you, but to me, that wording suggests a sure foundation, and how better to stand fast than to be on solid footing, right?  We discussed this topic not too long ago with my Rise Up and Build series, but I need to cover it again because it’s the most crucial subject in the world.

If you do not know Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you cannot stand fast.  The storms of life will pull you under because you do not have access to the Solid Rock.  To clarify, when I speak about knowing Jesus, I’m not talking about going to church, being a good person or getting baptized, though those are all wonderful things.  I’m referring to a personal relationship with Christ.  I’m speaking of your decision to accept that you’re a sinner, unable to do anything to make your way to Heaven, and your subsequent decision to acknowledge that Jesus died for your sins and paid your way to that Heavenly Home.  Upon accepting that payment, you confessed your sins, asked Jesus to forgive you, and surrendered your life fully to Him and His will.  And now, you have a relationship with the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  That, my friends, is salvation.  That is the only sure foundation we can build our lives upon.

If you have not called upon the Lord to save you, I urge you to do so today.  It won’t solve all your problems or make your life a bed of roses, but it will give you the strength you need to face whatever comes.  And, it is the most critical decision you will ever make in this life.  Please, do not wait another day to surrender your heart to the Lord.

If you have accepted Christ as your Savior, praise the Lord!  Now, it’s up to you to keep a close relationship.  Once we are saved, we cannot lose that salvation.  It is ours forever!  However, our relationship with the Lord can become distant and strained when we allow sin to come between us.  It’s much like any relationship—when there’s heartache or bitterness between two people, they drift apart.  The same can happen in our relationship with God when we allow sin to cause a wedge between God and us.  

The best remedy for keeping a close relationship with our Lord is to confess our sins daily.  Tell God what we did, why we did it and that we’re sorry for it (only if we are, of course).  When we do this, God takes that sin and casts it away as far as the east is from the west, never to be brought up again.  He forgives and forgets.

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

— I John 1:9

So, our first “C” to sail is to consider our foundation.  Are you standing on the Solid Rock?  Do you know Jesus as Lord and Savior?  And if you know Him, are you confident there’s nothing between you?  The first step to standing fast is ensuring we’re on a solid foundation, which means having a stain-free relationship with the Lord of all.  If you are confused about this step, or you need help, please contact me.  Nothing would make me happier than leading you to the throne of God.