You know, it’s easy to walk on the earth as our foundation, it’s a human experience. Yet the problem is that this foundation is becoming obsolete, growing old, and about to disappear. About to disappear is very important to emphasize, that biblical reference indicates that no matter how I build on this obsolete foundation—such as a new house or vehicle, etc.—the foundation is compromised, and so everything built thereupon will also be compromised… growing old… to disappear.

Don’t let that discourage you. After all, everything that came from the dust of the ground on which we walk will return to the dust of the ground; that is, until, God provided mankind with the new foundation!

But see, I know a guy, and gal, personally, that do not believe in the preaching of this “new foundation” let-alone to build upon it. So before I proceed to build on this new foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw, the new foundation must first be laid. This is where the apostle Paul comes in, because by the grace of God given him as a wise master builder, he laid the foundation we gentiles are building upon.

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“According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each person must be careful how he builds on it. For no one can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”—1 Corinthians 3:10-11

Now, I imagine the foundation that the apostle Paul mentioned to have laid, is in reference to where the Holy Spirit had sent him to lay that foundation of Jesus Christ. Why do I think that? Because the apostle Paul is an apostle sent to the gentiles!

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“But I am speaking to you who are Gentiles. Therefore insofar as I am an apostle of Gentiles, I magnify my ministry if somehow I may move my own people to jealousy and save some of them. For if their rejection proves to be the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?”—Romans 11:13-15

However, there were certain places where the apostle Paul was not permitted to lay that new foundation; They passed through the Phrygian and Galatian region, after being forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia; and after they came to Mysia, they were trying to go into Bithynia, and the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them; and passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas—Acts 16:6-8.

So there is an immediate question that prompts “Why?” In my mind.

And whether this answer is of the Holy Spirit, I’m not sure, but in my experience of evangelism there are times when I desire to share the gospel, yet my tongue remains in the language of the world; the tongue is silenced to the gospel even though the desire to share remains; yet also, at the same time, the tongue moves with grace about politics, entertainment, and the like. This, I believe, is an evidence to the governance of God that is way above the human—including the apostles’—pay grade. That is especially encouraging to know when feeling some form of guilt for thinking not to have the courage to share, which…that may or may not be true; only the Holy Spirit can help us discern those circumstances in relation to the spiritual condition of ourselves.

In light of what we’ve discovered thus far, I’m encouraged to press on in attempt to share the Word…while attentive to the Holy Spirit’s movement. If I detect that the Spirit of Jesus does not allow me to share the Word, then there must be a reason beyond my understanding that I have to trust and live with, and that’s okay.