Wise and Foolish Builders

Wise and Foolish Builders                                                               

 Matthew 7:24-27; Luke 6:47-49

Jesus’ message is very clear to me.  Listen AND obey and you get a stable life through every storm, through all suffering, through all life’s challenges you will be anchored to the truth and you won’t wash away in your own grief, suffering and self-destruction. 

I’ve lived this.  I heard the truth, ignored it because of selfishness and convenience and my house was washed away MORE THAN ONCE.  The only time I remain stable is by staying close to the Word of God and obeying using self discipline and self control.  Obeying is the key!  Knowing the truth is not enough.  Setting aside my selfish ambitions, selfish desires and lack of control and discipline was the only answer. 

Yeah, I still stumble and take a step back once in a while because I get caught up in the world’s views and thinking I want what the world wants me to have (commericials!) but I don’t stray far enough to get blown away in the storm any longer.  One little gust of wind and I’m back in the Word --anchored (why do you think I'm writing devotions).  You know why?  Because I'm done with creating train wrecks and wasting enough my life on self-destruction, hurting people and doing things "my" way.  Jesus says “the rain comes down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against your house; yet it did not fall”.  I needed to build my foundation on Jesus.  I have been through many storms and experienced many people/things beating against my house, yet only with Jesus as my center has my foundation remained standing.  I will continue to study His word and obey knowing in full faith and confidence my house will continue to stand through the many storms ahead.

Father God Almighty, thank you so much for sending Jesus to us!  Thank you for the Holy Scriptures and for the teachings that have changed my life so dramatically.  Thank you for your anointed teachers who are fulfilling the call on their life in order to help me with mine.  Please bless my friends, my teachers and my enemies for teaching me about myself.  Thank you Jesus for your love and endless chances.  Amen.

Matthew

²⁴ “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. ²⁵ The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. ²⁶ But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. ²⁷ The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

Luke:

⁴⁷ As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. ⁴⁸ They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. ⁴⁹ But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.”