House On The Rock

“Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: “and the rain descended “and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.” (Matthew 7:24- 7:27 NKJV)

In this Scripture, Jesus is stressing the importance of building our lives on the word of God. So it is all about hearing the word of God and doing it. It is very possible to hear the word of God everyday and refuse to do it.

It is very possible to be in Church everyday like the pews and chairs in church and refuse to change. Inanimate objects remain constant just as stone hearts remain constant. Only the power of God can break and change stone hearts – that is, if we are willing and cry out for grace.

Nobody can force anyone to practice the word of God and God does not force us. We have to decide that we love God enough to desire, treasure and practice His word.

The Bible describes us as being slaves of righteousness. This means that even though we have a free will to obey or disobey, we must obey. It is just like having a free will to eat poison, yet most rational beings will not take poison so as to preserve their lives and keep living.

Righteousness is not a choice but a mandate and a commandment – we have a choice but we really have no choice but to obey because disobedience is judgement and death.

not by way of eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart. Ephesians 6:6

You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. Romans 6:18

No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. Matthew 6:24

Sin is spiritual poison – we are free to eat spiritual poison but spiritual wisdom will warn you not to try it because sin when it is full blown leads to death. It kills and is a killer.

The root cause of judgement or death is sin. God who is the author of life does not cause death and Satan does not cause death because he has to take permission from God before he can test us, tempt us or afflict us. He took permission from God to test Peter. Death comes from the sinful nature of man – period.

This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 1 John 1:5

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:17

Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat. Luke 22:31

If God is testing us it means that there is an unfinished work in us. The purpose of testing is to purify our faith so if we determine to be purified and not give up on our journey to spiritual maturity, we will get to a state that is acceptable to God. We will never be perfect like God is but if we are mature and acceptable in our ways before God, God will regard us as perfect.

Remember God called Job blameless – it means that Job was acceptable to God in his ways. God boasted with Job and the Bible also boasted about Elijah being a man with passions like ours yet he stopped rain for three and half years. These men were exceptional.

When we disregard the word of God, a fall or many falls await us because our lives are built on chaff instead of the rock. In that state, a wind or wave can knock us down and leave us spiritually breathless. We become wells without water and trees without leaves. We become dry and empty.

Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” Matthew 4:4

The word of God is bread and water to our soul. May God give us the wisdom to desire and practice the word of God so that our souls will grow and be saved. May the word of God dwell richly in us.

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