by David Brenneman
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great was its fall." When Jesus had finished these words, the crowds were amazed at His teaching; for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes." Matthew 7:24-29.
There within this short passage is a promise...that rains, winds, and flooding would be coming...not just to the Believer but the unbelieving as well.
We read often the phrase "He who has ears, hear what the Spirit says to the churches..." in Revelation 2. Did you catch it that Jesus also said words such as those in the book of Matthew? 11 verse 15.
Listening is more to the point than speaking. Much of what we read in Leviticus on what the Lord Jesus was telling them to be doing on the Sabbath had to do with thinking on, considering, the words of God.
"Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my rock and my Redeemer." Psalms 19:14.
How can you have words coming out of your mouth that are acceptable to your Savior and Lord if you aren't listening to learn what's important to Him?
Rains, winds, storms, will always be a part of our lives. Socially, financially, personally, and every way that matters to impacting our growth in Christ Jesus.
But where you have your foundation determines if you're going to survive in a way that glorifies your Father who is in Heaven.
Are you more interested in fantasies of this world rather than reading the truth of God's word?
Are you more interested in statistics of people, sports, etc. than knowing what's right and true from the Word of God?
A great many people will lie through their teeth about answering those two questions. Because the truth is in the living. Proof is in the pudding as they used to say. Our society would be radically different if people who claimed to be living on the Rock, were really after living a life that Jesus speaks of.
I used to bury myself in science fiction because this world wasn't a nice place for people like me. It was my escape. Perhaps you have escapes too that you justify by way of saying you've earned this or that, or it's your 'me time'.
Go all the way back to Genesis...human beings are experts, due to our sin nature, at living a justified existence. We can craft expertly given answers to justify our beliefs and behaviors.
My Dear Reader, IS what's important to Jesus Christ important to you? ARE you proactive, intentional, in reading the Bible He has given you to be reading? Are you at all more interested in what it has to say than what psychology has to say about your thoughts and way of life?
Are you at all desiring to be a hearer of the word and a doer of it?
My head is full of useless facts, things learned, things read about that I have never done.
Be ready...because when you choose to lay aside something from this world to replace it with being intentional in living with Jesus...your mind will fight back. Will give you excuses and sound reasons to not do things to grow you in Christ. Will get you to justify not doing it.
It all starts with prayer.
Jesus said that if anyone wishes to come after Me...what? Deny himself, take up his own cross and follow Him.
You have to be intentional on saying no to yourself. You can't do that alone. Pray for whatever is important to Jesus for you and listen.
Jesus is returning soon...will you be found as a doer of the Word?
The rains, the winds, the storms of life are a promise. Where you build will determine how well you survive and grow. A tree only grows tall and old because of rains, winds and storms. It drives the roots deeper.
Welcome what you are going through. See now what it means elsewhere that says to give thanks for everything?
Pray on
Pray over
Pray through
Change your way of thinking and listening before you speak.
All NASB 1995 and NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. (C) Lockman Foundation.
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