Will Your House Stand?

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.” Matthew 7:24-26

In the early days of building our church’s worship center I got a fresh appreciation for how important the foundation is. The construction project was on schedule and within budget when wham-we were broadsided by a major set-back. The structural engineer said that the steel supports needed to go deeper into the soil for more stability. Considering the cost (millions) and delay (months), I asked if it was really all that critical. He answered, “Only if you want the building to stand under the pressure.”
Jesus knew good construction, too. In Matthew 7, He reports on two building projects. One house, built on sand, gets flattened by a storm; the other, built on a rock, stands strong. Of course His parallel was obvious-two men encountered storms, but the one riveted to the rock stood despite the pressure.

There isn’t a man among us who hasn’t wondered if his life can withstand the pressure.
” Does God approve of how I’m living my life? Would I pass a close examination?
” Does He put a “well-done” label on my work, on my relationships with my wife and kids, on my service?
” At the end of my days, will my legacy be one of faithfulness?
” Will my confidence in Christ endure the pressure? Will I still be walking with Him in ten years?

It really depends. What convictions have you drilled deep into your soul about how you will conduct your life? Is your foundation solid? The wise man who built his house upon the rock paid the cost, made the effort, and his house stood. Jesus called him, rock-solid: “Everyone who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock” (v. 24).
Wisdom is not in the knowing; wisdom is in the doing. Will I measure up, stand up, and hold up under the pressure? Jesus answered, It depends. Will you listen up and live up to what Scripture says to do?

The world would divide us in a lot of different ways-by education, employment, economic status, racial diversity or social background. God’s Word divides us two ways: the wise and the foolish.

Wise people hear the Word of God and do it what it says.
Foolish people hear the Word of God but they don’t do what it says.

The good news is that God is an equal opportunity dispenser of wisdom. He doesn’t favor intelligence or education, affluence or age. Proverb 9:10 assures us that wisdom is available to everyone and begins with the fear of the Lord. What does that mean? Well, for starters, it’s doing what He says-quickly and willingly . . . simply because He is God.

Last year was a season overflowing with choices for me to be wise or foolish. To give this challenge its due attention, I decided to write and preach on Proverbs, which is essentially about doing the wisdom of God. No doubt you too feel the urgency to apply vertical wisdom in horizontal living. Every time you turn around, you’re faced with the option to obey God’s Word or not. I’ll save you the trouble of finding out: the choice to disregard God’s Word never goes anywhere good but your decision to be a do-er of the Word and not just a hearer always yields blessing.

“Whatever else you get,” Proverb 4:7 says, “get wisdom.” James 1:5 promises that if you ask God for it He will give it. Put it at the top of your request list. Make it your priority. Learn from God, learn from followers of Christ, hunger and thirst for a godly perspective and then live it out.

Get wisdom because God wants to give it to you. Get it because it’s what will keep your house standing no matter how fierce the storm.

© 2007 Walk in the Word.

On this day...

• Hosea 2 - 2023
• Hosea 1 - 2023
• Ecclesiastes 7:14 - 2011
• 35 Famous Quotes by William Barclay - 2011
• I AM A CONVINCED UNIVERSALIST - 2011
• William Barclay - 2011
• 1 Kings 18:43 - 2008
• Psalms 33:13 - 2008
• Psalms 33:13 - 2008
• WHEREBY SHALL I KNOW? - 2008