WISDOM FOR LIVING DAILY DEVOTIONAL
JUNE 28, Â 2021
TOPIC: BUILD YOUR HOUSE ON THE ROCK
BY T. O. BANSOÂ
“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” (Matthew 7:24-25 New King James Version).
In Matthew 7:24-27, the Bible talks about two builders. One was wise and the other was foolish. It talks about two houses. The two buildings were completed. However, when they were tested by rain, flood, and wind, one building collapsed while the other stood solid on the ground.
Jesus put it this way: “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” (Matthew 7:24-25 New King James Version).
On the other hand, Jesus said, “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, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall” (verses 26-27 New King James Version).
The problem of the building that collapsed was that of foundation. It was built on sand. However, the one built on the rock remained unshaken. Jesus called the man who built his house on the rock a wise man, and the man who built his house on the sand a foolish man. Be a wise man, not a foolish man. Be a wise woman and not a foolish woman.
Don’t forget that Jesus’ emphasis was actually on hearing his sayings and doing them. He only compared hearing his sayings and doing them and hearing and not doing them respectively to the wise man who built his house on the rock and the foolish man who built his house on the sand.
You could compare your life, Christian walk and work, marriage, family, business, career, or ministry to either of the two houses. If any of these will stand the test of the rain, the floods, and the winds it must be built on the Word of God. The rain, floods, and winds could be likened to the challenges of life, which both the righteous and sinners, the wise and the foolish, must experience.
Will your Christian walk and work, marriage, family, business, career, or ministry collapse under the pressure of life challenges? Or will it stand like the house that was built on the rock? What will determine the outcome after the rain has descended, the floods have come, and the winds have blown and beat on your house is your attitude to the Word of God. If you are a hearer alone, not a doer, your house will collapse. But if you are a hearer and doer of the word, your house will stand.
James 1:22-25 shows that the blessing is in doing the Word, not in hearing alone. It says, “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does” (New King James Version).
According to Luke’s account in Luke 6:46-49, the man whose house didn’t collapse dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock while the other man whose house collapsed built a house on the earth without a foundation. “But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say? Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like: He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock. But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell. And the ruin of that house was great.” (New King James Version).
What is the foundation of your house – your life, Christian walk and work, marriage, family, business, career, or ministry? Rock or sand? Are you digging deep to lay a solid foundation on the rock or you’re in a hurry to make things happen?
A life not built on obedience to the Word of God is a life without a foundation. It may stand for some time, but when the challenges of life ÂÂÂÂcome, it will be pulled down. Then, the foolishness of the builder, who claims to be smart, will become obvious to all.
The Word of God is superior to the wisdom of man, human philosophies, and the rest which may work, but only for some time; don’t build your life on it, despising the Word of God. Psalm 12:6 says the words of the LORD are pure, like silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Jesus said heaven and earth would pass away, but His words would by no means pass away (Matthew 24:35; Mark 13:31; Luke 21:33).
Make obedience to the Word of God the foundation of all that you do in life. Obey the Word of God in your daily life. Have you not seen how the houses some people built in the past eventually collapsed? Some were internet scammers or cybercriminals who pretended to be international businessmen, living extravagant lives. Some of them were even given awards by reputable organizations, using them as references to motivate the youths.
Criminals paraded themselves as motivational speakers until the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on their houses and they collapsed like a house of cards. Their sin found them out (Numbers 32:23). “Wealth gained by dishonesty will be diminished, but he who gathers by labor will increase” (Proverbs 13:11 New King James Version).
Don’t be envious of those who appear to be making progress in life violating the Word of God. Their prosperity is only temporary; their fall is around the corner. Everything they’re trying to build without God will soon crumble whether it is the ministry, marriage, or business. “Do not fret because of evildoers, nor be envious of the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb” (Psalm 37:1-2 New King James Version).
Proverbs 24:1 says you should not be envious of evil men or desire to be with them. Verses 19-20 say, “Do not fret because of evildoers, nor be envious of the wicked; for there will be no prospect for the evil man; the lamp of the wicked will be put out” (New King James Version).
Don’t be envious of the wicked who prosper. They are on a slippery path and will be cast down to destruction (Psalm 73:18). “Their present life is only a dream that is gone when they awake. When you arise, O Lord, you will make them vanish from this life” (verse 20 New Living Translation).
Build every department of your life on the Word of God. Run your life on godly values and biblical principles. Apply to your life the Word of God that you read at home or listen to in the church. The Bible says all Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
Let your ministry, marriage, business, career, and so on comply with the Word of God. Don’t emulate those who do otherwise and everything appears to be okay with them.
Build your house on the rock, not on the sand. Build your house on the rock; build it on the Lord. In many scriptures, the LORD is described as the Rock and as a rock (Deuteronomy 32:3; Habakkuk 1:12; Isaiah 17:10; 30:29, 44:8). Nothing you build on Jesus and His teachings will collapse. Forever, His word stands firm in heaven. Forever. His Word is settled in heaven (Psalm 119:89). Build your house on the rock.
TAKE ACTION!
If you are not born again, you need to give your life to Jesus now. I urge you to take the following steps: *Admit you are a sinner and you cannot save yourself and repent of your sins. *Confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. *Renounce your past way of life – your relationship with the devil and his works. *Invite Jesus into your life. *As a mark of seriousness to mature in the faith, start attending a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church. There they will teach you how to grow in the Kingdom of God.
Kindly say this prayer now: O Lord God, I come unto you today. I know I am a sinner and I cannot save myself. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to save me and resurrected the third day. I repent of my sins and confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I surrender my life to Jesus now and invite Him into my heart. By this prayer, I know I am saved. Thank you, Jesus, for saving me and making me a child of God.
I believe you have said this prayer from your heart. Congratulations! You will need to join a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church in your area where they will teach you how to live your new life in Christ Jesus. I pray that you flourish like the palm tree and grow like the cedar of Lebanon. May you grow into Christ in all things and become all God wants you to be. I will be glad to hear from you. The Lord be with you.
PRAYER POINTS: Father, I shall build every department of my life on the Word of God. I shall not be a hearer alone, but also a doer. I shall not be envious of the prosperity of the wicked. I shall not be envious of evil men or desire to be with them in Jesus’ name. I receive your help, Holy Spirit.
(For over 600 in-depth and powerful messages by T. O. Banso, visit www.cedarministry.org).
T. O. Banso is the President, Cedar Ministry International, Abuja, Nigeria.
Phone No: +2348155744752, +2348033113523
WhatsApp No: +2349081295947
Email: cedarministryintl@yahoo.com,
cedarministryng@gmail.com
Website: www.cedarministry.
  
  
  
  
