"Building on a Strong Foundation"

“Building on a Strong Foundation”

 

“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.   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.   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.  The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”         Matthew 7:24-27

 

If you have ever gone through a STRONG hurricane, you know what it is like to have the rain come down, streams and rivers overflow their banks, and the winds howl, continuously.  We are talking about winds STRONG enough to pull full-grown oak trees up by the roots.  If you have been through one, you definitely KNOW what I am talking about.  And I venture to say that you were REALLY happy to have been in a STRONG, STURDY structure, one with a STRONG and STURDY FOUNDATION.

 

Jesus taught the crowds of people, sometimes, using PARABLES, a PARABLE is usually an EARTHLY STORY with a HEAVENLY MEANING.  And so the listeners, would be able to understand what He was saying, because they could relate to the situation.  This PARABLE is talking about two houses, probably built with the SAME building materials, and they may have even looked similar, except for their FOUNDATIONS.  You see one FOUNDATION was built on a BIG, STRONG, STURDY ROCK. The other house’s FOUNDATION was built on SHIFTING SAND. 

 

So when the STRONG STORMS came pelting the house with TORRENTIAL RAINS, STRONG, HOWLING WINDS, and RISING WATERS, the house on the BIG, STRONG, STURDY ROCK, with-stood the STORMS.  But the house built on the SHIFTING SANDS, collapsed, and was destroyed.  This is a picture of a TRUE BELIEVER, and a FALSE BELIEVER. They may look similar in some aspects, but they are TOTALLY DIFFERENT in ONE very IMPORTANT aspect.  You see, the house built on the BIG, STRONG, STURDY ROCK represents the TRUE BELIEVER and the ROCK represents JESUS CHRIST.   So when the STRONG WINDS blow, TORRENTIAL RAINS fall and the RISING WATERS flow, which, by the way, represents all the TRIALS and TESTS we go through in this life, The TRUE BELIEVER, like the house can WITHSTAND all the STORMS of life, because they are BUILT ON the ROCK, JESUS CHRIST.  

 

On the other hand, the house built on the SHIFTING SAND, is like the FALSE BELIEVER, who will not be able to WITHSTAND ALL the STORMS of life, because they are built on the SHIFTING SANDS, which represents anything other than Jesus Christ, and they will COLLAPSE and be DESTROYED. Where is your FOUNDATION?  On the ROCK?   Or on the SHIFTING SAND?  If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God, then your FOUNDATION is on the SHIFTING SANDS, and you are headed for an ETERNITY in Hell with ALL of its HORRORS, and DOOMED for DESTRUCTION.  But God is giving you the OPPORTUNITY NOW, to move your HOUSE on to a STRONG, STURDY FOUNDATION that is built on the ROCK, JESUS CHRIST.  You can do that by TURNING AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and TURNING TO God, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART, CONFESSING your sins to Him, and asking Him for His FORGIVENESS, BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU, and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God, then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and become a TRUE BELIEVER, who is able to WITHSTAND the STORMS of LIFE.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!