Build 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:” Matthew 7:24
Before you can build any structure, you must have a foundation. It is what holds the building in place and keeps it secure. If the foundation is weak and unstable, a house will not be safe. It is only as sturdy as its foundation. The ground is also a factor. If you built on a hill side, the understructure can become threatened and even crack as the earth shifts over time. The dangers go far beyond a cracked wall in the basement, the safety of the home and the lives of those who live there are at risk.
In today’s scripture, Jesus says that His teachings are the foundation that a wise person builds their life on. Since this is at the end of a three-chapter sermon, it is safe to use the previous chapters as that base. Below is a list of the foundational principles Jesus taught that day.
Be Poor in spirit
Be Meek
Hunger and Thirst for righteousness
Be Merciful
Have a Pure heart
Be a Peacemaker
Be the Salt of the earth
Be the Light of the world
Keep Gods commands
Do not be angry without a cause
Cast sin from your life
Do not swear falsely
Go the extra mile
Love your enemies
Bless those who curse you
Pray for those who use you
Do charitable deeds in secret
Pray
Fast in secret
Layup treasure in heaven
Serve God, not Mammon (money)
Do not worry
Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness
Do not judge others but love them
Ask and it will be given to you
Seek and you will find
Enter the narrow way
Bear good fruit
Have a personal relationship with Him
That’s quite a list, and it is true that this list will not save you from an eternity separated from God. Even if you did each one of these acts perfectly, you would still need a Savior to pay to price for you. However, after you receive His salvation, these actions will ensure that your foundation is strong and any ministry built on top will withstand the storms of life.
Today I want to encourage you to examine your foundations. Review the list above and even read Matthew 5-7 again to strengthen and reinforce your foundation. If you are already in ministry, go back and assess the foundations that the mission was built on. Secure your life’s work on the rock of Jesus’ teaching and ensure that all your efforts will have eternal value.
Today’s scripture reading: Matthew 7:24-29
24 “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:
25 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.
26 “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:
27 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”
28 And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching,
29 for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.
The Daily Dose 