Here is the passage from Matthew. Remember Jesus had just spoke to those assembled on the hill side, which most of us recognize as the Sermon on the Mount(hill side) or the Beatitudes. When Jesus starts this with "Therefore" you understand what the text is there for. Get it?
"Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on a rock.
And the rains 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."'
Matthew 7: 24-27
The rains fell. The floods came. The wind blew and slammed against that house. The wise man AND the foolish man experienced torrents, which I liken to trials, circumstances beyond our control, pain, suffering, etc.
Hearing and acting are what separates these two. The wise guy heard God's Word and acted upon it. His house did not fall. The fool heard it too, but did not act and WHAM! CRASH!
His house fell and Jesus said "great was its fall."
I have been going to church ever since I accepted Christ as my Saviour and Lord (1981) and I think it is safe to say I have heard hundreds of sermons, seminars, studies, and teachings. Hundreds.
3 decades later, I am beginning to understand what it means to hear that precious Word and then DO IT.
Like when I hear I am to forgive. Well too bad. They started it. It's their fault. They deserve it. THEY HURT ME- BAD-AND THEY ARE GONNA PAY!!! That has been my thought process time and time again. For years. Especially in the area of marriage...
Sorry. God's Word is all over that one. We are commanded to forgive. Period. Remember Peter? Lord, how many times am I supposed to forgive? Like 7?
Nope.
Jesus said 70 times 7 and then He shared a powerful parable about a guy forgiven a huge debt that went out and beat the snot out of someone who owed him 20 bucks! Matthew 18: 21-28
Why do I ignore those statements? Why do I play games with God? Why do I think that passage does not apply to me? Why do I believe my circumstances dictate my obedience?
I am being a fool. Pure and simple. I hear God's Word and I choose to not heed it. So when the rains come, the floods rise and the wind threatens to tear my "house" apart, I will fall. I do not believe this means I will lose my salvation, I just think it means, I will be embittered, angry, vengeful and live miserably. I will not experience the abundant life Jesus lived and died for me to have. John 10:10
This comparison of houses and rocks applies to life; getting cancer, divorce, adultery, unforgiveness, drunkenness, lying, stealing, gossiping, out bursts of anger, bitterness,..I could go on and on!
Oddly enough, today I heard that "God's Word is alive and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit and of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart." Hebrews 4:12
Such power God has for me if I would only hear and act upon it..help me Lord!!
Ok, I'm jumping off my soap rock(box) for now.
****************************************************************************
I'm sitting next to the fireplace, loving the fire Tim built for me. My maverick sweetheart is sitting in the kitchen, on a stool, playing his banjo-- with a guitar accompanying him (on some track he made) and the song he is plunking is WINNIE THE POOH!!!!
Not bad....
I love my husband..
Gotta go to bed. Up early to take Nathan to work and then walk at the college before I come home to teach Teresa and Rachel...
He is faithful,
Bonnie
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