Matthew 7:24 and 26 say, “Therefore, anyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” Conversely, he says, “Anyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.”How do I build my life on the Rock? How do I make a call between the sand and the rock? How do I discover God’s best for me? How do I become like the wise builder? How do I do this?”
I’m glad you asked. The first suggestion: Take a soil sample. Measure the sand in your life against the rock in your life.
In I Corinthians 3:11 it says, “For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Christ Jesus.” Jesus is our Rock, and everything must revolve around The Rock. If it doesn’t, it’s simply sand. Take a soil sample. Take your laptop out or a piece of paper and hammer out what is sand and what is rock. Say “God, here’s my list. I need some help. Please help me. Show me what to do. Do I need to do some foundation work, some remodeling, maybe some demolition work?” Take a soil sample.
Another suggestion: Build on the right lot. Don’t just say, “I’ll just build here. I’ll just build there.” You could be pointing to a bunch of sand. Build on the right lot. Jesus said these words as He locked eyes with Simon Peter in Matthew 16:18, “Upon this rock I will build my church.” He did not say, “Simon Peter, you’re the rock and I’ll build the church on you.” No, he didn’t say that. He said, “Upon this Rock,” with a capital ‘R.’ “I am The Rock. I will build my church.
Let’s stop for a second. Do you know Jesus Christ personally? I said earlier that to know Christ, you have to make a faith decision. Have you made that decision? Have you taken that step? What you need to do—you can make it today, and it’s the best step you’ll ever take—is to simply say, “God, I’ve messed up. I’ve been in this sand trap. I’m building this sand castle. I admit that to you. I admit my sinfulness and turn from that, and I ask you, Jesus Christ, to come into every area of my life. I want you, Lord, to come into my life, and I want to build the foundation on you.”
That is how you become a Christ-follower. If you’ve already made that decision, you have laid a foundation on the rock. Maybe you need to keep building that foundation, supporting that structure. Jesus gave us a hint, “Upon this rock I will build my church.” What are you doing with the local church? It’s Christ’s major focus. What are you doing with the Bride of Christ? What are you doing with her, the local church? You say it’s important.
You say you’re on the rock, but do you build your schedule around it? Do you build your social life around it?
The storm will strike. It’s on the radar. Now’s the time to do the work. It’s going to hit. Don’t wait until the storm strikes. Don’t wait until the wind and the rain and all this stuff hits. Do it now.
Another suggestion—third, if you’re keeping score: Have your home inspected. Have your home, your house, your life inspected. The best inspection verses would be Psalm 139:23-24, “Search me, Oh God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.” “See if there be any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Make that your prayer this week.
Did you know that three times in the Bible, the word of God, the Scriptures are compared to a mirror? What does a mirror do? The mirror really shows us who we are. We examine ourselves: the blemishes, the pimples, the bed head, whatever it is. It shows us who we are. And that’s Christianity. Christianity is not about you. It’s not about you, and it’s not about me. It’s about God. We don’t examine God, We say, “God, You examine us. You examine us.”
It’s all about obedience and obedience is not always fun, is it? Sometimes it takes discipline and vision and just plain guts to make it work.
This is an excerpt from the message I will be sharing this Saturday night at "The Creek". 6:00 p.m. at Peters Creek Church. Come join us for a great night as we worship Him.
