Week of Monday, June 16– June 22
Firm Foundation – Man as Provider
“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.” And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes. - Matthew 7:24-29 ESV
If your home is built on a faulty foundation, you’ve got a big problem. A colleague of mine at Family Research Council discovered that his family’s home had a fractured foundation. As a result, cracks were showing up in the exterior bricks and the interior sheetrock. Something had to be done quickly before the damage was irreversible. After my colleague spent tens of thousands of dollars on a foundation repair company, the home was saved. Now, his home is fixed on a firm foundation.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus emphasized the importance of building one’s life on a firm foundation. He used a powerful illustration of two builders: one wise and one foolish. Jesus said that a person who not only hears His words but also heeds them is like the wise builder who builds on rock. By following Jesus’ words, one can build a firm foundation that withstands life’s challenges.
The opposite is also true. The person who hears Jesus’ teachings but doesn’t follow them is like the foolish builder who builds on sand.
In 1991, the Leaning Tower of Pisa was closed because it was at risk of collapsing due to its foundation, which is only 10 feet deep and in unstable soil. Although the tower is a beautiful structure, its weak foundation means that one day it will probably fall.
Many lives look outwardly impressive—until pressure reveals the truth and catastrophe strikes. However, this doesn’t have to happen to us. Ignoring Jesus’ words is not just foolish; it’s also dangerous, and it can lead to disastrous consequences.
Notice that the same storms batter both the builders and their houses. The storms of life come in many forms—grief, loss, betrayal, illness, financial setbacks. And life’s storms are not gentle. In fact, the Greek verb translated as “beat against” suggests a violent, relentless assault. The question is not if but when the storms will come. Will your life stand the test when they do? Corrie ten Boom, who survived a Nazi concentration camp, once said: “You can never learn that Christ is all you need, until Christ is all you have.” During that incredible storm, her life stood firm because it was built on the Rock. Jesus doesn’t promise storm-free lives. He promises to make us stormproof when we live a life of obedience to Him.
We just marked another Father’s Day, and if you are a father or grandfather, I pray that your family honored you and showed you love and gratitude. It’s also a good time for us to take a long, hard look at what our lives are built upon. As Providers in our respective homes, we are responsible for the sort of foundation upon which we build our families. The Lord reminded His listeners that the foundations we build our lives on can be either strong or weak, temporary or lasting, and it all comes down to what we do with His teachings. Will we choose to ignore or obey Him? The choice is ours, and the consequences are enormous. Men, build your life on the Rock by obeying His teachings and provide your family with that firm foundation.
- Can you recall a time when you wisely obeyed the Lord’s teachings, and He helped you through a storm? Can you think of a time when you were foolish and ignored His teachings, and it resulted in disaster?
- Which example does your family see more in you: the wise or the foolish builder?
- Ask the Lord to forgive you for the times you’ve ignored His teachings, and seek His help to develop a heart that is quick to obey His voice.
Firm Foundation – Man as Provider
“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.” And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes. - Matthew 7:24-29 ESV
If your home is built on a faulty foundation, you’ve got a big problem. A colleague of mine at Family Research Council discovered that his family’s home had a fractured foundation. As a result, cracks were showing up in the exterior bricks and the interior sheetrock. Something had to be done quickly before the damage was irreversible. After my colleague spent tens of thousands of dollars on a foundation repair company, the home was saved. Now, his home is fixed on a firm foundation.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus emphasized the importance of building one’s life on a firm foundation. He used a powerful illustration of two builders: one wise and one foolish. Jesus said that a person who not only hears His words but also heeds them is like the wise builder who builds on rock. By following Jesus’ words, one can build a firm foundation that withstands life’s challenges.
The opposite is also true. The person who hears Jesus’ teachings but doesn’t follow them is like the foolish builder who builds on sand.
In 1991, the Leaning Tower of Pisa was closed because it was at risk of collapsing due to its foundation, which is only 10 feet deep and in unstable soil. Although the tower is a beautiful structure, its weak foundation means that one day it will probably fall.
Many lives look outwardly impressive—until pressure reveals the truth and catastrophe strikes. However, this doesn’t have to happen to us. Ignoring Jesus’ words is not just foolish; it’s also dangerous, and it can lead to disastrous consequences.
Notice that the same storms batter both the builders and their houses. The storms of life come in many forms—grief, loss, betrayal, illness, financial setbacks. And life’s storms are not gentle. In fact, the Greek verb translated as “beat against” suggests a violent, relentless assault. The question is not if but when the storms will come. Will your life stand the test when they do? Corrie ten Boom, who survived a Nazi concentration camp, once said: “You can never learn that Christ is all you need, until Christ is all you have.” During that incredible storm, her life stood firm because it was built on the Rock. Jesus doesn’t promise storm-free lives. He promises to make us stormproof when we live a life of obedience to Him.
We just marked another Father’s Day, and if you are a father or grandfather, I pray that your family honored you and showed you love and gratitude. It’s also a good time for us to take a long, hard look at what our lives are built upon. As Providers in our respective homes, we are responsible for the sort of foundation upon which we build our families. The Lord reminded His listeners that the foundations we build our lives on can be either strong or weak, temporary or lasting, and it all comes down to what we do with His teachings. Will we choose to ignore or obey Him? The choice is ours, and the consequences are enormous. Men, build your life on the Rock by obeying His teachings and provide your family with that firm foundation.
- Can you recall a time when you wisely obeyed the Lord’s teachings, and He helped you through a storm? Can you think of a time when you were foolish and ignored His teachings, and it resulted in disaster?
- Which example does your family see more in you: the wise or the foolish builder?
- Ask the Lord to forgive you for the times you’ve ignored His teachings, and seek His help to develop a heart that is quick to obey His voice.