Building on a Firm Foundation

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'

"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."

When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, - Matthew 7:21-28

If Jesus were to teach this in today’s society, many would also be amazed! He clearly cuts through all the rhetoric that we are steadily presented with in the media and all the ‘smoke and mirrors’ we are given by politicians to get our votes. He simplified all the issues of life into one goal – entering the kingdom of heaven. This life is so brief, it is like a flower that blooms and then is cut down, like smoke that soon drifts away. He offered eternal life in the kingdom of heaven but, there were strict rules for entering.

If you are wise, you hear the words of Jesus and put them into practice in your life then you are like the man who built his house on the rock so it could withstand the tests and trials of life. But if you are foolish you don’t do what He says and you are like a man who built his house on sand. You chose poorly!

The Bible has another teaching that explains the difference between the wise and the fool – Ecclesiastes 10:2.

“The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of the fool to the left.”

Today, we say conservatives are on the right and liberals are on the left but by Jesus’ standards few of the conservatives are on the right and none of the liberals. You cannot support abortion in any way and call yourself a follower of Jesus. You will be like those in the parable Jesus told which say, “We talked the talk” but Jesus will say “You didn’t walk the walk!” You cannot hold others to standards you don’t hold to yourself but the Congress and Whitehouse extort high wages for meager health care and retirements for the citizens but exempt themselves from the same laws while taking exorbitant health care and retirement for themselves. Jesus said he who would be great should be the servant of all but that attitude is certainly not exhibited by Obama, whose wife has hundreds of personal servants who are paid large salaries with our money.

There was a time in our history when every action of Congress and government was held up to scrutiny by Scriptural standards by churches, but that day is past because their tax exempt status means more to them than truth. A large so-called Christian network, TBN, recently pulled a show off the air because it criticized those ministers who are promoting the false doctrine of Chrislam, a mixing of Christianity and Islam. Thankfully, Jack Van Impe left TBN and continues to speak out against this heresy that over 300 well known preachers have embraced.

Many big churches are supporting doctrines that oppose Jesus’ teachings and few speak out against the government doing things that are clearly against God’s Word. For example, when this government stands against God concerning His land of Israel thus bringing down God’s judgments on America, few churches or ministries are sounding forth the alarm of protest. Our nation is burning up with drought and wildfires while some parts are losing valuable cropland to floods as God tries to get our attention. This has been going on for the last three presidents. The hundreds of billions that were lost to storm, fire, drought, earthquake and tornado damages would have more than covered our present deficit crises. But the heart of the fool inclines to the left and 60% of the evangelical church voted in Obama and his left-wing agenda.

While it is sad to see a great nation go down like this we should resolve to be among those who will hear the words of Jesus and do them. Our house will be built on a firm foundation and will withstand the storms that are coming. If we set our will to do the will of our Father in heaven, we can be confident –

“. . .that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 1:6