BUILT ON SAND

MEMORY VERSE: And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it. Matthew 7:26-27

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Job 4

Jesus, in Matthew 7:24-27, likened everyone who heard Him to a builder. Verse 24 says: “Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock”. Verse 26 says: “And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand.” He likened those who built their lives, marriages, ministries, homes, etc, on the Word to a man who built his house on the rock (Matthew 7:25). He likened those who ignored His teachings to a man who built his house on the sand.

What type of builder are you? Are you building on the rock or on the sand? Many lives / marriages / ministries / businesses / relationships / homes are built on the “sand of human wisdom and philosophy”. Apostle Paul warns against building on human wisdom / common sense and philosophy. Colossians 2:8 says: “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.” Anything built on human wisdom or philosophy will crumble when the storm of life blows. Any marriage or relationship that is built on love-at-first-sight may crumble when the storm of life blows. Any ministry that is built on intellect, positive thinking and psychology will crumble when the forces of darkness attack. Apostle Paul built his ministry on the spirit of power (1 Corinthians 2:1-5). There is also the “sand of tradition of religion”. Over the years, the church has built up traditions which people base their lives on without asking whether they are scriptural or not. The Pharisees accosted Jesus several times about His disciples violating the “tradition of the elders”. Matthew 15:2 says: “Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.” What are some of the traditions of the elders we still practise today? Burning of candles and incenses. Other popular “tradition of the elders” is widows wearing black cloth and shaving their hair for life. All these are not scriptural. Friends, check whether what you are practising is the “tradition of the elders”  or God’s commandment. There is the “sand of fables”. Fables are stories and tales cleverly invented by the human mind. Paul, in his letter to his son-in-the-Lord Timothy, wrote: “Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do.”

QUESTION: Are you building your life on the Word or philosophy? Are you building your life on the Word or nice phrases like “heaven help those who help themselves”?

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world.