Click this link to hear an audio version of the below text narrated by SOTH member Jerry Rhinehart:
Matthew 7:24-27 (NIV)
The Wise and Foolish Builders
24 “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. 25 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. 26 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. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
As I write this a hurricane is heading up the Gulf of Mexico right for Texas. Some reports claim the coastal regions could receive up to 30 inches of rain. It is pretty easy to understand why building a house upon sand in the face of a storm like that would not be a good idea. You need a solid foundation upon which to build a house that can withstand something like that. In the same way, Jesus says that if you build the house of your life upon the solid foundation of his teachings that you will be able to withstand massive storms. Storms will come and storms will do damage. But the rock of Christ Jesus will stand forever. Ask God to build your life firmly upon the rock of Jesus Christ and his teachings and ask the Holy Spirit to empower you to live them out.