Matthew
7:24-27
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 the house, and
it fell, and great was the fall of it.
What
is the rock? – Jesus
What
is the sand? – Anything that is not Jesus
The
problem is obvious – the collapse of the house.
The
cause is complex – the sand is everything we depend on in life that is not
Jesus.
The
solution – has to be biblical.
Most
things in our culture are eroding.
Academia
Economy
Media
Entertainment
Government
Family
Church
It
is not just that these institutions are being less effective and becoming
corrupt. It is also that people trust is also becoming less and less for each
one of these.
And
yes, I know that the reasons for this are many and complex. And I am not
writing to complain or give my opinion how each of these should be fixed.
I
want to share a biblical solution to deal with one. The one that Is the
foundation for all the others.
The
condition of the church is at the core of the weakening of all the others. The
church is not the building, not the programs, not the ministries, but the
church is the people. The issue then becomes the waywardness of God’s people.
In
Psalm 11 David is looking at his nation, his culture and he asks a question
that we as God’s people need to be asking.
Psalm
11:3
If
the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?
The
question is simple: When the godly foundation of any nation is being eroded or
destroyed, what can the righteous do?
The
righteous here does not mean the people who think they have life all figured
out and are living right as compared to everyone else. The righteous here means
those who have given the authority to run their lives over to God.
Jesus
says in Mark 2:17 that He came to not to call the righteous (self-righteous),
but sinners (those who know their sin and turn to Him).
Righteousness
is not being perfect or being better than others; it is being made right with
God by God.
Raise
the Roof and Remove the Walls is recognizing our sin, turning to God for
forgiveness and not judging others.
So,
what can the righteous do?
Psalm
11:4
The
Lord is in His holy temple; the Lord’s throne is in heaven; for His eyes see,
His eyelids test the children of man.
The
solution is for the righteous to know that God is in His holy temple.
1
Corinthians 3:16
Do
you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?
We
as God’s people have the Holy Spirit living in us. He will empower us by God’s
mighty power to live out our relationship with Him by obeying God’s Word and
God’s Will. And also, by manifesting the reality and power of Jesus in our
lives.
Raise
the Roof and Remove the Walls is knowing we are God’s temple and are filled
with the Holy Spirit.
The
solution is for the righteous to know that God is on His throne.
God
is the King and He is on His throne reigning in power. When the disciples
expressed amazement that it was hard if not impossible for a rich person to
enter heaven, Jesus told them that what was impossible for humans was possible
for God. Our God is the God of the impossible. So, when the foundations are
eroding, God can restore them to be what He desires them to be.
Raise
the Roof and Remove the Walls is living with complete faith in God’s power
to do the humanly impossible.
The
solution is for the righteous to know that God is watching over them.
God
is constantly looking out for the righteous. He will never abandon us. He will
work everything out for our good.
Raise
the Roof and Remove the Walls is living with the assurance that God is
always with us no matter the circumstances.
Five
Keys to Inspecting our Foundation
Authority
of Scripture
Lordship
of Jesus
Ministry
of the Holy Spirit
Focus
on the Cross
Power
of Prayer
Are
these what the foundation of your life is built on?
With
Jesus as Our Rock Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls,
Joe
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