The Two Foundations, Part 4 — A ‘Time With God’ Devotion

All this week, John North takes us through the story of the wise and foolish builders, as shared by Jesus.

Matthew 7:24-29 show us Jesus telling a parable about the difference between a wise and foolish builder was in where they placed their foundation.

“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, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.

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Transcript

Good morning,

Every weekday morning at this time we stop and open up God’s word, the Bible, and just take some time with God. That’s what it is when you open the Bible with your heart open and responsive to God, saying, what do you have to say to me? I’m ready to say yes. Then God loves to unfold His Word in your heart and mind so that you understand it and see His perspective on your life on the issues of your day to day, and you find God guiding and directing your life as you act on what He’s showing you in His word. We’re talking this week about the two foundations that you can lay in your life – a good foundation and a bad foundation.

And we looked yesterday at the good foundation which is acting on God’s Word, not knowing God’s Word, but acting on God’s Word.

Jesus continues in His word picture and says, and everyone who hears these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. So this is the bad foundation, ignoring God’s Word.

Right, ignoring God’s word, and I just want you to notice that in Jesus’ word picture that man hears God’s word. And yet ignores it. He doesn’t act on it. You may be someone who goes to church and yet ignores God’s Word because you’re not acting on it.

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You might be someone who stays as far away as you can from church, and you are ignoring God’s Word because you’re not listening to it or acting on it. That is, God’s Word is not the foundation this man is building his life on. What’s he building his life on then? What is his foundation? What is the bad foundation?

Well, if you’re ignoring God’s Word, you’re building your life on the foundation of your own priorities, your own pleasures, right? What’s going to make you the happiest in your mind?

Your own plans that you have for your life, your own achievements that make you feel significant, your own successes, your grades, your achievements in business or in whatever you’re involved in, your sports or whatever, the pats on your back given you by other people.

And before the storms come.

That way of life looks like the way to go.

I mean, who wouldn’t want to be famous, who wouldn’t want to be rich, who wouldn’t want to be popular, who wouldn’t want to be the star of the sports team, who wouldn’t want to win your online computer games? I mean this is what it’s all about, right? Who wouldn’t want to finish that awesome book you’re reading, a magazine, all the different things, what you’re building your life on.

But

That foundation is like sand, Jesus says. The more you build your life on these things that are so temporary, so ephemeral, so fleeting, like the steam that comes out of your kettle, and then it’s gone. They disappear so quickly and easily, isn’t that right? How quickly can popularity disappear? How quickly can money disappear as things change in the economy or in your job?

How quickly can things change with your health? Well, the more you build your life on those things that are so temporary, the more quickly your life will collapse when the storms come. And don’t forget those storms are coming, and maybe you would say, Well, you don’t have to tell me that, John, because I’m in the middle of storms right now and I’m struggling, really struggling. I don’t know how to keep going.

Well, it’s not too late.

Begin building your life on God’s Word. Take time with God every day. Talk to Him about what you’re struggling with. Ask Him to help you. Ask Him to help you know Him personally better, to grow you. Read God’s Word, the Bible, each day. Listen to God. Act on what it says, and watch God get involved in your time of crisis.

I’m John North.