Day 29: Choose to be a 'Wise Man'
Please read the Bible verses for today:
Matthew 7:24-29
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.”
28 When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, 29 because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law."
I don't know if you are like me and think of the song that someone wrote, for children, that goes with this verse, but I do...
I don't know if you are like me and think of the song that someone wrote, for children, that goes with this verse, but I do...
And I have to say it's not helpful when you're trying to read the Scripture.
Verse 24, all by itself, "“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." If you have been tracking with me, remember all that Jesus has been talking about, 'Treasures in Heaven' (Matthew 6:19), 'Ask, Seek, Knock' (Matthew 7:7), and 'The Narrow Road' (Matthew 7:13). All of these verses are talking about a choice we have, a decision we make. No one can force us, only we can decide to follow Jesus or not. And yesterday we read about how Jesus calls us to be true disciples. I love these verses, Matthew 7: 24-29, because it summarizes chapters six and seven for us. "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine, (What words? These words-"Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.") and puts them into practice, ("but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven" will enter the Kingdom of heaven") is like a wise man who built his house on the rock."
If you hadn't understood all that Jesus has been saying in Matthew chapters six and seven then the verses 25-27 are a perfect picture story to pull everything altogether. Just imagine building your house on the sand, and after one heavy rain storm it crashes down to the ground. That image is anyone of us that tries to live his/her life without Jesus, our Rock. We work hard every day in our own strength building our lives without Jesus' guidance. We think we can do it all on our own. "I've got this," we say to ourselves. But then tragedy hits- someone you love dies, your spouse is cheating on you, an addiction is now a part of your life, your child is mixing with the wrong people, and it feels like everything you tried to do and work to keep life going is slipping out of your hand like grains of sand. When we chose to go this life alone, without Jesus, your 'house' will fall with a 'great crash.' I don't think Jesus could have made it more clear.
Our final verses for the day are, "When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, 29 because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law." I cannot imagine what it would have been like to sit in the presence of Jesus and hear Him teach. He is man and GOD. God was in the room with them that's why he taught, 'as one who had authority.' God is speaking to us now, through His Word. If your life is in disarray. If you relate to the person who built his house on the sand and you feel like everything is falling in around you. If you haven't made a decision to follow Jesus, today is the day. Jesus wants your heart. He doesn't want a perfect person. He doesn't want your strength. Jesus wants you, in all your weakness and failure to come to Him surrendered so He can show you a new path, a new way to live. Stop trying to make it on your own and choose to walk this road of life with Jesus.
Pray with me:
Jesus, I come to you in all my weakness and failures. I leave them all at your feet. Here is my heart. Come into my life and be my Lord. I accept you as my Lord and Savior. I believe you died on the cross for my sins and rose again. I believe you are alive and Lord of Heaven. Come now into my heart, into my life. Lead me in the way I should go. In Jesus' name, Amen.
If you already asked Jesus into your heart:
Jesus, forgive me for trying to walk this narrow road without you. Forgive me for being controlling. Forgive me for trying to live a perfect life without your guidance and thinking, "I can do this." Jesus, I can't do this. I surrender my life to you and ask you to show me the path you want me to walk on. Jesus, I am scared, but be with me and send Holy Spirit too! I want all of you in every area of my life. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Verse 24, all by itself, "“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." If you have been tracking with me, remember all that Jesus has been talking about, 'Treasures in Heaven' (Matthew 6:19), 'Ask, Seek, Knock' (Matthew 7:7), and 'The Narrow Road' (Matthew 7:13). All of these verses are talking about a choice we have, a decision we make. No one can force us, only we can decide to follow Jesus or not. And yesterday we read about how Jesus calls us to be true disciples. I love these verses, Matthew 7: 24-29, because it summarizes chapters six and seven for us. "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine, (What words? These words-"Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.") and puts them into practice, ("but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven" will enter the Kingdom of heaven") is like a wise man who built his house on the rock."
If you hadn't understood all that Jesus has been saying in Matthew chapters six and seven then the verses 25-27 are a perfect picture story to pull everything altogether. Just imagine building your house on the sand, and after one heavy rain storm it crashes down to the ground. That image is anyone of us that tries to live his/her life without Jesus, our Rock. We work hard every day in our own strength building our lives without Jesus' guidance. We think we can do it all on our own. "I've got this," we say to ourselves. But then tragedy hits- someone you love dies, your spouse is cheating on you, an addiction is now a part of your life, your child is mixing with the wrong people, and it feels like everything you tried to do and work to keep life going is slipping out of your hand like grains of sand. When we chose to go this life alone, without Jesus, your 'house' will fall with a 'great crash.' I don't think Jesus could have made it more clear.
Our final verses for the day are, "When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, 29 because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law." I cannot imagine what it would have been like to sit in the presence of Jesus and hear Him teach. He is man and GOD. God was in the room with them that's why he taught, 'as one who had authority.' God is speaking to us now, through His Word. If your life is in disarray. If you relate to the person who built his house on the sand and you feel like everything is falling in around you. If you haven't made a decision to follow Jesus, today is the day. Jesus wants your heart. He doesn't want a perfect person. He doesn't want your strength. Jesus wants you, in all your weakness and failure to come to Him surrendered so He can show you a new path, a new way to live. Stop trying to make it on your own and choose to walk this road of life with Jesus.
Pray with me:
Jesus, I come to you in all my weakness and failures. I leave them all at your feet. Here is my heart. Come into my life and be my Lord. I accept you as my Lord and Savior. I believe you died on the cross for my sins and rose again. I believe you are alive and Lord of Heaven. Come now into my heart, into my life. Lead me in the way I should go. In Jesus' name, Amen.
If you already asked Jesus into your heart:
Jesus, forgive me for trying to walk this narrow road without you. Forgive me for being controlling. Forgive me for trying to live a perfect life without your guidance and thinking, "I can do this." Jesus, I can't do this. I surrender my life to you and ask you to show me the path you want me to walk on. Jesus, I am scared, but be with me and send Holy Spirit too! I want all of you in every area of my life. In Jesus' name, Amen.
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