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The first subject is called FOUNDATION. Another name for this subject is “The Parable of Two Houses” or “The Wise Man and The Foolish Man.” We read this parable in Matthew 7:24-27:
“Therefore whoever hears these saying of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock; and the rain descended, the flood came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. Now everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand; and the rain descended, the flood came, and the winds blew on that house; and it fell. And great was it fall.”
TWO KINDS OF MEN:
The Lord Jesus said there are two kinds of men: one He calls wise and the other one He calls foolish
The three things happened to the house : The wind, the rain and the floods beat upon both houses.
TWO KINDS OF FOUNDATION:
The Lord Jesus is saying that every person builds his life here on earth. The house represents our life Jesus says there can only be two foundations in building your life here on earth, Sand (The Foolish Builder) or Rock (The Wise Builder).
SAND AS A FOUNDATION
Sand represents anything that is changeable or that can be changed. Many people are building their lives on business, power (political, military or whatever), money, beauty, physical strength, etc. All these things will change
THE ROCK AS THE FOUNDATION
Can you think of anything here on earth that will never change? None, everything here on earth is subject to change. Therefore, our foundation cannot be anything here on earth.
The Lord is saying that we must build our foundation on the rock that will never change and that ROCK was Christ.” (I Corinthians 10:4)
WHAT ARE THE WINDS, RAIN AND FLOODS?
In verse 25 and 27 of Matthew 7, we notice that both houses experienced the winds, rain and floods. What are these? These are trials, testing and suffering in our lives that are sure to come.
( Hebrews 12:25-27 read: )
“See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven, whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying ‘Yet once more I will shake not only the earth, but also heaven.’ Now this, ‘Yet once more,’ indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain.”
After a storm or an earthquake, does your life in GOD continue? In other words, does your faith in GOD still remain?
HOW TO BUILD ON THE ROCK:
HEAR the Words of JESUS.
OBEY His Words.
Number one must be number one – meaning, step one is HEARING and step two is OBEYING.
HEAR THE WORD OF JESUS:
Step 1 – Enter into the Presence of God:
How do I enter into the presence of God? We are going to read Hebrews 10:19 & 20:
“Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh…”
the Most Holy Place or the very PRESENCE OF GOD. How? Through the blood of Jesus, sins are cleansed and forgiven (I John 17:9). His Son’s blood (Hebrews 9:11-12), made to righteous before the Father (2 Corinthians 5:21). (Psalm 100:4) says, “Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.”
Step 2 – Talk to God:
Now that we are in the presence of God, We need to talk to Him and tell Him all our needs and we must expect Him to answer, because God is our Father.
Step 3 – Listen to God:
The third step is to be willing to wait and listen to God. Many Christians cannot wait on the Lord. And if we cannot wait on HIM, then we cannot hear HIS answers.
The word “waiter” is taken from the word wait. And to wait on the Lord simply means to be like a waiter
(Isaiah 40:31)
“But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles they shall run and not be weary. they shall walk and not faint.”
When we wait on the Lord, He shall renew our strength. When we wait on the Lord, we shall be able to mount up with wings like eagles. The eagles can see the entire forest - meaning we can see what is happening to us from the perspective of God, not from our own viewpoint where we are.
Sample Guideline On How to Hear from the Lord.
Read a portion of the Bible:
Meditate whether the WORD speak of
S – Sin in your life?
I – Instruction or command from our Lord Jesus?
P- Promise given by God?
Build on the R.O.C.K.
R - Repent if there is Sin.
O – Obey if there is Instruction.
C – Claim if there is Promise.
K – Know the Promise by Heart
BE DOERS OF THE WORD:
That is what (James 1:22) tells us. “Be doers of the word not hearers only deceiving yourselves Why deceiving yourselves if you don’t obey? You deceive yourself into thinking you know God’s will.
Foundation: Guide Questions
Who is the foolish man? - One who builds on sand.
What is the meaning of sand? - Anything that changes
Who is the wise man? - One who builds on rock.
What is the meaning of rock? - Jesus Christ is the rock.
How do you build your life on Jesus? - (1) Hear and (2) Obey His Words (in that order).
What are the “wind, rain, and flood”? - They are problems and trials of life.
Why God allow problems and trials in our lives? - So that the things that cannot be shaken will remain
How do we hear from the Lord. - God speaks to us is thru His word, during our quiet time
How do you spend a quite time with the Lord? - Enter His Presence, TALK, WAIT and Listen to GOD
How do you enter HIS PRESENCE? - Blood (Heb.10:19-20), thanksgiving & praise (PS. 100:4).
What are the benefits of waiting upon the Lord? - Renew strength, Mount, Run not weary and Walk not Faint
How do you LISTEN or hear from the Lord? - Meditation R.O.C.K.