August 5, 2021Thank you for praying for me as I recover from a fall on sharp rocks last week. On Monday, I had the stitches removed from my left foot and the cuts on my left leg are healing nicely. There are a lot of references to rocks in the Bible and I would like to examine one of them here. In Matthew 7:24-27, the Lord Jesus compares those who heed His words to a wise man who built his house on the rock. Jesus contrasts this wise man with a man who built his house on the sand. He calls the latter foolish, as his house fell when the storm came.
Looking at prior sections in Matthew 7, we see that the Lord Jesus talked about two ways (verses 13-14) and two trees (verses 15-20). Often in life, we come to a place of decision between two paths. It might be choosing a career, a place to live, or some other important path. Yesterday, I got a phone call from Carlo, the owner of the building where our ministry office was located for 27 years. He asked if I wanted our sign, which we left when we moved to 33 rue Principale in Châteauguay in 2019. After I told him that I did not want the sign, I invited him to visit our new location and he told me that he grew up nearby. Although changes like moving an office are not easy, they are often necessary and we are so blessed to now be in the same building (a house built in the late 1800s) as Teddy and Linda Hoare, who also serve with MissionGO.
Dr. Warren W. Wiersbe writes: “From picturing two ways and two trees, our Lord closed His message by picturing two builders and their houses. The two ways illustrate the start of the life of faith; the two trees illustrate the growth and results of the life of faith here and now; and the two houses illustrate the end of this life of faith, when God shall call everything to judgment. There are false prophets at the gate that leads to the broad way, making it easy for people to enter. But at the end of the way, there is destruction. The final test is not what we think of ourselves, or what others may think. The final test is: What will God say?” May we determine to build our house upon the Rock, looking to Christ for wisdom and discernment.
Scripture for the weekend: “For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 3:11 (NKJV)
Thought for the weekend: “We are all faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as impossible situations.” – Charles Swindoll
By His grace,
Steve