Matthew 7:24 – “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock:

One of the greatest dangers for anyone who loves the Bible is to think that simply hearing the word is equivalent to doing what it says to do. You might say, “Yes, I am in total agreement with the teaching Jesus gave on loving your enemies. I should love my enemies. I must show love to all. Absolutely.” But if you leave and immediately see someone you do not like very much and start gossiping about them, you have become foolish, and your house will collapse because you are not building upon the solid rock of Jesus’ words. There is such a great need to hear these words of Jesus because we are in great danger of being foolish if we conclude that because we are hearing the truth and agreeing with the truth, we are automatically practicing the truth. The wise man not only hears Jesus’ words but also puts them into practice. Therefore his house will stand when the storms come because he is living on truth. Does Jesus see you in this way?

Challenge:

I have no doubt that you want to be a wise person, a person who is capable of standing up under the pressures of this life without compromising your faith, a person who desires to maintain integrity and character even when a troubling situation arises. This can be accomplished only by obedience to the word of God and the teachings of Jesus. The scriptures are a lifeline for you to live by. God gave you His word so you would know exactly how to live in a trying world. Challenge yourself this week by living according to the words of Jesus and therefore being wise in Gods eyes. The temptations of cutting corners to make things easier are all around you. Society tells you to “do whatever is necessary” to get ahead in your career. From a very young age, “only the strong survive” is the message you are being told. The people I look up to the most are the ones who are living their lives to please and glorify the Lord. The ones who are being fair to their clients and their employees. That person who is regularly leaving work on time so they can spend time with their family. I am sure these are the ones God is most pleased with as well. May your week be spent honoring God and His word as you get closer to celebrating the birth of your Savior. God bless you.