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.”
I’m realizing just how important it is for me to hear His voice. I must really know what He is speaking to me at this very moment. Is He saying, “Jim, Be salt and light” or “Jim, Love your enemy” or “Pray in secret”, “Don’t worry”, “Quit judging others”? I must hear Him today or I will just take my best effort and do what I think He wants of me rather than what I have heard Him ask.
Maybe today I’ll read from scripture more slowly, speaking to Him, listening for Him, asking Him show me His desire for today.
Lord Jesus, I want You to lead my life today, to have my being in You, my life in You. I want to hear from You. Then, empower me to do what You have asked. Amen
Jim Shields, Pastor
Sanctuary Ministries – Concord
Jim said it well. I’ll do the same thing.
I always loved this passage and yet when I was younger couldnt really figure out how to folllow through, I guess it was an indicater of my life at the time(stormy).Today however the words sink in so much deeper and I hear not only to listen but have confidence in My heavenly father standing by my side and giving me the strength to be the foundation I didnt have.
Today I will listen for what God is saying to me so that I can continue to build a strong foundation for my childrn…everyday I follow, listen, and obey God the stronger my house will be and I will share with my kids Today how great God is and the miracles he is working in our lives.
Jami – every day you inspire me by your response to these passages. Thank you!
Jim said it very well:
‘Lord Jesus, I want You to lead my life today, to have my being in You, my life in You. I want to hear from You. Then, empower me to do what You have asked. Amen’
Listen and do, but the ‘doing’ only comes from God empowering me.
When I first read this I heard “Don’t be a foolish man.” (Funny–I’m not a man–JK!) The instruction I hear is: Do what you hear. Well, then, along with the rest of you I cry out (as I have been for weeks now) “help me hear You Father!” I will follow–I choose to follow, just help me hear You more clearly. Today as I am ‘stuck at home’ (minor collision yesterday between the staircase and my face!) may I hear Your voice LOUDLY. Today I get to spend the day LISTENING–cool!
ahh . . . He has a way of bringing rest into our lives 🙂
Remove pain Lord. Heal quickly Lord. Reveal the Rock to Suz today and give her Your peace and Your rest.
I see that the man built in the good times. He wasn’t lying by the stream. He was building and paying attention. The rains will come, the streams will rise, the wind will blow and even BEAT on what is built. But if built on God’s instructions, the house will stand. Hope!
“practice” is the word I dread in this passage. i am free, spontaneous, ready and listening. well that is what i say about me and it’s true to a degree.
but “practice,” lingers. it implies ongoing application of one action repeated, connected, affecting and releasing power into the next. Like the pounding of one nail after another rightly placed nail in to 2x4s and soon a framed wall takes shape, then a room, a floor plan takes shape, a house is built.
Jesus reminds me today He has me building something… a house, my life… on a rock, on Him.
Jesus reminds me today “practice” is continuing, repeating, doing it over and over, though it is repetitive. “practice” coming to hear and to do what He speaks for this day, mindful that it is connected with yesterday and tomorrow.
Jesus tells me “practice” though it interferes with other “practices” I would give my foolish self to.
today, i will hear and do, practice by considering the word You speak as the architect of my life. rather than thinking the next word is a random, optional act of obedience, i will hear You guiding wise placement of the hammer and the nail.
today, when i hear Your voice, i will repeat to myself the word “practice,” to surrender my opposition with a vision that you want to build not a moment but a life.
though i may not see the whole floor plan, i will stop to trust and do the “practice,” though rain come down, streams rise, and the winds blow and beat. “practice,” because there is nothing so good for me, for the ones i love, for the world around me as my life built on the rock.
i came here today, it’s a practice.
Pastor Art,
Your description resonated with me, that the house doesn’t get build over night, but by practicing with one nail at a time, not knowing the floor plan, but allowing God to be the architect. I will pause throughout the day today, and listen to hear where to place the next nail. Without His guidance, the house I’d build on my own would certainly crash.
I just went back to complete Life Journal from yesterday (missed doing due to face-plant), and read 1 Cor 13. As I started to read He said “practice love”–“without it, your giftings mean nothing. Overflow out of compassion for others” (as Jesus was “moved with compassion” to heal); He will bring healing through me as I hear and obey and “practice love.”
What jumped out to me was “and puts them into practice”. I am much better at listening than putting them into practice. Today I will try to touch 5 people – by giving them the benefit of the doubt and treating the way I want to be treated. I will try to see them through Jesus’s eyes.
i hear God saying to me Ray,you,ve built a strong foundation strong enough to stand up to heavy storms, so I do not fear life will happen and im ready.
I also near God saying to me now that you,ve got a safe strong home reach out help someone else hear your words. so that they to can be safe in your arms
my do is just reach out to someone in need help them to hear his words
There is nothing more desirable at this time than to hear His voice and trust in His words! This is the priority on my “to do” list today. Hear I am Lord…
If I am to be built on a rock, Jesus says to put his words into practice. Therefore, Jim’s reflection of, “Maybe today I’ll read from scripture more slowly, …” is perfect! So that’s a do, especially for today. I also still need to be looking for prayer encounters from Mike’s message yesterday. (It didn’t happen yesterday)
Jim, you created the perfect segue to report about my visit to downtown Pleasant Hill last Saturday. God had put it on my heart to confront a prejudice that people of our community, by and large, have little or no interest in God. (See the Archive–February 25, 2012 devotion on John 17:20-26.) I spoke with 32 people. Half of them ended the conversation when I asked my first question: What to you believe about God?” The other half that spoke with me answered this and two or three other questions: What do you believe about Christianity and the Church? Where do you turn for answers to spiritual questions? If I could convince you that God is real and wants a relationship with you, would you want more of Him in your life? (This last question was only used if people professed to being atheist or agnostic.) Everyone was respectful and willing to carry on a sensible conversation, particularly when they realized that I was listening to their views about what gave their spiritual life meaning instead of spouting my own. In only two instances was I able to fully share the gospel of salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Only three of the people I spoke with professed a strong faith in Jesus. Only two of the three regularly attended worship and fellowshipped with the same believers in a local church. So what did I learn? The fields are white unto harvest. Pray the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His field (Matt 9:37-38). And, my biases and prejudices were mashed up because there is only too much interest in God however misguided it may be. No surprise there–but it humbled me all the more that the God of the universe has found me, loves me, wants more and more of a relationship with me, and lovingly calls me to do the Father’s will: BELIEVE! Believe instead of judge others; believe that God gives “good” gifts; believe in treating others like I want to be treated; believe that God knows who are the true and the false prophets. People absolutely believe in God, but are so misguided. Here we have a blueprint of identity and obedience that will lead them (us!) to build a solid relationship with God, instead a some shanty built upon the sand. In every instance of Matt. 7, we are forced to confront our willingness to let God be God in our lives, and humbly submit to His will–to believe!
Thanks for the report. Yesterday I was reminded that most fish don’t just swim into the nets, you have to go “catch them”! Yes…it’s harvest time!! Let’s go “catch ’em”! May we relect You well, extend Your love, be bold in sharing Your truths, and “practice” our fishing techniques. Help us as we go, Papa.
Pete, awesome report. Many thanks for stepping out in courageous faith and the needed encouragement and challenge that the fields are ripe for the harvest. Well done!
– Mike Mc
The word “hears” just keeps jumping out at me. Today I will slow down. Today I will really listen to what God is saying to me. Then I will “practice” what I hear.
Wow! That one feels like it nailed me. While reading “Emotionally Healthy Spirituality”, what I kept hearing God say is “You won’t get thru the wall when you don’t bring Jesus inside and keep leaving him on the doorstep of your own home”. This verse has piled on more fuel. Just giving my kids a “good example” by going to church, bringing them to classes, doing good for others is not enough to install a FAITH in my kids. They see us busy with so many things at church, but bringing home the crumbs to them. The crumbs of my patience, my energy, my Faith. God you have given me a great gift in my children and I have not lived up to my job. Sharon has challenged us at least once a week sit down with the kids and go thru a verse and where do you see God. I can start there. Thank you God for reminding me.
Building a solid foundation to withstand the storms, then reach out and help those around us (our children, friends, etc) build their foundations. Sounds like the kind of community I’d like to live in. Count me in the building process! Practice makes perfect!
I hear that I need to pay more attention to the words of Jesus, the Scriptures, taking my life into them and letting them into my life. Jim’s word about reading more slowly resonate with me. I’ll do that this week.
Jim,
Thanks for the simplicity and profound focus–hear Him and look to Him to enable us to do what He says. I love it!
I was walking today with a brother, as he spoke of wanting to be free of his judgmental thoughts we walked past some guys doing simple landscaping–sweeping up dead leaves and planting Primroses. I’m pretty sure I heard and did what Jesus was saying–“Papa, like these guys here, sweep the dead leaves of this judgmental spirit out and replace it with new, beautiful, flowering, Life.” Then I felt prompted to comment to our brother about how Papa designed creation to picture His other creation–grace. Which I did. What a great way to live! Thank you Jesus!
May we each hear His voice and look to His Spirit to enable us in that moment to do what He says.