The wise man built his house upon the rock,
The wise man built his house upon the rock,
The wise man built his house upon the rock,
And the rains came tumbling down!
The rains came down and the floods came up,
The rains came down and the floods came up,
The rains came down and the floods came up,
And the house on the rock stood firm.
The foolish man built his house upon the sand,
The foolish man built his house upon the sand,
The foolish man built his house upon the sand,
And the rains came tumbling down!
The rains came down and the floods came up,
The rains came down and the floods came up,
The rains came down and the floods came up,
And the house on the sand went SPLAT!
So build your house on the Lord Jesus Christ,
So build your house on the Lord Jesus Christ,
Build your house on the Lord Jesus Christ
and the Blessings will come down.
The blessings will come down as your prayers go up,
The blessings will come down as your prayers go up,
The blessings will come down as your prayers go up,
So build your house on the Lord!
“The Wise Man and the Foolish Man” by Ann Omley (1948)
Shopping for a new house? Shopping for an old house to renovate? What do you look for when looking at a house whether old or new? Do you inspect what you expect? Do you check out the foundation, the electrical, the plumbing, the roof, the windows?
When inspecting a house, you expect that the foundation is even.
When inspecting a house, you expect that the electrical is up to code and not knob and tube.
When inspecting a house, you expect the plumbing is secure with no leaks or drips.
When inspecting a house, you expect the roof to be sound, that the shingles are not already 25 years old and need replacing the minute you buy the house.
Can you tell I’ve watched a lot of home reno shows?
We really need to inspect the ins and outs of what we expect when we live our life as a Christian, pretty much as we would when we are buying a house.
Upon inspection, is your foundation what you expect,
on an even hard rock or is it a bit wobbly on a sandy slippery slope?
Jesus spoke in the parable, Matthew 7:24-27 “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. 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. 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. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
Proper foundations are necessary. Building your house on the sand means our thoughts are built on the worries and concerns of this world. The everyday distractions and fears that prevent us from trusting in our Lord and Savior. When our thoughts are built on biblical truths, on the promises of God, it will serve us much better than building our house on the sinking sand! A sure foundation, like anchoring to bedrock makes a building withstand the tests. As we follow the Lord, learning to trust and obey Him, we receive a reward: that our “house” is steady and solid, unshaken by circumstances.
Upon inspection, is your electrical system what you expect, hard-wired to God,
or is it shorting out with consuming the things of this world?
Maybe this is the first step. If we first build our thoughts on Christ and focus on His truths and promises, then our lives will also fall into sync. Isaiah 26:3-4, “The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, because he trusts in You. Trust in the LORD forever, for in GOD the LORD, we have an everlasting Rock.”
Read the Bible Consistently. …Spend Time with God in the Secret Place. …Pray in the Spirit Continually. …Thank God for Everything. …Sing Praise Often. ..Pray for People as Often as You Can. …Spend Time with Born Again Believers. …Take Short Breaks to Focus on God. Your mind is one of the greatest gifts God has given you and it ought to be devoted entirely to Him. This will be one of the greatest assets of your faith when a time of trial comes, because then your faith and the Spirit of God will work together. Romans 12:2, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind”. Letting Jesus Christ into your heart, repenting and letting Him control your mind and your heart, your conscience and your will, is the salvation we received when we change the way we think.
Upon inspection, how’s your water-works?
Tears can be cleansing. Tears can be joyful. Tears can be sad. So many things move me to tears, a song, heartache of another person, witnessing happiness, listening to the news. You know God saves our tears and puts them in a bottle. Psalm 56:8 (NLT), “You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.” This shows that not only does God know every single tear you’ve cried, but He keeps track of what made you cry and studies your heartbreak so that He can heal you, comfort you, and give you joy in a way that is just for you. How beautiful is our God! He is telling us He is aware of every tear we cry, and every tear we hold in because of foolish cultural standards, sinful understanding, or the thousands of other reasons we do not allow tears to fall. Whether it’s with sin, depression, loneliness, confusion, loss, doubt, or any other type of feelings you face, God understands, because Jesus felt what we feel. Jesus understands where you are, more than you realize.
Upon inspection, are you concerned about the roof over your head?
Christian or not, we all should be concerned about where we will go after life on this earth is done. Those who are followers of Jesus know that we will have a roof, above all roofs, over our head in the future. We know that Jesus has gone to prepare a home for us in heaven. We will have both a solid foundation and a solid roof. John 14:2 (NIV), “My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?” 1 Corinthians 2:9 (NLT), “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.”
Now that we have inspected our lives and know what God expects of us, we can be assured of His promises, John 14:3 (NIV), “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with Me that you also may be where I am.” 1 John 3:1 (NIV), “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! “
JESUS IS THE PATHWAY TO HEAVEN. John 14:6, “Jesus said to him,“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
JESUS PERSONALLY INVITES US TO HEAVEN. John 11:25-26 (NLT), “Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this . . .?” Revelation 3:20, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him and he with Me.”
When the inspection is said and done and we know what we expect of ourselves
to live a God filled life, it’s a home run!
If you are seeking that life built on a solid foundation, and want that secure roof over your head, turn to Jesus. Pray this little prayer with an open heart, Jesus will hear you and come into your heart.
