Tag: Matthew 5

Good Foundations & Turbulent Times: MT e56

What did Jesus think about how important His teachings were? 

He who hears these words of mine and does them is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.

The comparison here is your life is a house. Jesus words are a solid foundation on which to build your house.

Why is this important?  “When the rains come ( and they will ) and the streams rise ( and they do ) and the winds blow and beat on the house, (It happens ) it did not fall because its foundation was on a rock.

Good foundations withstand turbulent times.

On Monday, I had referenced some foundation work which needed to be done on my office. Have no doubt, the problem could have been ignored.

Rather than spending the time to fix the foundation issue I could have gone to play disc golf, watched some college football or anything other than fix the problem. I could have kicked that can down the road for weeks or even months.

The result of indefinite delaying the fixing this problem would have been disastrous.  It would eventually be the end of this building. That is the importance of a foundation.

Knowing about the importance of foundations is not enough

Likewise, hearing Jesus’ teachings is not enough.

He who HEARS & DOES THEM is like a wise person . . . building on a solid foundation.

Building your life on the foundation of Christ is It is being righteous in your thought life, being righteous in how you handle anger, being righteous in self-control. This is a solid foundation in Christ. Even more it is honoring God, the Creator, with your life.

Jesus is a Solid Foundation

S.D.G.

Believer You Are Doing Great: MT e45

Sometimes it is nice to receive a little encouragement.  It is always nice to hear a few words that you are doing great. 

Today my hope is to be that encourage for those who are believers in Christ and the focus is going to be on a passage you already know.

In Matthew, Jesus was teaching what we call the Sermon on the Mount. He was addressing keeping law when he said,

“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder’ but I tell you, everyone who is angry without cause shall be guilty.”

Jesus is pointing out an issue with which we all struggle. 

The quote is pulled from a larger section in Matthew 5, dealing with keeping promises, getting even, lust and loving enemies. 

Jesus is taking law and saying, keeping law outwardly is not enough. He is pointing to a much bigger issue. 

The standard is high; VERY HIGH!  We break law in our hearts by pondering sinful things.

Here is the encouragement: Jesus kept the law perfectly for you.  He was absolutely perfect in thought and deed, which means for believers, you are absolutely perfect.  Right now, at this moment.

You are doing great.  You are doing superb.  How do I know this?

3 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. (Romans 8:3-4)

You are in Christ.  You are perfect.  You are doing great because Jesus is great!

S.D.G.