ROCK SOLID ON THE SOLID ROCK

Howdy Friends and Neighbors...how's your house holding up? Are you nice and toasty and secure ...as the storm rages...or are you like Popeye the Sailor Man...exclaiming...."Whoa...well blow me down"? Hmmm...I wonder if Popeye anoints with Olive Oyl?

In our last Rambling...we saw that God's church...ecclesia... the gathering of D.B.R. believers...would be built on the heavenly revelation that Jesus is the Son of the Living God. The little stone (Peter) in contrast to the massive rock Petra was the basis for foundation, authority, and the key to victory as the gates of Hades would not be able to prevail against the church...the ecclesia...the gathering of believers in the D.B.R. (Matthew 16:13-18)

The secret for a well built structure is a GOOD FOUNDATION. Many a house that looked good on the surface...when put to the test of the storm...was revealed to have a poor foundation.

FOUNDATION: (1) a founding or being founded=to lay the base of; set for support; to begin to build or organize; bring into being (2) establishment (3) the base on which something rests; the supporting part of a wall, house, etc. usually of masonry, concrete, etc, and at least partically underground (4) the fundamental principle on which something is founded; BASIS.

We are talking about earthly foundations...but as always we related it to the Kingdom of God. The word KINGDOM is from a Greek word...BASILEIA...denoting sovereignety, royal power, dominion. This word is rooted in the word basis....which means footing. A strong footing is a sure foundation. When you go through BASIC training...you lay a foundation for survival.

In this old terrestrial ball...3rd Rock from the sun...good old mother earth...we face many disasters. Earthquakes, storms, floods, hurricanes, tornados, drought, tsunamis, not to mention evil men and demonic attacks.

Recently the focus was on NEW ORLEANS...when the Hurricane blew in...levees broke...streets flood in a city that was built below sea level. The storm was not a surprise...it was predicted...expected...but the devestation was not anticipated.

It's interesting that the City of New Orleans...with it's rich tradition of culture, music, food, heritage, religion...is also a city with rampant sin, debachery, witchcraft, voodoo, crime, corruption and cold cathedrals. The foundations of the city ...are weakened with SIN...but instead of pointing at New Orleans...the pointing finger of our righeous hand...needs to realize that there are three fingers of the hand pointing back to us. "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23)

MATTHEW 7:24-27
This is a story of contrasts. It speaks of two types of people...two types of houses...two types of foundation...and ONE type of storm coming against BOTH.

When Jesus was teaching about LOVE...he says to love you enemies...pray for those who persecute you in order that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. Then He states, "...for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous." (Matthew 5:45-48) The weather elements are the same for Billy Graham and Adolph Hilter.

The difference is PREPARATION OF THE FOUNDATION... and how the house is BUILT ON THE FOUNDATION. Two things...foundation...and building of the house.

Fast forward from Matthew 7:24-29. Jesus is still teaching in reference to those who say they are followers..but don't live the life of a follower. "Many will say to Me on that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in your name cast our demons, and in Your name perform many miracles...and then I will declare to them, I never knew you..depart from me who PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS." Sobering words...and only God will be able to separate who is practicing truth versus a lie. Verse 24 then starts with the word THEREFORE:

NOTE: The Therefore Principle...is used to connect a previous thought. A good rule of thumb is when you see the word therefore...to look back at what was just written...and see what it's there for. Well...
This THEREFORE kicks off the story of the two people...the two houses...the two foundations...the one storm...in connection with the true LORDSHIP OF JESUS. Of course...the foundation is the heavenly revelation that Jesus is the Christ...the living Son of God.

The key is that EVERYONE (just/unjust) has the same opportunity...to HEAR THE WORDS OF CHRIST. NOTE: Usually at this point the non-believer loves to drudge up some point about...what about the people in the deepest, darkest, parts of the world...that have never heard...what is God going to do about them. Don't worry...God will handled them...the question is not about them...but about YOU. You are the one HEARING now...what are you gonna do.

The WISE MAN...who hears the WORD...and ACTS UPON THEM...is the one who BUILDS his house on a ROCK. (1) The rain descended (the same one that comes to the foolish man) (2) the floods came (3) the winds blew (4) the flood and wind burst against the house (5) YET it did not fall...for it had been FOUNDED UPON THE ROCK (The Solid Rock).

THE FOOLISH MAN...hears the WORD...and DOES NOT ACT UPON THEM. (1) The rain descended
(2)the floods came (3) the floods burst against the house (4) the house fell (5) great was it's fall (6) it was built on SAND

It is all based on OBEDIENCE TO THE WORD OF GOD.

"If you abide in Me (Jesus)...and and My (Jesus) words abide in you...ask whatever you wish and it shall be done unto you." (John 15:7)

"If you love me...you will obey what I command." (John 14:15)

"He who has My (Jesus) commandments and keeps them...he it is who loves Me (Jesus) will be loved by My (Jesus) Father and I (Jesus) will love him and will manifest, reveal disclose Myself (Jesus) to him." (John 14:21)

"I (Jesus) am the vine...you are the branches; he who abides in Me (Jesus) and I (Jesus) in him...he bears much fruit; for apart from Me (Jesus)...YOU CAN DO NOTHING.

God initiates the love (He first loved us)....the revelation is from the Father (not flesh and blood)...even in our obedience we can't do it apart from Him...including building our house to stand against the storm.

My hope is built,,,On nothing less
Than Jesus' blood and righteousness
I dare not trust the sweetest frame
But wholly lean on Jesus's name
On Christ the SOLID ROCK I stand
All other ground is SINKING SAND
All other ground is SINKING SAND

(The Solid Rock: Edward Moore and William Bradbury)

NOTE: Jesus can take my righeousMESS...and make it His rightousNESS.

I've checked the Heavenly Weather Channel...the STORM, WINDS, and FLOOD are on their way. How's your FOUNDATION?

Love and Rock Solid Kisses
Rodney "No Sand Castles" Boyd