Monday, September 24, 2018

 

One of the downsides to living in the Southeastern part of the United States is dealing with hurricanes. Having said this, if you live on the West Coast, you have to deal with earthquakes and if you live in the Central region of the country, you have to deal with tornados. All these scenarios pose a problem. It is never an issue of if, but always an issue of whendisaster will strike; it really makes no difference where on the planet you live. The same is true concerning your life. It is never a matter of if the storm will strike. It is always a matter of when the storm will strike. This is unavoidable, and mind you, I am referring to financial, relational, physical, emotional, and spiritual storms.

 

“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.” Matthew 7:24-27 

 

According to Jesus, it is not a matter of if the storm comes, it is a matter of when the storm comes. We are not exempt from the storms life throws our way simply because we are believers. No matter what storm comes your way, be it financial, in your health, your home…being a believer is not enough to save you. What will save you is putting God’s word into practice.

 

In Jesus’ illustration, we see two kinds of people. One builds their life upon hearing the word of God but does not put it into practice. When the storm hits, their life crumbles because what they knew was not enough to save them. Then there is the person who listens to the word of God and puts what they hear into practice. They too were hit by the storm, and when the storm hit they were able to withstand it.

 

Both heard the word of God, both built houses, and both were hit by a storm. The only difference between the two is that one applied what they heard and the other did not. It is not what we believe that saves us from the storms of life; it is what we do with what we believe that will save us from the inevitable storms that life throws our way.

 

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? – James 2:14 NIV