Working on the Foundation

Read: Matthew 7

"Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock." Matthew 7:24

Examine:

Jesus concluded His teaching in this chapter by putting the weight of the decision on those who heard the message. They would make one of two decisions. Either they would apply what they heard and build on the solid foundation or they would ignore what they heard and continue to build on a foundation of sand. The choice was now theirs.

Apply:

There are four main things I hear from the words of Jesus this morning that I believe contribute to my life having a strong foundation. First, I have to choose my standard of judgment carefully, but I must have a measure of judgment. I will be held by the same rules I apply to others. The same measure of frustration I display to others will be returned to me. The simple answer to this would seem to be that I should never confront anyone about anything for fear of my own person judgment, but Jesus planted a catch in this teaching. He never says don't mess with the speck in your brother's eye. He says get the plank out of your eye and then remove the speck in your bother's.

Second, I must wrap my life around prayer and service. Nothing is a better indicator of my relationship with God than the power of my prayer life and the level of preference I give to others. If I really believe God is who He says He is and I really allow Him access to my heart then my prayers will align with Him and my heart will be given to others.

Third, I must learn to walk against the crowd. Jesus makes it quite clear that the way of God is counter intuitive for man. The gate to Him is narrow. I have to become skilled at seeking, finding, and entering the narrow gate. This will necessitate making choices that others will deem unnecessary or even crazy.

Finally, I must learn to deal in good fruit. Intentions do not count, convictions do not matter and knowledge only serves to condemn. In the end, the only true judgment regarding my life is the fruit I bear. My life has to reflect the life of Christ and the fruit of the Spirit must be the fruit of my life.

Pray:

Father,

My mind is racing in a hundred different directions this morning. It is so hard to find focus right now. The normal pace of my life is insanely quick and the events of this fall have only served to increase it. I ask that You slow me down today. Help me to breath, rest, discern, and then act wisely. There is nothing I will do today that is as important as what I am doing right now. Sitting with You and allowing You to work on my heart will have a far greater impact than anything else I will do today.

You have given me a lot to consider this morning. The main thing I keep coming back to is my attitude with others. As the pressures of my life mount I have a tendency to resent people coming to me for guidance or advice. My patience with people dries up and I become harsh in my responses, attitudes, and demeanor. I confess that to You this morning and release it to You.

Your Word tells me that when I run the race with You my strength will be renewed. I ask that You align my heart with Yours. Help me navigate the events of today with poise, heart, and skill. Help me remove the planks from my eyes so that I can see clearly, temper my reaction to the specks in the eyes of others, and lead me to build only on the solid foundation of Your Word.