BUILT ON THE ROCK
A TEACHING FROM OUR KING:
“So everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them will be like a wise man, a far-sighted, practical, and sensible man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell the floods and torrents came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; yet it did not fall because it had been built on the rock.
And everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not do them will be like a foolish (stupid) man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, the floods, and torrents came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house, and it fell—and its fall was great and complete.”
(Matthew 7:24-27)
The urgent question to us is: WHOSE SAYINGS ARE OUR HOUSES BUILT UPON?
Have we built our houses on the sayings of our flesh, false teachings, non-biblical cliches, and false paradigms, the voice of the evil one, or the Words of Jesus?
Let’s start with Jesus’ sayings. There is an old expression that says, “You can’t give away what you don’t have.” You can only build your house on the sayings of Jesus if you know them. That is why Jesus taught us that His Words are Spirit and Life and that unless we eat His flesh (Consume, Learn, Believe, and live by His Words) and drink His blood (Believe that Jesus guaranteed every Word He spoke with His blood.), we have no life in us.
(John 6:53)
BELIEVING IN AND BELIEVING JESUS IS HOW WE ARE SAVED, JUSTIFIED (Found not guilty in the sight of God), PUT IN RIGHT STANDING WITH GOD, AND RECIEVE THE GREAT AND PRECIOUS PROMISES OF GOD.
Even if you know every Word that Jesus ever spoke and can recite them by rote, they will profit you nothing unless you steadfastly believe them.
Without equivocation, I assure you that, in my experience teaching them for three decades, few people know, and fewer believe, Jesus’ teachings. Unfortunately, that includes those who consider themselves to be and label themselves “believers.”
HERE ARE SOME FOUNDATIONAL/CORNERSTONE TEACHINGS FROM JESUS:
SALVATION:
“Then they asked Him, what must we do to do what God requires? Jesus said to them, THE WORK THAT GOD REQUIRES IS THAT YOU BELIEVE IN THE ONE WHOM HE HAS SENT.”
(John 6:28-29)
Note the lack of ANY other qualifiers, i.e., you must repent, confess, be baptized, and sin no more.
“For God so loves the world (YOU, fill in your name here) that He gave His only begotten Son, (became a human being named Jesus and paid the price to forgive every sin we have ever or will ever commit) SO THAT WHOSOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM will never perish but will have everlasting life.”
Virtually all “believers” know that promise from Jesus. Very few believe it. Most believe that Jesus did not really mean “WHOSOEVER.” They strongly believe that there are other qualifications that must be met.
“Because God did not send His Son into the world to judge or condemn it, but that the world would be saved through Him.”
God came to earth to save it, not judge or condemn it. He knows that no human can qualify for anything through their behavior. That is why He PROMISED that the only requirement for salvation and being in right standing with Him is BELIEF. Belief is a choice, not a behavior. It is a choice that leads to behavior.
In the closing statement in the next verse, Jesus reaffirms that God is not in control and has given us free will. Man’s free will, in opposition to God’s will, causes the evil that is in the world.
“HE WHO BELIEVES IN HIM (no other qualifications or behaviors) IS NOT JUDGED. (Confirming that contrary to popular teaching and belief, there is no judgment for those who believe in Jesus) ; but he who does not believe is judged already because he has not believed in and trusted in the name of the only begotten of the Father.”
(John 3:16-18)
“Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life! WHOEVER believes in Me, although he may die, yet he shall live; and WHOEVER continues to live and believes in Me shall never die at all.
(John 11:25-26)
Pay attention to the free will choice God has given us all. We all have the free will to choose whether to believe in or reject Jesus. IF GOD WERE IN CONTROL, WE WOULD HAVE NO CHOICES.
GOD ALSO DECLARED THAT HE IS NOT IN CONTROL TO THE JEWS BEFORE JESUS.
“I call heaven (all that are in the heavenly realm to be witnesses) to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose (FREE WILL CHOICE) life, that you and your seed may live.“
(Deuteronomy 30:19)
ANOTHER CORNERSTONE TEACHING OF JESUS
“DO NOT let your hearts be troubled. You believe in and adhere to and trust in and rely on God; believe in and adhere to and trust in and rely also on ME.“
In my Father’s house, there are many homes; if it were not true, I would have told you, for I am going away to prepare a place for you.
And when I go and make ready a place for you, I will come back again and take you to Myself, so that where I am you may be also.
And where I am going, you know the Way.
Thomas said to Him, Lord, we do not know where YOu are going, so how can we know the Way?
Jesus said to him, I AM THE WAY, AND THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE; NO ONE COMES TO THE FATHER EXCEPT THROUGH ME.
IF YOU HAVE KNOWN ME, YOU WOULD ALSO HAVE KNOWN MY FATHER. FROM NOW ON YOU KNOW HIM AND HAVE SEEN HIM.
Do you believe that? Jesus and God are one and the same. Therefore, no one can come to the Father but by Jesus. THERE IS NO OTHER WAY, I did not say it; Jesus did! Then, Jesus repeated that declaration.
Philip said to Him, Lord, show us the Father, then we will be satisfied. Jesus replied, Have I been with all of you for so long a time, and do you not recognize and know me yet, Philip? ANYONE WHO HAS SEEN ME HAS SEEN THE FATHER. How can you say then, Show us the Father?”
(John 14:1-10)
Jesus was God in the flesh. Every promise and declaration He made was with the Truth, power, and Authority of God almighty, the Great I Am. Jesus is The Great I Am. Still, many refuse to believe His Words.
MORE FOUNDATIONAL TEACHINGS FROM JESUS:
“And Jesus said to them, Have faith in God. Truly I tell you, WHOEVER says to this mountain, Be lifted and thrown into the sea! AND DOES NOT DOUBT AT ALL in his heart but believes that what he says will take place, it will be done for him.”
(Mark 11:22)
“I assure you most solemnly I tell you, if ANYONE STEADFASTLY BELIEVES IN ME, he will himself BE ABLE TO DO THE THINGS THAT I DO; he will do even greater things than these because I go to the Father.”
(John 14:12)
“Give, and gifts WILL(not might) be given to you, good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will they pour into your bosom. (your personal finances) Because with the measure you deal out (with the intent of your heart in giving), it WILL (not might) be measured back to you.”
(Luke 6:38)
“And He said to them, I saw satan falling like lightning from heaven. (Because He threw him) PAY ATTENTION! I have given you authority and power to trample upon serpents and scorpions (the evil one and his minions) and physical and mental strength and ability over all of the powers that the enemy possesses, and nothing shall in any way harm you.“
(Luke 10:18)
These are but a few of Jesus’ breathtaking promises. They are SAYINGS that we can build our Spiritual houses on. Jesus commanded us to seek the Kingdom of God and His righteousness first and promised that if we did, all the things we fret over, crave, and are anxious about would be added unto us.
Seeking His kingdom and righteousness first means making learning, believing, and employing His Words the most important thing in our lives. When we do, we find His peace, health, prosperity, love, grace, forgiveness, mercy, compassion, goodness, joy, and gladness, and our lives change for the better.
I urge you to seek and find more of the glorious Sayings of Jesus to build your house on.
END OF TEACHING
