For a list of all free video teachings and transcripts in this series, go HERE.
Get the book or e-book to go along with the study. We will be covering 18 teachings this summer by video. The book, however, has nearly all Jesus's teachings in Mark and into Matthew. Get the book or e-book at Amazon by clicking HERE.
HERE is the full video for Teaching 6 titled A Key Question to Consider During All Life's Problems (With the Parable of the House on the Rock). A written transcript is right below the video again, if you prefer reading through it. Enjoy...and I would love to hear any feedback/discussion you have by commenting here, on facebook, or by sending me a message on facebook.
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I don't think I am the only one who -- well - I can think back on my life, and I can think of times when I let a lot of distance get in, in my walk with God, and some storms came through, and I did not handle them well, and they almost took me down. And I can tell you when I stay close to him – anything can happen – and I can handle it so much better, because I know he is navigating through the storm.
Get the book or e-book to go along with the study. We will be covering 18 teachings this summer by video. The book, however, has nearly all Jesus's teachings in Mark and into Matthew. Get the book or e-book at Amazon by clicking HERE.
For a list of all free video teachings and transcripts in this series, go HERE.
--------------Transcript -------------------------
Today is Teaching 6, Video 6.
In the book we are on Day 19, and we are
starting in the parables for the videos. Actually the parables
started back on Day 14. I am going to be covering 5 parables in these
videos. Many more are covered in the book. We are on page 109 if you
have the book. The parable of “The House Built on the Rock vs. The
House Built on the Sand.” This is a pretty popular parable. If you
have studied the parables at all, then I am sure you have heard of
this one before. Let's see what we can get out of it for today, for
us.
I am in Matthew 7:24-27. This is Jesus
speaking. “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them
will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.”
Ok, we are following the same theme
again. Remember in the last teaching, Jesus was in the house and he
said, “Those who are learning and listening from me, and applying
it, and doing it – they are like my brothers and sisters and
mothers.” And now he's saying, “Those who hear the words and do
them, it is also like they have built their house on a rock.”
So what does that tell us, right there?
When we stay close to Jesus, we are like family, and he puts us in a
strong house – strong foundation.
Let me start over (with the reading of the passage.)
“Everyone then who hears these words
of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on
the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew
and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been
founded on the rock.
And everyone who hears these words of
mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his
house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the
winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was
the fall of it.”
In this teaching itself, Jesus is
saying that those that hear me and do, those that hear the word and
apply it, and follow it – they are in a sturdy house. Obviously
this means that when the troubles come, when hard times come, we are
more likely to be able to weather those problems, and face them, and
go through them. Obviously when we don't listen and follow through.
And that is important – it's not just listening. It's not just
hearing. It's not just reading. It's not just going to church and
hearing the message. It is applying it – applying it –
that is what makes the foundation firm.
So for those of us who have been
walking with God for awhile, how does this apply to us? Well, here is
the way I like to think of it. I like to think of it as – we have
a nice strong house based on a nice strong walk. But we also have a
vacation house on the sand, on the beach. And you know what? That
vacation house – oh it looks so relaxing! It looks tempting! We
can just move over there for awhile. And we do sometimes.
We have times when we are closer to
him. And then we have times when we let distance grow, or there is
something we know we need to be following through on, and we don't.
And the minute we do that, we move ourselves into the tempting
vacation house – the vacation house that when the storm comes –
whoosh – we don't weather it very well. We are less likely to
weather it, and we may even lose things, we may even lose something
in that house.
When we allow ourselves to go through a
time when we are not listening or applying what Jesus taught, it is
as if we move into a vacation home for a time – a vacation home
that is built on an inferior foundation of sand.
Now, of course – what is wrong with
having a vacation house? I am just using that as an example. Sure! Go
to your vacation house! But take Jesus with you. He will strengthen
that house too.
Now the storms come to both. The storm
came and whipped up the house on the rock, and the storm came and
whipped up the house on the sand, on the beach. But only one stood.
Only one made it through. I also think today of our families. Because
who lives in the house? The family lives in the house. So part of
this applies to us making sure that our families – that we are
passing down the strong foundation, and that we are teaching them how
to make their foundation secure, and how they can be close to Jesus,
and how they can have this protection, as well.
I don't think I am the only one who -- well - I can think back on my life, and I can think of times when I let a lot of distance get in, in my walk with God, and some storms came through, and I did not handle them well, and they almost took me down. And I can tell you when I stay close to him – anything can happen – and I can handle it so much better, because I know he is navigating through the storm.
Reflections –
Think about – when was the last time
that you weathered a terrible storm in life? Or maybe even you are
weathering one right now. Ask yourself – How did you react during
that storm? Or during the current storm?
This has helped me so much – When you
have a big problem and a big storm in life, or any kind of problem in
life that you need to solve, or figure out, or resolve – this is a
question you can ask yourself to help determine if you are responding
well to that problem. Ask yourself, “Is the way I am handling
this problem, is it bringing me closer to God? Or is it pushing me
further away? Are my actions bringing me closer, or further? Likewise, if you have two paths or
multiple paths that you can take to solve a problem, choose the one
that will bring you closer to God,the one that will keep you in that strong
house on that strong foundation.
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Get the book or e-book to go along with the study. We will be covering 18 teachings this summer by video. The book, however, has nearly all Jesus's teachings in Mark and into Matthew. Get the book or e-book at Amazon by clicking HERE.
For a list of all free video teachings and transcripts in this series, go HERE.