"Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it. –Matthew 7:24-27

     Does it matter where you build your spiritual house? Modern philosophers espouse the idea of individual morality. This is the idea that right and wrong is determined by each person. What may be right to me might be wrong to another person and vice versa. Jesus likens this belief to the foolish man that builds his house upon the sand. As Christians we should desire to build our houses upon the foundation of the rock, Jesus Christ.

     In the Book of Judges we observe the results of individuals doing that which was right in their own eyes (ex: 17:6, 21:25). During this time in Jewish history we witness many among God's chosen nation turning to the worship of idols and intermingling with peoples that did not believe in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. When the people would foolishly turn from God, they were, in effect, building their spiritual houses upon sand, and judgment would inevitably follow. Today, we are foolish if we think we can somehow escape the righteous judgement of God. It is still vitally important how we build our spiritual houses as individuals, families and churches.

     Who determines right and wrong today? This is an oft debated question in modern society. People often confront ministers and religious institutions, asking what gives them the right to determine the truth. These questions are easily answered when God's word is sought. Individuals do not determine the truth, but God himself. He has given us the gift of His inspired word and has preserved it for many generations. The Bible is the authoritative point of reference for all of us. It contains absolute truth regarding morality and gives us the much-needed foundation upon which to construct our spiritual houses. When followed, we are able to withstand the rains, floods, and winds that oftentimes beat upon our spiritual house.

     When men follow their own notions, trouble inevitably follows. Notice some of the following scriptures dealing with the wisdom of men. Proverbs 14:12 records that, "There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death." Everyone has an opinion about what seems right and wrong but the Bible says that the end is the ways of death. How do we overcome this obstacle? We triumph by adhering to God's way and not our ways. When our philosophies and opinions differ from God's truth we need to abandon ours. Jeremiah reveals the true nature of our heart in Jeremiah 17:9 "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" The old adage of letting your heart and conscience be your guide should be avoided. The Bible states that the heart is deceitful and wicked. We need to measure every decision we make with the standard of God's word. What are you to do if you don't understand God's blueprint?

     The Apostle Paul instructs us to study! He writes us in 2 Timothy 2:15 to, "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." The Bible is a thorough furnisher of good works and gives us the plan to build our house upon a strong foundation. I encourage you to diligently study the Bible. When you are confronted with a difficult passage, seek wisdom from Godly people. You will be blessed in this endeavor.

Friday, December 08, 2006

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Michael Green, Jr. is pastor of Palm Chapel Primitive Baptist Church (www.palmchapel.org) in Crestview, FL. Palm Chapel meets every Sunday at 10:30am and Wednesday at 6:00pm. Pastor Green can be contacted at (850) 689-3383 or by email at pastor@palmchapel.org. Pastor Green warmly invites you to come and worship at Palm Chapel Primitive Baptist Church

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