When we lived in Washington State, we would occasionally get the chance to go to the Pacific beaches. It was quite the trek from the parking lot to the actual beach. The path started out with walking on a solid ground and then turned into sand. The sand was the perfect soft sand. It was really fine. When it was wet it made the best sand castles. That sand got into eeeeeeverything! For days after the trip, we would be cleaning sand out of the car, our shoes, and anything else it touched.
God’s Word says we stand on two types of spiritual foundations: solid rock and sand.
God Dwells within Us
God is not some phantom that roams about or present part of the time in our lives. He dwells within us.
23 Jesus answered, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. John 14:23
16 Don’t you yourselves know that you are God’s temple and that the Spirit of God lives in you? 1 Corinthians 3:16
We have to first understand that the Holy Spirit dwells within us. Is with us 24-7. He never leaves us. No matter how far off the path and into sandy paths we get, he will always be with us. This is important for understanding the difference between rock and sandy foundations.
24 “Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain fell, the rivers rose, and the winds blew and pounded that house. Yet it didn’t collapse, because its foundation was on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and doesn’t act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 The rain fell, the rivers rose, the winds blew and pounded that house, and it collapsed. It collapsed with a great crash.”
Matthew 7:24-27
Sandy Foundation
Jesus tells those who will hear, if you do not listen to my words, you are building your spiritual house on sand. When trouble comes, when the wind and rains of trials come, your spiritual house will collapse.
27 The rain fell, the rivers rose, the winds blew and pounded that house, and it collapsed. It collapsed with a great crash.”
Matthew 7:27
Rain is an interesting form of weather, in fact, the majority of severe weather comes with some for of rain. You can have foggy rain. The kind of rain that really does not fall, it is more like a bunch of water floating around in the middle of clouds barely off the ground. Have you ever walked in fog? WHat about the kind of rain that comes with big huge drops. Maybe even the rain that brings little or big white balls with it? SOme rain is gentle and other it pounds down out of the sky. With rain comes thunder and lightning.
Floods can be very life threatening, especially flash floods. The kind of floods where a whole bunch of water comes down off the higher areas into dry creek beds and this fast moving wall of water rushes down the bed scooping up everything that was lying there on the dry land. Other flooding, when water rises above the banks, can be frightening. The water makes a slow rise above the banks and spills over. We have all seen videos of the devastation floods can cause.
Wind. I have been blessed to live in two places on this earth where the wind has no boundaries. Wind combined with a little rain is often called hurricanes. I have never been in a hurricane, but I have felt hurricane force winds. Wind will uproot everything in its path. We had a chicken coop that was the size of a shed that had gotten blown over by the wind.
Wind, rain, and flooding. What was Jesus saying here? I believe the rain represents our everyday life troubles. They seemingly can be predicted or come out of nowhere, just like rain. Some of our troubles are small, persistent and annoying. Some are of these storms are like hurricanes and completely destroy our lives. Some troubles come up unexpectedly and are overwhelming. I believe the flooding represents that all out life threatening dangers of life: illness, death of a loved one, loss of our job, sin, financial ruin, etc. These sorts of things sweep us off our feet and threaten to drown us. Wind, is the representation of words. Words have great power to build up or tear down. The words that beat against us are the thoughtless words of others, a harsh rebuke, a heartless attack or the cowardly use of words to abuse. The worst type of wind, are the negative, defeating self-talk we subject ourselves to all day.
You put the combination of wind, rain, and flooding together in what I believe they represent and sure enough, our houses are going to be destroyed and swept away. Sometimes we can withstand the storm, but when it has passed, our house falls because the foundation has been swept away. The ravages of a storm can leave the house open with holes in the roof, disjointed doors and cracked windows.
Notice Jesus did not say “if” the storms come. Jesus says WHEN the storms come. This confirms the life of a Christian is not a perfect fantasy of carefree living and no storms. No, Jesus tells us storms will come to our lives. When we build our lives upon sand, there is nothing to anchor the heart to.
Sandy foundations are lives built on changing and shifting emotions, worldly values and morals and there is nothing solid about that foundation to anchor to.
48 He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. When the flood came, the river crashed against that house and couldn’t shake it, because it was well built. Luke 6:48
Jesus tells us as recorded in Matthew and Luke to build on a solid rock foundation and that foundation is hearing him. What does this mean?
Rock Foundations
24 “Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. Matthew 7:24
I always assumed that Jesus was saying build your spiritual house on truth by obeying my commands (Matthew 22:3-14). Jesus commands us to love our Heavenly Father above all things and to love one another. That should build a solid rock foundation? There is a key part of this verse I had always missed:
24 “Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. Matthew 7:24
It is not just simply hearing, but acting upon what he says. The solid rock foundation is a relationship, not just simply obedience. Standing on the rock is not enough! We need to be actively building upon God’s solid rock: His Word, His truth. We need to make a commitment to our Savior.
To be committed to Jesus means we trust him completely. Not when it is good times and life is going great, but in all times! We need an unfailing commitment to him in times of sunny weather and when the rain, wind and floods come. We must not only obey his commands, but also continually seeking him, learning about him, and becoming more like him.
Jesus the Rock
What’s the first hymn or praise and worship song you think of when you think of “rock?” The lyrics likely say something about on this solid rock I stand. What is that solid rock? That solid rock is Jesus. We are the ones who make the choices in how we build our lives and if we stand with Christ, or with the world. When we commit to building our lives on the rock of Jesus, we commit to building upon his teachings and promises of our Heavenly Father. Jesus promises us security, we will be immovable, have endurance to withstand, and it is all held together and given by the love of our Heavenly Father. When God is our foundation, NOTHING can move us.
48 He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. When the flood came, the river crashed against that house and couldn’t shake it, because it was well built. Luke 6:48
We keep Jesus as our corners stones, and we keep the foundation strong by being in his word, inviting him into our day, seeking him in all things and cultivate a foundation built on prayer, worship, fellowship, and growing spiritually. As we grow spiritually, the foundation of our house get stronger and stronger.
What sort of renovations do you need to make today? Seek Jesus for help to be your master contractor. Seek him to help rebuild your life upon a solid rock.
4 As you come to him, a living stone—rejected by people but chosen and honored by God— 5 you yourselves, as living stones, a spiritual house, are being built to be a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 2:4-5
It Starts Small 
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