Dare to Win!

Dear Partner / Friend,                                                                                                   

Greetings in the mighty Name of Jesus!

Our lives are often hit with blackouts of which the Bible defines as The Storms of Life, and if we have not taken the necessary steps to prepare and put things in place according to the Word of God, then we aren’t likely to be able to see what to do, and have the necessary ability to stand in the midst of these Storms.

So, you might want to ask yourself these questions: Are you prepared for the blackouts or storms of life? Are you building your life wisely on a solid foundation?

Matthew 7:24-27 (Amplified Version) - So everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts upon them [obeying them] will be like a sensible (prudent, practical, wise) man who built his house upon a rock. And the rain fell and the floods came and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet 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 stupid (foolish) man who built his house upon the sand. And the rain fell and the floods came and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell and great and complete was the fall of it.

It’s not surprising that Jesus would use this analogy since He grew up in the home of a carpenter (Builder) and knew what was necessary to build a home that would stand up to all kinds of weather, especially storms.

In this analogy, Jesus reveals that there are only two ways in which people build their lives, that is, wisely or foolishly. Notice, there is no middle ground. He declares that obedience is wise and disobedience is foolish. You are either obeying His commands or you’re not.

Please note that the two men in this analogy had a lot in common. Both decided to build a house. It appears that they both decided to build in the same neighborhood, perhaps on the same street. It also appears that when they completed the building of their homes that they both looked solid. Anyone walking by would assume that both would withstand the elements. We could also assume that both men were church-goers because they both heard the Word. And, it sounds as if they both heard the same messages.

Any differences between these two men were not external. You could not spot their differences as long as there was no adversity in their lives. The primary difference in them had to do with something you couldn’t readily see. It was the foundation upon which they had constructed their lives.                                                      

In fact, one of them didn’t truly have a foundation because he had built his house upon the sand. It was only when the storm came that you could detect the major difference between these two men. The “doer” of the Word had a firm foundation capable of withstanding any storm and the one who refused to obey, did not.

The Greek word for “rock” in these verses means “a large expanse of bedrock”. To find “bedrock” means you have to dig deep. It means that you must put forth a lot of effort and you must be willing to persevere.

Building a foundation on “bedrock” doesn’t come easy. A house can be built on sand in a short amount of time, but it takes much longer to build on “bedrock”. The man who builds on “bedrock” is looking for longevity, while the man who builds on the sand is only looking for “quick fix”.

This is the way so many Christians are today. They want what the obedient person has but they’re not willing to do what it takes to obtain it. The quality of your life will be put to the test when the storms come. And believe me, they do come!                                                                                                                                       It’s when the storms come that we find out just how firm our foundation is in the Word of God.

The Apostle Paul tells us: Colossians 2:6-7 - As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith…

Paul tells us how this is done in the next chapter: Colossians 3:16 - Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly… When the Word dwells in you richly, then you become like the man described in Psalm One. Psalm 1:3 - And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water… His roots are deep and he will not be moved when the storms are raging.

Psalm 112:6-8 states, “Surely he shall not be moved forever ..He shall not be afraid of evil tidings; his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord. His heart is established, he shall not be afraid, until he see his desire upon his enemies”.                                                                                                                                    

No matter what comes his way, this man will not be shaken, nor will he be defeated.                Why? His Foundation is firm.

Notice also, in Matthew, chapter seven, that obedience to the Word, whether written or spoken, was what made the difference in these two men’s lives. It’s not enough to just hear the Word, you must obey it. Many times we don’t know what God might ask us to do, but if we want His best in our lives then we must be willing to obey His every command.                                                                                  Anything that God might ask you to do will require faith on your part.

Sometimes even “radical faith”! You might be asking, “What do you mean by radical faith?” Like Abraham when God asked him to offer Isaac as a sacrifice. Like Isaac when God asked him to sow in famine. Or like Gideon when God asked him to go against a great army with only 300 men.                                     Sometimes you have to be willing to do something extreme in order to get your break-through. Uncommon deeds produce uncommon results!

Nothing miraculous or extraordinary ever happens to people who are afraid to “get out of the boat”. It’s those who get out into the deep that see the miracles of God. Psalm 107:23-24 - They that go down to the sea in ships..that do business in great waters; These see the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep.                                                                                                                                                                          

If you need a breakthrough today, then find out what God wants you to do, and obey Him even if you have to get radical with your faith.

 Your partner and friend,

 Ps. Caly

Thank you  for praying for us, and for continually standing with us in Faith, as we see God’s Will unfold in our lives daily! Together we making an Eternal Impact in the lives of people every day!