Everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell--and great was its fall" (Matt 7:24-27).
It is no surprise, then, that Satan started his assault on God and His creation with "Did God say ...?" Question authority? Maybe. But it doesn't really take a bomb here or fire. Erode the foundation. If the one positive thing we can know is that which God tells us is so and you can erode the one positive thing we know, we're living in a house of cards, the foolish man's house, ready to collapse at the slightest breeze or the first rain.
Satan's attack hasn't changed. It is still "Did God say ...?" In the garden he relied on Eve's memory (and how well she listened to Adam). Today it isn't a matter of memory. We have God's Word in writing. To "Did God say ...?" we merely have to reply, "Hang on a minute ... I'll look it up." Of course, it's not that simple, is it? "Did God say that its a sin to run a red light?" No, of course not. You have to read what He did say and interpolate. "Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves" (Rom 13:1-2). Do the math. Authority says, "Red light: Stop!" We would be required to stop. Not merely because they said it, but because "whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God". And opposing the ordinance of God is ... you got it ... sin. Still, the answers are there.
Satan still hasn't changed. From one side you'll hear, "That ol' stuff? It's man-made. It's poppycock! Don't listen!" ("No, God didn't say.") Another side will tell you, "Well, sure, maybe He did, but who can really know what it all means? Or what any of it means? It's legend, myth, exaggeration, culturally informed gobbledy gook. Maybe God did say, but we can't say what." ("Maybe, but who knows?") Or you'll hear, "Sure, it's God's Word, but it's wrong to be certain that you understand it. Do your best. Make sure it aligns with what you know to be true rather than simply what it says. That would be nonsensical. Don't go by hunches!" ("Yes, but don't be too sure.")
How do those kinds of disasters occur? Eroding the foundation. Eroding the foundation of God's Word is Satan's favorite tactic. Jesus, on the other hand, assured us that building our house on His Word by hearing and acting on it produces a solid foundation. Don't let the eroding forces, launched originally by Satan and perpetuated by His "children", allow that firm foundation to erode your footing.
Get on that firm footing. Build your house on the foundation. Fight the erosion. Stand on the solid rock. Recheck your footing every chance you get against that foundation. Daily is good. More is even better. Memorize it. And don't be afraid of it. "Did God say ...?" We know where that lie comes from.
5 comments:
Running a red light is not a sin in the same way that the ceiling joists do not rest directly on the foundation. In the house you show, with no foundation, it appears that the joists are all secure, and if you didn't mind walking around leaning to one side inside the house, and your pot sliding off your stove etc., and you never looked out the windows, why, I can see how living in that house would be just fine.
Actually, it looks like a very well-built house, considering it held together after falling over. I guess that illustrates the problem, doesn't it?
As someone who has spent 25+ years repairing houses with bad foundations, I've always appreciated this verse. One thing that is interesting is that one way to do soil correction up in the great white north, is to remove the bad topsoil and replace it with compacted sand.
My brother-in-law is a contractor. He tells me that compacting sand isn't easy. I mean, it's easy, but it has to be done just right. Oh, and that's not the end of the process. :)
It's not easy, but it can be done.
Post a Comment