Tag Archives: obedience

“But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.” (Matthew 7:26-27, NLT)

Most of our personal calamities or failures occur for lack of obedience to Jesus’ teaching. It is not because the calamity is God’s “payback” for our disobedience; rather, it is because we have ignored God’s blueprint, and we discover — frequently in tears — that our own designs and choices are inadequate for the stresses of life.

It is helpful to note that in Jesus’ parable, both houses are beat upon by the rains, and assaulted by the floods.  However, only the house built on a solid rock is able to withstand the events that test our foundation.

When the next storm of life arrives, will your life’s foundation prove adequate? Jesus says, “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock.” (verse 24)  – Luther

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“Jesus entered the temple courts, and, while he was teaching, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him. ‘By what authority are you doing these things?’ they asked. ‘And who gave you this authority?’” (Matthew 21:23, NIV)

There are some things that God requires that confounds the watching world: Love for one’s enemies; forgiveness of those who have harmed us; rejoicing in trial; and hopefulness in adversity.

As a disciple of Jesus, be prepared to answer those who ask: “By what authority. . .?”, because the ways of God are sometimes foreign even to those who inhabit the “temple courts” as the chief priests and elders of the people did in Jesus’ day.  Our “authority” is our heavenly Father.  It is His spirit within us.  It is His word informing our decisions.  We aspire to be like Him.

As many of us were taught years ago by our parents: Resist “peer pressure”; and obey the teaching of the One who created us, and loves us — no matter what and no matter who.   – Luther

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