The House on the Rock
After living in their house for several years, my friends realized that their living room was sinking—cracks appeared on the walls and a window would no longer open. They learned that this room had been added without a foundation. Rectifying the shoddy workmanship would mean months of work as builders laid a new foundation.
They had the work done, and when I visited them afterwards, I couldn’t see much difference (although the cracks were gone and now the window opened). But I understood that a solid foundation matters.
This is true in our lives as well.
Jesus shared a parable about wise and foolish builders to illustrate the folly of not listening to Him (Luke 6:46–49). Those who hear and obey His words are like the person who builds a house on a firm foundation, unlike those who hear but ignore His words. Jesus assured His listeners that when the storms come, their house would stand. Their faith would not be shaken.
We can find peace knowing that as we listen to and obey Jesus, He forms a strong foundation for our lives. We can strengthen our love for Him through reading the Bible, praying, and learning from other Christians. Then when we face the torrents of rain lashing against us—whether betrayal, pain, or disappointment—we can trust that our foundation is solid. Our Savior will provide the support we need.
Heartache
Have you ever done one of those “which are you” online quizzes? Ones like “Which celebrity are you?”, “Which movie should you be in?” or “What’s your personality type?”
I was killing some time doing one when it asked: “What do most people not know about you?” The list of options it gave didn’t fit with what came to my…
Volcanic Anger
It blows up. It melts everything in its path. Its blast is as powerful as a nuclear explosion!
Well, maybe not—but anger can feel like a volcano when it is aimed at someone close to us. The moment may be over quickly—but angry blow-outs can leave a lot of lasting pain behind.
It’s sad that the people closest to us…
Will I Have to Tell?
James was talking about Jesus with Kerri. He told her she was cut off from God because of her selfishness, and that Jesus had died and risen to make her part of God’s family again. She kept coming up with one reason not to trust Jesus for herself: “But if I do trust Him, I won’t have to tell other…
Upside Down
If you were to ask me who I am, I’d tell you that I’m a Christian. Following Jesus is my identity. But I have to admit, at times following Him is a real challenge. He tells me to do things like rejoice when I’m hated (Matt. 5:11-12); to turn the other cheek (vv.38-39); to give to people who want to…
No More Struggles
Fay Weldon went through what she thought was a near-death experience when an allergic reaction stopped her heart. When telling her story, she said that a “terrible creature” tried to pull her through pearly gates—while doctors tried to pull her back to life. Later, she said, “If that was dying, I don’t want to do it again. It’s just more…
Welcome!
His face was grimy; his hair long and dirty. Beer stained his clothes and stank the air out around him. When he stepped into our church one Sunday morning, we ignored him. We were amazed when the man approached the stage, took off his wig and began preaching. That’s when we realised he was our pastor!
I don’t know about…
Fear and Love
I remember two of my school teachers really well. One was loved by our class, but only because we could do what we wanted. And we never needed to listen to her because she never gave detentions! The other was pretty scary. He knew how to keep control, to discipline and to make us focus on our work. But, actually,…
In the Dark
I’ve always thought that I could get through just about anything if God told me how things would work out ahead of time. I believe that “in all things God works for the good of those who love him” (Rom. 8:28), but I’d do a lot better in dark times if I knew exactly what the “good” would end up…
