Love Letters | Instructions

“Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is like a wise person who builds a house on solid rock.” Matt. 7:24

Two guys: Hal and Sal. Hal’s a boastful know-it-all. If you took a trip, he took a better one. If you learned a new skill, he’s better at it. He shows up at church once per quarter, critiques the pastor’s sermon, frowns through the musical portion, and then waves his fat Bible around like he wrote it. Sal has less education and fewer talents, but he loves the word of God. His tattered Bible wouldn’t survive waving it around because the pages would fall out from overuse. He loves to come to church to serve and be fed from the pastor’s sermons, worship through the music, and live what he learned the rest of the week. Hal and Sal stand in the same row at the same church, but when temptation, testing, or tragedy hits, which one will still be standing?

In this day of information overload, we have more exposure to truth, solid teaching, and Bible versions than ever before in history. Especially if we were raised going to Sunday School, we may have a storehouse full of Bible facts that once won us a gold star or a lollipop. We might know the books of the Bible, the kings of the Old Testament, and the Sermon on the Mount—but so does Satan. Bible knowledge is not a sign of spiritual maturity. It has no benefit to us if we don’t build our lives on it. Hal and Sal may have stood inches apart, but the gulf between them was the Grand Canyon. Hal used God’s word to boost his ego. Sal let God’s word change him. Unless our lives are built upon the solid rock of scripture, we’re only Hal waving a Bible.

Final Thought:

Hearing biblical teaching cannot help us when storms come unless we have built our lives on it.

Prayer:

Father, I’ve learned a lot of Bible facts over the years, but I’ve not done so well building my life on them. Some things in your word I don’t want to do, but those are the areas where Satan defeats me. I’m ready to build my life on your word. Amen.