The Wise Or Foolish Builder | Previous Challenge Entry

how it works

TITLE: The Wise Or Foolish Builder | Previous Challenge Entry
By Doug Laird
01/24/24
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Matthew 7: 24-27 speaks of how an individual can choose between laying a foundation and building a soul structure that will collapse when put to the test, or building one that will see him through the storms of this life, and more important, get him or her through the gates of Heaven when this life is over.

One structure has false teachings as its foundation. A false teaching is one that does not identify faith in the Person and the atoning Work of the Lord Jesus Christ as the one and only means of obtaining eternal life (1). A false teaching is also one that adds further requirements, promoted as necessary, to either obtain or to retain salvation.

In addition to a defective foundation, such soul structures have human viewpoint and erroneous religious teachings as it’s building materials. Such things set the stage for a collapse during the storms of life here on Earth (2). Worse yet, it sets the stage for eternal condemnation (3).

“There is a way which seems right to a person, But its end is the way of death (Proverbs 14: 12 NASB2020).”

The other type of structure, has as its foundation, the unadulterated Gospel Message, encapsulated in John 3: 16, 18, and accurate Bible Doctrine as its building material.This structure will see one through the storms of life here on Earth, and more important, through the gates of Heaven (4) when life here on Earth is over.

Our chosen soul structure will become our base of operations from which we will inevitably make our moment to moment, daily, and ongoing choices.

Scripture (5) teaches us the value of meditating day and night on the Word of God. Such meditation calls for taking into consideration and applying the principles of the Word of God to ALL that we think, do, and say, as we go about our daily activities.

Being caught up in a situation in which we find ourselves not knowing what to think, do, or say, is God’s way of reminding us of our ongoing need to grow in the knowledge of His Word (6) BEFORE the need arrives.

We can not apply what we do not know. Being in the middle of a crisis
is not the time to go looking for answers and solutions. It is the time to apply what we (should) have already learned.

Having the knowledge of what the Word of God has to say, but then choosing not to apply it (7), will not only fail to correct or address any given situation, but can open the door to receive divine discipline (8) for our willful disobedience.

Making frequent 2Cor. 13: 5 inspections is what maintains the integrity of a Biblically edified soul structure, removing any defects (false doctrine/ungodly human viewpoint) that we have allowed to become a part of our thought and decision-making process.

We can become upset with God, asking why it is that He is not giving us the answers or solutions we need, when in fact, it is we, through neglect or indifference, failed to learn and store away the needed answers and solutions BEFORE the storms of life hit us.

Whatever a born-again believer does not learn by building, maintaining, and applying a Biblically-edified soul structure, will be learned the hard way, through negative experience that God sends or allows to take place.
. . .
One is connected to the correct source of guidance (9) and the enabling power (10) to become an advancing disciple on the day he or she is born-again (11) and sealed (marked for identification) as a child of God, by the work of God the Holy Spirit (12).

There should be no need to pray for answers or strength that we (should) already have.

One of the rewards of having a prepared and edified soul structure, is to have immediate and correct answers and solutions to whatever adversity life can throw at us.

One of the consequences for not having an edified soul structure, is to experience the silence of God in the midst of great adversity, as we struggle to endure the hardships of life, with nothing but our limited human resources to work with.

In closing, keep in mind the conditional phrase “and acts on them” of Matt. 7: 24. Having an edified soul structure will not do you any good if you don’t make use of it (13).
_____

(1) John 14: 6 (2) Matthew 7: 27 (3) Revelation 20: 15 (4) Romans 8: 1 (5) Joshua 1:8 (6) 2Peter 3: 18 (7) James 1: 22 (8) Hebrews 12: 6 (9) John 14: 26/2Tim. 3: 16 (10) John 15: 5 (11) John 3: 5 (12) Eph. 4: 30 (13) James 1: 22

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