Friday, September 10

By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures. Proverbs 24:3-4

Take some time to pray for your house – that is the “rare and beautiful” treasures that are your family. If you have children who are growing up under your roof – ask God to help you establish a solid spiritual foundation for them. If your children are grown – ask God to strengthen their faith. If you do not have children – or live alone – ask God to deepen your own faith and to allow your life to be an influence on others.

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

When Jesus finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.
Matthew 7:24-27

As we close our study of this passage – and as we close our discussion of the entire Sermon on the Mount – one more word deserves attention. I wonder if you noticed it?

Jesus said, “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.”

Practice. What does it mean to put Jesus’ words into practice? What does it mean to practice the Kingdom of God?

Well, first of all, is does not mean that we must put into practice all these teachings in order to receive salvation. The Bible teaches very clearly that salvation is a matter of faith alone (Ephesians 2:8-10). It is because we have received God’s gift of salvation through the grace and forgiveness of Christ that we seek to practice the life to which he calls us!

It seems to me that to put into practice Jesus’ teaching requires some of the same disciplined effort that the practice of other pursuits requires. Think, for example, about a sport like basketball or a musical instrument like piano. You might want to become a better basketball player; you might like to be able to play the piano; but without hours of practicing the fundamental skills of either, usually with the help of a coach or teacher, you will not develop or improve your capacity to play either. Furthermore, without consistent and committed practice – you will not increase your enjoyment of basketball or piano. You will simply continue to miss the shots you have always missed, and you will play the wrong notes you have always played!

But if you dedicate yourself to practice; to learning the fundamentals, to repeating them over and over until they are second nature; you will not only slowly improve your skills – but your enjoyment of the sport or of the instrument will grow dramatically.

The same is true in our faith. While salvation is a gift received by faith, spiritual growth is most often the result of spiritual practice! When it comes to spiritual practice there are three fundamental disciplines we must develop.

1. Reading and studying God’s word. There simply is not substitute for studying God’s word on your own.

2. Spending time in personal prayer. Prayer is what opens our hearts to the work of the Holy Spirit.

3. Investing in mutually encouraging Christian relationships. The Christian life was not meant to be lived alone! We find encouragement when we share our spiritual journey with others traveling the same road.

Jesus is simply reminding us that it is not enough to know his words – we must practice his words. As we put his words into practice we will deepen our own experience of his Kingdom and we will become ambassadors for that Kingdom to those around us!

Close your time with God this week by thanking him for his word and ask him to help you put all you have learned into practice in your life!

Brian Coffey