"Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock" (MATTHEW 7:24).
Fine architectural design and colorful painting may add beauty and aesthetic value to the external look of a building, but the durability of the structure is determined by the strength of its foundation. The capacity of any building to withstand certain climatic pressures - the wind, the rain, and other storms, lies on the quality of the foundation.
Practical obedience to God's word, not just hearing it, is comparable to building a house upon a rock. Superficial Christianity is like a pack of cards that crumbles. So also is a building that has no solid foundation. Christianity is not an assembly of mere professors of religion but of regenerated people empowered to obey the word of God. Jesus said unequivocally that "whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them..." (verse 24), will survive the storms of life that is the lot of all men the world over.
The Christian journey is not a bread and butter affair. The rain, flood and winds of every day life might descend upon our Christian life by way of trials and temptations. When it does, will you stand or fall? Our responsibility as believers includes assisting others to watch over their lives to ensure conformity to the standard of the word of God. We must do so as we heed the noble words of Apostle Paul: "But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway" (1 Corinthians 9:27).