Matthew 7:26 (ESV)
²⁶  And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 

In this passage we find Jesus concluding His great “Sermon on the Mount.”  This sermon is the greatest sermon ever recorded because it was preached by the Son of God, the greatest of all preachers.  It is filled with practical lessons for those who are citizens of the kingdom of God.  The wise man is the one who will listen to Jesus and make the proper application of His teachings.  In doing so, he will be building a life that can endure the storms of trials and tribulations that inevitably invade the lives of all.

Not everyone is wise.  Some refuse to listen to Jesus and live by His teachings.  This is especially problematic when those who decide not to live by the words of Christ are citizens of His kingdom.  Jesus describes them as those who build their houses on the sand.  One does not have to be a master builder to know that building upon sand is a very foolish thing to do.

Many things can lead to kingdom citizens not living by God’s Word.  It might be the influence of a false teacher.  That, however, is no justification.  Jesus warns us to beware of false prophets.

Matthew 7:15-18 (ESV)
¹⁵  “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. ¹⁶  You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? ¹⁷  So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. ¹⁸  A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit.

John exhorts us to try the spirits (teachers and preachers of the gospel) to make sure that what they are teaching is from God (1 John 4:1).  If we neglect to do this, we put ourselves in a position to be deceived and led away from God.

Others fail to live by the words of Jesus because they have convinced themselves that it is not necessary.  The number of people who think that the Bible is just a guide that gives us an idea of how God wants us to live, rather than a book that needs to be strictly followed, is growing.  Many in the religious world today believe that to teach that we must follow God’s Word meticulously is legalistic.  They even suggest that Jesus condemned such an attitude.  What they fail to do is give any scriptural evidence for their position.  Do not be foolish by allowing yourselves to be influenced by those who would have you build your house upon a foundation of sand.

Knowing God’s Word is half the battle.  We have seen in recent blogs that the devil does not want us to hear God’s Word because he knows that faith comes by hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17).  Salvation, however, comes, not just by hearing, but by applying God’s Word.  Listen to the words of James and live wisely.

James 2:20-22 (ESV)
²⁰  Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? ²¹  Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? ²²  You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works;

As you wind down for the night, think about these things.