“Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash” (Matthew 7:24-27 NLT).
One of the things I’ve learned about being a Christian is that faith never prevents an attack from coming, but it does prevent an attack from having a lasting effect. We’ve all been through challenges. All you have to do to have a test or trial show up on your doorsteps is just be alive on this planet. It’s just a fact of life that we live on a planet that’s ruled by God’s enemy, the devil, and he hates everybody. His job description is to steal, kill, and destroy.
As Christians, that shouldn’t scare us. We just need to realize that the trials of life will come to everyone. But our confidence, security, and faith are in knowing that Jesus whipped the devil and gave us authority over him and all his works. The keys to overcoming every challenge are having faith in God and in His Word and being a doer of the Word. Those keys are the anchor that’ll hold us steady through every challenge. When we determine to be a “hearer” and a “doer” of the Word, then even when storms come and beat violently against us, when they subside, you’ll still be standing!
Men, let me say this, the most important thing you can do as the head of your family is to respect and honor God and His Word first and foremost in your life. Every successful marriage, home, family, and life will only have long-lasting success if it is built on being a hearer and a doer of God’s Word—period. Determine to build your life, marriage, family, and career upon the Rock!
The Take Away:
One of the things that we need in the world is strong, godly men who will respect and honor God’s Word and learn how to love, lead, and provide for their families. Men aren’t born knowing how to do those things automatically. It comes through teaching and training, and God gives a lot of instruction in His Word on how to develop those areas. Start with reading through the book of Proverbs. It is called the book of wisdom and gives a lot of practical instruction for daily living.
