Mathew 7
24 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like aa foolish man who built his house on the sand.27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”
Before you can even begin to build a foundation you need to orient yourselves in the world.
Who Am I? Where am I?
Who you are, orients you in the world. Who you are, will determine how you read and understand the scriptures. It will determine how you interpret the world and the things around you, as well. Your identity is your compass. Your Rock.
Let’s take a look at map, for example. You cannot figure out how to get to where you are going unless you know first, where you are. A map is essentially useless if you don’t have a starting point. You will never get to your destination.
Orient yourself.
Understand your identity.
Who you are changes the meaning of what you read or what you perceive or what you hear.
The sand that this house built on is what everyone else says that you are. The worldly advice. The worldly identity. Here one moment, and gone the next. Constantly changing, like the ocean waves.
Let’s take this verse for example:
Mathew 7:7
7 y“Ask, zand it will be given to you; aseek, and you will find; bknock, and it will be opened to you.
If we read this without understanding who we really are, it can come across as a petition or request. Do we really believe that we can ask God for the things we need and he will grant them to us? Maybe? I hope so?
Why is it so hard for us to truly believe? Because it comes from a place of misplaced identity where we don’t know who we are. Almost, like we “hope” he hears us there in heaven. And if he so desires He will give us what we seek. This is coming from a perspective of God being far away and distant. God is a stranger. Why is He so far away, distant? Much like the map, we don’t know where we are, we don’t know were to start.
If We don’t know who we are. so how can we expect to know God?
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who rdoes the will of my Father who is in heaven.22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
Once you establish your orientation or identity. It cannot be shaken. It is a rock. Nothing can move it. Then you can begin to build your foundation and nothing can shake you.
So, who are we?
1 John 3:1-2 (ESV)See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.2 Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.
John 1:12
12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
and Jesus said
Matthew 6:9
Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy.
Romans 8:17 Amp
And if [we are His] children, [then we are His] heirs also: heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ [sharing His spiritual blessing and inheritance],
So who are we?
We are the Sons and Daughters of the Most High GOD!
Yahweh is our Father
We are co-hiers with Christ
We are God’s Family, his children.
Let’s read that first verse again with an understanding of who we are and what authority we have. Remember we are the son’s and daughter’s of the Most High. He is our Father.
Imagine, for a moment your father is the President of the United States and he says this to you:
7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
Whoa. Feel that power? That authority? I would have a million questions like “Is Area 51 real? What’s it like in Air Force One?
How much more so that our father is the Most High. The Ultimate Authority. There is no one higher.
8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him ca stone?10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent?11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will zyour Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
Our identity in Christ is the rock. We are the sons and daughters of the Living God. And he is our Father. We are family. Jesus came to restore his family.
Now build your house on that rock. Hear the words and do them as sons and daughters of the Most High.
24 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.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.27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”
Read the following with that rock mindset. Build your house on that rock.
Matt. 28:18
18 Jesus came up and said to them, “All authority (all power of absolute rule) in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations [help the people to learn of Me, believe in Me, and obey My words], baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always [remaining with you perpetually—regardless of circumstance, and on every occasion], even to the end of the age.”
Mark 11
22 And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. 23 Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. 24 Therefore I tell you, pwhatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. 25 And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”
Get to know your Father. Spend time with him. Study the scriptures. Know who you are.
Learn to read the bible as a message from our Father and not as a relic or set of rules. Yahweh is sending you a message.
Proverbs 25:2 – It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out.