Matthew 7:24-25, New International Version

“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.”

There are so many people searching for something that will give them hope. Yet, with everything happening so quickly, the sand is shifting and anxiety or fear seems to kick in. If we ever needed it before, we most certainly need it the most now—we need to be rooted in the Word of God! Jesus tells us in Matthew 7:24-25 (NIV), “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.” This rock is Jesus, the Word that became flesh and dwelt among us, the one who ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God and yet sent His Spirit to dwell in the believer so that we would not be left comfortless. Yet there are so many people who stumble and fall because they disobey the message, the gospel. They stumble and fall, deciding that Christianity isn’t for them based upon an imperfect person they expect to exemplify perfect Christianity.

Jesus is the only true hope of the world. When you open your heart to the truth of the gospel, a transformation takes place that won’t happen anywhere else or with anyone else. Looking at an imperfect person and making an eternal decision to not follow Christ is a dangerous decision. The truth of the matter is that we are all imperfect people affected by the sinful nature of a fallen world that is in need of a Savior. If there were “perfect” Christians, there wouldn’t be a need for a perfect Savior. The Bible says, “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21, NIV) Jesus did not sin. He was perfect in every way and became the perfect sacrifice for our sins so that we could be forgiven and redeemed. There is no condemnation in the love of Christ. There is forgiveness, there is freedom, there is hope, there is an eternal glory waiting for us who believe and have surrendered to Christ as Lord.

Satan blinds the mind of the unbeliever. He is the father of lies and has lied from the very beginning. He will do anything to separate us from our Father in heaven, to keep us from becoming the righteousness of God, to keep us from living in the truth of God’s Word and experiencing true freedom, forgiveness, hope, and eternal glory. Even now there is so much darkness and deception happening in this world because Satan knows that his time is short. Every day it gets shorter and shorter.

I want to encourage you, whether you are a believer, or someone who is searching. If you have questions, seek the One who has the answer. Seek for truth in the Word! Find out for yourself through the Word of God what is true and apply it to your life! God Himself tells us in Jeremiah 33:3 (NIV), “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.” As a believer myself, I am still seeking, still learning, still growing. I am sure that will continue on until the day the Lord calls me home. From my own personal experience, during these times in which we live, I wouldn't have this hope if I hadn’t tasted and seen that the Lord is good.