Scripture

“Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock.”

Observation

If we listen to Jesus and follow His instructions, we will be wise. This is like someone who builds a house on solid rock. Even when storms come and flood waters rise, it will stand firm.

A person who he hears Jesus’ teaching and does not follow it is like the person who builds a house on sand. This house collapses when the weather turns nasty.

Application

To have a life that prospers and stands resilient in the storms that beset us, we need to build it on the solid foundation of obedience to Christ.

So many people build their lives on bad foundations – like feelings, security, family, human ideology or philosophy and so on. These things are not strong enough to withstand the crises and problems that are inevitable. It is no wonder that marriages are fragile, that society is fractured, and people have no sense of direction.

We must determine in our hearts to follow Jesus in all things. Put God at the top of our list, love for family and friends (even our enemies) next, then we will go a long way to being successful and stable in all of our ways.

Many business people follow the principle of tithing even though they are not christians. God blesses these people because they are building on a solid foundation.

Build your life on Christ. Seek first God’s Kingdom and everything else will come to you.

Prayer

Lord, I want to build on the rock. Show me what I need to change in order to do this. Amen

Scripture

“Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves. You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act.”

Observation

We must be wary of false prophets who look like sheep, but are actually wolves. You can judge them by their fruit, like a tree is judged by its fruit. You can judge people by their actions.

Not everyone who calls Jesus “Lord, Lord ” will enter the kingdom of heaven. They will say they prophesied and cast out demons in Jesus’ name, but He will say,”Go away; I never knew you.”

Application

A false prophet is not somebody who sometimes gets a prediction wrong. A false prophet is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. That is, a false prophet is not really a servant of Christ, but a tool of the Devil.

Jesus tells us that we can judge such people by their fruit. The chief among these is whether they draw attention to themselves or to Jesus.

There are many people in various ministries who profit from their position. They are in ministry for selfish reasons – money, power or glory. Such people will do everything they can to promote themselves and to increase their own gains at the expense of the people they are supposedly ministering to.

A prophet who charges for his words, or who invites people of the opposite sex for private sessions, or who promotes their own ministry, is a wolf. Stay away from such a person.

Prayer

Lord, please give your church the discernment to tell the genuine prophets and pastors from those who come to devour the flock. Amen