Strong as a brick house! You remember how the story goes: Three little pigs, one built their house of straw, one built their house of twigs and one built their house of bricks. The big, bad wolf huffed and puffed and blew down the first two houses but when he came to the house of bricks he huffed and puffed and huffed and puffed and huffed and puffed and he couldn’t move the house.
Children’s stories have a lesson to teach if we are smart enough to look for it. Did you realize that story is an example of the believer who is standing on God’s word?
“You believers are like a building that God owns. That building was built on the foundation that the apostles and prophets prepared. Christ Jesus himself is the most important stone in that building. 21 The whole building is joined together in Christ, and he makes it grow and become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in Christ you are being built together with his other people. You are being made into a place where God lives through the Spirit.” Ephesians 2:21-22 ERV
The cornerstone or foundational stone for our lives as believers is Jesus Christ. We are in Him! And in Him, the Spirit of God dwells, so the Spirit of God dwells in us, giving us strength to stand, empowering us for victory.
“Whoever hears these teachings of mine and obeys them is like a wise man who built his house on rock. 25 It rained hard, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house. But it did not fall because it was built on rock. 26 “Whoever hears these teachings of mine and does not obey them is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 It rained hard, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house. And it fell with a loud crash.” Matthew 7:24-27 ERV
Jesus is called the “Word made flesh” so when we accept Him as our Savior he becomes our chief cornerstone. He is the true foundation for our spiritual lives, we become grounded on the rock.
Jesus told Peter that when we build our lives on the knowledge that Jesus is the anointed Son of God that we are built on a rock and death will not be able to destroy us.
“Then Jesus asked them, “But who do you say I am?” 16 Simon Peter spoke up, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
17 Jesus told him: Simon, son of Jonah, you are blessed! You didn’t discover this on your own. It was shown to you by my Father in heaven. 18 So I will call you Peter, which means “a rock.” On this rock I will build my church, and death itself will not have any power over it.” Matthew 16:15-18 CEV
I used to clean a house that had a bad foundation. The soil had not been properly compacted and as the soil settled cracks began appearing in the concrete floor. Some were more obvious than others. As I cleaned I saw the cracks were in every room in the house. I can’t help but wonder about the condition of the house ten years from now. It looks good from the outside but the foundation is compromised. It’s not stable.
When we recognize our need for Christ and accept Him as our Lord and Savior we build our lives on a sure foundation, a rock. We don’t just look good but we are solid to the core.
“You also are like living stones, and God is using you to build a spiritual house. You are to serve God in this house as holy priests, offering him spiritual sacrifices that he will accept because of Jesus Christ. 6 The Scriptures say, “Look, I have chosen a cornerstone of great value, and I put that stone in Zion. Anyone who trusts in him will never be disappointed.” I Peter 2:5-6 ERV
Let me be the first to compliment you. You look like a brick house, you’re solid, unshakable and when you trust the Lord you’ll never be disappointed.