​​​​​​​​​​​As kids we might have played in the sand box or built sands castles on the beach. Some even tried their hand at Lego, later to learn how painful they can be when you step on them barefooted. The point is we are all builders of some kind. Whenever we read the Bible we are building images in our mind: a house on sand or a house built on a rock. The first house we build is on sand, this is the earthly house that we must let the Lord destroy. Matthew 7:26 And every one that heareth these saying of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand. A foolish man let his own thoughts deceived him into thinking he could build on sand without a strong foundation or on the rock, JESUS CHRIST. Matthew 7:24Therefore whosoever heareth these saying of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house house upon a rock.First we see a wise man could hear, he was not hasty to build on the sand, what did the wise man hear that the foolish man did not hear? Because they both heard. Romans 10:17So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.The wise man could could -HEAR-THE-FAITH- because Faith is hearing and hearing is understanding. Proverbs 24:3Through wisdom is an house builded;and by understanding it is established. This wise man used nothing natural or physical to build his spiritual house, nothing from the carnal mind of man: clay, wood, sand which represents a carnal understanding of God's word. Matthew 7:24  Therefore whosoever heareth these saying of mine, and doeth them,him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock. Faith is not a physical act of borrowing large sums of money to build a new Church building an having members caught up in stewardship programs to pay for it and calling it faith. That's called debt. When we read any scripture this is how faith works: Luke 10:26 He said unto him,what is written in the law?how readest thou? When we read or hear any words spoken or unspoken, a precepts is formed in our minds and a precept is a thought. While reading God's word we should pray that God show us His ways, His thoughts and not our own thoughts.Psalm 119:27Make me to understand the way of thy precepts: so shall I talk of thy wondrous works.Because if you do not understand God's way; you will be taught the precepts of man or your own thoughts. Isaiah 29:13Foramuch as this people draw near me with mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men. Now let's get deep! Psalms 119:93I will never forget thy precepts: for with them thou hast quickened me.Every time the Holy Ghost reveals the hidden meaning of God's word we have been quicken from above. The words we receive from above are God's wisdom or substance that is building a Spiritual house in us.  John 6:63It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing : the words I speak unto you, are spirit, and they are life.Psalm 119:50 This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me.Your own carnal thinking on the scriptures will profit you nothing: it has no quickening power, you are laboring in vain for the meat that perishes.[SEE'' HOW WE LABOUR]You must allow God Spirit to afflict those carnal thoughts of the mind or you will go your own way. Psalm 119:67Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word. King David knew the carnal mind had to be chasten or afflicted. Psalm 119:71It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes. The afflictions are not physical but mental. Proverbs 24:3  Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established.  The Churches of today are full of so-called Christian claiming they are blessed, these are the same people that reject God's wisdom for their own. How can God word build a sure foundation in them; when they can only see His word through the eyes of carnal flesh. Job 10:4  Hast thou eyes of flesh? or seest thou as man seeth? Please pray that the Lord does this for you as He did when he quicken Jesus. Isaiah 11:3 And shall make him ofquick understandingin the fear of the Lord: and  he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ear. Notice the word quick? As in quickening  Psalm 107:20 He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions. I Corinthians 15:Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die.The carnal  house built on sand are also the meat that perishes. Those vain thoughts we have all put on God's word must dies or they can never be quickened John 6:27 Labour not for the meat which perishes.Let's us look at this scripture in: 2 Corinthians 5:1 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. A house built on sand, made with hands is earthly and will be washed away and destroyed. Matthew 7:27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell and great was the fall of it.  That house is made with the natural carnal understanding or works of man's hand and not of a deeper spiritual understanding of the of God's word. MICHAEL RUDOLPH HODGES   1/25/2016 / 4/27/2016/ amended 3/18/2021/amended 7/6/2022

A HOUSE BUILT ON SAND