It doesn’t matter how dark, difficult, or seemingly hopeless things seem to get, God always has a plan.

The story of the Bible is God saving the lives of broken human beings.

It’s a story of redemption.

Without a solid foundation on a rock a house cannot stand.

The foundation is the most important part of any building.

Nothing in the building matters if the foundation is flawed-
-Gold toilets don’t matter with a faulty foundation.

It’s one thing to try to rebuild a building,
It’s another thing to try to rebuild a LIFE.

Jesus wasn’t talking about building a building, but He’s talking about building our LIVES.

Matthew 7:24-27
Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like  a wise man who built his house on the rock. 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. 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. 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.”

Both houses are the same.
The builders are the same.
Both people are the same.
The difference is their FOUNDATION.
Everything else is the same.

When the weather hits, the foundation is tested.

Hearing vs. Listening

Everyone who hears- many are in this group
Everyone who hears and listens.- less are in this group (there’s a desire to understand)
The wise person listens (does not think they know everything and seeks advice of others)
Everyone who hears and puts them into practice- less are in this group

1. The Wise Person Listens

They go seek advice.

James 1:19
My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.

Proverbs 12:15
The way of a fool is right in his own eyes,
but a wise man listens to advice.

Proverbs 11:14
Where there is no guidance, a people falls,
but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.

Proverbs 18:2
A fool takes no pleasure in understanding,
but only in expressing his opinion.

The wisest person in the room usually speaks the least and last.

The foolish person does not listen.

Jesus is exhorting us to listen to His words and not the counsel of the world. 

Learn to listen  

2. The Wise Person Applies the Wisdom

Jesus is really clear, but we DON’T DO IT.

We should do what Jesus says…
We need to become an obedient people

OBEDIENCE to Christ is what truly identifies us as Christians.

James 1:22-23
Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.

Jeremiah 11:6b
…Hear the words of the covenant and do them.

Luke 6:46
So why do you keep calling me ‘Lord, ‘Lord!’ when you don’t do what I say?

3. The Wise Person has The Rock for Their Foundation

“The Rock” is Jesus

Ephesians 2:19-21
So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family. Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord.

Psalm 18:2
The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,
my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge.

Psalm 95:1
Oh come, let us sing to the Lord;
let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!

Psalm 78:35
They remembered that God was their rock,
the Most High God their redeemer.

What does it mean to have Jesus as your foundation?

He is the center of your life.
You trust His words.
You obey His words.
You follow His instructions for living.

Jesus and His commands are the foundation we build our lives upon.

Watching people go through storms and not be moved is the greatest miracle!

Psalm 62:6
He only is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress; I shall not be shaken.

What’s your foundation?
How is your foundation?
Are you a building that started but never finished?

Wrong Foundation:

Destruction
Depression
Devastation
A Huge Mess
Lots of Time Wasted
Lots of Money Wasted
Lots of Emotion Gone

Right Foundation:

The story of the Bible is God saving the lives of broken human beings.
It’s story after story, after story of broken humans who just can’t do it and God comes down and makes a way.
It’s a story of redemption.

But YOU have to decide what your foundation will be.