From the Pastor's Desk

 

The Teachings of Christ

²⁴ “These words I speak to you are not incidental additions to your life, homeowner improvements to your standard of living. They are foundational words, words to build a life on. If you work these words into your life, you are like a smart carpenter who built his house on solid rock. ²⁵ Rain poured down, the river flooded, a tornado hit—but nothing moved that house. It was fixed to the rock. ²⁶ “But if you just use my words in Bible studies and don’t work them into your life, you are like a stupid carpenter who built his house on the sandy beach. ²⁷ When a storm rolled in and the waves came up, it collapsed like a house of cards.” - Matthew 7:24-27 (The Message)

This year we are going to be studying the teachings of Christ. According to this scripture, if we hear His teachings and apply what we hear, we can build a life that will be successful. It is so important though that we consider how we listen and change some of the bad habits that we have fallen into over the course of our lives.

When it comes to the teachings of Christ, we cannot listen thinking about others. Far too many of us listen to messages and read the scripture, thinking, I wished this person or that person could see or hear this. It would help them so much. You are not responsible for that other person. And you hearing it will not do them any good. But, you have an opportunity to listen and see for yourself and to apply what you hear to your own life.

Too many times we only listen to justify what we want to do or where we are in our lives at that particular moment. We study with our different perspectives of what we are studying, rather than just openly and honestly asking God to show us something in His word that will make a difference in our lives. If you are only listening and reading to re-prove what you think you already know, you are wasting your time. That is not the purpose of His teachings. He desires to show you something you can add to your life today, that will insure your survival tomorrow.

Many times we are afraid to really listen; afraid that we will be condemned because of where we fall short of God's word. That couldn't be further from what God wants for our lives. His desire is that we would be honest about where we fall short, confess our sins and ask Him to show us what we do not see at this moment. It is in that seeing that we can make necessary changes to our lives.

Truly, His word is light and that light will bring understanding to our lives so we can build lives that will last.

David