Rain, Streams, Winds

Matt 7:24“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

You don't have to be a prophet to look around today and see that the rain is coming down...the streams are rising...and the winds are beating against people's "house."

Everywhere a person cares to look, there seems to be more bad news. The Lord offers us some advice for times just like this. We are told to hear the words of the Lord and put them into practice. That's it. You can "go to church" for decades, but are you 1. really hearing the words of the Lord? and 2. IF you are hearing the word of the Lord are you putting it into practice.

The rain is coming down, the streams are rising and the winds are blowing and beating against all of us.

The Lord gave me a mental picture of this recently. In fact, He has given me many things to think about recently. I was peppering him the other day with questions about the future, what's going to happen, what should I be doing, and as I was asking these questions he shot back a one liner that hit me like a shot to the gut. Amidst all my questions about the current situation and the future he asked me "you have my promises, what else do you want?"

That one stopped me cold. Does it really matter that everywhere we look there is bad news? Not when you remember that we have promises...Again, this goes back to the house built on the rock, the rain, streams and wind are beating against all the houses, but some are falling with a great crash, some are rock steady.

Do we have the faith, to believe the Lord will do what he promised to do? Just about everything in your life is going to boil down to that one question soon if it has not already. We have promises.....let that sink in real deep.

Hebrews 11:11 By faith Abraham, even though he was past age--and Sarah herself was barren--was enabled to become a father because he considered him faithful who had made the promise."

Abraham, considered by many to be the father of faith, considered him faithful who had made the promise.....And we have no shortage of promises to consider our Lord faithful for. Recently, tied in with the house built on the rock, the Lord brought this one to my attention:

Psalm 23: Even though I walk

through the valley of the shadow of death,a

I will fear no evil,

for you are with me;

your rod and your staff,

they comfort me.

5You prepare a table before me

in the presence of my enemies.

You anoint my head with oil;

my cup overflows.

6Surely goodness and love will follow me

all the days of my life,

and I will dwell in the house of the Lord

forever.

Consider that first highlighted portion of Psalm 23....even though I walk through the valley of death, I will fear no evil for you are with me....Many people are "walking through the valley of death today," can you see it, feel it, sense it? The rain is coming down, the streams are rising, the wind is beating against our house, but we have promises....do we believe them? Do we consider him faithful who made the promises?

When satan or one of his minions is whispering in your ear one of their faaaavorite questions...."where is your God now....." as your eyes behold the destruction around you, remember, we have promises.

To take advantage of the promises, we must hear the Word of God, that is, it must enter us somehow and we must put those words into practice. The rain, the streams and the wind that are beating on people today could CARE LESS what "church" you belong to, how many social clubs you are popular in, or how "godly" people think you are. The only thing the rain, streams and wind are going to respect is the rock. We must build on the rock that is Christ. We must do what he said to do.

I was greatly encouraged as the Lord has reminded me many times over the past week, that goodness and love have, and will continue to FOLLOW ME all the days of my life, as long as he remains my shepherd. It does not matter what the stock market does, it does not matter if it rains BP death, it does not matter what the illuminati has planned, we have promises....

As the rain comes down and the streams of life rise, it is becoming more obvious by the day, which people really have faith and which do not. We do not have to "prove" our faith to each other, but we better make sure its the real thing for our own sake, and the sake of our families, and because of the fact that we want to prove to the world, that there is power in the way of truth, to the glory of our Lord and Saviour.

The world can see for itself that most of what calls itself "religion" today is a joke. The people don't really believe. When the world does see someone that really does believe, who radiates like a light on a hill, who is full of grace and peace in the midst of the storms we face today, well...they notice.

Luke 8:16 No one lights a lamp and hides it in a jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, he puts it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light.

The hour is probably late on the prophetic clock, how late, only our Lord knows. While we wait for our Lord to come back, I am finding it interesting what his Spirit is saying versus what the world is saying. I do not sense any insistence to become a prophecy scholar overnight so I can pinpoint every detail of the books of Revelation, Daniel etc. During these last days, as it has been written here from time to time over the past year+, I hear the Lord calling us back to the basic, fundamentals of the faith. I believe that's how we "go out" of this world.

I have asked the Lord numerous times to please allow me to "go out" strong. And I believe this is how he has responded. Get back to believing like a little child. Re-establish the fundamentals of what you believe based on the faith given to you. Forget the uselss arguments that religious people are having and will have till the end of time. Once you have determined what you believe, sink roots down DEEP into the ground of your faith and water your belief everyday.

Most people are not going to believe what you believe, especially if you believe the truth. This world KILLS, stones, pushes off cliffs and crucifies the truth bringers, so if you find yourself popular and your message accepted in this world, you have problems....

If your beliefs are wrong, keep a broken and contrite heart before the Lord, and he will "fix you." All things in time.

Become an expert in the promises. Repeat them to yourself and to the Lord. Lord..you promised and I believe you...In my time walking this earth, the Lord has vindicated his word to me, he has been faithful. He can be trusted.

Goodness and love will follow you all the days of your life....thats a promise. Even though you walk through the valley of death, you will fear no evil, his rod and staff will comfort you, thats a promise..If you build your house on the rock by doing what the Lord tells us to do, the rain, streams and wind will not harm your house, thats another promise.

These are some of things I believe the Lord has impressed upon me recently.

grace and peace