Foundational words

"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. Rain poured down, the river flooded, a tornado hit - but nothing moved that house. It was fixed to the rock. 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. When a storm rolled in and the waves came up, it collapsed like a house of cards." Matthew 7:24-27 MSG

Today, let's start with the question, 'Where are you getting the instructions on 'how to live your life' from? Is there one particular source you seek out? Do you have multiple sources? Do you have none, and just 'wing it' each day, finding your own path and direction?

God is telling us that His word is to be our guide for life. His truth is not just to be some 'words' we listen to on Sunday at church. Or some 'words' we discuss the meaning of at a Bible Study group. Or some 'words' we take a few moments to think about how they might apply to our lives. Those are all good things to do. But doing those things alone is like 'peppering our lives' with God's word. God wants us to live  out His word, every moment of every day.

But his delight and desire are in the law of the Lord, and on His law (the precepts, the instructions, the teachings of God) he habitually meditates (ponders and studies) by day and by night. Psalm 1:2 AMP

If we habitually mediate on His word, and make them foundational words in our lives, not only will we be like an 'immovable house', fixed and stable, but as Psalm 1:3 promises, 

And he shall be like a tree firmly planted  [and tended] by the streams of water, ready to bring forth its fruit in its season; its leaf also shall not fade or wither; and everything he does shall prosper [and come to maturity]. Psalm 1:3 AMP

Speaking from personal experience, always living completely out of God's word is a big ask and impossible to do by ourselves. Thankfully, if we believe in Jesus, God gives us a helper to enable us to 'habitually mediate' on His word day and night. A helper that 'tends' to us.

He who believes in Me [who cleaves to and trusts in and relies on Me] as the Scripture has said, From his innermost being shall flow [continuously] springs and rivers of living water. But He was speaking here of the Spirit, Whom those who believed (trusted, had faith) in Him were afterward to receive. John 7:38-39b AMP

Praise God, that we don't have to do this life alone. God has provided us with His word to live by. And our very own Helper, the Holy Spirit, to help us to learn how to live by it. And Jesus, the grace we need when we fail! Thank you Heavenly Father for your instruction, love and grace.

Question for today, do you want to 'work' more of God's word into your life? Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where in your life you need to have more God's word as your source. Ask forgiveness for letting sources other than God's word, guide you in that area. Accept God's forgiveness, and ask Him to place a hunger in your heart for His word and His word alone, In Jesus Name.