All That YOU Command.

In Matthew 7:24-27, we read the parable of the wise and foolish men who built their homes. “The rain fell, and the floods came, and the the winds blew and beat on the houses.” The wise man's house, as we all know, stood firm, but what happened to the foolish man's house?...SPLAT!

A carpenter builds a home using blueprints. Blueprints are the plans needed to build a solid home. The plans include a drawing to go by with specific details and a listing of every single item needed to build the home-down to the last nail. If seven builders use the same set of blueprints in seven different states, the final house will be exactly the same. If the builders follow the plan properly, the house will be solid and long-lasting. But what happens if the carpenter decides to cut a few corners? What if he substitutes a weaker material for the required one? What if he uses only half as many nails as the plan requires? Would you want to buy that home? We, in this example, are the carpenters and our blueprint is the Bible. God's word tells us clearly how to build and live our Christian lives. If seven Christians in seven countries follow God's word, the actions in their lives and the ways they worship will be exactly the same. But what happens when we, as Christians, decide to alter God's master plan? What if we make little changes, like adding musical instruments to our worship “just once a month”? Or add women leading prayers in a room where Christian men are present? Or sprinkling instead of baptizing? Do we really want to stand before God on judgment day and say, “but God, I thought my plan was better than yours.” If we want to go to Heaven, we must follow God's blueprint exactly!

--COURTNEY--