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!
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