Beyond the rocks...

Matthew 7:24-27
We learn about two different men. One decides that he is going to build his house on a rock, however one decides that he is going to build his upon the sand. It is evident that a rock is more secure than sand, but I know on a regular basis I am building my house upon the sand.

Earlier this week, God reminded of the vintage point you have with a rock. When I think of the wise man building his house upon the sand, the sand is level. The only perspective you get is of the seas and anything else that is already on you level. However, when you build you house upon the rock you get a whole different perspective. It causes you to see higher! Understanding that, I was like, "Oh yes Lord! It makes sense! Thank you for that truth!" I wrote it up on my notice board to remind me everyday that I need to be standing on the rock...

Until the waves came. Little did I understand that the waves don't have to come in the form of a huge disaster to knock my security. The waves can come in currents of thoughts that attempt to sweep away any survivors of a tsunami of misunderstood events. But when they come they will reveal where you are standing. Hearing God's truth I thought was standing upon the rock, and I most likely was until I ran into one of life's obstacles. 

The rock, Christ, the Word, is what we should be building our lives upon. However whenever we go through trials and situations we can immediately want to jump ship and assume that on the sand will be better. Forgetting that going back to the sand will mean that we lose a higher perspective and when the waves come we will brought down to a lower perspective! So here I am, hit by an obstacle, about to take my foot off the rock and head for the sand. When I was reminded of the truth.

Will I build my thoughts on the rock, the Truth? Or will I build my thoughts on the sand, what I already know? God challenged me this year to not go back in my relationship with Him and other things. However when trials and tribulations come we can so easily give up. When the children of Israel left Egypt, a place of slavery and bondage, they faced many trials. God wanted them to have faith in Him, but instead they desired to go back to the place of chains, because it was what they knew! To stay on the rock, we must have faith, believing that God will take us to the destination that we need to get to.

Psalms 1 reads 'But his delight in the law of the Lord and on his law, he habitually meditates by day and by night. And he shall be like a tree firmly by the streams of water, ready to bring forth its fruit in its season...' Can you imagine trying to push down this tree? And the Bible says that blessed is the man who delights in God's truth and his mind is constantly planted in the Word. Not in what he thinks he knows or anything else for that matter. No one can stop the waves coming, no barricades can stop the trials and tribulation, but where will you plant you mind, your thoughts?

Will you build your thoughts on the rock, the Truth? Or will you build your thoughts on the sand, what I already know?

Growing out of the comfort zone...

The ground was prepared. It was ready. All that was needed was the sower to plant his seeds. His hands dug hopefully into the brown rough sack retrieving the young, innocent seeds from their temporary home. These seeds were not ordinary...and no they were not to grow a huge, monstrous beanstalk. But these seeds contained hope. Joy. Peace. Within them were dreams. Goals. Visions. As they concealed Words that had the potential to give birth to all of these things. The vision of the sun awakened the seeds to the life within them, and then they were cast into the wind to be carried to the ready made ground. Some seeds never made it to the field but fell on the footpath lying helplessly. Nothing could rescue them from their fate. The sky turned black, as huge, vicious birds swooped down and ate those seeds. Some other seeds flew like helicopters in the sky falling with a thud to the ground. Not deep enough for roots, the shallow soil prevented the seeds from reaching their potential. For the sun burnt the seeds and as the roots were not long enough the seeds died. Some seeds made their way towards the field, and before they reached they were stuck in the middle of their bodies. Sharp, pointy thorns protruded out of the other side of their bodies...they had no chance. The last set of seeds fell into the field, allowing for many plants to grow. This is the parable of the sower Jesus tells in Matthew 13. Jesus is talking about how we receive God's Word. As I was reflecting on this scripture I saw how it related to 2015.

2015 being the ground prepared. The ground that is ready. And the sower, God, reaching into his bag of seeds to sow into the ground He has already prepared. But how will these hopes and visions be received? 

Some of us are so cynical we have no hope left for 2015. The moment a goal comes to mind or we hear a word of promise, the darkness of our heart or the cold opinion of others snatches them away.

However there are some goals that land on soil but it's roots can't grow deep. We don't allow these goals or visions any depth. The moment we face problems concerning our goals or the promises of God, we leave the seed to dry up like a raisin in the sun. That has happened to me too many times last year. Seeds of vision that I think are going to grow have only fallen into places where the rocks of complacency and insecurities lie underneath stunting the growth of the seeds. 

Others of us allow the worries of this world to choke the life out of these dreams. Getting caught up in life's anxieties traps and destroys our visions. 

Some of these areas are actually our comfort zones. We're used to worrying, or used to not allowing our seeds to take depth in our hearts. We are also used to allowing our dreams and visions to be stolen. There may even be a fear of allowing seeds to fall to good soil, as there's an uncertainty of what will happen when our dreams or God's promises come to pass. There' s familiarity in us being used to worrying about the future and being distracted by the things of this world, that we reside there.

What does good soil look like? Definitely stepping outside of our comfort zone! It will also look like us being more disciplined, staying committed to the decisions that we make. This will been still standing in times when the plants in the soil look like they're withering. i.e. still going to the gym when it seems nothing is happening or still praying when all seems to be going wrong or continuing to push forward in that business in light of failures. With God we can cultivate good soil in ourselves to see dreams and visions come to life. 

Now we are in 2015, how are we going to deal with our dreams and visions? Dare we allow them to land in good soil this year. What does this year hold for us?