Let’s build the house God wants by having a good foundation. Matthew 7:24-27, “Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.”

Not only do we need a good foundation but at least four strong walls. The first wall would be the wall of faith. Faith in God for salvation, to daily live by and to see us through all the stormy times.

The second wall would be the wall of communication, talk that goes heavenward for each family member. The results are open and unbroken lines of communication that never receives a busy signal. If this wall crumbles, no others will be able to stand.

The third wall that we need to construct would be the wall of commitment. It takes character and discipline to be committed.

It should be for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer and till death do us part.

The fourth wall we will raise will be the wall of instruction. Proverbs 22:6, “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Training is more than teaching; it is showing, demonstrating by example and leading someone down the right path. We all can learn first from God and then from each other. Learning to handle family life will prepare us for a world that is cruel, self-seeking and that needs a good example.

Every house should have a roof to protect those who reside there. Let me suggest to you that we build a roof of love. Love never fails; it is the number one ingredient in every home. Love covers a multitude of sins and has a way of forgiving and forgetting. What is love? Love is more than the mortal tongue can describe. The marks of love are found in I Corinthians 13:4-8, “Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.”

If we start with these foundational principles our house will weather the storms of life. Joshua 24:15b, “But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Nothing is automatic. We must choose God’s order in order to have order.

Anchor Baptist Church

456 Jamison Rd.

Washington Court House

[email protected] (740)333-7777