by Andrew Cromwell
In Jesus’ best known sermon—the Sermon on the Mount—he concludes by reminding his listeners that the key to experiencing life in His Kingdom is to not only listen to His Words but to do them. He says, “everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house upon the rock” (Matthew 7:24). This type of person will be protected from the storms of life.
The connection between hearing and doing is an important one. Those that have children know what it is to tell your child what to do and then to watch them do the exact opposite. It is even worse when you take time to explain to them why and they still ignore you. In my home, there is a major difference between the child who did something wrong and I had told them not to do it, and the child who did something wrong but hadn’t been told. The former is in much BIGGER trouble than the latter.
I don’t know about you, but I don’t like doing what other people tell me to do. I want to do my own thing. I’m pretty good at smiling and acting nice and pretending like I’m going to do what they tell me, but in my heart I know I’m not going to do it. And this little person that stands up inside of me and shakes its fist at the world also seems to do the same thing even when it comes to the stuff that even God tells me to do.
I can read Jesus’ words and even say that I want to live by them, but when it comes right down to it, I don’t want to do what He says. I don’t want to forgive someone who has wronged me. I don’t want to serve someone who doesn’t deserve it. I don’t want to go out of my way for others. I don’t want to admit that I need help. And the list goes on and on.
And yet application is the the key to life transformation. The great secret to living a life in the Kingdom of God—and if Jesus is telling the truth living life in the Kingdom is WAY better then living any other way—is to actually do what He says.
You can spend all the time in the world studying about the effect and treatments for dehydration. You can read personal accounts of what it feels like and how to prevent it. You can learn how to read the medical tests. You can stare at pictures of clear crystal springs and bottles of the good stuff. But until you actually drink the water, it is all just theory. You’re still dehydrated and you’re still going to die.
Application, application, application. You and I have to do what God says if we want to really live.
So what do you need to do? What is God whispering in your heart that you have been resisting? How much longer will you keep yourself from His living water?
The pastors in Kings County would love the opportunity to help you both to KNOW the way that Jesus has given us to an abundant life as well as how to DO it. Why don’t you start drinking some of His water? You might just find it’s what you’ve been looking for.
In Jesus’ best known sermon—the Sermon on the Mount—he concludes by reminding his listeners that the key to experiencing life in His Kingdom is to not only listen to His Words but to do them. He says, “everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house upon the rock” (Matthew 7:24). This type of person will be protected from the storms of life.
The connection between hearing and doing is an important one. Those that have children know what it is to tell your child what to do and then to watch them do the exact opposite. It is even worse when you take time to explain to them why and they still ignore you. In my home, there is a major difference between the child who did something wrong and I had told them not to do it, and the child who did something wrong but hadn’t been told. The former is in much BIGGER trouble than the latter.
I don’t know about you, but I don’t like doing what other people tell me to do. I want to do my own thing. I’m pretty good at smiling and acting nice and pretending like I’m going to do what they tell me, but in my heart I know I’m not going to do it. And this little person that stands up inside of me and shakes its fist at the world also seems to do the same thing even when it comes to the stuff that even God tells me to do.
I can read Jesus’ words and even say that I want to live by them, but when it comes right down to it, I don’t want to do what He says. I don’t want to forgive someone who has wronged me. I don’t want to serve someone who doesn’t deserve it. I don’t want to go out of my way for others. I don’t want to admit that I need help. And the list goes on and on.
And yet application is the the key to life transformation. The great secret to living a life in the Kingdom of God—and if Jesus is telling the truth living life in the Kingdom is WAY better then living any other way—is to actually do what He says.
You can spend all the time in the world studying about the effect and treatments for dehydration. You can read personal accounts of what it feels like and how to prevent it. You can learn how to read the medical tests. You can stare at pictures of clear crystal springs and bottles of the good stuff. But until you actually drink the water, it is all just theory. You’re still dehydrated and you’re still going to die.
Application, application, application. You and I have to do what God says if we want to really live.
So what do you need to do? What is God whispering in your heart that you have been resisting? How much longer will you keep yourself from His living water?
The pastors in Kings County would love the opportunity to help you both to KNOW the way that Jesus has given us to an abundant life as well as how to DO it. Why don’t you start drinking some of His water? You might just find it’s what you’ve been looking for.
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