By J. P. Olson
Luke 6:46-49, “Why are you so polite with Me, always saying ‘Yes, sir,’ and ‘That’s right, sir,’ but never doing a thing I tell you? These words I speak to you are not mere additions to your life, HOMEOWNER IMPROVEMENTS to your standard of living. They are FOUNDATION words, words to BUILD a life on. If you WORK the words into your life, you are like a SMART CARPENTER who DUG DEEP and laid the FOUNDATION of his HOUSE on BEDROCK. When the river burst its banks and crashed against the HOUSE, NOTHING COULD SHAKE IT; IT WAS BUILT TO LAST. But if you just use My words in Bible studies and don’t WORK them into your life, you are like a DUMB CARPENTER who BUILT a HOUSE BUT SKIPPED THE FOUNDATION. When the swollen river came crashing in, it collapsed like a HOUSE of cards. IT WAS A TOTAL LOSS.” (MSG).
Jesus begins by saying this, “Why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord’ and do not do what I say?” In case you didn’t catch it, the key words here are: “…DO NOT DO...” This reminds me of James 1:22, “Do not merely listen to the Word and so deceive yourselves. DO WHAT IT SAYS.” In other words, just having a big blob of Bible information in your brain won’t do anything but make you think you’re doing fine spiritually, when you’re not. You have to rub it in! It needs to go deeper; it needs to penetra ...
