Jesus gives us the need for an adequate foundation and David gives us the formula for that. David is the architect of an adequate foundation that produces a life of happiness.
Build Your House on the Rock
24 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.” (Matthew 7:24-27)
Renew a Right Spirit Within Me
7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice. 9 Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. 11 Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit. (Psalm 51:7-12)
No building is more secure than the foundation upon which it is built. In this same way, no life is more secure than its foundation.
The First Step in Establishing an Adequate Foundation is Deliverance from Sin (Psalm 51:1-4)
Sin is the most damaging force in the world. It was sin that destroyed King Saul, the first king of Israel (1 Samuel 15 and 31). Sin nearly destroyed David (2 Samuel 11 and 12). In Psalm 51:2 David asked God to cleanse him from the destruction of sin. In Psalm 103:12 he testified that God answered his prayer.
Sin is still destructive in our world today. Anyone who plays with sin will discover its deceptiveness and destructiveness. Sin is to the spiritual being what cancer is to the physical being. It must be dealt with decisively or disaster will follow.
The Second Step for Deliverance from Sin is to Have a Pure Heart (Psalm 51:10)
David had wanted no part of sin. He asked God to purify his inner nature – the source of his life. We understand that nothing can be clean and dirty at the same time. Impurities in anything always cause trouble.
A right spirit is necessary to have an adequate foundation for life.
- We need a right spirit toward God. He is our father – not a policeman.
- We need a right spirit toward the church. It is a privilege to be a part of one.
- We need a right spirit toward others. A healthy respect for others is necessary.
- We must have a proper awareness of ourselves.
- If the foundation of our lives is going to be a good one, we must follow David’s expressed desire for a clean heart and a right spirit.
The Third Step for Deliverance from Our Sins is to Maintain the Presence of God (Psalm 51:11)
The greatest source of strength we can have is the presence of God in our lives. Nothing has ever overcome Him. Illustrations of God’s power are many: the Red Sea, the Walls of Jericho, and so forth.
His presence is our source of assurance. Like the three Hebrew children in Daniel 3, we will also have some fiery furnace experiences. But with Him, we, too, can prevail. In John 14:16-17 Jesus promised that He would not only be with us but be in us as well. This promise means that wherever we are, God is. Wherever God is, there is victory for the believer. With Him, we have a firm foundation under our lives.
An Adequate Foundation Conclusion
A person can build a house without putting is a good foundation and save money on the initial cost. But all is lost when the storms come. It is the same way in life. We can build our lives on cheap foundations and pay a terrible price later. Jesus gives us the formula for building our lives on something that will last (Matthew 7:24).
What kind of foundation are you putting under your life?
Scripture Study Resources
ESV Study Bible – Study Bibles give you a deeper understanding of God’s Word with tools for life application like commentary, maps, charts, concordance, and study notes. Search our popular translations- NIV, ESV, NKJV, KJV and more!
Believer’s Bible Commentary: Second Edition – A Bible commentary is a written, systematic series of explanations and interpretations of Scripture. Commentaries often analyze or expound on individual books of the Bible, chapter by chapter and verse by verse. Some commentary works provide analysis of the whole of Scripture.
The New Strong’s Expanded Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible – The best concordance for word study! This exclusive new edition of a legendary classic puts generations of biblical research at your fingertips. A valuable tool for pastors, teachers, and students of the Bible.
Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words – This classic word study resource allows you to study the meaning of biblical words in the original languages without spending years learning Greek or Hebrew. A great resource for students, seasoned pastors, and anyone who enjoys biblical word studies–even if they have little to no formal training in Hebrew or Greek.
Halley’s Bible Handbook – The beloved and classic Bible companion has been thoroughly updated, while retaining its time-honored features and Dr. Halley’s highly personal style, to offer even greater clarity, insight, and usefulness.
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