Building A Solid Life

By Glen Elliott     Genuine prosperity is measured not by money but by what is in the heart. Without material possessions, one can still be rich in faith toward God and that is the greatest prosperity of all (James 2:5).     Jesus tells us how to build a foundation toward spiritual prosperity, saying, “Everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great was its fall” (Matthew 7:24–27).     The key to building a successful life is found in listening to and obeying the words of Jesus. It is not enough simply to hear the words of Jesus, we must act upon them. It is as foolish to ignore the teachings of Christ as it is to build a house on the shifting sand. While the two houses may have mirrored one another in appearance, only the house built on the rock could withstand the storms of life.     When adversity comes, will your house remain? Is your life firmly grounded on the solid foundation of acting on the words of Jesus? Without obedience to the words of Christ, what assurance do you have of spiritual prosperity? Commit yourself to reading His word every day. Apply His teachings to your life and you will be building a solid life on the only eternal foundation.

- Glen Elliott preaches for the Greenbrier church of Christ in Greenbrier, AR. He may be contacted through the congregation's website - https://www.gbcofc.com/