#wise man built his house upon the rock

[thelordismylightandmysalvation]

Verse of the Day - Matthew 7:24

[martinakl13]

Once upon a time, there was a vast land boarded by high mountains to the east and south and the True Sea to the west. This land had fertile soil as well as hostile wasteland, deep forests, blue lakes, and impassable rocks. The only inhabitants were the Suli, dark-skinned nomads with customs that were almost as colourful as their clothes. Their homes were their families, the people who stood by their side day after day, people with the same past and future, singing the same songs and telling the same stories.

However, one day, their land ceased to be theirs alone, even though they had never claimed it. They welcomed new people with paler skin they had never seen before, and they wanted to live in peace with their new neighbours, but the Ravkans, as they called themselves, did not understand the life of the Suli, they despised the things the Suli believed in, their constant traveling, even the way they spoke. The Ravkans considered them thieves because they did not grow or breed anything, they only took what was around them, while the Ravkans built their fields, houses and cities and worked hard day after day.

Conflict was inevitable and war was almost certain when a wise man, who was considered a Fortune-Teller among the Suli, came and warned both the Suli and the Ravkans that if they did not stop, their land would be destroyed and all their sons and daughters would die. No one listened to him and war began. It lasted for years and years and many died, fields were burned to the ground, as well as houses, cities... Nothing was left. Or almost nothing, because there were people who decided to make peace and start building something new where they could all live together. They found the wise man and asked him to become their emperor. At first, he hesitated, but when he saw how desperately they wanted his help, he agreed. His Suli became empress and their descendants ruled the empire as best they could. However, peace could not last forever, because nothing ever lasts.

[frmartinshomiliesandreflections]

5th December >> Fr. Martin's Reflections/Homilies on Today's Mass Readings for Thursday, First Week of Advent (Inc. Matthew 7:21, 24-27): ‘It was founded on rock’.

Thursday, First Week of Advent

Gospel (Except GB & USA) Matthew 7:21,24-27 The wise man built his house on a rock.

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘It is not those who say to me, “Lord, Lord,” who will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the person who does the will of my Father in heaven. Therefore, everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a sensible man who built his house on rock. Rain came down, floods rose, gales blew and hurled themselves against that house, and it did not fall: it was founded on rock. But everyone who listens to these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a stupid man who built his house on sand. Rain came down, floods rose, gales blew and struck that house, and it fell; and what a fall it had!’

Gospel (GB) Matthew 7:21, 24-27 ‘One who does the will of my Father will enter the kingdom of heaven.’

At that time: Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord”, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. ‘Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 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. 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. 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.’

Gospel (USA) Matthew 7:21, 24-27 Whoever does the will of my Father will enter the Kingdom of heaven.

Jesus said to his disciples: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the Kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. “Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock. And everyone who listens to these words of mine but does not act on them will be like a fool who built his house on sand. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. And it collapsed and was completely ruined.”

Reflections (12)

(i) Thursday, First Week of Advent

We have a high hill to the south of Dublin called the ‘Three Rock’ because of the three rocky outcrops that protrude above the surface. When I come upon a rocky outcrop I am tempted to reflect on the length of time the rocks have been there. They may have been weathered over the centuries but they have been there probably for many thousands of years, and they will be there for thousands of years to come. There is a reliability about rock. It will always be there. When the Jewish Scriptures wanted to express the reliability of God, they turned to the image of rock, as in today’s first reading. There Isaiah refers to the Lord as ‘the everlasting Rock’. Because the Lord is as enduring and reliable as rock, he can be trusted and relied upon. In the words of today’s psalm, ‘his love endures forever’, which is why, ‘it is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in humans’. We sometimes say of someone that he or she is a real rock, by which we mean that they are reliable and dependable. They will always be there, especially when we need someone to rely on. In his first letter to the Corinthians, Saint Paul refers to the story of Moses striking the rock in the wilderness to provide water to quench the thirst of the people. Reflecting on this story in the light of his faith in Christ, Paul writes, ‘they drank from the spiritual rock that followed them, and that rock was Christ’. Paul had come to know Christ as reliable and dependable, especially when everyone else had turned against him and he was at his most vulnerable. In the gospel reading, Jesus assures us that we too will find him utterly dependable when the storms of life break over us, if we entrust ourselves to him, allowing our lives to be shaped by his word. When we allow the Lord’s word to dwell in us richly, so that it bears fruit in our lives, we will discover the Lord to be a rock-like foundation for us in even the most testing of times.

And/Or

(ii) Thursday, First Week of Advent

We can probably easily identify with the weather image that Jesus uses in this morning’s gospel reading, ‘Rains came down, floods rose, gales blew’. It sounds familiar, doesn’t it? Apart from actual physical storms, we can all be struck by storms of a different kind no matter what part of the world we are in. The church has been through quite a storm in recent weeks, and the storm is still howling. As individuals, we can find ourselves battling against the elements of life, as we struggle in one shape or form, for one reason or another. Jesus declares in our gospel reading this morning that difficult times will indeed come for all of us. The real issue is the extent to which we are equipped to deal with them. When the storms come will we find ourselves at the mercy of the storm, tossed about helplessly, or will we be able to withstand the storm and move through and beyond it? Jesus states in our gospel reading that he can be our rock when the storm comes. If we listen to his words and try to act on those words we will remain upright and standing when the storm breaks around us. Jesus brings us back to basics, the doing of God’s will as Jesus has revealed it for us. If we keep on returning to that focal point then the Lord will see to it that we endure, regardless of the strength of the storm.

And/Or

(iii) Thursday, First Week of Advent

The parable of the two builders we have just heard brings the long Sermon on the Mount in Matthew’s gospel to a close. The Sermon on the Mount is full of wonderful teaching; it has been analyzed and reflected upon for the last two thousand years, and rightly so; its message continues to speak to us today. Yet, Jesus concludes the Sermon on the Mount by declaring that it is not enough to listen to the teaching of the Sermon and to admire it; we must live the teaching, allow the values of the Sermon to shape our lives. If we listen to it and do no more we are like the builder who built his house on sand; if we listen to Jesus’ teaching and put it into practice we are like the builder who built his house on rock. We have been made more aware of shoddy building practices in recent times here in our own city. Building an apartment or a house to required standards is the responsibility of those in the building trade and only a small proportion of us are involved in that trade. However, we are all involved in the work of building lives to the standard that God wants and expects from us. In this morning’s gospel reading Jesus declares that the way to do that is to listen attentively to his word with a view to allowing his word to shape all we do and say. That is what Mary did; let it be to me according to your word. She is our model and inspiration in Advent.

And/Or

(iv) Thursday, First Week of Advent

The image of rock is to be found in both readings this morning. The prophet Isaiah speaks of the Lord as the everlasting rock. Like rock, the Lord is enduring and faithful. Therefore, he can be relied upon; he can be trusted. If we come across a substantial outcrop of rock one day, we know that it will be there again the next day, and the following day, and long after we have gone, just as it was there long before we were born. In speaking of God as a Rock the people of Israel were trying to capture that sense of the reliability, the durability, the faithfulness of God. God can be relied upon; he can be trusted. This morning’s gospel reading was taken from the gospel of Matthew. At the beginning of his gospel, Matthew gives Jesus the title Emmanuel, God-with-us. As God with us, Jesus embodies the reliability, the faithfulness of God. He has that rock-like quality of God; he is with us to the end of time. In this morning’s gospel reading he declares that those who build their lives on what he says, those who listen to his word and keep it, will be building their lives on rock. He is the reliable foundation of our lives and if we give ourselves over to his word and his presence we will draw from his strength especially when the storms of life threaten to engulf us.

And/Or

(v) Thursday, First Week of Advent

We know that a building is as good as its foundations. If the foundations are flimsy, the consequences for those who live in the house can be catastrophic, especially if unusual stress is placed on the building because of weather or some other disturbance of nature. The most important part of the house is that which is not immediately visible. In the gospel reading, Jesus draws on that image of the house to speak about the foundation of our lives as human beings. He declares that entrusting ourselves to him, listening to his word and trying to live his word, will provide a foundation for our lives that will enable us to withstand the great storms of life. We need some solid ground under us as we go through life. Jesus presents himself as that solid ground. If we build our lives on all he says and does, he will prove to be a rock, enabling us to stand firm even when the disappointments and sufferings of life leave us feeling very vulnerable. As human beings we long for security at many levels. Jesus tells us that we will find our ultimate security in him if, in the phrase of Saint Paul, we allow his word to dwell in us richly, and, then, to bear fruit in our lives.

And/Or

(vi) Thursday, First Week of Advent

This morning’s gospel reading makes reference to listening, speaking and doing. Jesus refers to those who ‘listen to these words of mine’, to those who say aloud, ‘Lord, Lord’, and to those who act on his words. When it comes to our faith, listening and speaking are important, but Jesus declares that listening and speaking on their own, without doing, have little or no value. This passage comes at the very end of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. Jesus is saying that his words in the Sermon on the Mount are not just there to be listened to and admired; they are not just there to be responded to in words of prayer, ‘Lord, Lord’. Rather, they are there to be lived, to be acted upon. Each day we hear the call to live the message that Jesus proclaims. We are to translate his teaching into living. Advent is a season when we are called in a special way to live the word of Jesus that we listen to. In this regard, Mary, the mother of Jesus, is a very good model for us. On one occasion when some women in the crowd around Jesus declared Mary blessed because of the Son that she bore, Jesus replied, ‘Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it’. Mary if blessed not primarily for the son she gave birth to but because she heard God’s word and lived it every day. That is our calling too and, in this season of Advent, we can look to Mary as our inspiration as we try to respond to this calling.

And/Or

(vii) Thursday, first week of Advent

There are many images of God in the Jewish Scriptures. All such images are simply that, images. They give a very small window onto God. They attempt to express some element of God’s reality which, in itself, is always beyond our full comprehension. We find one such image in today’s first reading. Isaiah speaks of God as ‘the everlasting rock’. There is very little in our created world that could be considered ‘everlasting’. Yet, perhaps rock comes close to being an exception to that rule. There is something about rock which is clearly enduring and reliable. When Isaiah speaks of God as an everlasting rock, he was expressing his conviction that God was someone who was enduring and reliable, and, therefore, to be trusted. We step on rock knowing that it will hold us up. We can trust rock. Isaiah in that reading calls on his hearers to ‘trust in the Lord forever’ because he is an ‘everlasting rock’. Jesus is the one who reveals God to us in a way that no other human has ever done or could ever do. It is not surprising then Jesus uses the image of rock with reference to himself. In the gospel reading this morning he declares that those who listen to his words and live by them are like builders who build a house on rock. We live in a world in which so much is disposable, so little lasts, in which the rate of change is constant and progressive. We often feel the need to find some solid ground that endures, that can be trusted and relied upon. Jesus declares himself to be that solid ground and he calls to us to build our lives on him by allowing his words to shape us.

And/Or

(viii) Thursday, First Week of Advent.

The weather is a great topic of conversation in Ireland. Maybe that is because it changes so frequently. There is always something to say about it. We are very familiar with the weather referred to in today’s gospel reading, rain, floods and gales. Such weather was less common in Palestine, the land of Jesus. Yet, occasionally in the winter months people had to contend with rain, floods and gales. It was probably tempting for builders in that climate just to build for the better weather that was the norm. However, the really wise builder built with a view to the worst case scenario, even though it may not arise very often. That meant paying more attention to the foundations of a house than might have seemed necessary. Jesus draws a lesson from this scenario for our own lives. Our lives can be going along fine for a period of time and then some severe storm hits us unexpectedly. We find ourselves in a kind of a whirlwind that throws everything out of kilter. Jesus is saying that we need to prepare for that scenario. Our lives need the kind of foundation that will enable us to survive such traumatic experiences. Jesus offers himself as that foundation. If we listen to his words and try to live them every day of our lives, we will be putting down a foundation that will stand to us when the storms come. We don’t wait for the storm to come to start looking for a foundation. The laying of a foundation that gives us something of God’s own strength is something we do every day, little by little, by opening our lives to the Lord’s word and allowing it to shape who we are and all we say and do.

And/Or

(ix) Thursday, First Week of Advent

When people were building houses in Palestine in the time of Jesus during the dry season as the weather was fine and warm, it was tempting to build them in a way that did not take into account the wilder weather to come during the winter, when heavy rain and strong winds could affect that part of the Near East. It was easier to build on sand than on rock but it was also shortsighted. What serves in good weather does not always serve in bad weather. Building on rock ensures that the house will stand regardless of the weather. The gospel reading suggests that we have to build our lives in such a way that we will stand firm, not just when all is well, but also when life gets difficult, when the storms come our way and threaten to engulf us. We are to build for the worst of times and not only for the best of times. Jesus declares in the gospel reading that if we not just listen to his words but also try to act on them, we will be building our lives on rock. If we embrace his life and message and allow our own lives to be shaped by it, then we will be building our lives in such a way that we will stand firm when the trials and tribulations of life assail us. We need a firm foundation, we need resources to fall back on, when our vulnerability is exposed by life’s storms. Jesus tells us that he is our primary resource. He will be our firm foundation, if we keep on trying to take the path that he sets before us by his teaching and his way of life.

And/Or

(x) Thursday, First Week of Advent

In more recent decades we have become more aware of how houses can easily get built in places where there should never be houses, such as the flood plains of rivers. When houses are built on flood plains, it can often give rise to flooding further down the river. We have also become aware that faulty material has gone into the foundations of houses, resulting eventually in walls cracking and the whole house becoming unstable. It is vital to get the foundations of a house right, both in terms of the materials in the foundations and where the foundations are laid. It was no different in the time of Jesus. Houses were sometimes built in a way that was suited to the dry, hot, summer climate of the Near East, but left them exposed to the winter winds and rains, because their foundations were not laid down with winter conditions in mind. The foundations rested on sand rather than rock. Jesus sees in this shoddy building practice a message for our lives. Not just our houses, but our lives need to be built on firm foundations. Jesus declares his word to be the firmest foundation we can build our lives on, not just listening to his word, but putting his word into practice, living by his word. When we heed Jesus’ words and live according to his teaching, we are building the house of our lives on the firmest foundation imaginable. Then, when the storms of life come, as invariably they will come, we will have a firm footing.

And/Or

(xi) Thursday, First Week of Advent

In the gospel reading, Jesus makes a distinction between two kinds of listening, the listening that leads to action, to doing, and the listening that has no impact on behavior. He calls on us not only to listen to his words, but to act on them. Jesus wants his word not just to impact on our ears but to impact on our lives. Every minute of every day we are hearing something, if we are fortunate to have reasonably good hearing. However, we are not always listening to what we hear. Much of what we hear doesn’t require attentive listening. There are other times when we really do listen to what we are hearing. When someone we love, someone who matters greatly to us, has something important to say to us, we listen very carefully. What they can may enter deeply into us and impact on what we do. Attentive listening to what we consider significant can really shape our whole life. This is the kind of listening that Jesus calls for. He loves us so much that he laid down his life for us; he calls us to love him as he loves us. When he speaks to us, he has something very significant to say, because his words reveal God and God’s purpose for our lives. Here is a speaking that calls for the most attentive listening possible. Such deep listening will impact on us deeply and will shape our way of life. When that happens, Jesus says, we are like the builder who built on rock. Our lives will be solidly grounded and deeply rooted. In the words of today’s first reading, ‘the Lord will be our everlasting Rock’. In the words of Saint Paul, we will be ‘rooted and grounded in love’, in the Lord who is love.

And/Or

(xii) Thursday, First Week of Advent

In one of his letters, Saint Paul, reflecting on his founding of the church in Corinth, thinks of himself as a builder. ‘According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation’, and he then goes on to say, ‘no one can lay any foundation other than the one that has been laid; that foundation is Jesus Christ’. Paul is saying there that Jesus Christ is the foundation of the church in Corinth. He preached the gospel of Christ crucified and risen and some people of Corinth responded to that preaching, and the church was formed. The language of Paul there comes very close to that of Jesus in the gospel reading. Whereas Paul speaks of Jesus as the foundation of the church in Corinth, Jesus speaks of himself as the foundation of the lives of individual disciples. Those individuals who listen to his word and try to live that word are like a builder who built his house on rock so that it could withstand floods and gales. Jesus presents himself as the rock-like foundation of our lives, just as in the first reading God is spoken of as the everlasting rock. There are different layers in all our lives; there are surface layers and then there are evermore deeper layers. Jesus is saying that if he is the deepest layer of our lives, then our lives will be solid and secure. We will remain upright and strong when the storms of life break over us. We will draw strength in our times of weakness from him who is the stronger one. The builder of a house has to get the foundations right or else everything else will be compromised, no matter how well it looks. We too need to get the foundations of our lives right and Jesus offers himself to us in the gospel reading as the only foundation worth having. If we listen to his word and try to live by it, then our lives will have a security that no earthly resource can give us.

Fr. Martin Hogan.

[randomvarious]

Today's mix:

Feed Your Head by Michael Dog 1993 Psybient / Ambient / Tribal Ambient / Dub / Downtempo / New Age / Trance

Well, it's definitely not my cuppa, folks, but if you want some early 90s UK spacey ambient acid chillout psychedelia, the Planet Dog label's Feed Your Head series definitely seems like a good place to look. Coming out of a hippy-ish British space rock tradition, Planet Dog, like a whole lot of other UK labels that launched at around roughly the same time, originally started out as uniquely quirky and eclectic club nights, first under the name of Club Dog in the mid-80s, and then as the more popular Megadog afterwards. And here for 1993, the biggest brain behind the operation, Michael Dog, puts together a partially mixed set that reflects upon his new label's then-current electronically-driven state.

Similar to what the San Francisco underground had been putting down at around the same time—as the Haight-Ashbury Grateful Dead spirit of the 60s collided with the contemporaneous techno-libertarian vision of Silicon Valley—this comp pulls ambient, dub, spiritually new-agey eastern tribal sounds, and trance all together, yielding a linked crop of tunes that feels fit for something like Burning Man, which is a festival that you couldn't pay me to ever attend, unless it was enough for me to quit my day job and explore the history of modern music full-time! 😁

And speaking of San Francisco, it also can't be ignored where this series' title obviously derived itself from: Grace Slick's repeated, finishing line on the late 60s psych rock staple, "White Rabbit," by SF heroes Jefferson Airplane.

(by the way, isn't it bonkers that the same band that made that song would transition to Jefferson Starship, and then just Starship, and then release that ridiculous early 80s hit of "We Built This City" too?!)

Anyhoo, I don't mind cyberhippy music altogether, but I'm much more partial to the downtempo side than I am to the ambient one, which means that I prefer the music to have some kind of consistent drumbeat that I can nod my head along to. And the only song on this album that really seems to hit me in that regard comes courtesy of the one-and-only Banco de Gaia, an inimitable pro's pro when it comes to that beautifully lush and psychedelic globally-quilted chillout sound. A more well-known Washington, D.C. duo like Thievery Corporation would take a similar approach to newer generations and masterfully enmesh themselves in that massive global chillout scene that would flourish between the late 90s and mid-2000s, but a song like BdG's "Qurna (Haj Ali's Birthday Mix)" is more or less emblematic of where that type of sound comes from, as it lays beautiful blends of psychedelic and string synths alongside nature sounds, hand-drums, and my sought after steady backbeat 😎.

Another thing worth mentioning here is that even though I don't really like this mix very much, kudos still need to go out to Michael Dog for how he went about making it, because rather than just doing normal transitions like almost every DJ does, he went out of his own way to create passages himself to link these songs together to make the whole experience feel more seamless. Not the first time I've heard of this happening—in fact, some in-house person did it for one of those pre-Jock Jams, MTV Party to Go mixes at Tommy Boy a couple years afterwards—but definitely not a commonplace practice by any means.

Also, the liner notes on this release give a shout out to Beyond Records, another UK label that was in a similar vein to Planet Dog at the same time, whose own Ambient Dub series inspired PD to put out this Feed Your Head one. I prefer Ambient Dub as a whole over this first volume of FYH, and you can find a bunch of my favorites from that series in the earliest sections of my own coveted 90s Downtempo playlists—word to the wise, though: the YouTube one has more Ambient Dub stuff than the Spotify one, including an extra super tasty cut from Banco de Gaia himself 😋.

And one other thing I wanna mention here is how a lot of the music on this album seems to have come from offshoots and side projects of already well-established psychedelic and space rock acts. Astralasia, the group that opens this comp up, are from the Magic Mushroom Band, duo System 7 came from Gong, and Eat Static, Nodens Ictus, and The Ullulators were all directly linked to Ozric Tentacles. All part of the same UK scene and all traveling along this sort of newfangled psychedelic electronic club thing together too. Interesting times, to say the least.

So, once again, not the biggest fan of this broad, early 90s psychonautic ambient vibe, but if that's your thing, or you think that it very well might be your thing, this release feels like a pretty wide-ranging and exemplary capsule of it.

Listen to the full mix here.

Highlights:

Banco de Gaia - "Qurna (Haj Ali's Birthday Mix)"

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

The House on the Rock (Luke 6:46-49)

24 Every one therefore which heareth these words of mine, and doeth them, shall be likened unto a wise man, which built his house upon the rock: 25 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 the rock. — Matthew 7:24-25 | English Revised Version (ERVB) The English Revised Version of the Holy Bible is in the public domain. Cross References: Proverbs 10:8; Proverbs 10:25; Proverbs 12:7; Matthew 7:26-27

[gatekeeper-watchman]

Daily Devotionals for September 7, 2023

Proverbs: God's Wisdom for Daily Living

Devotional Scripture:

Proverbs 24:10 (KJV): 10 If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small. Proverbs 24:10 (AMP): 10 If you faint on the day of adversity, your strength is small.

Thought for the Day

No one likes to face adversity, but it is part of life. Accepting Christ as Savior does not exempt us from the trials of life. Jesus said that we will have tribulation in the world (John 16:33), but we must not lose heart, because He has overcome the world. God has enabled us to stand through adversity victoriously by the power of the Holy Spirit.

"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 everyone 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" (Matthew 7:24-27).

The strength to endure adversity comes from acting upon Christ's words. James 1:22 tells us that if we are only hearers, but not doers of the Word, we deceive ourselves. Through obedience to Him, we can become overcomers. We cannot expect to walk in victory if we continue to sin. Once we come to God, we must study the Bible to find out what is required of us. Ignorance is no excuse for disobeying God's commands, as Hosea 4:6a tells us that we can be destroyed for lack of knowledge. We cannot claim ignorance if we have the Holy Spirit within us, because He promises to guide us. He would never lead us to sin. God writes His laws on our hearts and leads us in His ways as we yield to Him. We are accountable for obeying God's Word once we hear it. Obedience brings victory! "For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people" (Hebrews 8:10). "For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God" (Romans 8:13-14).

Affliction, adversity, and tribulation may come against us, but we need not be overcome by them. We have been given God's Word and the power of the Holy Spirit to overcome anything with which Satan may attack us. God in us is greater than Satan. "Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world" (1 John 4:4). In Christ, we are more than conquerors.

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, for thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us" (Romans 8:35-37). Our natural strength may be small, but in Christ, we can overcome every adversity. "I can do all things through Christ which strengthened me" (Philippians 4:13).

Prayer Devotional for the Day

Dear heavenly Father, thank you for sustaining us through many trials and afflictions. We do appreciate the strength that You have given us to overcome everything that the enemy has tried to use to destroy us. Lord, when You open doors for us to testify to Your saving and sustaining grace, give us the Holy boldness to witness what You have done. Fill us with the Holy Spirit daily so that we may be able to overcome anything that we may face today and in the future. Lord, give us grace not to look at the adverse circumstances around us; but rather, look at the greatness of Your mighty power! May we be reminded of the things You have done for us in the past, knowing that You will continue to help us today in need? I ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen. From: Steven P. Miller @ParkermillerQ,  gatekeeperwatchman.org Founder of Gatekeeper-Watchman International Groups Wednesday, September 6, 2023, Jacksonville, Florida., Duval County, USA. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Sparkermiller.JAX.FL.USA, https://www.facebook.com/StevenParkerMillerQ Instagram: steven_parker_miller_1956, Twitter: @GatekeeperWatchman1, @ParkermillerQ, https://twitter.com/StevenPMiller6 Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/gatekeeperwatchman, https://www.tumblr.com/gatekeeper-watchman, https://www.pinterest.com/GatekeeperWatchman1/ #GWIG, #GWIN, #GWINGO, #Ephraim1, #IAM, #Sparkermiller, #Eldermiller1981

[pugzman3]

Matthew 7:24-29 KJV

24 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:

25 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.

26 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:

27 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.

28 And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:

29 For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

[eternal-echoes]

“My friends, this brings about a question: “How do we build this house?” Without doubt, this is a question that you have already faced many times and that you will face many times more. Every day you must look into your heart and ask: “How do I build that house called life?” Jesus, whose words we just heard in the passage from the evangelist Matthew, encourages us to build on the rock. In fact, it is only in this way that the house will not crumble. But what does it mean to build a house on the rock? Building on the rock means, first of all, to build on Christ and with Christ. Jesus says: “Every one then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house upon the rock” (Mt 7:24). These are not just the empty words of some person or another; these are the words of Jesus. We are not listening to any person: we are listening to Jesus. We are not asked to commit to just anything; we are asked to commit ourselves to the words of Jesus.”

- Pope Benedict XVI, MEETING WITH THE YOUNG PEOPLE at Kraków-Błonie, 27 May 2006

[babygirllittleman]

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: Matthew 7:24 KJV https://bible.com/bible/1/mat.7.24.KJV

[moreapples]

When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.

—Matthew 16:13-20

~~~~~

Jesus Messiah, Lord of All

By Jennifer Kane

Upon this rock, my faith is laid,

Jesus Messiah, by God displayed.

Name above all, the truth revealed,

Blessed Redeemer, our hearts are healed.

"You are the Messiah, the Son divine,

The living God's own sacred sign."

Blessed are you, Simon of grace,

For flesh and blood did not show this face.

On this rock, Your church will stand,

Not even Hades can take the land.

The keys of heaven You freely gave,

And as Simon became Peter, receive a new name.

Jesus Messiah, Emmanuel,

The rescue for sinners, in You we dwell.

The ransom from Heaven, our sins You bore,

Jesus Messiah, forevermore.

Lord of all, the firm foundation,

The cornerstone of our salvation.

In You, the gates of Hades fall,

Jesus Messiah, Lord of all.

~~~~~

Scriptures: Matthew 16:13-20

In Matthew 16:13-20, we witness a profound moment where Jesus, in the region of Caesarea Philippi, leads His disciples through a pivotal conversation about His identity. This passage reveals the deep truths about who Jesus is and the foundation of the Church He builds.

Many today have opinions about Jesus. Some see Him as a great teacher, a moral leader, or a prophet. However, acknowledging Jesus as merely a historical figure or wise man misses the essence of His divine nature and mission.

“Who do you say I am?” This question remains crucial for each of us. Who do we say Jesus is? Our personal acknowledgment of Jesus as the Christ defines our faith and shapes our lives. Peter's confession invites us to reflect on our own understanding and declaration of who Jesus is.

The Church is built on the solid rock of Jesus’ identity as the Christ. As followers of Jesus, we are living stones, part of the spiritual house He is building. The promise that the gates of Hades will not prevail against it gives us confidence in the enduring strength of His Church.

Jesus' identity as the Messiah is the cornerstone of our faith. Matthew 16:13-20 challenges us to confront this truth personally and corporately. It calls us to a deeper understanding and confession of who Jesus is, shaping our lives and strengthening our resolve to follow Him.

Take time today to meditate on who Jesus is to you. How does your understanding of His identity as the Messiah impact your daily life? Share your confession with someone and discuss how this truth can be a foundation for living out your faith.

~~~~~

Heavenly Father, I come before You in awe of the profound truth revealed through Your Son, Jesus Christ. “Who do you say I am?”

Lord, I declare with my heart and lips, as Peter did, that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the living God. This truth is the foundation of my faith, and I am humbled that You have revealed it to me, not by human wisdom, but by Your divine grace.

Thank You for building Your Church upon this rock, the unshakable truth of Christ's identity. Strengthen me to stand firm as a living stone in this spiritual house, united in purpose and love.

Guide me, Lord, to live each day with the knowledge of who Jesus is, allowing His identity as the Messiah to transform my heart and actions. May my life reflect His glory, and may I boldly share this truth with others, drawing them into the saving grace of Your kingdom. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.

[maglife17]

The Nature of Christ, Unchanging Character!

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” Hebrews 13:8 Amid life’s unpredictability, we often crave something steadfast to hold onto. Imagine a ship anchored amidst raging waves — such is our heart when rooted in Christ. The parable Jesus shared about the wise man who built his house upon the rock illustrates this beautifully (Matthew 7:24-27). Even as storms came, that house…

[roman-catholic-mass-readings]

5th December >> Mass Readings (GB)

Thursday, First Week of Advent 

(Liturgical Colour: Violet. Year: C(I))

(The new Lectionary is here)

First Reading Isaiah 26:1-6 ‘Let the righteous nation that keeps faith enter in.’

In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah:

‘We have a strong city; he sets up salvation as walls and bulwarks. Open the gates, that the righteous nation that keeps faith may enter in. You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the LORD for ever, for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock. For he has humbled the inhabitants of the height, the lofty city. He lays it low, lays it low to the ground, casts it to the dust. The foot tramples it, the feet of the poor, the steps of the needy.’

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 118(117):1, 8-9. 19-21. 25-27a. ℟26a

R/ Blest is he who comes in the name of the LORD. or:

R/ Alleluia.

Give praise to the LORD, for he is good; his mercy endures for ever. It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in anyone else; it is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in princes.

R/ Blest is he who comes in the name of the LORD. or:

R/ Alleluia.

Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will enter and thank the LORD. This is the LORD’s own gate, where the upright enter. I will thank you, for you have answered, and you are my saviour.

R/ Blest is he who comes in the name of the LORD. or:

R/ Alleluia.

We beseech you, O LORD, grant salvation; We beseech you, O LORD, grant success. Blest is he who comes in the name of the LORD. We bless you from the house of the LORD; the LORD is God, and has given us light.

R/ Blest is he who comes in the name of the LORD. or:

R/ Alleluia.

Gospel Acclamation Isaiah 55:6

Alleluia, alleluia. Seek the LORD while he may be found; call upon him while he is near. Alleluia.

Gospel Matthew 7:21, 24-27 ‘One who does the will of my Father will enter the kingdom of heaven.’

At that time: Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord”, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. ‘Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 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. 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. 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.’

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

[itsthenerdwonder]

♪The wise man built his house upon the rock(x3) [fist on top of fist motion to beat]

And the rains came tumbling down. [rain motion]

The rains came down and the floods came up.(x3) [rain motion followed by rising hands]

And the house on the rock stood firm. [right fist on left one hit and stay on "firm"]

The foolish man built his house upon the sand(x3) [fist on top of fist to beat, smoothing motion out on "sand"]

And the rains came tumbling down. {rain motion]

The rains came down and the floods came up.(x3) [rain motion followed rising hands]

And the house on the sand went SPLAT!♪ [fists together at thumbs and quickly throw out hands, fingers spread on "splat"]

[smooth1dr]

Matthew 7:24-25

"24. 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: 25. 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. "

(Matthew 7:24-25 KJV)

[noeticprayer]

The Holy Hieromartyr Cyprian and the Virgin Martyr Justina

Reading from the Synaxarion:

Saint Justina who was from Damascus, lived in virginity for the sake of Christ. Saint Cyprian, who was from Antioch, began as an initiate of magic and worshipper of the demons. A certain foolish young man who had been smitten with Justina's beauty hired Cyprian to draw her to love him; when Cyprian had wed every demonic device he knew, and had failed, being repulsed by the power of Christ Whom Justina invoked, he understood the weakness of the demons and came to know the truth. Delivered from demonic delusion, he came to Christ and burned all his books of magic, was baptized, and later ascended the episcopal throne in his country. Later, he and Justina were arrested by the Count of Damascus, and having endured many torments at his hands, they were sent finally to Diocletian in Nicomedia, where they were beheaded about the year 304.

Apolytikion of Martyrs Cyprian and Justina in the Fourth Tone

As a sharer of the ways and a successor to the throne of the Apostles, O inspired of God, thou foundest discipline to be a means of ascent to divine vision. Wherefore, having rightly divided the word of truth, thou didst also contest for the Faith even unto blood, O Hieromartyr Cyprian. Intercede with Christ our God that our souls be saved.

Kontakion of Martyrs Cyprian and Justina in the First Tone

When thou, O godly-minded one, hadst been converted from magic art to knowledge of God, thou becamest a most skilful healer for the whole world, O wise Cyprian, granting cures to them that honour thee with Justina; with her, pray the man-befriending Master to save us, thy servants who sing thy praise.

Prayer Before Reading Scripture

Shine within our hearts, loving Master, the pure light of Your divine knowledge and open the eyes of our minds that we may comprehend the message of Your Gospel. Instill in us also reverence for Your blessed commandments, so that having conquered all sinful desires, we may pursue a spiritual life, thinking and doing all those things that are pleasing to You. For You, Christ our God, are the light of our souls and bodies, and to You we give glory together with Your Father who is without beginning and Your all holy, good, and life giving Spirit, now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Epistle Reading

The Reading is from St. Paul's First Letter to Timothy 1:12-17

Timothy, my son, I thank him who has given me strength for this, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful by appointing me to his service, though I formerly blasphemed and persecuted and insulted him; but I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. And I am the foremost of sinners; but I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience for an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. To the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Gospel Reading

The Reading is from the Gospel According to Luke 6:46-49, 7:1

The Lord said, "Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do what I tell you? Every one who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep, and laid the foundation upon rock; and when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house, and could not shake it, because it had been founded upon the rock. But he who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation; against which the stream broke, and immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great." After he had ended all his sayings in the hearing of the people he entered Capernaum.

[gospelhotspot]

TREM Devotional - Build On The Word

Wisdom For The Day Devotional 10 September 2024 By Bishop Mike Okonkwo – Build On The Word TOPIC: Build On The Word (TREM Devotional 10 September 2024) “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:…