Matt 7:24 “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock.
25 Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock.
26 But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand.
27 When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.”
There is a nursery rhyme that we used to hear when we were growing up that has a lot of truth to it.
Three pigs came to town on a warm summer’s day,
and they said to each other what a nice place to stay.
They each made their plans with remarkable speed,
and they went out to look for the things they would need.
The first little pig built a house made of straw,
he thatched and he thatched till he couldn’t thatch any more.
He worked every day till his trotters were sore,
then early one evening came a knock on the door.
“Little pig, little pig won’t you let me come in?”
“No, no, no, by the hair on my chinny, chin, chin.”
“Then I’ll huff and I’ll puff and I’ll blow your house in.”
No, no, no, Mr. Wolf I will not let you in.”
So he huffed, and he puffed, and he huffed and he puffed and he blew the house in
The second little pig built a house made of sticks,
he paid close attention to all the fiddley bits.
With curtains on the windows and carpet on the floor,
then early one evening came a knock on the door.
“Little pig, little pig won’t you let me come in?”
“No, no, no, by the hair on my chinny, chin, chin.”
“Then I’ll huff and I’ll puff and I’ll blow your house in.”
No, no, no, Mr. Wolf I will not let you in.”
So he huffed, and he puffed, and he huffed, and he puffed,
and he huffed and he puffed and he blew the house in
The third little pig built a house made of bricks,
which he felt would be stronger than straw or than sticks.
He painted the ceiling and he painted the walls,
then early one evening came a knock on the door.
“Little pig, little pig won’t you let me come in?”
“No, no, no, by the hair on my chinny, chin, chin.”
“Then I’ll huff and I’ll puff and I’ll blow your house in.”
No, no, no, Mr. Wolf I will not let you in.”
So he huffed, and he puffed, and he huffed, and he puffed, and he huffed, and he puffed, and he huffed and he puffed but it did not blow in
There are many people in today’s time that build their houses in a similar manner, work very hard to establish their life, their family, business, their career just to have the big bad wolf of this world come and try to blow their house down.
Some houses like the pig with the house that was built out of brick have the ability to stand the testing seasons of the big bad wolf, but many are like the other 2 pigs, they build their house that have an appearance of looking well built until the big bad wolf comes and tries the stability of that house, then their houses come crashing down.
This can truly be seen when you look at the financial condition of our lives and of our homes.
People that build their financial house on biblical principle will have a financial house that is able to stand the trying times of life.
- Money challenges affect the marriage
The economic downturn is putting stress on marriages at every income level. Whether it’s a job eliminated in an automobile plant or stock losses in the retirement portfolio, unwelcome lifestyle changes have become necessary for many people. Major economic worries affect both individual well-being and the couple relationship. The apprehension connected with unpaid bills, credit card debt and possible job or home loss seems to bring out the worst in people. Anger about money spills over into other areas. Communication breaks down. Differences in money habits begin to surface and blaming each other erodes affection.
- Money challenges affect the health
- Insomnia or other sleep difficulties. Nothing will keep you tossing and turning at night more than worrying about unpaid bills or a loss of income.
- Weight gain (or loss). Stress can disrupt your appetite, causing you to anxiously overeat or skip meals to save money.
- Depression. Living under the cloud of money problems can leave anyone feeling down, hopeless, and struggling to concentrate or make decisions, people who struggle with debt are more than twice as likely to suffer from depression.
- Physical ailments such as headaches, gastrointestinal problems, diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease.
The reality is that all of us will have our house tested by the big bad wolf of this world and some of the most deadliest test have to do with our financial house, but God has put in place a biblical practice that will ensure that when that testing season comes our house will be built in such a way that no matter how hard the wind blows we will stand the test of time.
Build our financial house with biblical brick and not worldly straw.
What do some of those biblical bricks look like
- The brick of the tithe
The first brick that must be laid is the brick of the tithe.
Tithe – 10 percent of everything that comes into our hands belongs to the Lord.
Lev 27:30 30 “One tenth of the produce of the land, whether grain from the fields or fruit from the trees, belongs to the Lord and must be set apart to him as holy.
To clarify to us that the tithe is also a new testament practice lets look at what Jesus said.
Matt 22:21 “Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God.”
Then the prophet Malachi assures us that when we practice the principle of the tithe God himself will rebuke the big bad wolf from blowing down our financial house!
Malachi 3:10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test! 11 Your crops will be abundant, for I will guard them from insects and disease. Your grapes will not fall from the vine before they are ripe,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
- The brick of the right spirit
The second brick that is important as we build our financial house is that not only do we practice the principal but we practice the principal in the right spirit.
When Paul was dealing with the Corinthian church on the principle of generosity he told them to make sure they practice the principle in the right spirit.
II Cor 9:6 Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. 7 You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.”
I heard one preacher say, “that God don’t take mad money, but he would take it”. I say keep you mad money and learn to give unto the Lord with a grateful heart.
Many people practice the principle of tithing and generosity, but practice it in the wrong spirit and therefore have not experienced the promises that are connected to the principle.
When you and I bring our tithe an offering unto the Lord we should bring it with an attitude of gratitude reminding ourselves of the goodness of God.
- The brick of faith
And the last brick that must be practiced for us to build a financial house that can handle the wind of the wolf is the brick of faith.
Everything you and I do unto the Lord is done with a spirit of faith.
Heb 11:6 And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.
Our perspective of God will determine our practice for God. Our view of God will determine how we live for the Lord.
If we see God as a small god then we will live a limited life of barely making it a life limited by fear an doubt and unbelief.
If we see God as a distant God that is far from us and not involved with our everyday life, then we will live a life birthed out of our own strength, that is constantly under the pressure of feeling like we need to make it happen for ourselves leading to weary, discouraged and even defeated attitudes.
But when we walk with the understanding that the God we serve is almighty God and there is no other god above Him.
And He is the God that sticks closer then a brother then we will live a life of confidence and courage that leads to a victorious life for the Lord that is experiencing every promise that he has for us coming to pass within our lives!
The psalmist new the magnitude of the Lord and served in that same manner.
Psalm 145:3 Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise!
No one can measure his greatness. 4 Let each generation tell its children of your mighty acts; let them proclaim your power. 5 I will meditate on your majestic, glorious splendor and your wonderful miracles. 6 Your awe-inspiring deeds will be on every tongue; I will proclaim your greatness. 7 Everyone will share the story of your wonderful goodness; they will sing with joy about your righteousness.
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