The Test of Timeਨਮੂਨਾ

Day 4) Stand On The Rock

How To Stand When Storms Come

1) Hear His Word

“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.” (Matthew 7:24-25 ESV)

Before we can obey God’s Word, we must first know God’s Word. Even though we were not present during Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, we have the ability to study His words in the Bible, which is true in every respect. One of the most powerful things you can do to stand strong when storms come is to spend intentional time reading and studying Scripture. For more tips and advice on how to do this, Week 1 of our curriculum, entitled The Source, is a great place to start. It is always available for free at www.yciclubs.com/curriculum

2) Do His Word

“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.” (Matthew 7:26-27 ESV)

While studying God’s Word is an incredibly important discipline to develop, it is essential that we move beyond merely studying and actually apply what He is teaching us. Jesus warns that the person who hears the Word without doing it is like a house built on sand. It may look stable on the surface, but it will crumble when the storms come!

3) Trust His Authority

“And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.” (Matthew 7:28-29 ESV)

As Jesus concluded this incredible sermon, the crowd’s response was astonishment. Their amazement came from recognizing that when Jesus spoke, His words carried real authority (unlike the scribes of their time). Rather than simply possessing knowledge of God’s Word, Jesus embodied the authority to teach it because He literally is “the Word made flesh” (John 1:14). As you allow your life to be shaped through the study and application of God’s Word, you can do so with confidence, trusting that these are not simply the nice ideas of a distant teacher, they are the words of the creator and sustainer of the universe.

Big Idea: Standing strong in life’s storms requires more than just hearing God’s Word; it requires studying it, obeying it, and trusting in the authority of God who spoke it. When our lives are built on His truth and lived out faithfully, we can withstand any challenge with confidence.

Let’s Think About This:

Question 1) How can spending intentional time in Scripture help us prepare for life’s “storms”?

Question 2) What are some practical ways we can move from just hearing God’s Word to actually doing it?

Question 3) In what ways does recognizing Jesus’ authority impact how we respond to His teachings and guidance?