Sinking Sand

"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."  Matthew 7:24-27 (ESV)

Expanation for Matthew 7:24-27 from the MacArthur Study Bible, page 1372:  "The house represents a religious life; the rain represents divine judgment.  Only the house built on the foundation of obedience to God's word stands, which calls for repentance, rejection of salvation by works, and trust in God's grace to save through his merciful provision.  See notes on James 1:22-25"

"But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.  For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror.  For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like.  But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing." James 1:22-25, (ESV)

Expanations for James 1:22-25 from the MacArthur Study Bible, page 1878: 
"1:22 be doers.  The fact that James calls professing believers to be "doers," rather than simply to do, emphasizes that their entire personality should be characterized in that way.  See notes on Matt. 7:21-28.  deceiving. Lit., "reason beside or alongside" (as in "beside oneself").  This word was used in mathematics to refer to a miscalculation.  Professing Christians who are content with only hearing the word have made a serious spiritual miscalculation."
"1:23 looks.  A forceful Greek word meaning to observe carefully and cautiously, as opposed to taking a casual glance.   mirror.  First century mirrors were not glass but metallic, made of bronze, silver--or for the wealthy--gold.  The metals were beaten flat and polished to a high gloss, and the image they reflected was adequate but not perfect (cf. 1 Cor. 13:12)."
"1:24 forgets what he was like.  Unless professing Christians act promptly after they hear the word, they will forget the changes and improvements that their reflection showed them they need to make."
"1:25 perfect law.  In both the OT and NT, God's revealed, inerrant, sufficient, and comprehensive word is called "law" (cf. Ps. 19:7).  The presence of his grace does not mean there is no moral law or code of conduct for believers to obey.  Believers are enabled by the Spirit to keep it (see note on Rom. 8:4).  liberty.  Genuine freedom from sin.  As the Holy Spirit applies the principles of Scripture to believers' hearts, they are freed from sin's bondage and enabled to obey God (John 8:34-36)"

Let's pray:  Dear Lord Jesus,  I pray that we will continue to put our faith in You, Jesus, and that we will build our house upon the rock (which is You, Lord).  I pray that You will protect us from this sinking sand that is enveloping the world.  I pray for those unsaved and in bondage to their sin and pray that You would knock on the door to their heart and I pray that they would let you in and repent from their sin.  You, Jesus are the truth and You alone sets us free.  Thank you for all the blessings that You have given us and thank You for never leaving us for You have said in Matthew 28:20, "teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.  And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."