Storm Warnings

Here on the Gulf Coast, we are under the gun for Hurricane Ivan. As it approached today, the people in our area reacted in different ways. Some took it very seriously, boarding up windows, buying large quantities of bottled water, and making sure their vehicles were full of gasoline. Others didn't really seem to do anything, And then there were those who I saw headed to the beach with surfboards resting on the roof of their car.

I'm sure every one of them knows of the hurricane. After all, the TV, radio, and every other media outlet was blaring the latest predictions of intensity and landfall. Watching what Ivan had done in Jamaica, the Caymans, and Cuba gave everyone a glimpse of the seriousness of the storm.

They were warned.

As a pastor, I see a lot of storms.

When people decide to live life outside God's will, they place themselves in real danger. Many if not all know better. They've been in Bible Study, heard hundreds of sermons. But all of those don't seem to affect their daily lives. Jesus acknowledged the problem and the results.

24 "These words I speak to you are not incidental additions to your life, homeowner improvements to your standard of living. They are foundational words, words to build a life on. If you work these words into your life, you are like a smart carpenter who built his house on solid rock. 25 Rain poured down, the river flooded, a tornado hit— but nothing moved that house. It was fixed to the rock.
26 "But if you just use my words in Bible studies and don't work them into your life, you are like a stupid carpenter who built his house on the sandy beach. 27 When a storm rolled in and the waves came up, it collapsed like a house of cards."
Matt 7:24-27 (MSG)

Friends, Bible trivia is a game. Bible study and prayerful application of what you learn to your daily life - that's real. Don't be fooled into thinking the storms won't come - they will. Take time each day to open your Bible and pray for the Holy Spirit to lead you to higher ground.

Build your life on the Rock of God's Word.

Grace!

David

This devotional is written by David Wilson, pastor of New Hope Baptist church in Valparaiso, FL. If you find you have received this via a forward and would like to receive it regularly, or find you no longer wish to receive it, drop me an email at dwilsonfl@earthlink.net and I'll make the change to the list. If you'd like to know more about New Hope, visit our website at www.newhopevalp.org . May God bless you.