Devotional Blog
by Pastor Talo Sataraka
Read in English
タイトル: なぜあなたがたは、わたしを『主よ、主よ』と呼びながら、わたしの言うことを行わないのですか。
WHY DO YOU CALL ME LORD, LORD, AND DO NOT DO WHAT I SAY?
TITLE: WHY DO YOU CALL ME LORD, LORD, AND DO NOT DO WHAT I SAY?
SCRIPTURE:
“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? 47 As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. 48 They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it because it was well built. 49 But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed, and its destruction was complete.” (Luke 6:46—49 NIV)
OBSERVATION:
Jesus’ words must be paramount in the life of a Christian. Jesus asked the questions to his disciples, saying, WHY DO YOU CALL ME, LORD, LORD, AND DO NOT DO WHAT I SAY? Jesus’ Word is the absolute authority his followers must put into practice in all situations. Jesus’ Word is not only to be heard in the church, but it must be the air that a believer breathes daily. THE POWERFUL EFFECT OF JESUS WORDS IS WITH THE DOERS, NOT THE HEARERS NOR THE READERS, NOR THE CONFESSOR.
Jesus made the distinction here when he asked his disciples, “WHY DO YOU CALL ME, LORD, LORD, AND DO NOT DO WHAT I SAY.” Doing Jesus words MATTERS MOST to him than my confession and calling him Lord. His words will reveal in a believer’s heart when testing times come. Jesus teaches that EVERYONE WHO COMES TO ME AND HEARS MY WORDS AND PUT THEM INTO PRACTICE will be strengthened no matter what life throws at them.
Jesus uses the illustrations of two builders who build houses on two different foundations. The first man built his house by “DIGGING DEEP DOWN AND LAID THE FOUNDATION ON THE ROCK” and building it well survives the flood; the torrent and his foundation could not be shaken.
The second man who built his house WITHOUT FOUNDATION, when the flood came the torrents struck, everything collapsed. Jesus’ WORDS is the foundation of a believer. For the most part in life, we will all face FLOOD AND TORRENT LIKE situations. FLOODS AND TORRENTS in life will reveal what we are made of and whether we’ve built our life on Jesus’ words or not.
I can fool myself by calling myself a follower of Jesus, but FLOODS AND LIFE’S TORRENTS WILL REVEAL the truth about my claims. This season is a season of testing. Many will be found shaking when life’s flood and torrents strike. Jesus said, His true disciples are not the ones who come and hear, but the EVERYONE WHO COMES TO HIM, HEARS HIS WORD AND PUTS THEM INTO PRACTICE.
When a disciple COMES TO JESUS, HEARS HIS WORDS, AND PUTS THEM INTO PRACTICE, NOTHING WILL BE ABLE TO SHAKE THEM. I include myself here and confess that sometimes I love to hear only and have been powerless at the onslaught of life’s flood and torrent-like situations. I am learning and continue to PUT INTO PRACTICE what I hear from Jesus in my daily devotion. Jesus reminded me today that the POWER TO WITHSTAND LIFE’S FLOOD AND TORRENT LIKE SITUATIONS is to keep practicing the Word that I hear from him daily.
At the beginning of this year, the World Health Organization and the media keeps pumping out numbers and more variants of viruses on the Horizon. People are continuing to live in fear. The reports are confusing, and opinions are plenty. There is no denial of the pandemic, but the fear that strikes so many believers is unbelievable. I am reminded again that in tumultuous times as we are in, LET us, followers of Jesus, build our lives on his Word. I am reminded to COME TO CHRIST, HEAR THE WORDS OF CHRIST AND PUT THEM INTO PRACTICE in every situation, and it doesn’t matter what the situation is.
APPLICATION:
I will submit myself to come to Jesus daily, to hear his voice through his Word, the Bible, and to put them into practice daily. I will continue to allow the Word of Jesus to speak to me daily and guide and lead me during this pandemic flood and torrents that strike fear in many hearts.
PRAYER:
Jesus, thank you that your words are life. Thank you that your words define and refine us and not the flood and torrent of life we face. Help me to hold on to your Word and practice it in every circumstance I face. Lead me to build my faith upon your truth and your Word. Teach me more of the power in your Word that I may follow closely and do what your Word requires me to do. I need you in this year 2022 and my daily life. In your name, I pray, Amen!