DAY 28
The Storms of Life
Jesus told a story of two men. One man heard the sayings of Jesus and did them. He said this man was compared to a man who built his house on a rock. When the storms came they beat on his house but could not knock it down. The other man heard his sayings but did not do them. He said this man was compared to a man who built his house on the sand. When the storms came they beat on his house and his house fell and great was its fall. Once Jesus asked his disciples, “Who do you say that I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Christ the Son of God”. Jesus responded to Peter, “My Father has revealed this to you and on this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell will not be able to prevail against it”. The Gospel to the Gentiles was revealed to the Apostle Paul. His teachings are written specifically to the church. The Rock that Jesus will build his church on is the revelation that he is the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus is the Seed of Abraham; through him all the nations of the world will be blessed. He came as our Savior, our sacrificial Lamb and Substitute. The power of God unto salvation is revealed in the gospel. The true righteousness of God is also revealed in the gospel. All who build their life on the gospel of Christ will stand. The storms of life or the gates of hell will not be able to prevail against us. No storm of sickness, disease or pain can destroy our house. Jesus has borne our sins and the judgment for our sins. God judged Jesus, our substitute, for our sins with the entire curse of the Law. Surely Jesus has borne our sicknesses, diseases, and pains and has redeemed us from that horrible curse of the Law. When the storms of life or the gates of hell come against us we stand firm on the Rock of our Salvation. We are not moved by what we see or how we feel but we stand fast with God’s redemptive word in our hearts and in our mouths. We resist all condemnation and all afflictions (the gates of hell or the devil) and they flee from us. The man who hears the gospel of God’s amazing grace and love but continues to try and earn his righteousness by his good deeds will surely fall into condemnation and great will be his fall. The Bible says to be sober and vigilant because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion seeking who he may devour. Resist him steadfast in the faith. We are sober and vigilant by mediating on our redemption in Christ night and day. Our heart is full of truth and we are resisting the devil steadfast with God’s word in our mouths. As long as you are on the Rock Satan cannot prevail against you. He will flee and you will still be standing victorious over your enemies. Jesus defeated Satan and stripped him of his power to condemn us or afflict us. He did this by fulfilling the law and by making it obsolete. He has reconciled us to himself by giving us, as a free gift, his perfect righteousness. Now we stand on this Rock and we overcome.
PrayerFather I thank you for revealing to me that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God. I thank you for being my Savior and my Rock on which I stand. I know that in myself is nothing good. I am nothing without you, but in you and through you I am considered righteous and I can do all things through Christ my Lord.
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Confession
Jesus is my Rock on which I stand. I died with Christ. I resurrected with Christ a new man. I am forgiven and I am justified by the blood of Jesus. I resist all condemnation and all afflictions in Jesus’ name. You cannot prevail against me Satan for my faith is in Jesus’ finished work at the cross.
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