Spring, 1927 in New York.  For the past several months, passers-by on Fifth avenue gawked at the huge building being constructed.  The Sherry-Netherland Apartment Hotel, when finished, would be the tallest residential building every erected.  At thirty-eight stories, it towered over other nearby structures.

One fateful night not long before Easter, the wooden scaffolding  surrounding the top fifteen stories – put there to help with construction – caught fire.  The blaze quickly became such a large conflagration that it could be seen from twenty miles away.  The flames hungrily consumed the wood, then spilled over onto several adjacent buildings.

 
Firemen took their lives in their hands as they tried to fight the fire while dodging huge pieces of burning wood that would come crashing onto the pavement from hundreds of feet above.  In reality, there was little they could do to contain the blaze.  Their hoses sprayed water onto the hotel, but they could only reach to about the fourth story!  The firemen had the weapons to battle a fire, but only if it was close to the ground.  When the big test finally arrived, their weapons proved useless.  
What about you?  What weapons are in your arsenal that will help you battle the problems of life. And, are you ready for the big, scary fires threatening to burn everything you hold dear?  How can you be sure you will be able to handle anything Satan throws at you?  

Let’s change from fire to water for a moment.  In the 7th chapter of Matthew, Jesus tells the story of two men.  Both built houses, but one built on a foundation of sand, while the other constructed his on solid rock.  Jesus concludes this story by saying:

 
    “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” (Matthew 7:24–27, NIV84) 

Jesus tells us that the best –in fact, the only – way to victoriously combat life’s problems is to read, meditate on, memorize and BELIEVE the Bible, God’s word.  Contained within its pages one finds the revealed Savior of the world, Jesus Christ.  We learn about God’s love and His promises for us every day.  This is our rock.

And what about the sand?  Our emotions, the culture surrounding us, other people’s opinions – all of these can prove to be false or ineffective in grappling with life.  
So, I ask you the question:  Is your life built on sand or on the Rock of Ages?  I encourage you to begin reading God’s word and putting  a portion in your heart each day to meditate on all day long. 
What will happen if you do this?  Here is God’s answer and His promise:

    “When the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone, but the righteous stand firm forever.” (Proverbs 10:25, NIV84) 
Whether floods or fires, your life can withstand any threat, as you keep your life and faith grounded in scripture, trusting in the promises of God.