Life at Its Best: How God’s Word Secures Us

Published 8:15 am Saturday, July 26, 2025

By Jim Graff

Pastor Jim Graff

Our grandkids visited us this summer and brought a game called Beanboozled. I’d never played it before; if I had, I probably would have politely declined.

Here’s how it goes: You spin a spinner that lands on a picture of a jelly bean you have to eat. The problem is—each color jelly bean has two potential tastes—top banana or wet dog, Tutti Frutti or stinky socks, licorice or burnt rubber.

I got just about every bad one you can, and the kids thought it was hilarious.

Later, I thought about how life can be like that game—it doesn’t always turn out like you wish. But the good part about God is, He tells us how to make choices that will turn for good in the long run.

We see this in Matthew 7, in the parable of the wise and foolish builder. One man built his house on sand, and when the storm came, it fell. But another man built his house on a rock. It didn’t fall, because its foundation was secure.

Verse 24, 26 give us the meaning: “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. … 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.”

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    • Jesus was showing us it is important to hear the Word of God. But it won’t do us much good unless we put the principles we hear and read about into action. Education is important, but it doesn’t produce much fruit without effort behind it!

    We see this reality play out throughout Acts, when Luke calls people wanting to follow Jesus different names as time progresses. First, he calls them believers (Acts 2:42), then disciples (Acts 6:1), then followers of the Way (Acts 9:2), then finally, Christians (Acts 11:26).

    This is significant because yes, our initial decision to become a believer is vital, both to our eternity and our current reality. However, our life on earth won’t change much if we don’t add effort to our education. We have to actually apply the Word of God to our lives.

    We’ll live like the wise builder when we do two things. First, when we learn God’s truth until it changes our hearts. We must intentionally question how we think, living with a humble, hungry heart through Bible study, prayer, and learning from proven, godly mentors.

    Second, we will live like the wise builder when we live in God’s truth until it changes our circumstances. If we will intentionally practice God’s Word with perseverance, we’ll experience blessing. And that blessing will stand like a firm house built on rock that inspires others to build the same.

    After serving God for almost fifty years now, there is little I treasure as much as His Word. It truly is the foundation of our life’s renewal.

    Jim Graff is the senior pastor at Faith Family Church in Victoria, Texas.

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