And I'm going to read beginning of verse number 24 right to the end of the chapter. Matthew chapter 7 beginning in verse number 24. The Bible says, Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man which built his house upon a rock. And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house, and it fell not, for it was founded upon a rock. And everyone that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand. And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house, and it fell. And great was the fall of it. And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine. For He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes." Today I'd like to go ahead and preach on this subject, really this question here. What are you building your life upon? Let's pray together. Father, thank You for the blessing of being able to be here. open and receptive. And may it be that the Spirit of God would just touch us in a real way here today. Thank you again in Jesus' name. Amen. As we've seen already in our study through the course of this year, this sermon that's preached by the Lord Jesus Christ, commonly called the Sermon on the Mount, in my estimation is one of the greatest sermons that you'll ever read. And really, there's two things to note as we come to these remaining verses, the conclusion of Jesus' sermon. I want to share with you the beginning of this section and the end of this section. First of all, let me just talk about the ending. The last two verses is interesting. As Jesus ended His sermon, there was a great reaction of the people. The Bible says that they were astonished. There was a great shock and awe that they had in the words that Jesus spoke. In fact, their reaction was such that they began talking amongst themselves, this man does not speak like the other religious leaders, he is different than them. In fact, his words carry with them some weight and authority. In other words, when the scribes spoke, we just did it because we were answering to the outward observations. But when Jesus is speaking here, there is great conviction that is falling upon the heart of each man and woman. And therefore, it is imperative that we follow these words of Jesus. So, the ending of this sermon is just phenomenal about the reaction of the people. But I want you to notice the beginning of this section here. And it begins with the word in verse 24 in the English here, the word, therefore. Now, you've heard me say this before. When you see the word, therefore, it is important for you to know what it is there for. Well, the word, therefore, is a connecting word. In other words, as Jesus begins to wrap this sermon up, He's connecting everything else He said in the sermon with this concluding illustration. Well, what has Jesus already said? Well, if you look back at the 2,437 English word sermon preached by the Lord Jesus Christ, it is reflective of the real issues of God's kingdom, and that has to do with the inside, the heart, It has to do with a person's possession of what they really have. As we discussed last week in those verses there, we talked about that there's a difference between a profession of faith and a real possession of faith. Many will say, well, I prayed a little prayer and I asked the Lord to save me. But their life really doesn't back up what they say. To me, that's just a mere profession. But to those who are truly saved, there's something they have internally. They have a real possession. They know that they're a child of God. And because they're a child of God, there's a change that takes place from the inside, working its way outwardly. In fact, as Jesus talked about in these chapters, He begins talking about this real possession, and here's how it shows up. Remember in Matthew 5, verses 21-26, Jesus told His audience that there were many who would say that they were right with God, but they weren't right with other people. In fact, Jesus was even saying this in chapter 5 verse 27, that He made it clear that there are some who say that they are right with God, but if their thought life was brought to light, wow, there'd be a great embarrassment. And so we can walk through the rest of the sermon, but I just encourage you to get online and look back at the sermons in case you forgot what was preached here about this great sermon on the mount. But I want to conclude this sermon as Jesus did with a parable that He gave. Now what is a parable? Somebody has said that a parable is an earthly illustration with a heavenly meaning. It's great when a preacher will illustrate something. He'll bring something in that we all understand to help us grab a hold of the truth. Well, those were the parables that Jesus preached. And really, you can look at the remaining verses of Jesus' message as a parable or an illustration. And what is Jesus' illustration all about? Something very simple that all of us know. It has to do with two kinds of house builders. Jesus labeled one house builder as a wise house builder. He labeled the other one as a foolish house builder. Now, truthfully, if you took both builders and you put them right in the front of us here as an audience, we might say to ourselves, well, both builders look the same outwardly. Both builders probably have the same purpose. They were both going about to build a home. Both builders were going to build in the same general location. In fact, Jesus speaks here about the fact that these homes are built right in the same geographical location. And probably looking at these builders, you'd say, well, they had the same plan in mind. After all, I don't care how you design a house, every house has got walls, a floor, and a roof. At least a good home it will be, alright? But there was a distinctive difference between the two buildings that these builders were going to complete. That difference could not be seen because the difference lies underneath the surface. The difference actually was in the foundation, which is where most people probably don't look. Let me take you back to the year 1174. There was an Italian architect by the name of Bonanno Pisano, who set out to work on what would become his most famous project. It was a separately standing bell tower for the cathedral of the city of Pisa. Now, on the trip that I took recently to Europe, I was able to go through there and I said, I don't care if I can get up inside the building, I've got to take a picture. This is a picture that I actually took here. This tower, as it was designed to be initially, was to be eight stories high, measuring out at 183 feet tall. But there was one slight problem in the building. The builders, over a period of time, began to discover that the soil was much softer than they had anticipated. And the foundation was far too shallow to adequately support the structure. Sure enough, over long periods of time, that whole structure that they built began to tilt, and it continued to tilt over time, until the architect and the builders finally realized that nothing could be done to make what we now call the Leaning Tower of Pisa straight again. Well, even though Pisano wasn't involved in the whole time of building, it actually took 176 years to build this tower. And during the course of time, as I mentioned, everything was done to try to compensate for the tilt. The foundation was sheared up as best as possible. The upper levels were built in an angle to try to make the top of that tower look straight again. But nothing worked. For over a thousand years, that tower has stood, but with some definite problems. In 2001, after being closed for a dozen years, the Leaning Tower of Pisa was finally reopened to the public. During the 12-year closure, engineers completed a $25 million renovation project designed to stabilize the tower. They removed 110 tons of dirt and they reduced its lean. Now get this. You look at the picture there. They reduced the lean by 16 inches. Big deal. Big deal. But why were they undertaking this project? What were they trying to accomplish? Well, because the tower had been leaning further and further away over these hundreds of years, they wanted to try to compensate, and it really, when they began the project, they realized that the point at the top of this 183 feet tower was 17 feet further south than the bottom, and Italian authorities realized if they didn't do something, there was going to be some real problems. Now really, what's the problem here with this Leaning Tower of Pisa? Why is it that way? Could we say that it's a bad design? No. Was it poor workmanship? No. Was it an inferior grade of marble? Absolutely not. It was really none of those things. The problem was something that really wasn't seen, it was underneath. In other words, the sandy soil on which the Tower of Pisa was built was not stable enough to support a monument of this size. And the problems all stem from the foundation. And what Jesus does in this parable, as He closes out with this sermon, this particular illustration, He likens our lives to these two builders and the type of foundation that we will build our lives upon. So let me give you, first of all, let's talk about the fatal foundation. Now, this one Jesus addresses last, but we're going to go ahead and address it first. Notice in verse number 26, Jesus called the fatal foundation sand. And the person who built this particular building, he called him foolish. Now these are Jesus' words, these are not mine. But let's get a clearer picture here as Jesus refers to this foundation in the sand. I suppose we have to understand a little bit about Israel. Israel is naturally a land of hills and mountains, but it is also a place that is very subject to violent rains and sudden floods. The Jordan River annually swells to very dangerous levels where portions of it can become rapid and very furious. The streams that run off through these hills can suddenly swell with rain and spill tremendous amounts of water onto the plains below, sweeping everything that's in their path. Now in the summer season, many of the streams that are known as wadis, W-A-D-I-S, they'll dry up altogether and leave a sand bed that is empty of water and it looks like it's good solid ground. But if you're not familiar with the area and you decided to build on that particular wadi, that area, and you didn't check the ground carefully, you could build a house that could eventually be in the path of raging river during the rainy season. Because after the dry season, when the rains begin to fall, and these wadis here become very... become raging torrents, And houses that are erected in these areas might find themselves ruined. The foundations will erode away, and the base will fall apart, and that house that was built will then be ruined. Well, if that's the case, because of these areas here, then the person who builds on this, Jesus said, is foolish. But you ask yourself this question, I'm sure, why would a person build on this? Well, honestly, it really leaves room for speculation as to why a person would build in an area like this, but I think we can probably say a couple things that would prove our speculations correct. It is possible that a person who might build in this area would not be earnest enough to dig deep enough to figure out the area that he's building in. He might not look around or he may not ask and may not make observations about the place that he's building. And therefore, as he builds here, it may look good in one season, but in another season, it'll be ruinous. And therefore, what does Jesus say about this man? He is a foolish builder. Now, the Greek word for the word foolish is very interesting. I bet you'll get and understand this word. It is the Greek word moros. Now, have you ever been around junior high students? I'm talking about middle-aged kids. I mean, they're just, they're some of the corniest kids in the world. I hate to say, if there's any junior high kids, I'm sorry. But truthfully, I remember when I was a junior high kid, one of the great words that I used is I used to love to call somebody a moron. Thank you, Terry. Appreciate that. You know, you'd think somebody did something stupid. You say, well, you moron. And we'd use that word regularly. Well, that's the word here, if you will, that Jesus uses of a foolish person who builds on the sand and will find that his house will be ruined. Proverbs 12, verse 15. In fact, the book of Proverbs has a lot to say about foolish people. Proverbs 12, 15. The way of the fool is right in his own eyes. Proverbs 13, verse 16. Every prudent man dealeth with knowledge, but a fool layeth open his folly. Proverbs 28, verse 26. He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool. Now, here's what Jesus is doing here in these verses. Jesus is talking about the illustration of a builder and the physical structure, and he's saying here that those that build on the sand and they don't build on the rock are really foolish builders. Well, let's apply this now to our lives. I hate to say it, but human nature often chooses what looks easy on the surface. You and I, in our lives, will do what is most convenient for us. We will do what is most relevant, what helps us out without actually getting in to the real dedication and dealing with the hard issues. And therefore, when the storms of life come our way, what are the storms in the Christian life? They are the trials that we go through. They are the troubles that come about us. We won't know what we've built our life on until the storms of life come through and wash our life away. How sad it has been for me as a pastor to watch people who are very callous in their Christian walk. there's no real deep dedication, there's no strong commitments, there's no dealing with sin, there's no taking care of things in their life, and their Christian life is nominal at best, and they come into church, and they smile, and they say hi, and they may give a little bit in the offering plate, and they may serve a little bit here and there, but the rest of the week is lived for themselves, and they think they're okay. But when the trials of life come through, they're the ones knocking on my door saying, preacher, I need help. I thought everything was okay in my life. And I want to tell you something here, the person who flatters himself with thinking that he's okay because he has some feelings of Christianity, some convictions, I want to tell you, you better get deep with God. You better build on the rock of Jesus Christ and not on the sand of this world. Because the person who builds on the sands of this world, they're looking at the worldly pleasures, all the worldly possessions. They're looking at everything else in this world to give them the satisfaction. But when the trials of life come, they wash all that away. And Jesus says that the man who builds on the sand, that is the sand of this world, which is constantly moving and is fleeting. I'm telling you, you're a foolish builder. But let's talk about the firm foundation, the fatal foundation. But the firm foundation, notice in verses 24 to 25, Jesus gives His attention now, not to the foolish builder, but to the wise builder. Again, I reference the book of Proverbs. I'd encourage you to read the book of Proverbs, because he talks a lot about the wise versus the foolish. Proverbs 4, 7, Wisdom is the principal thing. Therefore, get wisdom, and with all thy getting, get understanding. Proverbs 9, verse 10, The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of fools, or the knowledge of the holy, is understanding. Now, how does Jesus define the wise builder? Well, here in this passage of Scripture, the wise builder is one who hears the Word of God and is faithful at doing the Word of God. You say, preacher, how can I be a person who is wise in hearing the Word of God? Well, let me encourage you about a few things. Number one, get in and read this book. I was just sharing in my First Step Sunday School class right at 10 o'clock with those that were in there, that oftentimes we read the Bible in a very casual manner, and many have looked at this book, and I've had a lot of men say this, I've never read a book this thick. How many of you men don't like to read? Go ahead and be honest, Fred. You're in church now. You don't like to read, all right? You know what it is? Sometimes we look at a book like this and we say, I've never read this. But truthfully, if you took three chapters a day, do you realize you could finish this book in one year? Bite-sized forms. But read the Word of God. Some of you say, well, I just come into church and I hear the Word of God. That's not enough for you. It is imperative that you dig in for yourself and you read it, but you also study it. That is, analyze its message and how it applies to your life. Reflect upon it. Take some time to meditate upon Scripture. The Bible has a lot to say about meditating. But then, be present in times like this. That's why we have Sunday morning services and Sunday nights. I had somebody ask me recently, Preacher, why do you have Sunday night services? Because you and I, in this dirty world, need more of the Word of God. And so therefore, be present and participate in the group studies of God's Word. But I want you to notice something. If you come in and say to yourself, oh, I'm just hearing the Word of God, and then your life is unchanged as you go out, you're missing half of what Jesus has given you. Jesus is telling us to not only hear the Word of God, but to do it. Listen to James 2, verse 26. James, who puts everything right on the line, says, faith without works is dead. You say that you're saved, that you believe in Jesus, and then you just hear the Word of God, and there's no change in your life? Then I'm going to have to say, I question that, because the person who really says they have faith is a person who's going to show it in their life. In fact, James says even earlier, James 1 verses 22 to 25, listen to these verses. He says, "...but be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any man be a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man that is beholding his face in a natural glass." For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed." You know what the Bible is saying there? Just like you look at a mirror and go, oh, there's a problem there, a problem there, I've got to fix that, I've got to fix that, and then you walk away and don't fix anything, all you are is just observing and not making any changes. Do you realize the Word of God as it's preached today is like a mirror for you? Do you understand that as you get in and read the Word of God, this is reflecting who you really are? The Word of God has an ability, a great power to show you who you are. And God doesn't want you to stay in your same position. God doesn't want you to stay as a little baby infant, spiritually speaking. God wants you to grow. And therefore, as you read the Word of God, as you hear the Word of God preached, it is imperative that you hear it, and do it, and follow it, and you'll find yourself becoming that wise builder that Jesus spoke about. Now Jesus talked about the fatal foundation, that's the person who builds his life on the sand, he's a foolish builder. Jesus talked about the firm foundation, the wise builder who builds his house on the rock, there's some stability. But I want you to apply this now about the future of your foundation because every one of you in here are in one of those categories. Can I say this? You're either building on the sand of this world or you're building on the rock, Jesus Christ. Or may I put it this way, today you're either a wise person or a foolish person. Now, notice the future of your foundation. In Jesus' illustration here, if you had the opportunity to walk up to both homes that have been built, you probably might not have been able to tell the difference in the two. But there was a difference. And I know we've talked about the foundation, but do you realize what revealed the foundation and what it was built on? Jesus likens this to the storms. Notice in verse number 25. He talks here about the storms that reveal the foundation on which our lives are built. And look in verse 25 how Jesus describes the storm. In other words, there's pressures that are from above. The rain's descended. There's pressures that come up from below. The floods came. There's pressures that come from all around. The winds blew. But notice there's a multiplicity of this. It is not storm in the singular. It is storms that are given over a period of time, meaning there's multiple storms in your life. And I want to tell you, in life, that's how things often go, do they not? You and I, when we face trials and troubles in life, we are buffeted, if you will, from all directions. It seems like the trials might come from above, they might come from below, they might come from all around us, but I'm here to tell you, the storms that come will reveal who you are and what foundation you're building upon. So think with me about these storms for a minute, and I think there's two important concepts to understand here, because I don't want you to misapply this. First of all, Jesus does not exempt you and I as believers from storms. Wouldn't it be nice if when we got saved, Jesus said, you know what? Your life is going to be a bed of roses. and everything's going to be hunky-dory. You'll be eating apple pie with ice cream every day and enjoying it, and life will be full of fun and vigor. Oh, no. It often seems like the day that I got saved, all of a sudden, wham! Boom! Something else came up and hit me, and something else is coming around. That's what God is using to help me be the person I need to be. So Jesus is not teaching here a parable about how to build our lives in protected zones. Because I want to tell you something, there's no storm-free zones. The outcome is determined by its foundation on which we're sitting. This is a parable here about foundations. It's not a parable about the weather. Please understand that. But secondly, I want you to grab a hold of this and don't misapply this. Because whether we are truly following Jesus or not is determined by the storm. The wise builder, he found himself safe at the end when the storm struck his house. Yet what about the foolish builder? The so-called man's religion who builds his life on the sand? Well, look at what happened in these verses. That house built on the sand breaks down entirely under the flood of tribulation. It fails him completely. It fails like a summer-dried fountain when his need is sorest. It leaves the man who has his house high and dry, and he's got a wreck right on the sandbank. He becomes a scandal to the church, a byword to the infidel, and a misery to himself. I want to tell you something, how important it is for you to understand what is the future of your foundation. You may be here today and everything just seems fine right now. There's no trials in your life. But you're building your life on the sand of this world. Oh yes, you say you know Jesus. Oh yes, you're in church here today. Oh yes, you may have contributed a few little things in your Christian life. But I'm telling you, there's no real deep commitment. Your life as a Christian is very nominal at best, and the storms of life will reveal really who you are. So don't be a foolish builder. Be a wise builder. In conclusion this morning, I want to illustrate something that I think might help you. It was back on October 17, 1989, there was a massive earthquake that had struck the San Francisco area. The earthquake was called the Loma Prieta earthquake. This earthquake was actually caused by a slip right along the San Andreas fault line. It only lasted 15 seconds, but it measured a 6.9 on the Richter scale, and it killed 63 people and injured over 3,700 people. Now in this area where the earthquake took place, there were two different bridges. The first bridge I want to talk about is the Golden Gate Bridge. The south pier of the Golden Great Bridge sits directly on top of the San Andreas Fault. Yet in this earthquake, this bridge and that pier was undamaged because the weight of the bridge rests on the two towers that are deeply embedded into the rock beneath the sea. Yet if you go across the bay, there's a different story. There's a bridge known as the Oakland Bay Bridge. There's actually a double-decker freeway in Oakland at that time, known then as the Cypress Street Viaduct, which was a part of the Nimitz Freeway, it was Interstate 880, and it led to this bridge here, the Oakland Bay Bridge. This bridge was built in the 1950s, but time doesn't matter, because the problem with this bridge is it was built on marshland. And as you can imagine, in 1989, in October 17, when that earthquake took place, this bridge collapsed. And it did so while the World Series, I believe, was being played across town. The bridge collapsed because, as you guessed it, it was on unstable ground. The freeway buckled, twisted to its limits before the support columns failed and it sent the upper deck crashing down on the lower deck. Lives were taken. Many were injured. Because those who built this did not consider what they were building on. Question for you, based on the title that I've given you here today. What are you building your life on? Questions. Think about this. If you're a Christian here today, What are you building your life on? You say, well, preacher, I'm saved, I know Christ, I'm on my way to heaven. No, no, no, I'm not talking about your eternal destination and the ticket you have, if you will, to be able to go to heaven for all eternity. I'm asking you right now as you're living this life, what are you building your life on? Your hopes, your dreams, your service for this life, everything you're doing, are you building it on the sand of this world? or are you building it on the foundation of Jesus Christ? You can be saved today, you can name the name of Christ, but you can also be a born-again Christian who lives for this world. And how sadly it is that as a preacher I have seen far too many people who I can't shake them from the fact that their name is not written in the last book of life, but they sure aren't living for Jesus. The foundation of their life is on everything you see, everything in this world. And then when those storms of life come by, wow, there's problems. 1 Corinthians 3, verse 11, Jesus Paul put it this way here, he says, For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. The great foundation for your life must be Totally on Jesus. But I want to ask the second question. If you're not a Christian here today, what are you building your eternity on? Now you say, preacher, I don't know whether I'm saved or not. Well, let me ask you this. If someday you died and you were to stand before God and God said to you, why should I let you into heaven? What would your answer be? It's a question that I've posed publicly on many occasions. It's a question that I have asked many people in personal conversations. I'm amazed at the different answers that I receive. But truthfully, unless your answer is, that my faith, I believe in the finished work of Jesus on Calvary, that Jesus died for my sins, and that the only way I get to heaven is through Jesus. If your answer is anything but that, you are on a shaky foundation. Because go ahead and say, well, I am trusting in my baptism, or my church membership, or I'm trusting in this good deed that I've done. Can I say that most people who give an answer of what they're trusting in, then I'll follow up with this question, alright? On a scale of 1 to 10, One, you're a little uncertain that you're going to get to heaven based on what you believe. Ten, you're greatly confident. You know what most people often will say? I'll give it a five. Seven? I'm like, what? You're going to base all eternity on a seven? You're going to take and risk everything on a little uncertainty? That's why when the Bible talks about salvation that is through Jesus Christ, when you have faith in Him, the Bible tells us that you and I can know that we have eternal life. K-N-O-W. There is a certainty. There is a confidence. And today I stand here, not just as a preacher and confident in the fact, well, because I'm a preacher and I get up and give the Word of God, I'm going to heaven. No, no. There was a time, like many of you, that I got on my knees and I asked the Lord to forgive me of all my sins and become my personal Savior. And based on that decision, I believe that Jesus took residence in my heart. And that's my foundation for eternity. Let's bow for a word of prayer if we could, please. Father, thank You, Lord, for allowing us to be able to gather together. Thank You for the Word of God. Please speak to our hearts in this invitation time. Touch us, I pray. Guide us, Lord. May there be decisions made for the Lord Jesus Christ. While heads are bowed and eyes are closed, please, nobody looking around and the importance of this time, this is very important. There's some of you here today, I know that even a size, an audience of this size, that there are some people that are here without Christ. God knows it, and you know it. But today that can change for you. So let me pose the question again, what are you building your eternity on? Are you building the fact of going to heaven based on what you do or who you are? Or are you basing it on who Jesus is and what He's done? Two answers, very simple. Jesus said very simply, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father but by Me. So I ask this question, how many of you are here today and say, Preacher, I've based my eternal destiny, my foundation is built on what Jesus Christ did for me, I know that I'm born again in Him, I'm saved, you cannot shake me, I know it, and by uplifted hand you testify the fact I'm a born again Christian here today. Would you raise your hand for just a moment? God bless you, may I put your hand down? Now there's some here today that could not raise their hand. You say, Preacher, I couldn't raise my hand because I've never placed my faith in Him, but I sure would like to. I'd like to receive Jesus Christ as my Savior. Well, as I often do in services like this, I like to open up for people to receive Christ as their Savior. Right now in your seat, you could settle this matter and build your eternal destiny on Jesus Christ. You say, how so? Well, number one, acknowledge you're a sinner. You've done wrong. Your sin is going to keep you from heaven. Your sin has a consequence to it. But the beautiful thing is, Jesus paid your sin debt. Jesus took the hell from you. He died in your place. And therefore, if you would place your faith in Him and ask Him to forgive you of all your sins, then you can have an eternal destiny in heaven forever. If you'd like to pray right now and receive Christ as your Savior right now in your seat, mean it with all your heart. You could pray these words. I'd like to just lead you publicly in a word of prayer. If you'd like to trust Christ as Savior, why don't you repeat after me these words. Please understand this has to be from your heart. This is not just saying a formula of words. But as I say it out loud, why don't you say this to your heart as unto God. Dear God, I thank You for loving me. I thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross for my sins. I believe I'm a sinner. My sin will keep me from heaven. But I know that you gave your son, Jesus, to die on the cross to pay my sin debt. Right now, I'm asking Jesus Christ, God's holy son, to forgive me of all my sins and become my personal savior. If you're here today, heads are bowed, eyes are closed, please, nobody looking. To me, this is a very serious moment. If you're here today, I'd just like to rejoice with you. I'll just acknowledge you personally. I won't say your name, won't call you out, won't embarrass you in any way, but I'd just like to rejoice here in the fact that you've trusted Jesus. If you're here today under the sound of my voice and you prayed and asked the Lord to be your savior right now, would you just raise your hand for just a moment? Just hold it up. I'm not ashamed. God bless you. Anyone else here today? God bless you. You may put your hands down. I'd like to invite you that have just raised your hands right now, if you wouldn't mind just looking right up here, I'd just like to speak to you for just a moment. I'm thrilled for you. What a great decision. The greatest decision I ever made. Yes, getting married was a great thing. Yes, great accomplishments. But the greatest decision was to receive Christ as my Savior. I'd like to really help you as a preacher, as a friend to both of you. And I'd like to share with you here today how you can be helped. And at the end of the service, when we have our invitation time in just a moment, I'm going to step right to the front. And I'd like to, if you meant this decision, I'd like you to just come on up and I'd like you to just let me know. I pray to receive Christ as my Savior. I'd like to make sure we get some things in your hand to help you grow in your Christian life. And if you would do that, I would be so honored to be able to help you. God bless you. Maybe close your eyes right now. Maybe there's others that have raised their hand and didn't get acknowledged. Or maybe you didn't raise your hand. Why don't you come forward? Christian, what are you building your life on? Some of you need to make this an old-fashioned altar. Get right with God. Your life has been lived for you. Your life has been lived in the fast and furious for the pleasures of this world, all the possessions, and nothing wrong with any of those things in their right context. But if that is your end goal, and that's everything that you desire in this life, I want to tell you, you're missing what Jesus saved you for. Jesus saved you to make a difference in your life right now.