Weatherproof

By Edward Goble

"...like a person building a house who digs deep and lays the foundation on solid rock. When the floodwaters rise and break against that house, it stands firm because it is well built. (Luke 6:48 NLT).
Are you weatherproof?
That is, are you like the house in the parable, with the solid foundation built on rock? That’s what we want. A life that can stand strong through the storm—stand up to any pressure, any circumstance, like floodwaters rising and breaking against us on every side. You stand firm—a rock on which your loved ones can trust and depend. If you are not now weatherproof, don’t worry, you can be. No matter your age, health, or any circumstance in which you find yourself. Weatherproofing your life has nothing to do with your past failures or current pain. It’s about starting from here, doing some groundwork, and discovering God’s Best for your life. It is not easy. It requires sacrifice, but it is worth it, it is worth everything.
Weatherproof - Standing Strong through the Storms of Life, is a devotional-style Bible Study of the commands of Christ. Those directives Jesus gave, found in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, that He told the apostles to teach to all His disciples (Matthew 28:18-20). Applying what Jesus taught will strengthen your life in ways you never thought possible and make you literally impervious to any tribulations that come your way - because you will be living what Jesus taught, and, in Christ, you will be protected and able to stand firm.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Edward Goble
• Release date: Jun 27, 2020

Edward Goble

Edward Goble is a creative generalist who is at once a designer, artist, musician, author, cook, and anything else that sparks creative imagination. Chiefly, though, he would describe himself as a follower of Jesus, focused on observing the goodness and beauty of God in everyday life.Among Ed's books, is the inspiring "The Bible Devotional", an easy-to-read, refreshing addition to contemporary devotional books. Each book of the Bible is featured individually in Ed's conversational, story-telling style that will make you feel as if you are just sitting with a friend talking about Jesus."Ed is an amazing storyteller who has absolute faciltiy of words, both spoken and written, as well as the visual arts that require no words." Dean Arvidson, HarperCollins Christian Publishers

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Scripture quotations marked NKJV are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, IL 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked Message, MSG, are taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

Scripture references marked KJV are from The Holy Bible: King James Version

Scripture quotations marked ESV are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright© 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (TLB) are taken from The Living Bible copyright © 1971. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, a Division of Tyndale House Ministries, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (GNT) are taken from the Good News Translation copyright © 1992 by American Bible Society. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NASB are taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE(r), Copyright (c) 1960,1962,1963,1968,1971,1972,1973,1975,1977 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. https://www.lockman.org.

Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Copyright © 2020 by Edward Goble

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems without the permission of the copyright holder, except by a reviewer, who may quote brief passages in review.

For more information contact:

Ed Goble

edgoble.com

ISBN— 9798633072730

Cover Design - Patrick Polliei

Cover photo - Romolo Tavani © 123RF.com

Back cover photo Danece Adams © DaneceAdamsPhotography.com

Table of Contents

Title Page

Dedication

Acknowledgments

Storms of Life

Weatherproof

1 - Be Born Again

2 - Worship in Spirit and in Truth

3 - Repent

4 - Follow Me

5 - Rejoice and Be Exceedingly Glad

6 - Let Your Light Shine

7 - Do Not Lust

8 - Be Reconciled

9 - Keep Your Word

10 - Resist Not Evil

11 - Love Your Enemies

12 - Be Perfect

13 - Be Private in Giving, in Prayer, in Fasting

14 - Store Treasure in Heaven

15 - Seek God’s Kingdom

16 - Do Not Judge

17 - Be Discerning

18 - Ask, Seek, Knock

19 - The Golden Rule

20 - Choose the Narrow Way

21 - Beware of False Prophets

22 - See, Pray, Go

23 - Be Shrewd and Harmless

24 - Fear God, Not Man

25 - Hear God’s Voice

26 - Take My Yoke Upon You

27 - Give Honor

28 - Beware of Leaven

29 - Deny Yourself

30 - Do Not Hinder Children

31 - Go to Offenders

32 - Beware of Coveteousness

33 - Honor Marriage - Part 1

34 - Honor Marriage - Part 2

35 - Be a Servant

36 - Be a House of Prayer

37 - Ask in Faith

38 - Count the Cost

39 - Love God

40 - Love Your Neighbor

41 - Be Ready for Christ’s Return

42 - Take and Eat

43 - Keep My Commandments

44 - Watch and Pray

45 - Go, Make, Baptize, Teach

46 - Be Filled with the Holy Spirit

Epilogue

Dedication

For my grandchildren.

Dear ones, this little book contains much of what we’ve talked about over the years. Things that are important to Nana and I, things we want you to know, things we hope you believe in and hold on to, no matter what life brings your way. Because if you follow the principles in this little book, the commands of Jesus, He will make your life impervious to circumstances. Through good times and not-so-good times God will shelter you, like an invisible suit of armor, or a giant umbrella that you can’t see. And He will never leave you. Even when you wonder if He is near, He will be close—closer than ever. So live boldly!

Help someone up who has fallen, hold the door open for the person after you—fill your life with acts of kindness and gestures of love that show you care for others and aren’t just chasing your own dream.

Live so God can use you and surely goodness and mercy will follow you all the days of your life, and you will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, now and always, amen.

With all my love,

Papa.

Acknowledgments

For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. (Hebrews 4:12 NLT)

I tend to format my writing with emphasis on Bible text. I don’t want anyone to miss God’s Word. If there is one thing I know from experience, it is that the Word of God is where the power is found. If life change is discovered herein it will be due to the readers encounter with Jesus through His Word.

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. (Romans 1:16 NKJV).

Also, my heart is full of gratitude for my family and dear friends. Their selfless, weatherproof examples of obedience to God our Savior both inform and elighten my writing.

Glory to God in all things,

Edward Goble

Campbellsville, Kentucky

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.

Storms of Life

The roughest time in my life was the two years my family spent living in Colorado in the early seventies. My dad was transferred to the town of Pueblo, from Redlands, in Southern California, which had been the only climate, and the only people I had known in my dozen-plus years of life.

Colorado was altogether different. My family and I didn’t know anyone. The weather was extreme. Not long after we moved, I experienced snow for the first time. I’d seen it before, far away, upon the Southern California mountains, but never thought that much about it as we weren’t a winter sports-type family. But now it snowed where we lived—really snowed.

Our house was on a corner, across from the elementary school where my little sister was a kindergartner, and some city rule required the sidewalks to be shoveled off an hour or so before school began—which meant I had to be out there shoveling at the crack of dawn, to get both sidewalks cleared for elementary school foot traffic. Then I would cart my little sister across the street in a Radio Flyer wagon because she had a broken leg, which I had caused, and a cast from hip to ankle. Finally, I would leave for school, sliding through frozen intersections on my Stingray to make it on time, and arriving at the bike rack, by now, an absolute popsicle.

I remember a lot from our time in Colorado, mostly because we were all miserable. The cold was just part of it. My mother was not only caring for me and my two little sisters, the youngest, a newborn. But she was also in and out of the hospital with heart disease. I was frustrated about everything, and my Father chose that season to begin cheating on his wife and family.

To say our time in Colorado was stormy would be an understatement. I remember my older sisters visiting, and my Nana came for a while and took care of my mom, so there are little glimpses of pleasantness. But day to day life was, as best I recall, cold, depressing, and hopeless.

There wasn’t much holding us together when we finally moved back to Southern California. But by God’s mercy, it wasn’t long before my mom and me, followed by my little sisters, came to Jesus and found what had been missing during those long nights in Colorado. We had been exposed to the elements and uncovered, but in Christ, we found safety, wrapped in His arms of love.

My dad even, eventually, knelt before the cross. Mom had passed by then, but it brought some joy knowing that this man who had been so roughed up by the storms of life—troubles largely self-inflicted, was now, finally, able to come in out of the rain, so to speak, and receive the love and forgiveness of His Savior.

There are millions of people struggling through the winds and waves of life. They are neighbors and friends, married and single, young and old, rich and poor. No matter who they are, Satan, the adversary of good, wants to kick them, beat them, and hold them down till they give up their will to live and surrender their heart to hopelessness. It happens all day every day. That was his assignment for our family in Colorado. I’m sure of it. Break us down, split us up, and take our hope.

But Jesus wouldn’t let us go. My mom covered her children as best she could with a profoundly personal, childlike faith in God’s love. We also had family in California who were praying for us, praying for my old man, specifically. So even though from all appearances, our family was going down the tubes, Jesus saw us, heard our cry, and by His mercy, He saved us.

And Jesus set us on the path behind Him, to follow in His steps, walking in obedience to what He had taught, His commands. Following them, we could be sure that He would always be with us. And that is all I’ve ever wanted, for if Jesus is with you, your life is invincible, unflappable, weatherproof. He said it like this:

Jesus came and told his disciples, I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:18-20 NLT).

Weatherproof

So why do you keep calling me ‘Lord, Lord!’ when you don’t do what I say? I will show you what it’s like when someone comes to me, listens to my teaching, and then follows it. It is like a person building a house who digs deep and lays the foundation on solid rock. When the floodwaters rise and break against that house, it stands firm because it is well built. But anyone who hears and doesn’t obey is like a person who builds a house right on the ground, without a foundation. When the floods sweep down against that house, it will collapse into a heap of ruins. (Luke 6:46-49 NLT).

Is your life weatherproof?

That is, are you like the house in the parable, with the solid foundation built on rock? That’s what we want. A life that can stand strong through the storm—stand up to any pressure, any circumstance, like floodwaters rising and breaking against us on every side. You stand firm—a rock on which your loved ones can trust and depend. If you are not now weatherproof, don’t worry, you can be. No matter your age, health, or any circumstance in which you find yourself. Weatherproofing your life has nothing to do with your past failures or current pain. It’s about starting from here, doing some groundwork, and discovering God’s Best for your life. It is not easy. It requires sacrifice, but it is worth it, it is worth everything.

Our life becomes weatherproof to the extent that we obey the simple instruction Jesus gives in this passage: Come to Me, listen to my teaching, and follow it.

There were a lot of people doing the first part. They were coming to Jesus and calling Him Lord. Many people still do this.

I remember when we first moved to the South, we couldn’t help but notice that at about 10:00 a.m. each Sunday morning, all the garage door openers would engage, open, and a loaded minivan would back out and head for their church. Knowing some of these people, I found their regular church attendance curious. For some, knowing God wasn’t much of a priority—or so it seemed.

At that time, surveys suggested that something like 76% of adult Americans considered themselves Christian. I don’t know if the percentage is higher or lower today, but it makes you wonder. Are seven out of ten of us really Christian? I sometimes wonder if any of us are. But since the United States of America has traditionally been considered a Christian nation, many people tend to equate being an American with being a Christian. I suppose it’s possible to casually believe something without any real personal investment, like thinking broccoli is probably good for you without ever eating any. But you can’t legislate faith in Christ, even if you print God’s name on your currency, and sing His grace in your anthems—faith is intensely personal, you can’t make someone believe something they don’t.

Inside the minivan’s leaving for church each Sunday morning, I imagine some were going to worship Jesus, listen, and follow—the simple formula for a weatherproof life. While some percentage just went out of habit, or tradition, without much personal buy-in. Like those who believe in the health benefits of broccoli but don’t eat it—people that call Him Lord, Lord, but don’t do what He says.

Coming to Jesus and calling Him Lord might qualify you as a Christian, I’m no one to judge. But stopping there won’t make your life weatherproof. Jesus says as much in this passage. A