At the end of the Sermon on the Mount, the Lord told a story about a wise man and a foolish man, the houses they built, and what happened to these houses. This parable has great relevance for us still today, for it shows two pictures of what our life can be like, depending on the choices we make in life. Our central choice is whether we will follow the Lord and let His kingdom come into us-His church on earth and in heaven.

The Lord builds His church inside each one of us in myriads of ways. We can help by choosing a right foundation. The parable tells us clearly how to do this: listen to the truths of the Word and do them. Simply hearing is not enough-it gives us only a foundation of shifting sand. But truths, put to use in our lives, forge a strong foundation-a rock-on which the Lord can build His church in our minds and hearts. Then, a true church, a form of heaven on earth, develops within us. So when we open the way for the Lord's church, we are opening the way for heaven to enter into us.

The Word is the source of our foundation truths. If we look toward it and try to build our lives on what we learn from it, we will have a strong, sure structure. Storms come to everyone, as the parable indicates, but if we have a good foundation for our lives, we will weather the storms, and emerge stronger than ever, as part of the Lord's kingdom in this world, His church.

We hope that these materials and projects will inspire and inform you in working on your own foundations. You might want to start by reading What Is a Church? by Rev. Patrick Rose and looking at the Flash illustrating some of the concepts from the article. The Family Projects and Activities include a House Built on the Rock Rebus, and projects to illustrate the idea that the Lord's Church is with Everyone who seeks to live a good life. Perhaps read one or more of the sermons and family talks and print out the beautifully illustrated Blessing or Prayer for this month.

New Feature: Flash animations for kids.