Don't give up

Jesus always speaks the truth. He informs us that there are two types of believers. The reason we know that he refers to believers is because both hears his sayings. Both listened to his teachings and heard the word.
The book Romans 10:17 states that faith comes by hearing the word of God. So, both had received faith. The difference between the two is not therefore in the ‘hearing' but on the ‘doing'. One acted on the word that he heard and the other failed to act on the word that he heard. One accepted correction from the word of God and the other kept his old lifestyle. One followed instruction from the word and the other failed to follow instruction.
Few people can take correction and receive instruction. The book of Proverbs is written to those who are wise, who are able to receive instruction and correction.

• Most people don't want to be corrected.
• When they are corrected, most people that you know become offended.
• If you can get them out of their offense, they have usually missed the window of their opportunity to be promoted.

Notice that Jesus likens the man that hears and do as a wise man who builds his house (Greek – family) on a rock. The other was likened NOT only by Jesus but by everybody as a man who was foolish and built his house (family) on the sand. Now, we fall into one of the two categories.
The other significance of this illustration is that both were tested by storms. The storms are the trials and hardship of life. It is the storm that determined how strong they were and proved who they really are! Trouble will reveal the real you! It's in a test that one knows how much you've learned and applied.
The storms of life are the trials, persecution, troubles and problems that we face such as personal, familial, financial, physical (sickness & curses), emotional and social challenges. Jesus said both categories will face the storms of life.
Becoming a believer does not immune us from the storms of life, it teaches us how to deal and succeed in the midst of the challenge. We also need to understand that there are two sources of trouble. Satan number one objective is to stop you from receiving the word and if you do receive it then his next objective is to use problems to choke the word out of you.

This represents one of the two main sources of problems in any believer's life. Trials, persecutions and trouble all can come as Satan desperately tries to keep God's word from doing its work in your heart.
The other way trouble can enter is through the bad seed you sow yourself.

This verse tell us that many believers suffer, not because of an attack of the devil, but because of their own actions. Sins, evil words and unrighteous attitudes can all bring storms of life. The bad decisions we made brought the situations we are in.
In the word of God, there are some insights that we can learn from as people dealt with various storms. Although, they were natural storms, there are spiritual principles that can be applied in order to live in the midst of a storm. Remember that we will liken these natural storms to the storms of life. These examples will help us to see clearly how to deal with the challenges of life.

The instance here shows Jesus entering a ship with His disciples setting sail for a destination. He led them into the ship to make a crossing. Now bear in mind that some of his disciples were professional fishermen and understood the sea and they gave no indication that the weather was not suitable for sailing.

A great tempest arose much like most storms of life. When you think all is peaceful and the going is good, all of a sudden something begins to go wrong and beyond your control. There was only one thing left for the disciples to do and that is to wake Jesus up. Notice what they said: “Lord save us, we perish.”

Jesus is the Word and they went to the word for salvation from the storm. He arose, rebuked the storm and there was a great calm.