A Foundation in the Word – Greg Laurie Devotion – March 17, 2026

Biblical Context

The Gospel of Matthew gives us the story of Jesus, written by Matthew, one of Jesus’s twelve apostles. Matthew, a former tax collector, wrote primarily for a Jewish audience, showing them how Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies of the Messiah. This book works to establish Jesus’s authority and kingship, making it clear He is the Son of God, the promised King of Israel.

Our verse for today, Matthew 24:35, comes from a section of the Gospel called the Olivet Discourse. This is a big, important teaching Jesus gave on the Mount of Olives to His disciples. They had just asked Him about the future—specifically, when the temple would be destroyed and what signs would show His return and the end of the age. Jesus responds by describing a series of future events, warnings, and encouragements. Right after talking about the signs leading up to these big things, He gives this powerful statement about the lasting nature of His words. It’s a way of saying, ‘Even when everything around you changes or falls apart, what I tell you holds true, always.’

Key Word Study

Let’s look at a key word from our scripture: disappear.

In the New Living Translation, Matthew 24:35 says, “Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear.”

The Greek word used here for “disappear” is παρελεύσομαι (pareleusomai). It’s a future form of the verb parerchomai.

This word means: to pass by, to pass away, to vanish, to perish, to cease to exist, to come to an end.

So, when Jesus says heaven and earth will pareleusomai, He means they will literally pass out of existence, they’ll come to a complete end. They won’t just change; they’ll be gone. Then, He uses the same word to say His words will never pareleusomai. This emphasizes just how permanent and trustworthy His teachings are. They aren’t just for a time; they’re forever, they never go out of style, and they never lose their power. They don’t vanish, they don’t perish, they just stay true.

When Life Gets Shaky, Where Do You Turn?

It’s easy to feel shaky in your relationship with God when you haven’t built a good foundation for your life. When tough times threaten your well-being, you don’t always know where to turn. That often leaves you feeling distant from the Lord. It’s a common struggle, and it’s why what we build our lives on really matters.

Think about it: where will you turn in a time of crisis? When tragedy hits? When disaster strikes? Will it be your favorite website? The morning newspaper? The evening news? Those things might give you information, but they can’t give you strength and direction when you’re feeling really down. You’re going to need something much stronger, something that lasts.

Here’s a tip: You won’t find a better resource than the Word of God. It’s the one place where you can find real comfort and lasting answers.

A Gem from the Ocean of God’s Word

As one pastor said, “One gem from that ocean is worth all the pebbles of earthly streams.” Just a single, powerful truth from the vast ocean of God’s Word can make all the difference when tragedy or hardship strikes. You can’t count how many people, going through hard times, have found true comfort from Scripture. It happens all the time, because God’s Word gives real help.

Trusting in what God has said in His Word can keep us going and give us direction, hope, and comfort when we need them most. Inspirational platitudes or clever sayings won’t help—at least, not for very long—but the Word of God always will. It’s often said that those who reject the Bible have nothing real to live by. They also have nothing certain to die by. They’re missing the very things that give life real meaning and purpose.

God’s Word Never Goes Out of Style

Ideas and philosophies come and go with the passing of years, but the Word of God never goes out of style. It never goes out of date, unlike this morning’s news. The Word of God will always be relevant, always true, and always able to speak to your situation, no matter when or where you are.

That’s why C. S. Lewis said, “All that is not eternal is eternally out of date.” If something doesn’t last forever, it’s already old news. And it’s why Jesus Himself said, “Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear” (Matthew 24:35 nlt). He told us His words are different; they last forever.

Building on a Strong Foundation

Jesus really showed how important it is to have a strong foundation built on God’s truth in His parable of the wise and foolish builders in Matthew 7:24–27. This story helps us see what happens when we do and don’t build on the right things.

Jesus said, “Anyone who listens to my teaching and obeys it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on rock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a great crash.” (Matthew 7:24–27 nlt)

The wise man built his house on the rock. When the rains came, when the storms of life threatened his well-being, it did not fall. The structure may have been shaken to its core, but it stood firm against everything that was thrown at it. Why? Because it had a strong foundation.

The foolish man, on the other hand, built his house on sand. He didn’t make a strong foundation a priority. When the rains came, his house collapsed with a great crash. It was a complete disaster because he chose to build on something unstable.

Don’t Wait – Get That Foundation Now

I really urge you to get a good foundation in God’s Word right now. It’s only a matter of time until the storms of life rain down on you and hardship strikes. It happens in every life, without exception. You’re not going to escape it; no one does.

But if you have a good foundation in the Word of God, then you’ll be ready for difficulty when it comes. You’ll know where to turn and what to hold onto. Don’t wait until then to try to catch up, to start scrambling for answers. Get that foundation now, while things are calm, so you’re prepared for whatever comes your way.