Except the LORD

Text: Psalm 127:1-2

Introduction:

This Psalm is one that we believe David wrote to Solomon before the building of the temple. There are some very important truths that are found in this Psalm, and it has to do with our personal reliance upon the Lord.

Many times in our life we have taken matters into our own hands and have done things in our own power. There are many examples across scripture of people doing things in their own power and it is never a good outcome. This morning the Lord has us here in this Psalm and I would like us to focus on what these verses say.

Except the Lord...If you are in the habit of marking your Bible, underline those three words right there.

LWhat we notice in these verses are that man is very limited in what they can do.

God chooses to use man, so they have to be available, but other than that, man does not do much.

God does all the good things. We are just a vessel that the Lord can work through. This is a very important aspect of the Christian life.

We did not save ourself. God did. If we could earn our salvation than Christ never would have had to die that terrible death on the cross...But He did die and was buried and rose again and because of that we can be saved, by the grace of God!

Even though we are not saved by good works, or saved only if we serve the Lord the rest of our life. The Bible is clear that once you are saved you are always saved.

Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?

We were saved unto good works. Now that you are a child of God we have a God-given duty to serve Him.

But we need to understand we can not serve the Lord in and of ourself, just like we can not be saved in and of ourself.

Outline:

Is the Lord building your life?

The first aspect that I would like to look at on this point is salvation.

It is impossible to have your life being built by God when you are not even a child of God.

You can know all that there is to know, but if you are not saved that means completely nothing. It is futile if the Lord is not in your life!

What is your foundation?

Is your foundation the Word of God?

Are you accepting everything that it says by faith or do you question what you find in the Bible. That is not real faith if we are questioning God, because then we are not having confidence in who God says He is. which means we lack faith!

We need something that is true! That will not be proven false, and that is God’s word.

Don't question it, Don't doubt it! Believe it and heed it!

Do you have a relationship with the Lord through His Word and prayer

These are some crucial parts to a relationship with God...I want to just mention that reading the Word of God is crucial to a relationship but we are primarily going to be looking at the later mentioned...prayer.

Prayer is a huge part of this aspect of not relying upon yourself. Even though we could rely on ourself even if we are praying it is definitely more likely that we are not when we are praying.

Prayer is showing the Lord that we need Him, which we do.

Except the Lord build it...Are you allowing God to build your life? Do you ask Him to show to you things that you need to be built up on?

We all, I'm sure, like the idea of the Lord working through us, but very few are wanting to put amount of time in prayer that they need to for the Lord to work in their life. Prayer shouldn't be the final resort. It should be the first and last thing that we do in everything!

Is the Lord building your church?

This is one that if we do not have the first one right, we will definitely not have this one correct.

Let me ask you church. Is the Lord building you? Do you firmly believe deep down, that God is building you?

Make sure the Lord is in everything.

There should not be a single things done in this church without prayer being a part.

We need to be faithful to the Lord

Ministries are important, but they do not mean a thing without the Lord in them

We sometimes do things because it has always been done. Make sure that we are doing things because God wants us to do it, not just because it what we see other churches doing.

Just because we do not have all of the ministries that another church might have does not mean that we are not where God wants us to be. Follow the leading of God on the church.

Through the pastor, through the Word of God.

Con:

Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it....

What are you building? Are you letting the Lord build it? One thing for sure is that things need to be built!