06AM May 14 Psalm 127-128

May 14, 2006—Morning Worship

Mother’s Day

God’s Word to Mothers

Helpful Hints for a Happy Home

Psalms 127-128

Intro:  Ana Jarvis began a campaign for a national day that celebrated & honored mothers in 1908. On May 9, 1914, her dream became reality as President Woodrow Wilson enacted the 1st national celebration of Mother’s Day. He asked Americans on that day to give a public “thank you” to their mothers & all mothers.

          Mother’s Day is now celebrated around the world in places like England, France, Sweden, India & China. But in those countries moms get a 2 day celebration. It really is a shame that the President had to declare a national day for mothers! Every day should be a day to say “thank you” to mom for all she does!

          Today, big business has gotten involved in Mother’s Day & there are flowers & candy & all sorts of gifts to buy for your mom. Cards are a big seller & there's a Mother's Day card that reads on the front: "Mom, I remember that little prayer you used to say for me every day." & on the inside it reads: "God help you if you ever do that again!" Kids can be challenging, but they are precious gifts from God. As we celebrate Mother's Day today, I'm not going to focus just on moms in this message. The message this morning is for moms & dads & everyone else. In fact, these principles we discover today will apply to you even if you don't have children. Let's look at God's Word to Mothers & Fathers & all of us as it’s found in Psalms 127 & 128.

Psalm 127 1 Unless the Lord builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; Unless the Lord guards the city, The watchman stays awake in vain. 2 It is vain for you to rise up early, To sit up late, To eat the bread of sorrows; For so He gives His beloved sleep. 3 Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, The fruit of the womb is a reward. 4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are the children of one's youth. 5 Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them; They shall not be ashamed, But shall speak w/their enemies in the gate.

Psalm 128 1 Blessed is every one who fears the Lord, Who walks in His ways. 2 When you eat the labor of your hands, You shall be happy, & it shall be well w/you. 3 Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine In the very heart of your house, Your children like olive plants All around your table. 4 Behold, thus shall the man be blessed Who fears the Lord. 5 The Lord bless you out of Zion, & may you see the good of Jerusalem All the days of your life. 6 Yes, may you see your children's children. Peace be upon Israel!

- From these 2 Psalms, we can find helpful hints to a happy home.

- Notice 1st of all, King Solomon says that if you are to have a happy home you are to…

1. Dedicate Your Home to God. (127:1) 1 Unless the Lord builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; Unless the Lord guards the city, The watchman stays awake in vain.

- Why must you dedicate your home to God? B/c God created the family; it's His design & He knows how it functions best.

- The building of a house illustrates the creation of a family.

- In the construction of a new home, you’d want everything done right! You wouldn’t want 2nd rate materials or workmanship to be used.

- You would want every permit obtained; every code followed; every precaution taken!

- You want to know that everything is done right!

- It’s the same w/your family! You want to know that your family is built on a solid foundation; that it’s constructed of the best materials you have available; that it’s well insolated from external forces.

- The point is that if it is to be done right, God must inspire & empower the building effort as it relates to your family.

- W/o integrity a building can never stand & w/o God there can be no real integrity in a home!

- W/o God’s power; God’s provision; God’s protection there can be no real security in a home!

- Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, clearly states that everything depends on God! He builds the house; He guards the city; He does what only He can do & w/o Him all is useless & vain.

- Are you trying to build your home in your own strength?

- If you are – what you are building is a pile of rubble! It can not stand w/o God! It will not stand w/o Him!

- Take heed to the words of v. 1; the Lord must build your home.

- You must turn your life, including your home; family; children; hopes & dreams, over to the Master Builder.

- He can take a rubble pile & make it a royal palace! Only He can build your home!

- If you’ve never done it before, Dedicate Your Home to God today!

- Solomon also says that if you are to have a happy home you are to…

2. Trust God to Provide for Your Family. (127:2) 2 It is vain for you to rise up early,

To sit up late, To eat the bread of sorrows; For so He gives His beloved sleep.

- The point in v. 2 is that God doesn't intend for you to work 24 / 7 / 365.

- If you are to build your family, you must make them a priority.

- Children need your presence w/them more than they need the presents you give them.

- I can tell you from personal experience that God will provide for the needs of your family! God is faithful!

- Too often, Moms & dads get caught up in the corporate world! Too often they are busy climbing the ladder of success!

- They want to make sure that their families are cared for & provided for – when what their families really need are them!

- God will provide for the needs of your family! I’m not suggesting that you quit your job to stay home w/your family. In many cases that would be irresponsible!

- But I am saying that if God watches out for the sparrows of His creation – don’t you think that He will watch out for you & your family – which He considers to be much more valuable than sparrows?

- Solomon says it’s vain, useless, worthless to get up early or to sit up late in order to make more or get more money.

- It’s useless to worry about meeting the needs of your family!

- & here’s Solomon’s advice – Don’t worry, be happy! Go to bed! Get some sleep!

- But Most Importantly – Trust God to provide for your family!

- Moms & dads, do you need to refocus your life & your attention?

- You may need to take out your calendar this afternoon & take a long, hard look at your schedule.

- Are you making your family a priority?

- No one ever said on his or her deathbed: "I wish I'd spent more time at the office!"

- Dedicate your home to God; trust God to provide for your family; & Solomon also says that if you are to have a happy home you are to…

3. Recognize Children as God's Blessing. (127:3­5) 3 Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, The fruit of the womb is a reward. 4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are the children of one's youth. 5 Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them; They shall not be ashamed, But shall speak with their enemies in the gate.

- I don't have to tell you that in our society not everyone recognizes children as a blessing; some see them as a burden.

- Some are so burdened by the thought of children that in this country we basically have abortion on demand!

- There are at least millions of children & maybe more who’ve never seen the light of day b/c of the inconvenience they would present to their parents! God help the USA!

- God help us to value life which begins at the moment, the very instant of conception!

- We all must admit raising kids isn't easy. Children can be challenging!

- But the Bible says that children are a heritage; they are a reward!

- v. 5 says “Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them.”

- The quiver was a case or a holder in which arrows were placed until ready for use.

- The quiver here is likened unto a man’s house where his children are placed by God as a heritage or a reward or a blessing to him.

- Now v. 5 does not say that you can not be happy unless your house is full of kids!

- No where does the Bible specify how many children you should have.

- But this v. does say that you will be happy when your quiver is full. & the word “full” literally means “to satisfy or to complete.” The Greek translation of the OT, as well as the Latin translation says here, “that fills his desire” meaning, he has as many as he wants.

- Your quiver may be full at 1 – others at 2 or 3 or more. The Bible does not specify.

- So Biblically, you are free to have as many or as few children as you may desire.

- You & your spouse need to seek God together about this issue; & if you decide to have children, realize from the start that they are blessings from God.

- You also need to realize that they are gifts from God & that they are great responsibilities.

- You become responsible to teach; train; educate; motivate & encourage each child you have in the ways of God & for the glory of God & that means you are to…

4. Prepare Your Children to Make a Difference. (127:4­5) 4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are the children of one's youth. 5 Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them; They shall not be ashamed, But shall speak with their enemies in the gate.

- What is the purpose of arrows? To shoot them! Arrows are designed to fly. They are designed to hit a target. They are designed to dig in & stick.

- Remember the saying, "Give your children roots & wings."

- You raise them up so one day you can launch them out.

- If our kids are to make a positive difference, we must make sure they are aimed properly.

- It’s your responsibility to help them hit their target. It’s your task to see that they dig in.

- In teaching your children to make a difference, as parents, you need to play both defense & offense. You need to teach both offense & defense.

- Playing defense means you work to direct your child away from sin.

- You teach them how to avoid serious trouble. You teach them where, when & how to just say no!

- & as vitally important as that is; as helpful & as valuable as that can be; that’s not the most important thing to teach your children.

- Teach them to make a difference. Teach them that the world needs to be a better place b/c they were here. Teach them values; but not just any values; teach them God’s values from His word!

- You need to raise our children to play offense, to learn how to change the world for Jesus Christ.

- & if they’re going to change the world for Jesus; they must 1st know Him personally!

- Train your children to love the Lord; work diligently at revealing Jesus to them in your actions. Lead them to the truths of God’s word by the power of the Holy Spirit.

- The Biblical promise to “Train up a child in the way he should go & when he is old he will not depart from it” means that God rewards faithfulness.

- Train your children to make an impact on the world, to count for something in God's kingdom.

- & God will reward them & you for your faithfulness!

- Solomon has said that the happy home can be yours if you dedicate your home to God; if you trust God to provide for your family; if you recognize children as a blessing & if you prepare them to make a difference.

- In Psalm 128 the psalmist continues that thought & adds that the happy home is the home where you…

5. Model Godliness in Your Family. (128:1) 1 Blessed is every one who fears the Lord, Who walks in His ways.

- Your family needs to see that true happiness & true fulfillment in life come from following Christ. & they need to see that in you!

- Billions are searching for happiness in all the wrong places; true happiness comes in obeying your Creator!

- Notice the v. says that EVERYONE who fears the Lord is blessed!

- & in the context of this psalm, the psalmist speaks of the family. Let them see it in you!

- I know – it’s so easy to talk a good game! It’s so easy to say something – but it’s quite another thing to live it out!

- But you have been called by God; placed in your position by God; made a leader by God for that very purpose!

- To the very best of your ability you are to demonstrate godliness to your family.

- They are to be drawn closer to God b/c they see Him in you! They hear Him in your words! They observe Him in your actions!

- You say, “There’s no way I can live up to all that! It’s too much for me!”

- & you are absolutely correct! There’s no way you can live up to your responsibility apart from the power of God at work in you!

- If you are not walking w/God – you cannot teach others how to walk w/Him!

- So you trust God to work in you; you ask God to build your life; to keep you Christ-centered in all you do!

- It’s His power & your responsible to display it b/c you have appropriated it through your total submission & personal communion w/God!

- You must communicate this truth not only by your words but also by your actions.

- If you are to model godliness, then you must have a close relationship w/the Lord.

- If you do, it will be evident b/c you will dedicate your home to God; you will trust God to provide for your family; you will recognize children as God’s blessing; you will prepare your children to make a difference; you will model godliness in your family; & finally, the psalmist says, the happy home can be yours if you…

6. Rejoice in God's Blessing. (128:2­6) 2 When you eat the labor of your hands,

You shall be happy, and it shall be well with you. 3 Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine In the very heart of your house, Your children like olive plants All around your table. 4 Behold, thus shall the man be blessed Who fears the Lord.

5 The Lord bless you out of Zion, And may you see the good of Jerusalem All the days of your life. 6 Yes, may you see your children's children. Peace be upon Israel!

- Ladies & gentlemen, you must never take anything for granted! God does bless & you are to rejoice in those blessings.

- Your work, your labor will be blessed; your wife will be like a fruitful vine - not only in childbearing but in all areas of home life.

- Parents, your children are like "olive shoots," plants that will in time bear their own fruit which now show great promise w/beautiful foliage & growth!

- W/all these blessings, you should always live w/a proper fear of God, for God's blessings will ultimately rest on those who walk in His ways.

Conclusion:  In light of these 2 Psalms, you have a choice to make this morning. You can either try to rely on our own feeble resources to build your homes, or you can surrender your false sense of control to a powerful & loving heavenly Father. He gives you His promise today: if you dedicate our homes to Him, He will build your families & protect your families.

          I can’t think of a better place for your family to be – than in the hand of Almighty God! But let me share w/you this truth; for your family to partake of that promise, you must 1st know the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Lord & Savior. You must 1st have placed yourself in His hand. You must 1st be walking w/Him in the free pardon of sin & the full assurance of faith.

          What about you today? Have you done that? Have you come to the place in your spiritual life that you know that if you were to die today, you’d spent eternity in heaven? Have you come to the saving faith of Jesus Christ as your Lord? Are you placing your faith & your family in His capable hands?

Invitation:  W/heads bowed & eyes closed, can you answer “Yes” to those questions? If not, would you come today, repenting of your sin & place your faith in Jesus Christ alone? Would you come today, asking forgiveness & find God’s grace & mercy & love?

          God may have spoken to you today about other spiritual matters in which you have need. If that is true of you today, would you come & find peace that passes all understanding in the Person of Jesus Christ? Would you come today & be reconciled to God through faith & repentance?

          As God speaks to you – will you respond to His grace? Would you dedicate yourself & your family to follow Him?

Hymn 411 ‘Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus