I Don’t Want a Futile Home
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Introduction:
There’s a Mother’s Day card that, on the front, reads: “Mom, I remember that little prayer you used to say for me every day.”; When opened, the inside 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, moms, I’m not going to focus just on you this morning. The message this morning is for moms and dads. If you’re not a parent yet, don’t check out on me, because some of these principles will apply to you even if you don’t have children. Let’s look at God’s Word to us in Psalms 127 and 128.
Psalm 127- 128
A Song of degrees for Solomon.
1 Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: Except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but 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 giveth his beloved sleep.
3 Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: And the fruit of the womb is his reward.
4 As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; So are children of the youth.
5 Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: They shall not be ashamed, But they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.
A Song of degrees.
1 Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord; That walketh in his ways.
2 For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: Happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee.
3 Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine By the sides of thine house: Thy children like olive plants Round about thy table.
4 Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lord.
5 The Lord shall bless thee out of Zion: And thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem All the days of thy life.
6 Yea, thou shalt see thy children’s children, And peace upon Israel.
Restrict your Home to God –
Restrict your Home to God –
1 Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: Except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.
Why must we RESTRICT or dedicate our home to God?
Because God created the family; it’s His design and He knows how it will best function. The building of a house illustrates the creation of a family. The point is that if it is to be done right, God must inspire and empower the building efforts.
It is about the foundation –
It is about the foundation –
33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
It is about quality material –
It is about quality material –
18 Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes.
19 And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
20 And thou shalt write them upon the door posts of thine house, and upon thy gates:
21 That your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children, in the land which the Lord sware unto your fathers to give them, as the days of heaven upon the earth.
Are you trying to build your home in your own strength?
Take heed to the words of verse 1; the Lord must build your home.
Turn your life, including your home, over to the Master Builder.
Reckon your Home to God –
Reckon your Home to God –
Psalm 127:2 (KJV 1900)
2 It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, To eat the bread of sorrows: For so he giveth his beloved sleep.
The point in this verse is that God doesn’t intend for us to work 24/7.
If we are to build our family, WE MUST MAKE THEM A PRIORITY.
Children need our presence more than our presents. Moms and dads, do you need to refocus? You may need to take out your calendar this afternoon and 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!”
Recognize your Home is from God –
Recognize your Home is from God –
Psalm 127:3–5 (KJV 1900)
3 Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: And the fruit of the womb is his reward.
4 As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; So are children of the youth.
5 Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: They shall not be ashamed, But they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.
Heritage = inheritance, possession.
I don’t have to tell you that in our society not everyone recognizes children as a blessing; some see them as a burden.
We all must admit raising kids isn’t easy. Kids can be challenging! The Bible doesn’t specify how many children you should have, but it does say children are a blessing. You and your spouse need to seek God together about this issue; and if you have children, realize from the start that they are blessings from God.
Ready your Home to be Used by God –
Ready your Home to be Used by God –
Psalm 127:4–5 (KJV 1900)
4 As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; So are children of the youth.
5 Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: They shall not be ashamed, But they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.
What is the purpose of arrows? To shoot them!
Arrows are designed to fly. Remember the saying, “Give your children roots and 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.
In teaching our children to make a difference, we as parents need to play both defense and offense.
Playing defense means you work to direct your child away from getting into serious trouble. Teach them what to avoid.
We need to raise our children to play offense, to learn how to change the world for Jesus Christ.
Train your children to make an impact on the world, to count for something in God’s kingdom.
Represent your Home with God –
Represent your Home with God –
Psalm 128:1 (KJV 1900)
1 Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord; That walketh in his ways.
We need to model before our families that true happiness and true fulfillment in life come from following Christ.
Billions are searching for happiness in all the wrong places; true happiness comes in obeying our Creator!
Parents, we must communicate this truth not only by our words but also by our actions.
If we are to model godliness, then we must have a close relationship with the Lord.
Rejoice in your Home for God –
Rejoice in your Home for God –
Psalm 128:2–6 (KJV 1900)
2 For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: Happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee.
3 Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine By the sides of thine house: Thy children like olive plants Round about thy table.
4 Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lord.
5 The Lord shall bless thee out of Zion: And thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem All the days of thy life.
6 Yea, thou shalt see thy children’s children, And peace upon Israel.
Husbands and fathers, your wife is a fruitful vine not only in childbearing but in all areas of home life.
Parents, your children are “olive shoots,” plants that will in time bear their own fruit. With these blessings, we should always live with a proper fear of God, for God’s blessings will ultimately rest on those who walk in His ways.
If We Dedicate Our Homes to Him,
He will BUILD our families and PROTECT our families.
Conclusion: In light of these two Psalms, we have a choice to make this morning. We can either try to rely on our own feeble resources to build our homes, or we can surrender our false sense of control to a powerful and loving heavenly Father. He gives us His promise: if we dedicate our homes to Him, He will build our families and protect our families.