YOUR HOUSE Is The LORD's HOUSE-III—Psalm 127:1-5
Attention:
Your franchise is the business’s franchise!
YOUR HOUSE Is The LORD's HOUSE!
By the Holy Spirit, the author of Ps. 127 compels the reader, & singer of these truths, to ensure the heritage of the Lord’s house.
Every successful ‘house’ is built & maintained by the Lord.
*When is your house the Lord’s House?
7 affirmations/evidences that your house is the Lord’s house.
We have previously found that...
Your ‘house’ is the Lord’s ‘house’ when...
1. Your LABOR Is The Lord’s(:1a-b)
2. Your WATCH Is The Lord’s(:1c-d)
Likewise we will find that...
3—Your house is the Lord’s house when...
Your TIME Is The Lord’s(:2)
Explanation:(:2)Attentiveness
: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.”
Again the utter emptiness & futility of one’s actions comes into play as an extension of the activity of those involved in watching/guarding(:1d).
Neither the effort of “rising early” nor staying “up late” resolves the ‘problem’ of guarding that which is precious to you but not the Lord.
Neither does one’s self-limitation thru total attention to the task of guarding/watching alleviate the vanity of such an endeavor.
The picture is one of a life entirely consumed in the watching/guarding so that one does not even find pleasure in eating.
Similar a soldier’s military scenario on the battlefield eating ‘C’[combat]-rations, in which there is much love lost in the harshness of living. Asceticism.
There is much to be lost in serving oneself.
It is the Lord’s prerogative to provide “sleep” to His faithful—the one(s) who does not lose “sleep” over that which he/she cannot ultimately control or prevent. These trust in God’s activity of building & guarding.
Mat. 6:33—“But seek first the kingdom of God & His righteousness, & all these things shall be added to you.
Protection of one’s ‘physical assets’ is NOT the purpose of life!
*Rather, protection of one’s relationship with God thru Jesus is of utmost importance.
Argumentation:
Lk. 12:22-32—[God provides in His time!]—“Then He said to His disciples, “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on. Life is more than food, & the body is more than clothing. Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; & God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds? And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest? Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; & yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field & tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith? And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind. For all these things the nations of the world seek after, & your Father knows that you need these things. But seek the kingdom of God, & all these things shall be added to you. Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”
Mat. 24:42-25:13—“Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched & not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. Who then is a faithful & wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing. “Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods. But if that evil servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ “& begins to beat his fellow servants, & to eat & drink with the drunkards, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him & at an hour that he is not aware of, & will cut him in two & appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping & gnashing of teeth. Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps & went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were wise, & five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps & took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered & slept. And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’ “Then all those virgins arose & trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ “But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us & you; but go rather to those who sell, & buy for yourselves.’ “And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, & those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; & the door was shut. Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ “But he answered & said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.”
Our ‘watching’ is not tiresome or obsessive nor causes God’s people to be ‘dogged’ with a loss of rest, because His people have found rest for our souls in Christ Jesus(Mat. 11:28-30). Therefore both our rest & our work are one & the same! God’s people have purpose, direction, rest, freedom, & joy, altogether which the world cannot have except at a minimally temporal basis.
And there is the rub...That merely ‘temporary experience’ convinces many that they are ‘okay’ without God!
Eph. 5:6-21—“Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them. For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, & truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light. Therefore He says: “Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light.” See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms & hymns & spiritual songs, singing & making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,”
Illustration:
Homeowners in Florida, who have designs on remaining in their particular home for many or all their years/They will note the way the sun shines on their property/Since shade is so important, they may build a pergola(open lattice) over a patio for shade for morning coffee or for down-time with the family/They may plant a tree in hopes of it eventually providing shade to your seating area/TIME
God expects His people to cast some needed shade upon someone’s life!
No matter how tough you think you are...or how watchful...you must sleep, you must rest...BUT, are you are wasting your life & losing sleep over empty things/TIME
We lock our church doors supposing safety/BUT...anyone can break in/Do we worry over it?...Lose sleep over it? OR Do we PRAY over it?!/There is a ministering reason that our Cross is lit inside!/TIME
Application:
?Is YOUR TIME the Lord’s TIME?
?Is Your house the Lord’s house?
?Will whatever you ‘build’ survive eternally?
4—Your house is the Lord’s house when...
Your HERITAGE Is The Lord’s(:3)
Explanation:(:3)Lineage/Progeny
:3—“Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, The fruit of the womb is a reward.”
“Behold”—The audience’s attention is sought.
One’s family, & particularly one’s own children are not the work of men’s hands or efforts. Rather, the LORD Himself provides us with this “heritage.” The LORD must be the One to whom we entrust them in their raising.
Prov. 22:6—“Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.”
Eph. 6:1-4—“Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father & mother,” which is the first commandment with promise: “that it may be well with you & you may live long on the earth.” And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training & admonition of the Lord.”
As such, they are actually a “reward” or heirloom. Such an heirloom is considered a proof of “fruitfulness.”
Children are never to be had for the sake of self or for self-aggrandizement.
Unfortunately many teenagers—both girls & boys—have children for that very reason!
“Children” are instead, a “heritage” “from” & for the LORD. Parents are entrusted with that “heritage”, with that “reward.”
Children always bring much to the table of one’s life.
They make parents see our vulnerability. They make parents see their course of life from a different perspective. Children make us look at life less selfishly & more self-less-ly.
Children make their parents become more self-sacrificial, as they become protective of their children. Parenting is a huge responsibility!
Any “heritage” is costly to some degree. And every “heritage” is worth the effort to maintain it.
It is precious to the trustee. It’s significance is understood by the one responsible for the particular item of “heritage”. That which is a “heritage” must be maintained properly. It requires sacrifice on the part of the one to whom it is entrusted.
“When Christlike attitudes prevail in parents, each member of the household[particularly children] is made to feel that he or she is an important part of the family.”—Dr. Amen Howard in ‘Teaching Our Children The Way To Go.’
We get a glimpse of God through our relationship with our children. And God gave us free will even though it could kill us.”.....“Some kids want to please, some are defiant.”.....“God is willing to overcome all obstacles to salvation except one, the free will of the child to reject Him.”—Stephen Belokur in ‘Mothers ... And Their Kids ... (And God!)’
“Behold/Lo”—hnh hin-nay’—Demonstrative Particle—1) Behold, lo, see, if. Strong—prolongation for Nh; Lo! Used 17X.
“Children”(See :4)—Nb ben—Noun Masc.—1) Son, grandson, child, member of a group—1c) Children(pl. - male & female), 1d) Youth, young men(pl.), 1e) Young(of animals), 1f) Sons(as characterization, i.e. sons of injustice [for un- righteous men or sons of God[for angels]), 1g) People(of a nation) (pl.), 1h) Of lifeless things, i.e. Sparks, stars, arrows (fig.), 1i) A member of a guild, order, class. Strong—A son(as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal & figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., [like ba[father], xa[brother], etc.]).
“Heritage/Gift”—hlxn nakh-al-aw’—Noun Fem.—1) Possession, property, inheritance, heritage—1a) Property, 1b) Portion, share, 1c) Inheritance, portion. Strong—from lxn naw-khal'(in its usual sense)[To inherit, occupy, bequeath, or distribute, instate]; properly--Something inherited, i.e. abstractly--Occupancy, or concretely--An heirloom; generally--An estate, patrimony or portion.
“Fruit”—yrp per-eey’—Noun Masc.—1) Fruit—1a) Fruit, produce(of the ground), 1b) Fruit, offspring, children, progeny(of the womb), 1c) Fruit(of actions)(figuratively). Strong—Fruit (literally or figuratively).
From—hrp parah'; a primitive root; To bear fruit(literally or figuratively).
“Womb”—Njb beh’-ten—Noun Fem.—1) Belly, womb, body—1a) Belly, abdomen—1a1) As seat of hunger, 1a2) As seat of mental faculties, 1a3) Of depth of Sheol (fig.), 1b) Womb. Strong—from an unused root probably meaning to be hollow; The belly, especially the womb; also the bosom or body of anything.
“Reward”—rks saw-kawr’—Noun Masc.—1) Hire, wages—1a) Wages, 1b) Reward, pay, 1c) Fare, fee, passage-money. Strong—Payment of contract; concretely--Salary, fare, maintenance; by implication--Compensation, benefit. Used 28X.
Argumentation:
1Sam. 1:19-28, 2:11—“Then they rose early in the morning & worshiped before the LORD, & returned & came to their house at Ramah. And Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, & the LORD remembered her. So it came to pass in the process of time that Hannah conceived & bore a son, & called his name Samuel, saying, “Because I have asked for him from the LORD.” Now the man Elkanah & all his house went up to offer to the LORD the yearly sacrifice & his vow. But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband, “Not until the child is weaned; then I will take him, that he may appear before the LORD & remain there forever.” And Elkanah her husband said to her, “Do what seems best to you; wait until you have weaned him. Only let the LORD establish His word.” So the woman stayed & nursed her son until she had weaned him. Now when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bulls, one ephah of flour, & a skin of wine, & brought him to the house of the LORD in Shiloh. And the child was young. Then they slaughtered a bull, & brought the child to Eli. And she said, “O my lord! As your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood by you here, praying to the LORD. For this child I prayed, & the LORD has granted me my petition which I asked of Him. Therefore I also have lent him to the LORD; as long as he lives he shall be lent to the LORD.” So they worshiped the LORD there.”.....“Then Elkanah went to his house at Ramah. But the child ministered to the LORD before Eli the priest.”
Deut. 6:4-9—“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one! “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, & with all your strength. And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, & shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, & when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, & they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house & on your gates.”
Gen. 15:1—“...word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.”
And if the LORD Himself is everyone’s “exceedingly great reward” then those children whom He provides are part of that same “reward.”
Acts 20:32—Paul to the Ephesian church elders—“So now, brethren, I commend you to God & to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up & give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.”
Acts 26:12-21—Paul sharing his testimony with the king—“While thus occupied, as I journeyed to Damascus with authority & commission from the chief priests, “at midday, O king[Agrippa], along the road I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me & those who journeyed with me. And when we all had fallen to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me & saying in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ “So I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. ‘But rise & stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister & a witness both of the things which you have seen & of the things which I will yet reveal to you. ‘I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, ‘to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, & from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins & an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’ “Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, but declared first to those in Damascus & in Jerusalem, & throughout all the region of Judea, & then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, turn to God, & do works befitting repentance. For these reasons the Jews seized me in the temple & tried to kill me.”
Rom. 8:16-19—“The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, & if children, then heirs--heirs of God & joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God.”
Gal. 3:26-4:11—“For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, & heirs according to the promise. Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, does not differ at all from a slave, though he is master of all, but is under guardians & stewards until the time appointed by the father. Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world. But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, & if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. But then, indeed, when you did not know God, you served those which by nature are not gods. But now after you have known God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you turn again to the weak & beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage? You observe days & months & seasons & years. I am afraid for you, lest I have labored for you in vain.”
Eph. 1:3-14—“Blessed be the God & Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy & without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He has made us accepted in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom & prudence, having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven & which are on earth--in Him. In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory. In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.”
1Pet. 1:3-5—“Blessed be the God & Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible & undefiled & that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”
Rev. 21:3-7—“And I[John] heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, & He will dwell with them, & they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them & be their God. “And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true & faithful.” And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha & the Omega, the Beginning & the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. He who overcomes shall inherit all things, & I will be his God & he shall be My son.”
Illustration:
Momma’s scrap-book/All the little details speak of her care for her family/They speak of her love for her children/Such a scrapbook shows the progression of the child(ren)/Her dreams for them/Her prayers for them/Your HERITAGE Is The Lord’s
Daddy’s old gun/It is protected by the one to whom it is bequeathed/We remember Daddy when we look at the gun or when we shoot the gun/We remember the meat Daddy brought home/Your HERITAGE Is The Lord’s
An estate/We diligently guard it from loss/Protect it from those who have no respect for it/Your HERITAGE Is The Lord’s
Daddy’s work-shoes-pen-calculator-hat-shirt-car, etc./We may protect those things/Remind us of Dad’s unfailing love for us/HERITAGE Is The Lord’s
Application:
?Is YOUR HERITAGE the Lord’s HERITAGE?
?Is Your house the Lord’s house?
?Will whatever you ‘build’ survive eternally?
CONCLUSION:
Action:
Your ‘house’ is the Lord’s ‘house’ when...
3. Your TIME/Attentiveness Is The Lord’s(:2)
4. Your HERITAGE Is The Lord’s(:3)Lineage/Progeny
1. Your LABOR Is The Lord’s(:1a-b)
2. Your WATCH Is The Lord’s(:1c-d)
Pts. 3-4 Presented 07/16/2017pm to:
FBC Cbelle
206 Storrs Ave. SW(SE Ave. ‘A’)
Carrabelle, FL 32322
