Beech Tree News Network

1000 years before Christ, David wrote, “Except the LORD build the house, they labor in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain” (Ps. 127:1).

    Allowing the Lord to build our house means that we are allowing the Lord to take first place in our lives. All that we do and say in our family must be based upon what the Lord has said (Col. 3:17; I Pet. 4:11). When a husband and wife submit their lives to the Lord’s will, they will be truly blessed.

    When a man and woman determine that they are going to live as husband and wife for life (Matt. 19:6; Rom. 7:2-3), then they are allowing God to build their home. Sadly, our society does not teach this. In fact, children being brought into the world without folks feeling the “need” for being married is becoming more common. There are many today just “playing house” while the innocent children suffer.

    Sometimes, this happens because folks allow their passions to get out of control, and something beautiful within the relationship of marriage (I Cor. 7:2) was made ugly due to sin. Sometimes, this behavior is excused as a way to get a “tax break” or a larger check from the government. How terrible that we justify our sins in the name of money! Such people need to get acquainted with I Timothy 6:10! This society has forgotten the words of Scripture which say: “Marriage is honorable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge” (Heb. 13:4).

    Still others wish to make things “legal” and be married, but they have either divorced for an unscriptural reason, or are marrying someone who does not have the Scriptural right to be married (Matt. 5:32, 19:9). In such a case, they are not allowing the Lord to build their house! God does not bless people spiritually for their wrongdoing. Since this is true, we know that someone trying to build their house in this way is doing it in vain! They are trying to build a house without the authority of God (Matt. 7:21-23). In such cases, the result is hearing Christ’s sentence on judgment day: “Depart from me”!

    Psalm 127:1 ends by saying, “Except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.”  In other words, if we do not put our trust in the Lord, and allow Him to be the One ruling us, then it is a vain thing to try and protect ourselves! I like the words of Benjamin Franklin. More than 200 years ago, he stood before the Constitutional Convention and said, “I have lived, sir, a long time and the longer I live the more convincing proof I see of this truth: that God governs the affairs of men. If a sparrow cannot fall without His notice, is it possible that an empire can rise without His aid?”

    Are we building our house without the Lord? David makes it clear that such is a waste of time. Let us humble ourselves before God and accept His way of doing things. God loves us and has our best interests in mind. When we try to build a house without the Lord, we will fail every time. If we are doing this now, let us come to our senses, and repent!

-- You are invited to visit with the Caneyville church of Christ. Times of services: Sun.: 10:00 am, 10:45 am, 5:00 pm; Wed.: 7:00 pm. Website: http://caneyvillechurchofchrist.com Tune in to our radio program on 101.5 FM at 5:30 am, Mon-Fri. Questions? Call: (270) 589-4167