Thought for December 15

History:

  • 1791: America's first law school established--University of Pennsylvania
  • 1791: Bill of Rights ratified by the States
  • 1792: First insurance policy issued in the US
  • 1844: Methodist Church splits over slavery
  • 1864: Battle of Nashville
  • 1870: African American Episcopal Church established in Jackson TN
  • 1938: Groundbreaking for the Jefferson Memorial
  •  1939: "Gone with the Wind" premiers
  • 1941: USS Swordfish is the first American sub to sink a Japanese ship
  • 1944: Glenn Miller lost over the English Channel
  • 1955: Johnny Cash releases "Folsom Prison Blues"
  • 1973: Tennessee beats Temple 11-6 in basketball
  • 1979: Trivial Pursuit released
  • 2004: "Million Dollar Baby" premiers
  • Born: Nero, Gustave Eiffel, J Paul Getty, Jeff Chandler, Tim Conway
  • Died: Jan Vermeer, Mad Anthony Wayne, Sitting Bull, Charles Laughton, Walt Disney, Oral Roberts, Blake Edwards, Bob Feller, Joan Fontaine
Thought:
Back in Psalm 127 today. Yesterday we looked at the last 3 verses, today the first 2 verses and their connection to yesterday's thought.

  • Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain.
    • This precedes the teaching in verses 3-5 about children. The children are arrows, but if the archer uses a foundation other than the Lord, vanity. As parents we know that if we try to launch our children into the future while standing on a shaky foundation, our aim will be bad and our strength will be limited. Standing on the firm foundation, we can point our children in the right direction. 
    • And the houses spoken of in this verse are not just residences. What are you trying to build today. A business, a career, a family, a church, a life. Whatever we are trying to build, we are working in vain if the Lord is not the builder. He is the architect. Scripture lays out His plans and specifications. He is the foundation, the rock, and building on any other foundation is foolishness. He is the supplier--for He supplies every good thing needed for life and joy and peace. He is the measuring line--we align our lives, business, family with His plumb line so we are building toward our heavenly goal. We align our building horizontally by His leveling line so that we build in right relationship with others. 
    • What are His materials--love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, self-control, faith, trust, endurance, wisdom. We cannot find these materials in the marketplace. We find them in Christ.
    • What holds the building together. Colossians tells us that all things were created by Jesus and for Jesus, and He is the glue that holds all things together. He is the cement to hold a marriage together, a family together, a church together, a life together. Without that glue--chaos.
  • Unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.
    • You can be alert, but unless the Lord is guarding the city, the enemy will overrun it. 
    • You can develop your own weapons to fight the enemy, but if the Lord's weapons are not used, the enemy will prevail. So put on the helmet of salvation, the breastplate of righteousness, the sword of the word, the belt of truth, the shoes of the gospel--then stand. 
  • Looking to the world for satisfaction is vain, for the Lord gives those He loves in their sleep.
    • Here I don't think we are told not to work. We are told that it is vain to think that you can find satisfaction in work, things, success, fame, wealth---the things that really satisfy, God gives to His children in their sleep. You probably have had that experience. You try and work out a problem, find a solution, deal with an issue--you cannot sleep, anxiety grips you, fear and doubt are not far behind--fear of failure, embarrassment, punishment, loss. And then you decide to trust the Lord and sleep on it. You choose to find sleep by praying--not for your solution but for others, for your enemy, for peace and joy, for wisdom and understanding, for God to get glory out of your decision. Then God speaks--peace that passes understanding. 
Today, choose the right foundation. Without it your day is in vain. 

Blessings
Larry

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