2. Homes in our culture are in trouble… By the numbers… 45-50% 63% 2055/day 3 rd 28% - Per. of marr. ending in divorce, today - percent of kids sep. from a parent - 33% of teen girls becoming pregnant - suicide ranking for death, age 15-24 - teens saying they drank in last month

3. How Important is YOUR Family? What would you do to help your family be stable and functional?

4. What would you do? Work long hours Rise early and stay late Pursue education Read books Watch DVDs Get counseling For …. Material goods Comforts Recreation Safety ??? To accomplish goals Activities Security ???

5. Matthew 7:24-27 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”

6. Psalm 127:1-2 Unless the L ORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the L ORD watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. 2 It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep.

7. Psalm 127:3-5 3 Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward. 4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth. 5 Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.

8. Psalm 127:1-2 Unless the L ORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the L ORD watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. 2 It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep. Consider the context What house? What family?

9. Five Lessons from Psalm 127:1-2 1.If we want the Lord to build, we must invite Him

10. 1 Chronicles 29:10-19 Therefore David blessed the LORD …19 Grant to Solomon my son a whole heart that he may keep your commandments, your testimonies, and your statutes, performing all, and that he may build the palace for which I have made provision.” 2 Chronicles 6:18-20 “But will God indeed dwell with man on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you, how much less this house that I have built!19 Yet have regard to the prayer of your servant and to his plea, O LORD my God, listening to the cry and to the prayer that your servant prays before you, 20 that your eyes may be open day and night toward this house, the place where you have promised to set your name, that you may listen to the prayer that your servant offers toward this place.

11. Revelation 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.

12. 1 Chronicles 28: 11-19 Then David gave Solomon his son the plan of the vestibule of the temple… its houses, its treasuries, its upper rooms, and its inner chambers, and of the room for the mercy seat…the plan of all that he had in mind for the courts …the treasuries …the divisions of the priests and of the Levites, … the weight of gold for all golden vessels … the weight of silver vessels … the weight of gold for each lampstand … the weight of silver for a lampstand … the weight of gold for each table for the showbread, the silver for the silver tables, 17 and pure gold for the forks, the basins and the cups; for the golden bowls and the weight of each; for the silver bowls and the weight of each; … also his plan for the golden chariot of the cherubim that spread their wings and covered the ark of the covenant of the LORD. 19 “All this he made clear to me in writing from the hand of the LORD, all the work to be done according to the plan.”

13. Five Lessons from Psalm 127:1-2 1.If we want the Lord to build, we must invite Him 2.God has a plan for US

14. Five Lessons from Psalm 127:1-2 1.If we want the Lord to build, we must invite Him 2.God has a plan for US 3.The Lord needs OUR hands and hearts to build

15. Nehemiah 2:18 And I told them of the hand of my God that had been upon me for good, and also of the words that the king had spoken to me. And they said, “Let us rise up and build.” So they strengthened their hands for the good work. Nehemiah 4:6 So we built the wall. And all the wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a mind to work.

16. Building homes properly will take hearts and hands

17. Five Lessons from Psalm 127:1-2 1.If we want the Lord to build, we must invite Him 2.God has a plan for US 3.The Lord needs OUR hands and hearts to build 4.We must not be distracted from this work

18. Haggai 1:1-8 …the word of the L ORD came by the hand of Haggai the prophet … 2 “Thus says the L ORD of hosts: These people say the time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the L ORD.” 3 Then the word of the L ORD came by the hand of Haggai the prophet, 4 “Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins? 5 Now, therefore, thus says the L ORD of hosts: Consider your ways. 6 You have sown much, and harvested little. You eat, but you never have enough; you drink, but you never have your fill. You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm. And he who earns wages does so to put them into a bag with holes. 7 “Thus says the L ORD of hosts: Consider your ways. 8 Go up to the hills and bring wood and build the house, that I may take pleasure in it and that I may be glorified, says the L ORD.

19. Colossians 3:2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.

20. Five Lessons from Psalm 127:1-2 1.If we want the Lord to build, we must invite Him 2.God has a plan for US 3.The Lord needs OUR hands and hearts to build 4.We must not be distracted from this work 5.If we abandon God, He WILL abandon us

21. Daniel 9:4-19 I prayed to the LORD my God and made confession, saying, “O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, 5 we have sinned and done wrong and acted wickedly and rebelled, turning aside from your commandments and rules. 6 We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land. 7 To you, O Lord, belongs righteousness, but to us open shame, as at this day, to the men of Judah, to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to all Israel… because of the treachery that they have committed against you. 8 To us, O LORD, belongs open shame…, we have sinned, we have done wickedly. … For we do not present our pleas before you because of our righteousness, but because of your great mercy. 19 O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive. …

22. Looking at Psalm 127 is no coincidence How important is YOUR family?