Tag Archives: Psalm 127:1-2

Unless The Lord Builds The House

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Becoming Like Christ - Day 234 - Psalm 127:1-2 - Unless The Lord Builds The House - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Becoming Like Christ – Day 234 – Psalm 127:1-2 – Unless The Lord Builds The House – Growing As Disciples

Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain. In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat– for he grants sleep to those he loves. Psalm 127:1-2 (NIV)

Labor In Vain

I don’t want to do that. You don’t want to do what? I don’t want to labor in vain. That is a good caution. That is a valid concern. What might cause you to labor in vain? That is a good question that I haven’t given much thought. Now is the time to give it some thought. Yes, it is. I could ask you some questions that will help guide your thinking. That would be helpful. I would really appreciate that. That’s good. What might be some signs that you are laboring in vain? If I am running myself ragged trying to accomplish your purpose and fulfill your plans that might be a sign that I am laboring in vain. Why is that? Running myself ragged and making myself weary may be a good indication that I am trying to accomplish your purposes and fulfill your plans with my own power and strength. That will never work. Why is that? You have clearly stated that apart from you I can do nothing. Doing nothing sounds a lot like laboring in vain. Yes, it is. That must make you aware of another sign that you may be laboring in vain. Yes, it does. If my labor is not bearing fruit for your Kingdom and bringing glory to your name, then surely my labor must be in vain. That is a possibility. Why is it only a possibility? Why is it not a certainty? There is a time of sowing. Then there is a time of waiting. Then there is a time of reaping. If you are in the time of waiting, the fruit will be yet to come. Don’t be impatient. Just like a farmer who has planted seed must wait for a crop so you also must wait for fruit to develop. I get it.

What can you do to make you certain that you will not be laboring in vain? I can rely on you. I can follow you to where you lead me to do what you ask of me. I can allow you to work in and through me to accomplish your purposes and fulfill your plans. If you are working in and through me, I will surely bear fruit for you and bring glory to your name. Yes, you will, without a doubt. What will your life look like as you are allowing me to work in and through you? I’m not sure what you mean. Will you be running yourself ragged and making yourself weary? No, certainly not. You will bring balance to my life. You will give me peace and rest and sleep. You will revive and refresh and renew my life so that I will be able to give my very best effort to you. Yes, I will and yes you will. Rely on me and you will never labor in vain. Yes Lord, I will. That will be very good.

Lord, I have made the mistake of trying to accomplish your purposes with my own strength. I know this is not pleasing to you. Instead, I will allow you to work in and through me. Revive, refresh, and renew my life so I can give my very best effort to you. Amen

Key Question… When have you worked yourself ragged trying to accomplish God’s purposes with your own strength?

Living It Out… Allow the Lord to work in and through you to accomplish His purposes.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that the Lord will work in and through you to accomplish His purposes.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how the Lord is working in and through you to accomplish His purposes.

Prayer To Bless Others… Allow the Lord to work in and through you to accomplish His purposes.

For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide click here:

Becoming Like Christ – Day 234 – Psalm 127-1-2 – Unless The Lord Builds The House – 4 Page Discipleship Study Guide

Please consider sharing these devotionals with others through the social media you use.

Individual users may save the Discipleship Devotional Study Guide to their desktop for private use. All the blanks in the study guides are fields that allow typed responses. To use the fields on the study guide you may need to open the guide with a free version of adobe reader.

By Jon Ulrich © All rights reserved                   Copying not permitted                      www.GrowingAsDisciples.com

Unless The Lord Builds The House

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The Sacramental Life - Day 342 - Psalm 127-1-2 - Unless The Lord Builds - Growing As Disciples

The Sacramental Life – Day 342 – Psalm 127-1-2 – Unless The Lord Builds – Growing As Disciples

Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.  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. Psalm 127:1-2 (ESV)  

Wasting Time

I don’t want to be wasting time. I don’t my life to be misspent on what will amount to nothing of eternal value. I don’t want to chase after all that this life offers. I don’t want to acquire what I cannot keep. I don’t want to labor in vain. What do you want? I want you to work in and through my life. I want you to mold and shape me. I want you to build me into the person you have called me to be. I want to live the life you have called me to live. Instead of chasing all that the world has to offer. I want to store up treasure in heaven with you. I want my life to shine brightly in the darkness of this world. I want to bear fruit for your kingdom and bring glory to your name. I want to live my life with and for you. I want to live a life that I will never regret. Those are all very good desires that you have within you.

How will you live out the desires that you have within you? First, I want to acknowledge that the desires I have within me come from you, of that, I am certain. You are correct. Second, I want to confess that I cannot go and do your will without your help. That is also correct. So, it could almost go without saying, which would be a mistake, that I will need to live and walk in an intimate relationship with you, if I want you to work in and through my life. It pleases me that you know this to be true. So, I will submit myself and my life to you. I will draw near to you. I will listen attentively to you. I will receive your instruction. I will follow your guidance. I will go wherever you guide me. I will do whatever you ask of me. My life will be in your hands. I will be at your service. How is that? That is perfect. Do this and you will never be wasting time. Do this and you will live a life without regrets. Do this and your life will accomplish my purposes and fulfill my plans. You will do what will amount to eternal value. You will be storing up treasure in heaven with me. This I will do. That will be very good. Thank you, Lord.

Lord, I know that my efforts alone will amount to nothing. I can accomplish nothing of eternal value without your help. I want to be fruitful in serving you. Work in and through me. Guard and guide the course of my life. I will rely on you rather than on myself. Amen

Key Question…  Why will your own labors, without relying on the Lord, never amount to anything of eternal value?

Living It Out…  Allow God to do His work in and through you.

Seeing It Happen…  Have faith that the Lord will do His work in and through you.

Get Ready To Share…  Share with another person or your small group how you are allowing God to do His work in and through.

Prayer To Bless Others…  May you allow the Lord to do His work in and through your life.

For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide click here:

The Sacramental Life – Day 342 – Psalm 127-1-2 – Unless The Lord Builds The House – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

Please consider sharing these devotionals with others through the social media you use.

Individual users may save the Discipleship Devotional Study Guide to their desktop for private use. All the blanks in the study guides are fields that allow typed responses. To use the fields on the study guide you may need to open the guide with a free version of adobe reader.

By Jon Ulrich © All rights reserved                                Copying not permitted                                           www.GrowingAsDisciples.com

To Those He Loves

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Promises - Day 83 - Psalm 127:1-2 - To Those He Loves - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Promises – Day 83 – Psalm 127:1-2 – To Those He Loves – Growing As Disciples

Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain. In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat– for he grants sleep to those he loves. Psalm 127:1-2 (NIV)

Unless

“Unless” is a very important word for you to hear and understand. Why is that? If you don’t hear and understand the word “unless” you could waste your entire life. How could that be possible, it’s such a small word? Have you ever wasted a day running around racing to do something that wasn’t all that important? I’ve wasted a lot of days doing just that. Have you ever evaluated your “to do” list and discovered that it had a bunch of meaningless tasks on it that won’t add up to anything of real value? I’ve noticed that far too often. Have you ever made your own plans without asking me what I thought? Yes, I’ve done that.  Have you ever relied solely on your own strength to accomplish your work? I’ve done that as well. Are you wondering how that little word “unless” relates to all my questions? Yes, I am. Are you still wondering how not understanding that little word “unless” could cause you to waste your life? Yes, I am.  But, I think I’m beginning to figure out where you have been headed. Let me hear your thoughts. I will give you a little clue. What’s that? Begin your thoughts with the word “unless”. All right, I will. Unless, I take time to know your will, I will be spinning my wheels in life. Unless, I understand what you want me to do, I may waste my life working on what was of little value. I may think that I have or I am accomplishing a lot. But, one day I may look back only to realize that my life has accomplished next to nothing of lasting and eternal value. My own thoughts and plans and accomplishments will amount to nothing without you. Apart from you, I can do nothing that will bear fruit for all eternity. Unless, I rely on your power and strength to work in and through me, I will never be able to accomplish the work that you have given me to do. No, you will not. You must rely on me. 

Do you have any more thoughts about this little word “unless”? Yes, I do. Unless, I rely on your power and strength I will work even harder because I will see how little I have accomplished in life. Unless, I rely on you to work in and through me I will get up early and stay up late working in vain. Unless, I know that I am bearing the fruit that you want me to bear, I will work myself weary and never get the sleep and rest you want to give to me. My life will have no rhythm or balance. No, it will not and why is that? It will be because I did not understand the value of the little word, “unless.” That’s right. I want you to guard and guide and bring balance to my life. I can see that. So, I will not fail to understand hear and understand all that you are saying to me through this little word “unless.” I will let you work in and through me. I will do the work that you have given me to do. I will rely on your power and strength. I will allow you to guard and guide my life. I will allow you to bring balance into my life. I will slow down and accept the sleep and rest that you want to give to me. That will be very good.

Lord, I want to know and do the work you have given me to do for you. I want my life to bear fruit for you that will last for eternity. Guide me to do your work. Bless my efforts as I rely on you. Guard, protect and balance my life according to your will and plan. Amen

For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide click here:

Promises – Psalm 127-1-2 – To Those He Loves – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

Please consider sharing these devotionals with others through the social media you use.

Individual users may save the Discipleship Devotional Study Guide to their desktop for private use. All the blanks in the study guides are fields that allow typed responses. To use the fields on the study guide you may need to open the guide with a free version of adobe reader.

By Jon Ulrich © All rights reserved                   Copying not permitted                      www.GrowingAsDisciples.com

Unless The Lord Builds

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Becoming Like Christ - Day 234 - Psalm 127:1-2 - Unless The Lord Build- Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Becoming Like Christ – Day 234 – Psalm 127:1-2 – Unless The Lord Builds – Growing As Disciples

Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain. In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat– for he grants sleep to those he loves. Psalm 127:1-2 (NIV)

Labor In Vain

I don’t want to do that. You don’t want to do what? I don’t want to labor in vain. That is a good caution. That is a valid concern. What might cause you to labor in vain? That is a good question that I haven’t given much thought. Now is the time to give it some thought. Yes, it is. I could ask you some questions that will help guide your thinking. That would be helpful. I would really appreciate that. That’s good. What might be some signs that you are laboring in vain? If I am running myself ragged trying to accomplish your purpose and fulfill your plans that might be a sign that I am laboring in vain. Why is that? Running myself ragged and making myself weary may be a good indication that I am trying to accomplish your purposes and fulfill your plans with my own power and strength. That will never work. Why is that? You have clearly stated that apart from you I can do nothing. Doing nothing sounds a lot like laboring in vain. Yes, it is. That must make you aware of another sign that you may be laboring in vain. Yes, it does. If my labor is not bearing fruit for your Kingdom and bringing glory to your name, then surely my labor must be in vain. That is a possibility. Why is it only a possibility? Why is it not a certainty? There is a time of sowing. Then there is a time of waiting. Then there is a time of reaping. If you are in the time of waiting, the fruit will be yet to come. Don’t be impatient. Just like a farmer who has planted seed must wait for a crop so you also must wait for fruit to develop. I get it.

What can you do to make you certain that you will not be laboring in vain? I can rely on you. I can follow you to where you lead me to do what you ask of me. I can allow you to work in and through me to accomplish your purposes and fulfill your plans. If you are working in and through me, I will surely bear fruit for you and bring glory to your name. Yes, you will, without a doubt. What will your life look like as you are allowing me to work in and through you? I’m not sure what you mean. Will you be running yourself ragged and making yourself weary? No, certainly not. You will bring balance to my life. You will give me peace and rest and sleep. You will revive and refresh and renew my life so that I will be able to give my very best effort to you. Yes, I will and yes you will. Rely on me and you will never labor in vain. Yes Lord, I will. That will be very good.

Lord, I have made the mistake of trying to accomplish your purposes with my own strength. I know this is not pleasing to you. Instead, I will allow you to work in and through me. Revive, refresh, and renew my life so I can give my very best effort to you. Amen

For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide click here:

Becoming Like Christ – Day 234 – Psalm 127-1-2 – Unless The Lord Builds – 4 Page Discipleship Study Guide

Please consider sharing these devotionals with others through the social media you use.

Individual users may save the Discipleship Devotional Study Guide to their desktop for private use. All the blanks in the study guides are fields that allow typed responses. To use the fields on the study guide you may need to open the guide with a free version of adobe reader.

By Jon Ulrich © All rights reserved                   Copying not permitted                      www.GrowingAsDisciples.com