Psalm 127

Sermon Notes

Everything worth fighting for unbalances your life.

Psalms 127:1 NIV

"Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain."

"Attention is the beginning of devotion." - John Mark Comer, The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry

Matthew 6:25 NIV

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?"

Matthew 6:31-32 NIV

"So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them."

Matthew 6:33 NIV

"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."

Is God first in my life?

Psalms 127:2 NIV

"In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat— for he grants sleep to those he loves."

When Working: Work Hard.

When Playing: Play Hard.

When Resting: Rest Hard.

Psalms 127:3 NIV

"Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him."

Enjoy the “gift” of limitations.

Psalms 127:4 NIV

"Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth."

"Put another way: the mind is the portal to the soul, and what you fill your mind with will shape the trajectory of your character. In the end, your life is no more than the sum of what you gave your attention to. That bodes well for those apprentices of Jesus who give the bulk of their attention to him and to all that is good, beautiful, and true in his world. But not for those who give their attention to the 24-7 news cycle of outrage and anxiety and emotion-charged drama or the nonstop feed of celebrity gossip, titillation, and cultural drivel. But again: we become what we give our attention to, for better or worse." - John Mark Comer, The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry

Psalms 127:5 NIV

"Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. They will not be put to shame when they contend with their opponents in court."

"Father, I know that you care about my health (mental, physical, spiritual, emotional, financial, and relational). Help me to prioritize my life and find more balance around the areas that are really struggling right now. Teach me today to trust that you are building my house and that I do not need to overcommit myself for things to work out okay. Lord, grant me the peace that allows me to rest in the evening and to awake alive and refreshed in the morning, and to count my family as one of your many blessings that are worthy of my time and attention."