Psalm 127:1-4 Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.

Central Emphasis: No amount of human sacrifice or work can accomplish much in building a strong family unless God labors with it.

 CHALLENGES:

• • Creation of wealth
  • Amoral
  • Pluralism
  • Absentee fathers
  • Working mothers
  • OFW
  • “Imperial Manila”
  • Post-Modern Parenting
• NEED:
  • “Re-building”
  • Protection
  • Spirituality
  • Transformation

 Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; Unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. Psalm 127:1

 Extended household, polygamous family, marriage, couple separated by work, intercultural marriage, marriage between believers and unbelievers, second marriage, single parent (widowed families), adult children and their parents-in-law, adoptive family (within extended family, outside of the family, surrogate family), cross cultural adoption, incestuous family, unrelated adults as family, Christian community - Survey of different family structures through which God has worked. (P&F, Gingrich)
Are these family structures , are still  present today?  Which one  is like your family?

• PRIORITIZE God in all areas of  family life. (Involve God)
  • Without God, any family can never experience the spiritual activities of God’s “building up” and guarding.
  • Never leave God out of your family life, if you do, all accomplishments you work for as a family will be useless. (God builds, builds-up...)
• TRUST God to provide for the family. (While working & resting)
  • It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows, for so He gives His beloved sleep. Psalm 127: 2
  • Working to the EXCLUSION OF REST or to the NEGLECT OF FAMILY may be cover up for an inability to trust God to provide for provision of needs.
  • “Bread of sorrow” The essence of those removed from a sense  of the Lord in their lives; “The food that should give them strength for living only maintains them in their miserable condition.”  - (NKJ Nelson BS)
    • Be careful living a balance between work and rest.
    • Work while trusting God and also resting while trusting Him.
• VALUE children as  God’s gifts to the family (Never change the description of children as a “heritage” God called them.)
  • Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord. The fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s youth. Psalm 127:3-4
  • Happy is the man who has quiver full of them; they shall not be ashamed, but shall speak with their enemies  in the gate. Psalm 127:5
  • Children are gifts from God. (Your children are your gifts back to God). Be good steward of them. They are just on loan to you.
  • The blessing of a home in ancient times gave a person a measure of pride in community. (Quiver, mark of God’s blessings)
  • “In ancient time, having many children was regarded as a symbol of strength. This was particularly true in an agricultural economy, since the extra hands of children increased the productivity of the farmer.” (NKJ Nelson BS)
  • “The gate” The place where the elders of the city met and where citizens would gather (Ruth 4:1-12)

CONCLUSION: (The Three Little Pigs or “Pauwi Na”) A HOME LABORING AND PROSPERING WITH THE LORD IS A STRONG & HAPPY FAMILY – A BLESSING TO THE COMMUNITY. (Blessings: GOD as: Builder, Provider, “Rewarder”)