Welcome to another day the Lord has made that we should rejoice and be glad in. (Psalms 118:24)

Today let’s identify useless labor, in order to avoid it.

Today’s scripture, Psalms 127:1 (NASB1995) admonishes…
[1] Unless the Lord builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; Unless the Lord guards the city, The watchman keeps awake in vain.

Consider…
Have you ever felt like you wasted your time working on something that you knew was doomed to fail before you started? Well today’s scripture says trying to accomplish things without God is futile.

Proverbs 16:3 (ERV) advises…
[3] Turn to the Lord for help in everything you do, and you will be successful.

Imagine trying to build a house without an architect’s blueprint? Or trying to fix a car without the manufacturer’s specs? Or studying Art in preparation for an Algebra test? These senseless activities are akin to what Jesus said in Matthew 7:24-27 (NLT)…
[24] “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. [25] Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. [26] But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. [27] When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.”

Jesus was uniquely qualified to tell us to listen to and follow Him for everything. That’s because according to Colossians 1:16-17 (NASB1995), Jesus is the Creator and reason for everything. The scripture says…
[16] For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. [17] He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.

Perhaps the issue some people have with seeking Jesus’ advice on all matters is that they prefer temporary tents to a Heavenly home. You see the house that today’s scripture is describing is not built by human hands. 2 Corinthians 5:1-5 (ERV) explains…
[1] We know that our body—the tent we live in here on earth—will be destroyed. But when that happens, God will have a home for us to live in. It will not be the kind of home people build here. It will be a home in heaven that will continue forever. [2] But now we are tired of this body. We want God to give us our heavenly home. [3] It will clothe us and we will not be naked. [4] While we live in this tent, we have burdens and so we complain. I don’t mean that we want to remove this tent, but we want to be clothed with our heavenly home. Then this body that dies will be covered with life. [5] This is what God himself made us for. And he has given us the Spirit as the first payment to guarantee the life to come.

Eureka, that’s the confusion, people are looking for external sensations, when Jesus is building eternal foundations. Some people are confused, because they’re looking for what their eyes can physically see, while the Lord is building them to be righteous and holy spiritually. Indeed there’s a clear misunderstanding of people expecting a house built just for them, when the Lord is building a house just for Him.

This epiphany led me to read 2 Peter 1:3-4 (ERV), which explains…
[3] Jesus has the power of God. And his power has given us everything we need to live a life devoted to God. We have these things because we know him. Jesus chose us by his glory and goodness, [4] through which he also gave us the very great and rich gifts that he promised us. With these gifts you can share in being like God. And so you will escape the ruin that comes to people in the world because of the evil things they want.

Notice, Jesus empowers us to live devoted lives to God! Also pay attention to the fact that people who aren’t interested in living for God will receive the eternal ruin they want.

This aligns with the wisdom Proverbs 11:18-19 (NLT) shares…
[18] Evil people get rich for the moment, but the reward of the godly will last. [19] Godly people find life; evil people find death.

This just made me ask, what house are you looking for? Let’s be honest, some people live for the thrill of a haunted house full of death. Thus, they live with the following futile mindsets…

You
Only
Live
Once

And try everything because of…

Fear
Of
Missing
Out

… That thinking leads to lifestyles that are doomed and useless.

The doomed and useless sounds like a soap opera. It’s script could be Ecclesiastes 1:2-4 (AMP), which declares…
[2] “Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher. “Vanity of vanities! All [that is done without God’s guidance] is vanity [futile, meaningless—a wisp of smoke, a vapor that vanishes, merely chasing the wind].” [3] What advantage does man have from all his work Which he does under the sun (while earthbound)? [4] One generation goes and another generation comes, But the earth remains forever.

The Holy Spirit is emphasizing the futility of trying to live life against and without God.

That’s today’s message, plain and simple. The Lord is telling us to stop trying to build our houses of futility, and allow Him to make you the house that He wants us to be.

Ephesians 2:20-21 (NLT) provides our final touches to our Christ built houses. It says to all believers…
[20] Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. [21] We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord.

Instead of being fixated on building bigger and better houses here on earth, we should focus on becoming part of the one magnificent house where God will dwell for eternity!

Stop spending time on things done in vain, and focus on the things of God which will eternally remain!

Today’s Song is…
Except The Lord Build A House

Blessings 4HG (1 Corinthians 10:31)