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    Unless the Lord Builds the House
    Unless the Lord Builds the House
    Unless the Lord Builds the House
    Ebook87 pages1 hour

    Unless the Lord Builds the House

    By F. Wayne Mac Leod

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    About this ebook

    Psalm 127:1-2 speaks powerfully to a hard working people who find themselves living as if everything depends on their efforts. It challenges those who toss and turn on their beds at night trying to find human solutions to the problems they face. It is a reminder to us that the God who created us is also active in the events of our daily lives.

    These two verses encourage us to pause for a moment in the busyness of our lives to remind ourselves that the God who created us and allows our circumstances is also working to accomplish His purposes in us.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherF. Wayne Mac Leod
    Release dateFeb 8, 2018
    ISBN9781370744541
    Unless the Lord Builds the House
    Author

    F. Wayne Mac Leod

    F. Wayne Mac Leod was born in Sydney Mines, Nova Scotia, Canada and received his education at Ontario Bible College, University of Waterloo and Ontario Theological Seminary. He was ordained at Hespeler Baptist Church, Cambridge, Ontario in 1991. He and his wife, Diane served as missionaries with the Africa Evangelical Fellowship (now merged with SIM) on the islands of Mauritius and Reunion in the Indian Ocean from 1985-1993 where he was involved in church development and leadership training. He is presently involved in a writing ministry and is a member of Action International Ministries.

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      Book preview

      Unless the Lord Builds the House - F. Wayne Mac Leod

      Unless the Lord Builds the House

      Uncovering the Futility of Anxious Toil: Reflections on Psalm 127:1-2

      F. Wayne Mac Leod

      Light To My Path Book Distribution

      Sydney Mines, Nova Scotia, CANADA B1V 1Y5

      Unless the Lord Builds the House

      Copyright © 2018 by F. Wayne Mac Leod

      All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission of the author.

      Smashwords Edition, License Notes

      This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favourite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

      Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

      Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

      Scripture quotations from The Authorized (King James) Version. Rights in the Authorized Version in the United Kingdom are vested in the Crown. Reproduced by permission of the Crown’s patentee, Cambridge University Press

      Table of Contents

      Chapter 1 - Introduction

      Chapter 2 - The Lord Builds the House

      Chapter 3 - Those Who Build

      Chapter 4 - Labouring in Vain

      Chapter 5 - The Lord Watches Over

      Chapter 6 - Unless the Lord Watches

      Chapter 7 - The Watchmen Stays Awake

      Chapter 8 - Rising Early and Staying up Late

      Chapter 9 - The Bread of Anxious Toil

      Chapter 10 - Rest to His Beloved

      Light To My Path Book Distribution

      Chapter 1 - Introduction

      In this study I would like to take time to reflect on Psalm 127:1-2:

      A Song of Ascents. Of Solomon.

      1 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.

      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. (Psalm 127)

      There are personal reasons for this study. I struggle with anxiety and need to remind myself of the truths stated in these verses. In recent years the Lord has also been teaching me that He has a purpose in everything He does and only what He does will last. I am learning to expect Him to work and trust more in what He does. He has been teaching me also the vital importance of knowing His leading in the ministry He has given me. It is my prayer that my reflections on this passage (though they be for personal reasons) will be a blessing to you also.

      Psalm 127 is introduced as A Song of Ascents. There has been some debate over the meaning of this title.

      Many scholars believe the title indicates that these psalms were sung by worshippers as they ascended the road to Jerusalem to attend the three pilgrim festivals (Deuteronomy 16:16). Others think they were sung by the Levite singers as they ascended the fifteen steps to minister at the Temple in Jerusalem. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Song_of_Ascents)

      While it is unclear as to the exact definition of the phrase Song of Ascents it appears that it was a psalm written for people who were coming to worship the Lord. A Song of Ascents was a call to worship and gave cause for worshippers to bring praise to the Lord.

      As a song of Ascents, Psalm 127 speaks of our need for the Lord and His willingness to come to our aid in times of need. It reminds us that we can rest in the wonderful security He provides and how He richly blesses us with good things. This is cause for worship and praise.

      There is a second detail mentioned in the introduction to this psalm. This is a song written by Solomon. Knowing the author of the psalm helps us to get a better perspective on its meaning and provides the background of its composition. Let’s take a moment to examine a few details about Solomon’s life.

      As Solomon begins the psalm, he speaks about building a house. This is something for which Solomon was famous. As the king of Israel, he built one of the most luxurious houses of worship the nation had ever seen. Solomon’s father David had made elaborate plans for the construction of this temple. Listen to what David told Solomon in 1 Chronicles 22:

      [14] With great pains I have provided for the house of the LORD 100,000 talents of gold, a million talents of silver, and bronze and iron beyond weighing, for there is so much of it; timber and stone, too, I have provided. To these you must add. [15] You have an abundance of workmen: stonecutters, masons, carpenters, and all kinds of craftsmen without number, skilled in working [16] gold, silver, bronze, and iron. Arise and work! The LORD be with you!" (1 Chronicles 22)

      A talent was about 75 pounds or 34 kilograms. This meant that David had provided 3,400,000 kilogrammes (7,500,000 pounds) of gold for the construction of the temple. He also provided 34,000,000 kilogrammes (75,000,000 pounds) of silver. The bronze and iron he accumulated for this project was beyond weighing. Also, on this list of supplies for the temple were the timber and stone which was not counted. Many skilled workers were hired to construct the temple. The end result was a structure that was the marvel of the world at that time. The temple that Solomon built was an impressive structure.

      The blessing of God was not only on

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