Thank God for people who have taken some of the principalities captive. This is one example!

Thank you Wayne Watson for an excellent delivery of this truth into my fragile condition!

Psalm 127 Unless the Lord Build the House...

They labor in vain that build it.

32 years of building can be swept up in a moment, if the Lord is not the builder of this family. Sometimes we forget this. "We built this city..." "I brought you into this world..."etc., etc., etc.
I love how God shows me my sins and pride. Who built this family? He asks me. Gird up your mind and think about it today.
I bring my family to you everyday, Lord. is my response. How could you ask me that? I have sacrificed my whole life to see a family devoted to God...my pride responds. I could be in politics or on the courts everyday and let my family to themselves. God says as He did to Peter...Who built this family? Do you love me?

Lord, Thy word abideth, and our footsteps slideth!

That is where my footsteps slideth. "We built this city!" Nebby's song, before his great fall into animalistic behavior and insanity. God said and warned him. You better see above the power of your own strength and read Psalm 127 again, with emphasis, this time. Who built this family/city?
The right response to that catechism question for mothers and legislators is Psalm 127.

Unless the Lord build the house, they labor in vain who build it! {and don't forget the exclamation point for emphasis}

I can see the Day boys asking, doesn't mother know who built this family? no says the other brother, she will flail in animalistic anxiety, until she is able to accept the reality that her labor and travail was of no avail if God doesn't own the labor. The children will weep over the mother's lack of acceptance of God's greater vestedness in the enterprise than hers. Maybe I am the only one who has such a great maternal pride. God give me grace to be baptized in the humility of submission to providence. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Assure yourself in the greatest pinch that it is God. Obviously Gurnall's reproofs are coming through!

Chapter 16 in the Christian's Daily Walk--A Means of Obtaining the Peace of God

Oh that it were that easy as reading a book!

That book especially, I thought would be the death of me. I am not walking like a Christian in this or that situation, I had read about. I must not be one. My thoughts in my deepest griefs. It says this is how a Christian walks through this. I am not able, even with my mind seeking God and looking to Him, I am slithering to Heaven on my belly of grieving and questions. How can they keep saying that we are more than a conqueror, if it is like this with my soul? They sing so victoriously, that it is well with them? I don't know such a confidence. I search for the instruction and the "how to's" from Puritans and Patriarchs. None could help.

I read and read, where is the peace of God, here or there?

The actual reading is at this link

I was undone, everywhere, but in the scriptures. God loves you, undone and unbelieving and grieving;He still sent His Son for one such as you...An amazing thought for me. Take the time to grieve and put every comfort on the pain of loss and there is still only one real remedy. The face of Christ, alone, in eternity, will bring peace to that pain. People have written music. People have written books, but until they have blindly accepted loss and held on to faith, it is only theory. I heard about bringing the sacrifice of praise and I did that. I got to know God, but I was still in excruciating soul pain and questions. I read Owen and McCheyne and the martyrs, no comfort there at all. Yes, others have given more than I have placed in the grave. Others have suffered far more, but I am still in excruciating pain. I have had 3 more sons and 3 daughters and guess what, it doesn't erase the pain of loss of a child, firstborn son. Never will I understand it, but I will still believe God and I will still serve Him, through the questions and grief. That book blesses me now, but don't read it, if you are in any deep grief, it wasn't written for that. God loves you through the dark valley, is all you need to repeat, then.

It is about passing it on!

I like John MacArthur for catechism for children. Because he doesn't go into the doctrinal differences, like pedobaptism and such, as important as I think they are. They are important, but not of primary importance. When you read LWF, you will see that the life-sentence which was "Mother-Day's" was blessed with the children's understanding that her tears were for their souls, regardless of their ambitions or physical conditions. It is important that children of privilege, learn that there are others who have far less than them, from their mother's lips. The stories that were penned in the "Big, Fat Greek Wedding, while the children ate, are stories that will flood their consciences when they eat and cognizant of their great privilege and learn to use their privilege for God's glory and not spend it upon their lusts. God grant us wisdom to undo the excesses of our elders, should be our prayer and directives. In Jesus' Name! Amen.

O Beautiful for patriot dream That sees beyond the years Thine alabaster cities gleam, Undimmed by human tears! America! America! God shed His grace on thee, And crown thy good with brotherhood From sea to shining sea!

Still Merciful, Still Holy, Still Condescending to our great spiritual need.

Isaiah 9:12-- The Syrians before, and the Philistines behind; and they shall devour Israel with open mouth. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

I love the Christian song Bethlehem Morning, there is a line "His hand is stretched out still." What is that about? That means God owes us judgment, everywhere that I have seen it in scripture. I was ducking, everytime I heard it, however beautiful it was.

Isaiah wasn't pulling any punches with the heathen, when he penned those words. Get right! was the general meaning as I could see. There was no dulling that message. I mulled and mulled it over in my studies. How can we sing so casually, something that was meant to make our knees bend in submission? That is scripture and it directs us to look boldly into the face of what we deserve. We are unholy in the presence of a Holy God and He owes us His wrath. We stand right below his outstretched hand to be crushed. I know that He sees us in His Son and sacrifice of Jesus, but in the context, we weren't there yet. Isaiah couldn't see the totality of the redemption in the cross.

We stand in the New Testament and the complete opposite is true and it was amazing that this song writer could pen it in such a way. In other words, we, the heathen who Isaiah was talking to are sitting under the merciful hand of Christ, when we have repented and the Bethlehem, where Jesus cried may or may not be included. It is our New Testament job to pray and cry for them, as Jesus did that they not endure the judgments that rightfully belong to us, the pagans. "Look up, Jerusalem! Look at the mercy, in Christ! Don't miss it! Jesus has come to save us!"That should be our hearts' cry, at Christmastime and all year long. For Jesus' sake. Amen.

Is 5:25, Is 9:12, Is:9:17, Is 9:21, Is 10:4 God, as it were says, after all these judgments, I still owe you more than that. God said that He had pushed His punishments aside, but their sins were still not paid for. Jesus was His outstretched other hand of mercy and we are pleaded with to take hold of that promise and enjoy the "Peace with God that was purchased for us." Jew and Gentile alike. STILL, Still, still!

Jesus, Priceless Treasure!

Would you set your heart on the uncertainty of riches?