Part Seven: Work
Rev. Anthony Hancock Preached on 7/8/2026
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Summary
Exploring Psalm 127, this sermon challenges the culture of 'hustle' by reminding believers that unless the Lord builds and watches over our lives, our labor is in vain. It calls for a shift from anxious, self-reliant toil to a restful partnership with God in our work, families, and legacies.
Key points
- •Labor is only fruitful when God is the primary architect and foundation of our efforts.
- •Human security and vigilance are limited; ultimate protection for our families and futures comes from God, the true Watchman.
- •Rest is an act of faith and trust, not laziness, declaring that the world does not depend on our striving.
- •Children and spiritual disciples are a heritage and legacy from God, to be stewarded according to His purpose rather than our own ambitions.
Scripture
Purpose
Faith
Stewardship
Spiritual Growth
Peace
Life application
Identify one area of your life where you are 'eating the bread of anxious toil' and intentionally invite God into that process this week by setting aside time for prayer and sabbath rest.
Reflection questions
- In what areas of your life are you currently laboring 'for' God in your own strength rather than 'with' Him in His strength?
- How does the truth that God never slumbers change the way you view your own need for sleep and rest?
- If you viewed your career or family as a stewardship from God rather than your own possession, how would your daily priorities change?
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Full transcript
0:00on behalf of our pastor in his absence.
0:00[music] I honor him and our first lady
0:00and my wonderful wife. Amen. I'm just
0:02grateful for this opportunity. Amen. To
0:04come before you uh to bring the word of
0:06the Lord. Amen. [music] Praise God. And
0:10I don't take it lightly.
0:13Amen. And I I pray that what is spoken
0:16tonight, Amen, will touch your heart.
0:18Amen. Encourage you in the Lord. Amen.
0:20[music] As we continue to strive and to
0:22press toward that mark in Jesus Christ.
0:24We're continuing the series that pastor
0:26has been going through [music] uh the
0:27songs of sent in Psalms, excuse me. And
0:31I will be reading today from Psalms
0:33127:es 1-5.
0:38It says, "Unless unless the Lord builds
0:40the house, those who labor who build it
0:43labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches
0:46over the city, the watchman stays awake
0:49in vain. It is vain that you rise up
0:52early and go late [music] to rest,
0:55eating the bread of anxious toil, for he
0:58gives to his beloved sleep. Behold,
1:01children are a heritage from the Lord.
1:03The fruit of the womb a war reward. Like
1:06arrows in the hand of a warrior are the
1:09children of one's youth. Blessed is the
1:12man who fills his quiver with them. He
1:14shall not be put to shame. [music]
1:16Amen. And my title today will be working
1:19work laboring with God. Amen. Father, we
1:22thank you for this day. Thank you for
1:23your goodness and mercy. God, we thank
1:24you for your loving kindness, God. We
1:26ask you to speak to us on tonight, God,
1:28as we continue to grow in you, Father.
1:30Teach us your ways that we may be
1:32obedient and follow you, God, with
1:33obedience. Oh, God. We thank you for all
1:35you've done and all you're going to do
1:36in Jesus name. Amen. Praise God. You all
1:39may be seated.
1:42Amen. And in this uh theme here, um kind
1:46of want to hitting focus on the
1:48dependency on God in our labor, our
1:51protection, and our legacy.
1:54And so, um, I was just thinking about
1:57just the work, laboring work. Um, and
2:00often today, you see we we, uh, work so
2:03much. And I was looking up some some,
2:05um, some statistics of some things, and
2:07it says 84% of desk workers regularly
2:10work overtime,
2:12meaning more than four and five office
2:15based professionals exceed their
2:16contracted hours. And 68% of those
2:19employees are required to work weekends
2:22in some type of capacity, which blurs
2:25the line between work and personal time.
2:29And in 2025, 81% of employed people
2:33worked on an average weekday compared
2:35with only 30% on an average weekend.
2:39Among those who worked on weekdays, high
2:41school graduates with no college average
2:44around 6.4 four hours of work compared
2:46with four four hours for those who had a
2:49bachelor's degree or higher. Weekend
2:51work is more common among our lower
2:53educated workers suggesting overtime is
2:56more frequent in certain industries and
2:57roles. And in the manufacturing area, it
3:01stated that about uh 4.1 hours are
3:04worked in overtime for those that are in
3:05production and non-supervisory
3:07employees.
3:09And this figure reflects the paid
3:10overtime. It doesn't reflect the paid
3:12overtime for hours exceeding regular
3:14hours or unpaid time during holidays.
3:18And then it said in the health and
3:20product productivity, it says that it
3:22estimates a 745,000
3:25deaths annually from stroke and heart
3:28disease linked to working 55 or plus
3:31more hours a week.
3:34The burnout rates are high with 76%
3:38globally experiencing burnout and
3:40overwork cost that cost billions of
3:43dollars for a lot of employees.
3:45And overtime now is now the norm. It's
3:48the thing to do, especially in offices
3:51and office based roles. Weekend and
3:53evening work are increasingly common
3:55with significant variation by
3:57educational level. While overtime boosts
4:00output in some context, it also carries
4:02serious health and productivity cost
4:06and as I meet people and talk to people
4:08often and it spoke about the weekend
4:11work. Um there are a lot of people now
4:12that are being required again to work
4:14the weekends and so they're often having
4:15to meet meet Sunday uh miss Sunday
4:17services and it just it's be you know
4:20it's shocking um just the way that our
4:22workforce is is now that all the
4:25attention is getting work work hard work
4:27work hard and that's a great things for
4:29that it pays off but yet it also takes
4:31away from so much and we live in a
4:34culture that's obsessed with
4:36productivity and we glorify the hustle
4:39celebrate the grind and wear business
4:41like it's a badge of honor. And from the
4:44moment we wake up until the moment that
4:46we collapse in the bed, we are working.
4:50We're building careers, building
4:52relationships, building families,
4:54building building features. Yet, for all
4:57our striving, many of us end the day
5:00feeling empty, exhausted, and
5:03unsatisfied.
5:05And in Psalms 127, um just those short
5:08five verses, it brings out something
5:11that is still uh big today. That without
5:14God, all our labor is ultimately in
5:16vain.
5:18>> Now, this is not a call to laziness.
5:21It's a call to partnership, to working
5:23with God rather than working apart from
5:26him.
5:27And many believers, we pour they pour
5:29themselves into ministry, into family,
5:32into the callings with sincere hearts,
5:35yet often with exhausted spirits. And in
5:39Psalm 127 again, it brings out a truth
5:42that God never asks for us to labor for
5:45him in our own strength. He invites us
5:48to labor with him in his strength.
5:53>> Now, working for God, it focuses on
5:55effort.
5:56Working with God focuses on partnership.
6:00In 1 Corinthians chapter 3:9, it says,
6:02"For we are God's fellow workers. You
6:05are God's field, God's building. We are
6:09laborers together with God.
6:12And when you're working for God, it can
6:14drain you. But when you're working with
6:17God, he will sustain you."
6:20>> And Psalm 27 again and uh it reminds us
6:23that God, he is the builder. He is the
6:25watchman and he is the giver of legacy
6:29and our role is not independence but
6:31it's cooperation. We actively
6:34participate in his work through
6:36teaching, ministry and acts of service
6:39and he is the giver and source of all
6:43things. We must remember that he is the
6:46one who nurtures and shapes us into
6:49something beautiful.
6:51and we assist in helping cultivate faith
6:54and characters in other as we're working
6:57with him.
6:59Now, of course, God requires us to work.
7:02We are not to take it lightly. It's the
7:05importance of work. Um says in scripture
7:08that if we do not work, we don't eat.
7:09So, of course, we got to work, you know,
7:11but we have to do it in the right way.
7:14We can find purpose and fulfillment in
7:17working as the scripture tells us that
7:19everything that we do do as unto the
7:21Lord.
7:23So point one, God is the builder. Our
7:27labor is fruitful only when he builds
7:30with us.
7:33And in verse one, it says that unless
7:34the Lord builds the house, they labor in
7:38vain who built it. And the issue is not
7:41the building. It is who is doing the
7:44building.
7:461 Corinthians chapter 3:10 says,
7:48"According to the grace of God given to
7:50me, like a skilled master builder, I
7:52laid the foundation and someone else is
7:55building upon it. Let each one take care
7:58of how he builds upon it." And again, we
8:01build relationships and families,
8:04churches, and careers, but we are
8:06building, what are we building it from?
8:09Proverbs 14:12 says, "There is a way
8:11that seems right unto man, but the end
8:14is the way to death." I recall when I
8:18was looking uh in my career um had just
8:21began this job and I was looking to get
8:23into uh HR and so I began to ask around
8:26what I needed to do, how to get in
8:28there. Of course, I didn't have the
8:29experience. Um so they would say well go
8:31to school get that education and you
8:33know that will help towards getting it.
8:35So I did that and I was you know just so
8:37eager to get inside of HR. Um I loved
8:40working with people. It was just a
8:41desire that I wanted to do and I began
8:44the Lord opened doors for megan to uh
8:46meet uh directors and pre uh vice
8:49presidents and senior vice presidents.
8:51So I would go to meet with them in their
8:52office and just talking to them and
8:54expressing my desire and interest to get
8:56into HR. um think what did I need to do
8:58to help kind of build me up to that
9:00level um as I was going through school
9:03and so once I got towards the end of my
9:05uh master's degree in HR um a door
9:08opened and so I ended I ended up getting
9:10inside of HR and so it was great it was
9:13wonderful um I enjoyed it within a year
9:15I was promoted to a senior in that
9:17particular role and I was so excited but
9:19I had such an ambition to just keep
9:21going what else can I do and I want to
9:23get to this level and I want to move
9:24here and I want to go here and I want to
9:26do this. And so I was so focused on
9:28that. And so I remember one day we were
9:31in the back for worship team uh doing a
9:33devotion and the question was asked, you
9:36know, what do you want to see God do for
9:38you this year? And we had to write it
9:40down on a notepad. And so I wrote down,
9:42you know, I want to see God I want to
9:44walk into ministry. I want to see uh
9:47God, you know, help me to get there. And
9:48I know there was a call on my life and I
9:50wanted to, you know, not to stop running
9:52and to get there. And so that was
9:54February. And so as you know I'm again
9:57I'm in my job and doing my job and yet
9:59still trying to get around meeting
10:01people and working all these things out
10:03of nowhere in April. So a few months
10:06after I wrote that down lost my job just
10:10like that. And it just caught me off
10:12guard. I'm like wait what? I'm like hold
10:14on a second. Um you know that's not
10:16something that I need. You know of
10:17course you know we have a bigsized
10:18family. Uh so you know I need to take
10:21care of these people. And so I'm like
10:23okay Lord what are we doing here? And so
10:25of course I was at home and of course I
10:27was you know just crushed and just
10:29upset. I'm like what is going confused
10:31rather like what is going on? And um I
10:34remember just while I was like mulling
10:35all this over my head you know I just
10:37all of a sudden I got a burden for our
10:39Jennings area and I just fell on my
10:41knees and just started praying uh for
10:42that city. And as you know at that time
10:44we were getting prepared to uh open a
10:46campus over there. And so um I just
10:50started praying for them and then soon
10:51after that you know I began to pursue my
10:53license uh within the organization and I
10:56started moving towards ministry you know
10:58towards uh getting my license and so I
11:02look back at that and I see that though
11:06that was a time in my life where I did
11:08not enjoy of being and it wasn't my plan
11:12but my focus again was so focused on my
11:15career and what I wanted to do and how I
11:17want to build it and how I wanted to get
11:19to this next place that I began to lose
11:21my focus and purpose of what I was
11:23actually called to do. And so again,
11:25there's nothing wrong with having those
11:27ambitions. There's nothing wrong with
11:28pursuing those things, but we got to
11:30make sure we're building on the right
11:32thing and that we don't lose our
11:34purpose, purpose, and focus. So fast
11:36forward, I ended up getting to another
11:38job, doing the same thing that I was
11:39doing at the previous job, making, you
11:41know, more money and again getting my
11:45focus reback focused on God. Okay, Lord,
11:47what is my purpose for being here? You
11:49know, who can I help win to you? And so,
11:51I just want to encourage you as you're
11:53building your your life and your career,
11:56don't lose focus of what your true
11:57purpose is of why we're on this earth.
12:01>> And I recall that that song that says on
12:03on Christ a solid rock I stand. All
12:06other ground is sinking sand. God must
12:09be the foundation for anything that is
12:12built and decided upon. And if something
12:15seems to have been torn down in your
12:18life, then trust God. Trust him to help
12:21you to rebuild it according to his will
12:24and purpose.
12:26If there is fighting and bickering in
12:28your house, marriage issues, if there's
12:31issues that have going on in the church,
12:32we must take a step back and we must
12:35examine the foundation.
12:37Where is prayer? Where is love? Where is
12:41God?
12:43We have to ensure that we are being
12:45built,
12:46excuse me, what we're building is will
12:48be able to stand the test of time and
12:51life. And in Matthew 7 24-27 says,
12:54"Everyone then who hears these words of
12:57mine and does them will be like a wise
13:00man who has built it his house on the
13:02rock." And the rain fell and the floods
13:05came and the winds winds blew and beat
13:08on that house, but it did not fall
13:11because it had a foundation on the rock.
13:15And everyone who hears these words of
13:17mine and does not do them will be like a
13:19fool foolish man who built his house on
13:21the sand. And the rain fell and the
13:24floods came and the winds blew and beat
13:26against the house and it fell and great
13:29was the fall of it. Our foundation must
13:33be Christ. Johns 15:5 says, Jesus said,
13:36"I am the vine, you are the branches,
13:38and whoever abides in me and I in him,
13:41he it is that bears much fruit. For
13:44apart from me, you can do nothing." Our
13:48our dependency must be on Christ alone
13:51and not our own selfishness, on our own
13:53ability or our own strength. For a weak
13:56foundation will cause the structure to
13:59fall.
14:00So laboring for God. When we do this, we
14:03take responsibilities for outcomes that
14:05God never assigned.
14:08We rely on our own wisdom and our own
14:10strategy and strength and we measure
14:13success by visible results.
14:17Instead of focusing on the invisible
14:19God,
14:21laboring with God, we surrender the
14:23blueprint to him. In Habca 2:2, it says,
14:26"Write the vision. Make it plain on
14:29tablets so he may run who reads it. For
14:32still the vision awaits its appointed
14:35time. It hastens to the end. It would
14:37not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it.
14:41If it was surely, it would surely come.
14:43It would not delay. We invite his
14:46presence into every plan, every detail,
14:49every decision that we want to make
14:51because he has he knows the way for us
14:53and for still this vision awaits. is an
14:56appointed time. It hastens to the end.
14:58It would not lie. If God said it, you
15:01can stand on it. It's going to come to
15:03pass, but you have to wait. Allow him to
15:06build that thing.
15:11We trust in his timing. We trust in his
15:14methods. And we trust in his outcomes.
15:17They that wait upon the Lord shall renew
15:19their strength.
15:20So whether you're building a family,
15:22you're building a ministry, a business
15:24or a future, God must be the archite
15:27architect because achievements built
15:29without God may look impressive but
15:32lacklasting
15:34stability. Our job is obedience.
15:38His job is results.
15:41Point two, God is the watchman. Our
15:43efforts cannot guarantee what only God
15:46can truly protect.
15:48It said that unless the Lord guards the
15:51city, the watchman stays awake in vain.
15:55And so in that time, they had watchmen
15:57that would stand there on the wall for
15:59protection, um for survival. Um it was a
16:02serious job of something that they stood
16:03there and did and they scanned the zone
16:05for dangerous uh things that may come
16:07their way. They stayed awake throughout
16:09the night and they would sound the alarm
16:11at the first time there was any type of
16:12thing that would come or threat that
16:14would come to the area. and a watchman
16:17can stay awake all night and still fail
16:21if God is not guarding the city. And we
16:24often believe that if we work harder, if
16:27we plan better, if we stay more
16:28vigilant, we can secure consu secure our
16:31lives. But security is not achievement
16:34by human effort alone. It is granted by
16:37God.
16:39In Matthew chapter 6 19-21 it says 'do
16:42not store up yourselves treasures on the
16:45earth where moss and vermin destroy
16:47where thieves break in and steal but
16:49store up treasures for yourself in
16:51heaven where moss and vermin do not
16:53destroy and where thieves do not break
16:56in and steal for where your treasure is
16:58there where your heart also be.
17:01Human security is limited but divine
17:04protection is unlimited. And it is good
17:07to know that uh it's not just in our
17:10hands because it takes away our
17:12confidence in human systems, human
17:15intelligence and human strength. No
17:17security system, no government, no
17:20military, no strategy, no contingency
17:23plan is ultimately sufficient without
17:26the covering hand of God. And it is him
17:30that brings it is because it is that
17:32freedom be uh it means that the safety
17:33of everything you love does not rest on
17:36your shoulders alone. God is not asking
17:39for us to be the washman of our own
17:41life, our families or our ministry or
17:44our even our future. He is asking us to
17:47trust the one who never sleeps, who
17:49never slumbers, who never tires and who
17:52never misses a threat on the horizon.
17:56And there is an epidemic in our culture
17:58that no doctor can diagnose, no
18:01prescription can cure. And it is not
18:04physical sickness. It is a spiritual
18:06exhaustion.
18:08And it is the weariness that comes from
18:10trying to carry the weight of the world
18:12alone.
18:14We have become a generation of early
18:16risers and late night laborers.
18:19convinced that our security, our
18:20provision, and our future depends
18:22entirely on how we can push and how long
18:24we can grind and how long we can uh
18:27sacrifice. But God through his word
18:30issues a different verdict. It's all in
18:32vain if it's if you try to do it on your
18:36own.
18:38Now we see this pattern throughout
18:40scripture where there the walls of
18:42Jericho fell not because Israel
18:44outstratized the Canaanites but because
18:47God breathed on them in Joshua 6.
18:50Jerusalem fell to Babylon not because
18:53Judah's watchmen were sleeping but
18:55because God withdrew his hand of
18:57protection in Lamentations 21:17 and the
19:00disciples could not keep the tomb
19:02guarded in Matthew 28. No human seal or
19:06Roman soldier could hold back the
19:08resurrection.
19:10Unless the Lord wa is the watchman and
19:12guards it, it's all in vain. God watches
19:16things that no human can watch. He
19:19watches the interior, the thoughts, the
19:21motives, and the plans of those who
19:23would do harm. According to Psalm 139,
19:26he watches the invisible spiritual
19:28forces and realities behind human
19:31perception. In 2 Kings chapter 6, he
19:35watches eternally, not just through the
19:37night, but across generations and
19:39centuries.
19:41So laboring for God, we try to control
19:44everything.
19:46We worry about what we cannot change and
19:49we live in fear of losing what we built.
19:52But when we're laboring with God, we
19:54rest in his sovereignty. We trust him
19:58that we cannot oversee.
20:01And we acknowledge the safety, the
20:03stability and the security comes from
20:05him alone.
20:08God can guard what we commit to him. He
20:11can guard our hearts. He can guard our
20:13homes. He can guard our purpose. And he
20:16can guard our legacy.
20:19So you can lock every door. You can plan
20:21every detail and prepare every threat.
20:25But only God can truly guard your life
20:27and your family, your ministry, and your
20:28future.
20:30Point three,
20:32God gives rest.
20:35Partnership with God replaces anxiety
20:38and peace with peace.
20:41Scripture says that it is vain that you
20:43rise up early and go late to rest,
20:46eating the bread of anxious toil, for he
20:49gives to his beloved sleep. Now here the
20:52word vain uh it appears here to be
20:55empty, hollow and without lasting
20:58substance. It is the same root concept
21:01found in Eccles Ecclesiastes, vanity of
21:05vanities.
21:06God is not speaking against diligence or
21:09a strong work ethic. According to
21:11Proverbsap 10:4, it tells us that he
21:14becometh poor that dealth with the slack
21:16hand, but the hand of the diligent
21:18maketh rich. Hard work is biblical
21:21truth.
21:23Rest is not laziness. Rest is trust.
21:27We work hard, worry much, and sleep
21:31little believing that everything depends
21:33upon us. What God is addressing here is
21:35that anxious self-reliant labor, the
21:39kind driven by fear rather than faith,
21:42by panic rather than purpose. Notice
21:45here that in in this scripture, it says
21:48that rising before the sun, staying past
21:52midnight, eating the bread of sorrows.
21:54This is for someone who just cannot
21:55stop, who will not stop because they're
21:59afraid that if they do something is
22:01going to happen.
22:03We drive ourselves to anxiety and
22:05self-reliance or fear. This is not a
22:08predict productivity problem. It is a
22:10trust problem. It is the deep-seated
22:13belief that if I don't take care of
22:15this, it won't get taken care of.
22:18Reminds me of the story of Mary and
22:19Martha as Jesus come to their house and
22:22Martha was running and doing everything
22:24she can do and trying to get everything
22:25done and Mary's just sitting there at
22:27Jesus' feet, you know, in his presence
22:30and Martha's like, she's just sitting
22:32there. She's not working. What she's
22:34doing is good. Just come. Come. God
22:37wants us to rest. He doesn't always want
22:40us running to and fro trying to do
22:42everything, trying to figure everything
22:43out. We have to take the time to be in
22:45his presence. When we rest, we declare
22:48that God is in control. When we don't,
22:52it reveals unbelief.
22:54And often it's not diligence. It's about
22:57anxiety.
22:58And the challenges that we face, we
23:00allow to uh it to control us and not
23:04resting and rising up early. And it says
23:07that he giveth rest.
23:10This is a gift. He bestows this upon
23:13you. It cannot be manufactured by a
23:16better morning routine or a new time
23:19management system or even a long
23:20vacation. It is something that he wants
23:22to give to you. He wants to give you
23:25rest.
23:26And he said his beloved rest.
23:30This is a term that brings a cherished
23:33close relationship. God is not giving
23:36sleep to the most productive worker.
23:38He's giving sleep to the one that he
23:40loves and the one that loves him back.
23:43Sleep is one of the most wonderful
23:46things that's ever designed. I I see
23:47some of those videos out there and you
23:50get home or something was canceled and
23:52they get in their bed. It just
23:54snuggling. That's me. I'm ready to go
23:57home and get in the bed. I get excited
23:59when I think about going to bed and just
24:01getting in my own house and just I used
24:04to want to be out late. I be like,
24:05"Okay, it's getting late. We need to get
24:06home. I want to sit down. I want to
24:08relax myself. It's sleep is a beautiful
24:11thing. Resting is a beautiful thing. I
24:13didn't know nothing about naps before I
24:15had kids. I was always on the go. And I
24:18remember that uh it was a crazy thing.
24:21Let's get off my sub my thing here. But
24:23I remember that I we started taking naps
24:26more and more. And but every time I
24:28would get so sleepy and take a nap, we
24:31was expecting a new child.
24:34And it it just it seemed so strange. I
24:36didn't catch on to it till much later,
24:39but it was like every time without even
24:41knowing, I would just get so tired. I'm
24:43like, "Why am I so sleepy?" Sure enough,
24:47you know, Mrs. Hancock was suspecting.
24:49And so now I be getting sleepy. I be
24:52like, "The blood, the blood. I'm just
24:55tired. I'm weary. And let me go lay
24:57myself down." [laughter]
25:00But sleep is important. It's rest is
25:03important. is a nightly reminder that
25:05once you lay down, the world does not
25:07depend on you. The world is still doing
25:09what it does. Every time you close your
25:11eyes, whether you realize it tonight, re
25:15realize it or not, it's an act of faith.
25:18You are saying, God, I trust you that
25:20you're going to keep the world together
25:21while I rest. He gives his beloved
25:24sleep. So, I want to say to you,
25:26beloved, rest. Lay down and rest.
25:31Because laboring for God is going to
25:33burn you out.
25:36When you labor for God, we feel the per
25:38the um we feel the pressure to perform.
25:41We have to meet it. We have to do this
25:43certain thing. We have to meet this
25:44certain thing. When you're laboring for
25:47God, we believe everything depends upon
25:49us. But when we're laboring with God, we
25:53work from a place of peace. We
25:56understand that God multiplies what we
25:59surrender. We embrace the rhythms of
26:01rest because God is still working even
26:05when we're asleep. And it reminds me of
26:07that song of Fred Hammond that late in
26:09the midnight hour, God is turning
26:11around. He is going to work it in your
26:13favor while you're resting. God is
26:15working. Rest on. It declares that God
26:19is working even when I'm not. So, are
26:22you losing sleep over a situation? God
26:25wants to you to transfer that weight of
26:28your anxiety onto his shoulders. Come
26:31unto me all ye that labor and that are
26:34weary. I will give you rest. Point four,
26:38God established legacy. Our future
26:41flourishes only when God blesses it.
26:44Children are a heritage [clears throat]
26:46from the Lord. Blessed is the man whose
26:49quiver is full of them. And here
26:52inheritance meaning is inheritance. A
26:54gift is a sacred trust. Children's are
26:58not accidents.
26:59They're not burdens or interruptions.
27:03They are a divine gift entrusted to
27:06parents, family, and the church.
27:10And the Lord knows I have a whole quiver
27:12full of them.
27:14But every child carries God image,
27:17intention, and calling and destiny. They
27:21are not ours to shape according to our
27:24preferences. And even as we get new
27:27babes in Christ here in the kingdom, we
27:30are to teach them the ways of the Lord.
27:32And yet we should so that we can stand
27:34there as an example as an image of
27:37Christ. We have to walk with them. We
27:38have to disciple them. We have to show
27:40them the way towards Christ. And we have
27:43that great ability to do that. That the
27:45Lord would even trust them unto us. I
27:49you know I've always wanted when I was
27:50younger I always wanted a big family.
27:53Um and I I remember when I was younger I
27:55so I want five kids. And so as time came
27:58and here we are today. And you know
28:01people always ask are you all done yet?
28:03I said the Lord knows. They asking you
28:06are you done yet? The Lord knows. And as
28:08we got to five and then number six came
28:11I said well I'm good
28:15but the Lord knows. And then we got our
28:18wonderful baby girl, Ameilia. I said,
28:19"Okay, Lord. I'm good. Thank you so
28:22much. Let's let all the others to be
28:24fruitful here and let's bless their
28:26homes. I'm good." Because I said,
28:28"There's no more room at the end.
28:30There's no more room in the finances.
28:31There's no more room in the house or the
28:33car. There's no room more room uh
28:35mentally or physically. I can't do
28:37anything else." But I wonder why the
28:39Lord entrusts us with so many of these
28:42wonderful children. And of course, it's
28:44not easy at all. You know, people walk
28:46around, how do you do it? And the Lord,
28:49it's the Lord because one almost saw him
28:51recently. So, it's the Lord. I I I can't
28:55do it alone by myself because they they
28:57they are pressure. They are, you know,
28:59they No, but they're wonderful kids.
29:01They are God. They're they're children,
29:04but they're wonderful kids, and we're
29:05doing the best that we can to help try
29:07to raise them and train them. Did we do
29:09anything everything right? No.
29:11Everything perfect? Of course not. I
29:13still struggle and wonder like Lord, how
29:16do I do this? Because with seven,
29:17there's different seven different
29:19personalities, seven different
29:21attitudes, seven different ways that
29:23they learn and abilities. So, I'm
29:25learning how, Lord, how do I address
29:27this one? Because that didn't work with
29:28that one. They worked for that one, but
29:30it's not working for this one. How do I
29:32learn the to uh help teach them and help
29:34guide them and point them in the right
29:37direction? I need the Lord's help. I
29:39cannot do it as we get these new babes
29:41of Christ. Lord, how do I deal with this
29:42one? They're coming from all types of
29:44walks of life that we may not even have
29:46encountered as they have. So, we have to
29:49learn from the Lord. How do we help
29:51them? How do we walk with them? Give me
29:54the fruit of the spirit and the
29:55patience gentleness meekness
29:57longsuffering. Help me to be able to
29:58walk with them so that I please you and
30:00that they will go to where where you
30:02desire for them to go.
30:06And the word heritage here uh carries
30:09the ideal of possession received not
30:11earned an inheritance. Children are
30:14Godgiven assignments.
30:17This means that every child belongs to
30:19God before they belong to you. You are
30:23not the owner. You are a steward, a
30:26caretaker of someone God loves
30:30infinitely more than you ever could.
30:33This understanding transforms parenting.
30:36The mindset that Lord, you have
30:38entrusted me with your child and you
30:41have God, you have allowed them to come
30:42into our lives, our families. So help me
30:45to do what I can to lead them in the
30:48best way possible. You are not raising
30:50your children according to your
30:51preferences, your ambitions, or your
30:54cultural expectations. You are raising
30:56God's heritages heritages according to
30:59his purpose. And often we try to live
31:02our lives through our children because
31:03of something that we didn't get to do.
31:06So we try to push what our goal was into
31:09them and we can't do that. God has a
31:11purpose for them and we have to seek him
31:14to help to know what it is so that we
31:16can structure and guide them and equip
31:18them to be prepared as they get ready to
31:21launch out. And as you think of the
31:24arrows, you just arrows aren't just
31:27something that's just put together and
31:28you know go it won't go anywhere.
31:30They're they're shaped and they're uh
31:32straightened and they're refined.
31:34They're crafted in such a way that once
31:37they are launched, it will go the
31:38distance and you point it in the right
31:40direction. You have to put it in the
31:42right hands because it can cause
31:44destruction if it's not handled with
31:47care
31:49and you have to aim it intentionally at
31:51the right direction in which it needs to
31:53go.
31:55And at that point in time, then we must
31:57release it. We must release them into
32:00the hands of God as he's already they
32:02already been there anyway. But we have
32:03to release them into his hands and say,
32:05"Lord, I've done what I can now. I
32:07prepared them. I have trained them. I
32:09have led them. I have equipped them. And
32:12now is for you to lead them to the place
32:14you want to go, and we're going to
32:15release them." And so, uh, that was the
32:18children in that time. They were there.
32:19They were a protection upon that family,
32:22upon that city. They stood there and
32:24helped, uh, protect these families. And
32:26so laboring for God, we try to
32:29manufacture the impact.
32:32When we labor for God, we attempt to
32:34secure our own legacy and we rely on our
32:37own influence. But when we're laboring
32:40with God, we trust him to shape the next
32:43generation. We invest in people, not
32:47projects.
32:49Laboring with God is discipling. It
32:51takes time. It takes patience. is his
32:54strength which he gives us. We recognize
32:57that the true legacy is spiritually
33:00eternal
33:02and god-given.
33:05So your legacy, your children, your
33:08spiritual sons, your spiritual
33:09daughters, your influence, it does not
33:11come from striving
33:14but comes from God's blessing. Amen.
33:17Musicians, you can come and you all can
33:20stand.
33:23So Psalm 127 is an invitation to labor
33:28with him and not for him. Calling us to
33:33trust in him. God is saying, "Stop
33:36carrying what I never asked you to
33:39carry. Stop building what I never asked
33:42you to build alone. Come work with me."
33:47And when God builds, the house stands.
33:51When God guards, the city is safe. When
33:56God blesses, the legacy endures. And our
34:00greatest victory comes not from laboring
34:02harder, but from laboring with him.
34:07So ask yourself,
34:09where have I been laboring for God
34:11instead of laboring with God?
34:15What am I building without his
34:17blueprint?
34:19What am I guarding without his
34:22protection?
34:24And where do I surrender striving and
34:27embrace partnership?
34:30This invitation in Psalm 127 says, "Let
34:33God build it. Let God guard it. Let God
34:39bless it. And your labor with him is not
34:43merely for him. And let your labor be
34:45with him and not merely for him.
34:48Amen. Father, we thank you for your
34:51word, God. We thank you that you are for
34:54us, God. You desire for us to be closer
34:57to you, submitted to you, that you may
35:00help lead us, that you [music] may brea
35:02bring the protection that we need, the
35:05covering that we need that only you can
35:07do. Help us to surrender our ways, our
35:10plans, our thoughts to you that you may
35:13send your blessing upon and that we may
35:15move and build upon how you desire us to
35:18build so that our labor is not in vain
35:22and that what you help us build will
35:24find a strong foundation because it's
35:27built upon you and it will last forever.
35:30God, we thank you for your word that
35:32brings truth to our hearts. Help us
35:35daily to seek you, to trust in you
35:37[music] and not our own selves, God, and
35:39our lack and ability that we have, but
35:42help us to surrender all to you that you
35:45may outpour your blessings into us that
35:47we may find strength in you and not
35:49[music] of our own. God, we thank you
35:51for this day and we give you the glory
35:53and the honor. I invite you if you just
35:55would [music] like to come to pray and
35:57ask the Lord to guide you and direct you
35:59as you continue to build with him.
36:23I trust [music] in [singing] God,
36:26my savior,
36:29the one
36:31who will never [singing]
36:34fail.
36:37[music]
36:38He will never [singing] fail.
36:42[music] I trust in God,
36:46my savior. [singing]
36:48The [music] one
36:50who will never
36:53fail.
36:55[singing]
36:57He will never [music] fail.
37:01>> [singing]
37:02>> I trust in [music] God,
37:05my savior,
37:08the one
37:10who [music and singing] will never
37:13fail.
37:17He will never fail.
37:20[music]
37:22I [singing] trust in God,
37:25my [music] savior.
37:27The one
37:29who will never
37:32[music] fail.
37:36He will never fail.
37:41Perfect submission.
37:46All is at [singing]
37:47rest.
37:51I know the author of tomorrow
37:54[music and singing]
37:55has ordered my steps.
38:00So this is my story. [music]
38:05This is [singing] my soul.
38:10Praising my risen [music and singing]
38:13king and Savior all the day long.
38:20I [music and singing] trust in God,
38:23my savior.
38:25[music] The one
38:28who will [singing] never
38:31fail.
38:35He will [music and singing] never fail.
38:39I trust in God,
38:42my savior. [singing]
38:44[music] are the one
38:47who will never
38:50fail.
38:53[singing]
38:53[music]
38:54He will never fail.
38:59I trust in God,
39:02my [music] savior, [singing]
39:04the one
39:06who will never
39:10fail. [music]
39:14He will never [singing] fail.
39:16[music]
39:18I trust in God,
39:21my [singing] savior,
39:24the one
39:26who will never [singing]
39:28[music]
39:29fail.
39:33He will never fail.
39:37>> [music]
39:39>> I saw the Lord and he heard and he
39:43answered. I [music] saw the Lord and he
39:46heard and he answered. I sought
39:49[singing] the Lord and he heard and
39:52[music] he answered.
39:54That's why [singing] I trust him. That's
39:57why I trust him. I sought
39:59[music and singing] the Lord and he
40:01heard and he answered. I sought the Lord
40:05and he heard and he answered. I [music]
40:08sought the Lord and he heard and he
40:12answered. [singing]
40:13That's why I trust him. That's [music]
40:16why I trust him. I [singing] saw the
40:19Lord and he heard and he answered. I
40:23sought [music] the Lord and he heard and
40:26he answered. [singing] And I sought the
40:29Lord and he heard [music] and he
40:31answered. That's [singing] why I trust
40:34him. That's why I trust in God. [music]
40:39My savior,
40:42the one
40:44who will never
40:47fail. [singing]
40:51He will never fail.
40:55I trust in [music] God
40:59my savior. [singing]
41:01The one
41:03who will never [music and singing]
41:06fail.
41:10[music] He will never fail.
41:16I [music] sought the Lord and he heard
41:19and he answered. I saw [music] the Lord
41:23and he heard and he answered. I sought
41:27the Lord and he heard and he That's why
41:31I
41:32That's why I trust him. [music]
41:35I trust him. I saw the Lord and he heard
41:39and he answered. I [music] saw [singing]
41:41the Lord and he heard and he answered. I
41:46saw the Lord [music]
41:47and he heard and he answered. That's why
41:51I trust him. [music] That's why I That's
41:55why I trust him. That's why I trust him.
41:58That's why I trust him. That's why I
42:02trust him. That's why [music] I trust
42:04him. That's why I trust him. That's why
42:08I trust. That's why I trust him. That's
42:13why I trust [music] you. God,
42:17my savior, [singing]
42:19the one
42:21who will never
42:24fail.
42:26[singing]
42:28He will never [music] fail.
42:33I trust in God, [music and singing]
42:36my savior.
42:39The one
42:41who will never [singing]
42:43[music]
42:44fail.
42:48He will never fail.
42:52I [music] trust in God,
42:55my savior. [singing]
42:58The one
43:00who will never
43:03fail.
43:07He will never [music] fail.
43:09>> Come on, let's just talk to the Lord for
43:11just a moment.
43:13Come on, hands lifted.
43:18Come on. The Holy Ghost is in this
43:20place.
43:25>> Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah.
43:28Hallelujah.
43:33Oh yes.
43:36Thank you, Jesus.
43:39>> Come on. That's it.
43:42Come on. Can we just lean on the Lord
43:44for just a moment?
43:46Come on. Can Can you just rest in his
43:48[music] presence?
43:56>> Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah.
44:01>> Oh, thank you, Jesus.
44:07Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah.
44:11Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.
44:20Unless the Lord build the house.
44:24Amen. Unless [music] the Lord build the
44:25house,
44:28they that labor
44:31labor in vain. as he opened this evening
44:35scripture and began to speak
44:40all too many times
44:42based on his title is
44:45working with God is we tend to work
44:47against God
44:49and I was reminded of this scripture and
44:51if the media will help me I wanted to
44:54share this with you Hagi chapter 1
45:00verse number five says this now
45:01therefore For thus saith the Lord of
45:04hosts, consider your ways. Everybody
45:05say, consider [music] your ways.
45:09Ye have sown much,
45:12you bring in little. Ye eat, and you
45:16have not enough.
45:19Ye drink, but ye are not
45:22filled with drink.
45:24Ye clothe you, but there is none warm.
45:29And he that earneth wages earneth wages
45:32to be put into bags withholes.
45:38That's when we begin to do things
45:39without God in control and putting God
45:42first.
45:45But he doesn't stop there. He goes a
45:46little further in verse number nine and
45:48says, "Ye looked for much and lo, it
45:51came too little.
45:54And when you brought it home, I did blow
45:57upon it. Why saith the Lord of hosts,
45:59because of my house that is waste,
46:04and ye run every man unto his own house.
46:08Verse 10, therefore the heaven over you
46:12is stayed from due,
46:15and the earth is stayed from her fruit.
46:22Amen. And I believe truly believe we
46:24have all experienced this at one one
46:26point
46:28all too often we continue to stay in
46:31this lifestyle of doing everything that
46:33we can to get everything that we desire
46:36and we leave God out.
46:38I truly believe that the Lord spoke to
46:41us tonight through his word to put him
46:44first. And unless the Lord build a
46:46house, everything we do is in vain.
46:49Amen. We work as if everything depends
46:51on us. But we but we pray as if
46:54everything depends on God. Amen. And
46:56everything we do, we do it for his glory
46:58and for his kingdom. And one scripture
47:00actually says that if you seek ye first
47:02the kingdom, he will add. That means it
47:06doesn't cost me anything. Out of his
47:09goodness, he loadeth us up daily with
47:11benefits. We seek him first. Amen.
47:15Aren't you thankful for the word of God?
47:17Come on. Haven't we got realigned a
47:19little bit? our focus and our direction.
47:21Everything we do, we do it as unto the
47:23Lord. Everything that we put our hands
47:24to,
47:26God's going to get glory. He's going to
47:28give the increase and we're going to
47:29praise him and worship him for it. Why
47:32don't we across the house, why don't we
47:33clap our hands and just worship him and
47:35give him thanks. Lord Jesus, we love
47:38you.
47:40Hallelujah. Hallelujah.
47:43Well, have your way in our life, God.
47:45Have your way.
47:47Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus.
47:50Amen. Amen. Thank you for being in the
47:52house of the Lord. Amen. Shake
47:54somebody's [music] hand. Hug their
47:55necks. Tell them you're glad to see
47:56them. Amen. Remember the announcements.
47:59Amen. God bless you. You are dismissed
48:01[music] in the wonderful name of Jesus.
49:31Yeah.
49:42>> [music]
50:00>> Turn.
50:30>> [music]
50:55>> Heat. [music]
50:58Hey. Hey. Hey.
51:04>> [music]
51:05>> Come on.
53:17>> [music]
53:35[music]
56:04>> Hey,
56:06hey hey.
57:18Get
57:27out.
57:51and be glad.j
57:57Rejoice
58:00injural.