Laboring in Vain

Psalms 127:1-2 - "Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain.

In vain you rise early and stay up late,toiling for food to eat—

for he grants sleep to those he loves.

So often we wear ourselves out for nothing. We do things God has not asked us to do. We take burdens that God has not asked us to carry. We strive in our own wisdom and strength. We work with all we have, but void of the power of the Holy Spirit. We come up with our own solutions to the problem we face, and not even consult God.

I know that we have done this many times. I remember when we went through financial troubles, months on end. We tried to solve them in our own strength by launching different business endeavors in Haiti that each fell flat on its face. Then we heard the Word of the Lord. God said, did I send you to Haiti to make money? You need to trust me. I will meet your every need. We then stopped striving in our endeavors. Guess what, we lack not good thing.

The House of the Lord

Psalms 122:1 - "I rejoiced with those who said to me,

“Let us go to the house of the Lord.”

I love this verse. There is no greater place to be than with the saints in the presence of the Lord. Yet, I am afraid that many a Christian has lost their love of coming together with other believers and offering up sacrifices of thanksgiving, and worshiping the Lord our God.

We as individuals are God's house (temple), but are part of the greater house of believers. The doors of the church are less frequented in many developed countries because we are more focused on our busy lives than the life of the body of Christ.

Hebrews 10:25 - "not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching."

We need each other more than ever as the days are becoming more blatantly wicked and Christ return is more eminent.

We can meet together in small groups, but when we do this only, we miss out on greater body ministry.

When I speak of the greater body ministry that often is lacking in small groups, I speak of a lack of:

- the five fold ministry which God established for his church.

- local and world evangelism.

- solid Bible teaching.

- accountability to the larger body of Christ.

- rubbing shoulders with people who are different than you (iron sharpens iron)

- a full worship experience.

Don't get me wrong I am not opposed to cell groups/home groups, but I am opposed to home groups alone. Cell groups/home groups have many pluses. Yet, home groups should be connected to the greater body of Christ, the local church. In the same way, a local church should be connected to the universal body of Christ.

Many believers confuse a house church with a home group. A house church is biblical and healthy as long as it functions as God's church and fulfills the great commission.