Shalom,
Psalm 127:1-2 actually go together:
1 EXCEPT THE LORD builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; except the LORD keeps the city, the watchman wakes but in vain. 2 it is vain for you to rise up early, to take rest late, to eat the bread of [anxious] toil -- for He gives [blessings] to His beloved in sleep.
Notice that the word "vain" is used 3 times in these two verses! This is the Hebrew word, "shav`", which means: emptiness, nothingness, vanity, worthlessness. All of our efforts are really worthless and of no value whatsoever IF what we are trying to accomplish is NOT part of God's plan! Also worthless and of no value are our attempts at ANYTHING unless we are trusting in the One, True, Most High, Living, Almighty God of the Bible! IF we belong to Him and are trusting in the presence and power of God inside of us, then there is no need for us to lose sleep over situations or get all stressed out trying to do things in our own strength! We NEVER have to rely on our own strength again! Hallelujah! HE gives us enough of everything, EVEN WHILE WE SLEEP, that we can be more than conquerors and over come victoriously in EVERY situation we face! Just remember to give HIM all the praise, thanksgiving and worship for the results! AMEN!
In John 4 we have the story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well. Even many of the commentaries I have read seem to emphasize the sin of this Samaritan woman. I don't believe THAT is the point of this story at all! Was there any one of us without sin before we were born again? I believe it is very important to notice that Jesus was at that well at the very time that the women would be showing up to draw water. Do you REALLY think that this was a coincidence? I don't! Jesus was at this specific place, at this specific time, in order to minister LIFE to this woman! And His main concern was NOT that she was living in sin, but that she was a sinner without a Saviour! He was preparing her heart to be in position to be born again after He laid down His life! The disciples came back and were shocked that Jesus is even speaking to this Samaritan, who was also a woman! We can all be so narrow minded sometimes! Jesus is not NEARLY so concerned with the specific sins of the people as He is with their having an opportunity to know, understand and realize that HE offered them LIFE! I love verse 10:
10 Jesus answered her, If you had known and had recognized God's gift and Who this is that is saying to you, Give Me a drink, you would have asked Him [instead] and He would have given you living water.
That is really the heart of the God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit! Let's learn to look beyond the obvious and get to the heart of the matter with people! AMEN!
In studying Ezekiel 21-22 I am reminded of the sinfulness of our own nation and how far away from the standard of God's Word parts of this nation have turned! Then I saw this in the Bible Exposition Commentary:
Under "Query 18 " in his Notes on the State of Virginia, Thomas Jefferson wrote, "Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just." Ezekiel has defended the justice of God and magnified the mercy and grace of God. What more could he do?
Then I found THIS in Ezekiel 22:30:
30 And I sought a man among them who should build up the wall and stand in the gap before Me for the land, that I should not destroy it, but I found none.
I KNOW that He has found more than one to stand in the gap for THIS country! We are standing on 2 Chronicles 7:14:
14 If My people, who are called by My Name, shall humble themselves, pray, seek, crave, and require of necessity My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.
Notice that it DOES NOT say that all of the people who live in the land, but MY people! Those who belong to the One, True, Most High, Living, Almighty God of the Bible through the New Birth may intercede got our land and He WILL hear! Eventually this country, too, will run out of time, but not before we complete our work here! Join us and be one who will stop complaining about the nation and will pray and intercede instead! AMEN!
Shalom in Him!
