We welcome you to Stone's Hill today!

A typical Stone's Hill service has:

* music (so feel free to sing out);

* some announcements (things that are upcoming that you can be a part of);

* a message out of the Bible (God speaks to us through his Word);

* and an opportunity for you to respond to the message (either immediately in the case of a decision that needs to be made OR in the future as you live out the message in your daily life.)

So relax and enjoy your morning! We're so glad you are here!

MESSAGE TEXT
Psalm 127:1-5; Psalm 128:1-6
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INTRODUCTION
I’m going to propose that Psalm 127 is really all about the family and making God the center of it. In the OT it is common to speak of a family as a “house”. Solomon was a builder. He wants to speak in those terms. But the way he uses them, the house, the wall, the quiver, the arrows – it all references back to the family.
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So, when we read about a house, a wall, a quiver – those are synonymous with the family. What the building and civic world taught Solomon gets transferred into the world of building a great family culture.
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Furthermore, why is the house being built if it is not for the family? And why are the watchmen protecting the city if not for the families that live in it? Then as now, the family was the basic unit and most important element of society.
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Periodically, we come across psalms that fit together, forming a unit or a progression of thought. This is true of Psalms 22, 23, and 24. It is also true of Psalms 90 and 91 as well as Psalms 111 and 112. One psalm sets the stage, we might say, while the next resolves the drama. This is precisely what we find in Psalms 127 and 128. Both have to do with life in the home. They are domestic psalms. Psalms 120-134 are hymns the Jewish pilgrims would sing as they traveled to Jerusalem to worship in the temple. Two ascent Psalms work a nice tandem: Psalm 127 warns that life, family, and work are in vain without God. Psalm 128, a companion piece to Ps 127 sings that life, family, and work are blessed when you live for God. It is a celebration of God’s blessings on a person, his family, and the nation.
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PROPOSITION
Strong families do certain things; they practice certain things to create a positive family culture. Build your family culture but don’t do it without God. As you labor in these practices, the Lord builds the house, the family.
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Even if your children are grown, or your family is broken, or you’re a single adult hoping to have a family someday – it is always the right time to be thinking about the kind of family that you want to have and it’s never too late to start being a strong influence for good, even if your family is raised.
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Psalm 127 has a huge assumption behind it. Raising a family when done independently of God will leave you feeling empty and questioning what it was all about anyway. But when God is the focus of a family, those kids are like arrows when they get launched and they take all that love from home and land in broken places.
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So, I want to talk to you today about how to build a family for God’s glory; about how to create a healthy family culture that honors God. What are the practices that create a healthy family culture where everyone can thrive? I want to talk to you about some practices and tools for transforming your home life and dramatically improving your family’s culture.
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[Pastor Nelson will cover TEN MISTAKES families often make. And, he will go over TEN PRACTICES that create a strong and healthy family culture]
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CONCLUSION
Parents love each other. Each family member is invested in. Siblings look out for one another. And the adults set the behavioral example. Grandparents keep everyone grounded. “We show up in person for the big events of life. We hope to die in one another’s arms (Crouch, Andy).” So, in a healthy family culture, you do life together: play together, travel together, eat together, serve together, laugh together, pray together, exercise together, read together, learn together, and eventually you cry together.