"No Striving Necessary"

GodThoughts Wired! Amazing...But True! Brad Reiches Feb 10 2006 01:39PM Friday, Febuary 10,  2006 GodThoughts Wired!    "No Striving Necessary" "For He give to His beloved even in his sleep." Psalm 127:2 What a commentary!  NO STRIVING NECESSARY!  Look at the context:  "Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman keeps awake in vain.  It is vain to rise up early, to retire late, to eat the bread of painful labors; for He gives to His beloved even in his sleep" (Psalm 127:1-2). "Cease striving and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations; I will be exalted in the earth." Psalm 46:10 NO STIVING NECESSARY.  Herein lies the concern with much of the "Church Growth Movement."  Man can build amazing things...without God.  Man can even build "churches" without God, but the scripture warns, "Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain..." (Psalm 127:1). "I will build My church; and the gates of Hades shall not overpower it." Matthew 16:18 Our role:  "Commit your works to the Lord, and your plans will be established" (Psalm 16:3).  Our part:  "Walk in the good works that God has prepared beforehand, for us to walk in" (see Ephesians 2:10).  Our challenge:  Hear and obey the still small voice within us saying, "This is the way, walk in it" (Isaiah 30:20).  The goal:  To Get to Know Jesus Christ and Represent Him in Everything We Do.  And in so doing, "I only do what I see the Father doing...I do nothing on My own initiative...as I see the Father do, these things I do in like manner" (see John 5:19; 30; 36; 8:28).  In other words, be so tight with the Lord that you are able to identify what He is doing and...PLUG INTO IT. NO STRIVING NECESSARY.