PSALMS OF ASCENT!

PSALM 128:3-4

Family
YOUR WIFE WILL BE LIKE A FRUITFUL VINE WITHIN YOUR HOUSE; YOUR SONS WILL BE LIKE OLIVE SHOOTS AROUND YOUR TABLE. THUS IS THE MAN BLESSED WHO FEARS THE LORD. (PSALMS 128:34 NIV)
HOME
Its nice to come home to a warm welcome. Some do not have this privilege. In Japan it is possible to rent a friend for around 7 an hour. Surely that is not Gods intention for us? How do we make sure Gods blessings on our home relationships come to fruition? It is a life lived in obedience to God which results in a settled home life and a hopelled future. That is the signicance of taking verse 1 of this Psalm seriously, Blessed are all who fear the LO R D, w h o w a l k i n h i s ways. (Psalms 128:1 NIV) Wi t h o u t t h i s k i n d o f humility before God we can never expect to see our friendships, marriages and families as blessed as they could be. deserve it - for that is the way Jesus treats us, Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy (Ephesians 5:2526 NIV) Is your wife happy within her home like the woman in this Psalm? If not take a good hard look at the quality of your love towards her. The fact that the woman is within the house points to her faithfulness. In other words she is not wayward (Proverbs 7:11). The vine here symbolises fruitfulness, sexual char m (Song of Songs 7:8-12), & festivity (Judges 9:13). Wives, is your husband seeing you as a fruitful spouse? Why not ask one another - What one thing could I do to make you happier? grow up believing that Gods standards mean something. If they do not mean something in the home they will mean nothing outside when they are alone with the pressures of the world upon them. Bless your children as they shoot up before they shoot off !

FAMILY
The emphasis here is on the results of faithful reverence and walking with God, but the clear implication is that the blessings that come from this are never intended to stop with one person. A life lived walking in Gods way is a life geared at blessing others, Acts 20:35. Being generous increases our strength and causes the people around us to become fruitful. If we want to see a blessing on not only ourselves, but on all those around us we will do well to heed the call from verse 1 to fear the Lord and walk in his ways. A person with this attitude will never be without a family of blessing.

PARENTHOOD
Parents who walk with the Lord bless their children. Are you being consistent in your encouragement & discipline of your children? Consistency is crucial if your children are to

MARRIAGE
Husbands who walk with the Lord bless their wives. If you are a Christian you are commanded to love your wife even if you feel she does not

Malcolm Cox, email: malcolm.cox@iccmissions.org | ICC Missions on facebook | www.nwlcc.org