Haggai
1:1
[ A Call to Build the House of the LORD ] In the second year of King Darius, on the first day of the sixth month, the word of the LORD came through the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jozadak, the high priest:
[ A Call to Build the House of the LORD ] In the second year of King Darius, on the first day of the sixth month, the word of the LORD came through the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jozadak, the high priest:
Do you remember? Do you remember when Jesus met
you at the crossroads of your life and said, “It is time.” I do. The exact date
isn’t necessary, but the day is unforgettable. There is a singular moment for
every believer when they turned their heart toward Jesus. From time to time,
recall that day, Jesus did. He knew it was coming and when it came He marked
it. Amen.
Ezra
1:2
“This is what Cyrus king of Persia says: “‘The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah.
“This is what Cyrus king of Persia says: “‘The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah.
Haggai
1:2
This is what the LORD Almighty says: “These people say, ‘The time has not yet come to rebuild the LORD’s house.’”
This is what the LORD Almighty says: “These people say, ‘The time has not yet come to rebuild the LORD’s house.’”
The people of Haggai’s day had it backwards,
didn’t they? Some sixteen years had passed since the return of God’s people
from exile in Babylon to the city of God for the express purpose of rebuilding
the house or Temple of God. In Jerusalem sixteen years, no Temple! Listen,
Don’t let anybody tell you that God is not patient. Sixteen years!!! The
question that comes to mind is, “When?” When was going to be a good time to do
the thing that God sent you and equipped you to do?
Haggai
1:4
“Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin?”
“Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin?”
God points out to His people that they have their
priorities reversed. They collectively requested from God and from Cyrus to go
home so that they could rebuild the Temple of God, but now, they’ve got their
finger up in the wind checking for which way the winds of change are blowing.
And guess what? They keep coming up with the wrong answer. “It’s not time yet.”
Their building Homes, buying cattle, planting crops, building cities but, “It’s
not time yet.” Here’s the question Church; when will it be time? “Lord, bless
me and I’ll bless you back.” Really!? How does that play itself out? “Lord, I’m
a little short this month, I’ll catch you next month?” “ Lord, my car needed
repair, you know my heart.” “Lord you know I love you, but….” And how’s that
working out for you, I mean them…
Haggai
1:7
This is what the LORD Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways.
This is what the LORD Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways.
When God meets you at the crossroads, He will
present you with a teachable moment; “Choose you this day”, “What are you doing
here?”, “Who do men say that I am?” In this case, “Give careful thought.” Don’t
answer too quickly because whatever your response, there are consequences.
Haggai
1:6
You have planted much, but harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.”
You have planted much, but harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.”
Came back to build the Temple, got
distracted, got comfortable, got behind, something went wrong… What do you do?
Revelation
2:4-5
Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. 5 Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first.
Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. 5 Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first.
Haggai
1:8
Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build my house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored,” says the LORD.
Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build my house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored,” says the LORD.
“Go up..”, God says to them. Another way to say this is “re”
or “return”, “pent” “the top”; the same word from which we take ‘penthouse’.
God’s simple advice: “Return to me”, “Meet me on the mountain”, “Come to me.”
That’s really it, isn’t it? Come to me. Burdened, downcast, downtrodden,
hurting… come to Jesus. This is the invitation of the ages. Whether you a
little bit off or you’ve never been ‘on’, Jesus extends Hope where there is
hope, Love where there has been none. Just put all that other stuff down, or
better yet, give it to Him, He’ll give you eternal life in exchange…
Matthew
11:28-29
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
Micah
7:18
Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.
Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.
Ending this a little soft, aren’t? The last thing I want you
know beloved, is that when you respond to correction from God, He removes the
enmity, He crushes condemnation, He wipes the slate clean. When you surrender
your agenda for His, He forgives! The bible tells me that He throws are sins
into the ‘Sea of Forgetfulness, and not even He has the power to remember them.
I’m not sure how that works, but I happily take it by faith. Amen!
Blessings,
.wb
See the video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kZ8sEaBjFM
Blessings..
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