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Just read through the scriptures of Haggai given below and see what we can do in our lives, families, ministries, Church..
Do you think the time has not yet come for the Lord's house to be built?
Haggai 1:2
This is what the LORD Almighty says: "These people say, 'The time has not yet come for the Lord's house to be built.'"
Is our involvement in making our lives better more than seeking the Kingdom of God?
Haggai 1:3-4
3 Then the word of the LORD came through the prophet Haggai:
4 "Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin?"
Haggai 1:5-11
5 Now this is what the LORD Almighty says: "Give careful thought to your ways.
6 You have planted much, but have 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."
7 This is what the LORD Almighty says: "Give careful thought to your ways.
8 Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build the house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored," says the LORD.
9 "You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew away. Why?" declares the LORD Almighty. "Because of my house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with his own house.
10 Therefore, because of you the heavens have withheld their dew and the earth its crops.
11 I called for a drought on the fields and the mountains, on the grain, the new wine, the oil and whatever the ground produces, on men and cattle, and on the labor of your hands."
This is what the Lord Almighty says :
1. Give careful thought to your ways. You have planted much, but have 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." (1:5,6)
2. Give careful thought to your ways. Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build the house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored. (1:7,8)
3. You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew away. Why?. Because of my house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with his own house. (1:9)
4. Therefore, because of you the heavens have withheld their dew and the earth its crops. I called for a drought on the fields and the mountains, on the grain, the new wine, the oil and whatever the ground produces, on men and cattle, and on the labor of your hands. [ Because of God's elect the blessings for the city also is withheld ] (1:10,11)
Haggai 1:13-2:5
13 Then Haggai, the Lord's messenger, gave this message of the LORD to the people: "I am with you," declares the LORD.
14 So the LORD stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of the whole remnant of the people. They came and began to work on the house of the LORD Almighty, their God,
15 on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month in the second year of King Darius.
2:1 On the twenty-first day of the seventh month, the word of the LORD came through the prophet Haggai:
2 "Speak to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people. Ask them,
3 'Who of you is left who saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Does it not seem to you like nothing?
4 But now be strong, O Zerubbabel,' declares the LORD. 'Be strong, O Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land,' declares the LORD, 'and work. For I am with you,' declares the LORD Almighty.
5 'This is what I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt. And my Spirit remains among you. Do not fear.'
When we obey the voice of the Lord and fear Him, the Lord Almighty says :
1. I am with you (1:13)
2. Be strong all you people of the land [ Can we say Church?] and work. For I am with you. [ 2:4 ]
3. My spirit remains among you. Do not fear [2:5]
4. In a little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. I will shake all nations, and the desired of all nations will come, and I will fill this house [ Can we say Church?] with glory. [ the city is blessed ]
5. The silver is mine and the gold is mine.
6. The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house. And in this place I will grant peace.
Today, do we have faith to see that God is powerful enough to move His Church and bring Him glory more than what we have seen.
It is a common talk and thought and also a desire and belief that our Christian life today to be like that of when we were at the time of baptism (young Christian days). But do we believe our Christian lives can reach a point even now more than where we were at the time of baptism. God is powerful.
At baptism we had lots of zeal to love God and love our neighbor and less knowledge. Now may be more knowledge for some of us. But has our love for God and neighbors reduced?
1 Corinthians 8:1-3
1 Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that we all possess knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.
2 The man who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know.
3 But the man who loves God is known by God.
So let us spur one another towards love and good deeds.
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