Haggai 1:1-7

Haggai 1:1-7 In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, on the first day of the month, the word of the LORD came by the hand of Haggai the prophet to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest: (2) "Thus says the LORD of hosts: These people say the time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the LORD." (3) Then the word of the LORD came by the hand of Haggai the prophet, (4) "Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins? (5) Now, therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts: Consider your ways. (6) You have sown much, and harvested little. You eat, but you never have enough; you drink, but you never have your fill. You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm. And he who earns wages does so to put them into a bag with holes. (7) "Thus says the LORD of hosts: Consider your ways.

Three points:

1. Excuses: "Not yet."

Are we making excuses, when we need to get moving? Are we seeking our own comfort, when we should be seeking God's best? There are things more important than ourselves.

2. Questions: "Is it time...?"

God likes to ask questions. We are not robots--mindless and impersonal; we are created individuals with a free will. Let us come together and reason.

3. Statement: "Consider your ways"

That is what are your priorities, way of life? Is it nothing but myself? We need to see life from God's perspective.

1 Corinthians 9:25

1 Corinthians 9:25 Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.

Three points:

1. Life is a race

Every day, every situation brings us to a task, just as an athlete faces. There is a start, action, and a finish.

2. Self-control

Self-control is living these situations under restraint. It is NOT acting impulsively; it is not just living by emotions (though they play a part). It is waiting a little time after a flash of anger before responding. It is thinking through a situation before condemning someone, maybe there is a explanation for what we see happening.

3. Reward

There are immediate benefits. It may save your computer, as in the image. It may save a friendship, a marriage, a good employee, or a good job. We need to pray for God's help, because He knows the whole situation. He will give wisdom.

Psalm 34:18

Psalms 147:3 He heals the broken-hearted and bandages their wounds.

Three points:

1. He

Not the physician, not your friend, not your neighbor, not your family, not you, but Jesus Christ.

Psalms 34:18 The LORD is near to those who are discouraged; he saves those who have lost all hope.

2. Broken-hearted

Who hasn't had their heart broken. Sorrow, discouragement, even despondency are a part of this life.

3.Heals and bandages

Any good physician or nurse can do bandaging, but they can't heal. The body can heal with the help of medical professionals, but only the Lord Jesus can heal the heart. Ask Him to help today. It may take time to heal, but He can heal. I personally know He can.

Psalm 4:8

Psalms 4:8 I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; For You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.

Three points

1. Lie down

Lie down to sleep that is. We need sleep. Sleep deprivation is overwhelming much of today's populace, but no matter eventually we all lie down to sleep.

2. In peace and safety

Peaceful sleep; safe sleep. Many cannot sleep with peace--bitterness, an unforgiving attitude, guilt, pain,and fear are some things that prevent sleep. These things can be corrected. Bitterness can be gone with forgiving the offender; they will either repent or be punished by God.

3. You alone

Even in the midst of fear and pain, the Lord Jesus is with the Christian. He alone can give this type of peace.

Psalm 47:7

For God is the King of all the earth; Sing praises with understanding. (Psalms 47:7)

Three points:

1. God is King

There are all too many control freaks, but isn't it true that we all want to run our own life? There is only one King, and that King is Jesus Christ.

2. Sing praises

Praise is saying thank you, recognizing one's authority and power, and showing in words and song that God is this King. Do we sing with meaning and truthfulness?

3. With understanding

Not in a trance, not in "The Silence", but with our full mind, fully alert and attentive. Are we praising the Lord Jesus for all He has done?

2 Chronicles 7:14

if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14)

Three points:

1. Times are getting rough.

For those of us who realize we have broken God's laws, have faith in Jesus Christ alone for forgiveness, and believe the Bible are facing subtle pressure from many. How long will it be until we have to suffer as many Bible believing Christians do around the world?

2. Changing the heart is effective.

Turning over a new leaf, trying to change our ways, changing government, etc does not produce a lasting change.

3. What is needed for revival.

a. Humble themselves (The idea that I cannot but God can.)
b. Pray (Talking to God.)
c. Seek God (What do you want me to do here; it is closely related to prayer. It is not the silence.)
d. Turn from their wicked ways.
(This is a very important point. Breaking the Ten Commandments by "Christians" is as common or even more common than unbelievers. We need to live like Jesus wants us to live.)

Deuteronomy 31:6

Be strong and courageous; don't be terrified or afraid of them. For it is the LORD your God who goes with you; He will not leave you or forsake you." (Deuteronomy 31:6)

Three points:

1. Our condition

Fear, dismay, anxiety, uncertainty? Financial, emotional, physical, spiritually?

2. His counsel

"Don't be afraid; don't be terrified." Regardless of the difficulty, God is there. God is with His people. Many testimonies over the centuries attest to it.

3. His promise

God will go with you; He will not leave you or forsake you. We truly can be victorious.

Ephesians 5:2

And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma. (Ephesians 5:2)

Three points:

1. Walk in love

From the moment we wake up, until the time we go to sleep, we must show love to all. Treating all we meet exactly the same with gentleness and kindness is walking in love.

Love sometimes must be uncomfortable. It may mean an honest appraisal and correction of another. It is also receiving the same from someone else.

2. Jesus Christ

He is our example. He healed the unlovely, yet he spoke against sin. Both were to bring healing of their souls, forgiveness of sins, and a right relation with himself.

3. He pleased his father

So should we. The next few verses give some examples of actions that do NOT walk in love. Sin always hurts.

John 8:36

Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. (John 8:36)

Three points:

1. Free

O how people desire to be free. We have escaped like a bird from a hunter's trap; the trap is broken, and we are free! (Psalms 124:7).

2. How are we freed?

The Son. This is the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; (Luke 4:18).

3. True Freedom

Some think that if there were no laws, there would be real freedom, but this is false. First, there is no real freedom from law. There is physical laws and chemical laws. Second, without law there is chaos.
In their hearts they say, "Nothing can hurt us! We'll always be happy and free from trouble." (Psalms 10:6)

True freedom comes from obeying the perfect laws of the perfect lawgiver--Jesus Christ! I will live in perfect freedom, because I try to obey your teachings. (Psalms 119:45).

1 Corinthians 6:11

And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
(1 Corinthians 6:11)

Three points:

1. Some of you

All of us have broken God's laws. Isaiah says that "all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags" (Isaiah 64:6). The absolute best we do is not good enough.

2. Washed, Sanctified, and Justified

Washed means fully washed, totally clean, no spots, no stains, so fully that it is like brand new.

Sanctified means made holy, that is, fit to be used by God. A king would not use bent, beat-up, dirty plates and cups; he would use the best, the most perfect and clean. This is how God views those who have repented, confessed our sins, and have faith in Jesus Christ alone for forgiveness.

Justified means considered innocent. We are not innocent, but after faith God considers us to be fully, completely, wholly innocent; it is as if we never sinned or broken God's laws.

3. Lord Jesus Christ

We cannot do this, a psychiatrist cannot, a surgeon cannot, no one can--only God. The Lord Jesus suffered for out sins; He is the perfect sacrifice. The Holy Spirit opened our eyes to our condition and moved us to repentance.

Rejoice! Our sins are forgiven so completely that there is no reason to think of them again. That is easier said then done, but we can remind ourselves and believe that it is finished.

John 10:10

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. (John 10:10)

Three points:

1. The thief

Someone we don't want to meet. He does the exact opposite of what God wants. He is usually up to three things: stealing, killing, and destroying. He cares for nothing except to get what she/he wants. If something or someone gets in the way, to bad. Have we ever stolen anything?

2. The Lord Jesus

He does the opposite; he comes to give, give life, and give restoration. He gives forgiveness, a relationship with him, love, peace, and many other things. Are we living as the Lord Jesus wants us or as we want?

3. Us

This world is full of sorrows. We cannot prevent it, but living like Jesus wants us will make a difference to us and others. We are influencing people in one way or other. May God help us to do what is right.

Mark 11:18

And the chief priests and the scribes heard it and were seeking a way to destroy him, for they feared him, because all the crowd was astonished at his teaching. Mark 11:18

Three points:

1. Heard and seek to destroy

The Lord Jesus had ridden into Jerusalem with the cheers of many people; he had also gone into the Temple to throw out the crooks, cheats, hucksters from it--just as we should today. The religious authorities were not pleased. They didn't like what the Lord Jesus was saying and doing, so the solution? Let's kill him. Speaking and living the truth sometimes will make enemies from very powerful people. They may seek our death, too, but we must still speak and live the truth.

2. They feared him.

Strange, why did they were they afraid of him? They knew He was speaking the truth that they were afraid to admit; they also knew He was living the truth. Despite knowing these things, they still chose to do evil and oppose the truth. They were afraid, too, of the crowd who at that point were shocked, amazed, and challenged by His teaching. What kind of teacher are we--like the religious leaders or like the Lord Jesus? Do we have the trash of the world in us? Matthew Henry points out that maybe they were afraid that He would throw them out, too; they were a living lie.

3. Astonished

Why the shock? They were simply blown away. They had not expected this. They expected an earthly kingdom, an earthly king, a messiah who would provide for all their needs, provide safety, and throw out the foreign rulers. The Lord Jesus came to reform their lives, to drive sin out, to promote holiness and holy living. Are we in shock when we read the Bible? Are we more interested in comfort or truth? Are we putting ourselves first or God? Are we treating others without bias and mistreatment?

Psalm 25:5

Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long. (Psalms 25:5)

Three points:

1. Lead

The word for lead here is usually translated tread (in KJV). It has the idea of "cause me to walk". The idea here is "Lord, I don't know enough and not strong enough, so I need you to guide me to walk down the path of truth."

Are we too smart to ask God for help, or are we wise enough to ask Him?

2. Teach

We don't know all the facets of an issue. We are limited in many ways. How often I have made a decision but later found out I didn't know enough. If I had known, I would have decided differently. We need God's help.

3. Wait

To wait 10 minutes is usually too long, how about all day.? Why does God have us waiting? I think it is because some details have to be worked out in our environment before our prayer can be answered. I may want a piece of pie now, but if I wait for it to bake, it will be worth it.

Matthew 18:22

For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. Matthew 18:22

Three points:

1. Two or Three

A small crowd for sure. We shouldn't think that we need big numbers of people for God to hear our prayer, worship, or fellowship. As times get harder this may be the size of the local gathering of believers. The Lord Jesus doesn't want numbers, necessarily, but does want our heart--100% of us.

2. In my name

Not in any other name. Jesus doesn't have two, three, or a hundred names. There is only one under heaven whereby we can be saved. If we are gathering for ourselves, it is shallow. If we gather for a great speaker--and that is all--it is deceitful. If we gather for the Lord Jesus--to remember Him, worship Him, thank Him, pray to Him, that is what is right.

3. I am there

We won't sense it, hear it, see it, but He is there. How? Because He said so. The Christian life is one of faith, not sight. We have the witnesses from the first century--the Apostles and others. What a comfort to know that when we gather, He IS there.