Luke 16:13

Luke 16:13 "No servant can be the slave of two masters; such a slave will hate one and love the other or will be loyal to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money."

Three points:

1. What are we a slave of?

We are all a slave of something. It may be money, food, work, not working, friends, status, looks, clothes, family, what people think of us, etc. etc.

2. People cannot be a slave of two masters.

So obvious isn't it? Only one thing can be supreme in our lives. Only one thing can have our loyalty. We push comes to shove, there will be only one left.

3. What are we a slave of?

Are we a slave of God? He is tender, loving, kind, protecting, firm, and wise. Jesus said, "Take my yoke and put it on you, and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in spirit; and you will find rest. For the yoke I will give you is easy, and the load I will put on you is light. (Matthew 11:29-30)"

Haggai 2:20-23

Haggai 2:20-23 The word of the LORD came a second time to Haggai on the twenty-fourth day of the month, (21) "Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I am about to shake the heavens and the earth, (22) and to overthrow the throne of kingdoms. I am about to destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the nations, and overthrow the chariots and their riders. And the horses and their riders shall go down, every one by the sword of his brother. (23) On that day, declares the LORD of hosts, I will take you, O Zerubbabel my servant, the son of Shealtiel, declares the LORD, and make you like a signet ring, for I have chosen you, declares the LORD of hosts."

Three points:

1. Judgment:

A time for humility. Throw away our pride. We aren't as big and powerful as we think. Maybe we can't solve our problems ourselves. We need someone who is wiser, stronger, and able to know the future.

2. Blessing:

God is the one who blesses.

3. Picked out:

God chooses his servants conditionally to those who heart is right with Him. Is my heart right with Him? Am I thankful for what He has done and doing?

Haggai 2:10-19

Haggai 2:10-19 On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came by Haggai the prophet, (11) "Thus says the LORD of hosts: Ask the priests about the law: (12) 'If someone carries holy meat in the fold of his garment and touches with his fold bread or stew or wine or oil or any kind of food, does it become holy?'" The priests answered and said, "No." (13) Then Haggai said, "If someone who is unclean by contact with a dead body touches any of these, does it become unclean?" The priests answered and said, "It does become unclean." (14) Then Haggai answered and said, "So is it with this people, and with this nation before me, declares the LORD, and so with every work of their hands. And what they offer there is unclean. (15) Now then, consider from this day onward. Before stone was placed upon stone in the temple of the LORD, (16) how did you fare? When one came to a heap of twenty measures, there were but ten. When one came to the wine vat to draw fifty measures, there were but twenty. (17) I struck you and all the products of your toil with blight and with mildew and with hail, yet you did not turn to me, declares the LORD. (18) Consider from this day onward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month. Since the day that the foundation of the LORD's temple was laid, consider: (19) Is the seed yet in the barn? Indeed, the vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate, and the olive tree have yielded nothing. But from this day on I will bless you."

Three points:

1. God gives a question for the experts: God tests us; any good teacher does.

God tests us, too. What have we learned? What have we learned from this passage? How can we apply it to our life?

2. Explanation: What is clean and acceptable and what isn't.

Are there things I am doing, thinking, and saying that God considers unclean?
Proverbs 26:23-28 Insincere talk that hides what you are really thinking is like a fine glaze on a cheap clay pot. (24) A hypocrite hides hate behind flattering words. (25) They may sound fine, but don't believe him, because his heart is filled to the brim with hate. (26) He may disguise his hatred, but everyone will see the evil things he does. (27) People who set traps for others get caught themselves. People who start landslides get crushed. (28) You have to hate someone to want to hurt him with lies. Insincere talk brings nothing but ruin.

3. Examine: What are your blessings since you have obeyed?

When was the last time we obeyed the rules in the New Testament that the Lord Jesus gave us? Consider:
Romans 13:13-14 Let us conduct ourselves properly, as people who live in the light of day---no orgies or drunkenness, no immorality or indecency, no fighting or jealousy. (14) But take up the weapons of the Lord Jesus Christ, and stop paying attention to your sinful nature and satisfying its desires.

Haggai 2:6-8

Haggai 2:6-8 For thus says the LORD of hosts: Yet once more, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land. (7) And I will shake all nations, so that the treasures of all nations shall come in, and I will fill this house with glory, says the LORD of hosts. (8) The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, declares the LORD of hosts.

Three points:

1. A promise: Shake. A shaking, judgment. What will stand? What will remain?

Our house may be gone, our money gone, our family gone, our health gone, but what will happen to our heart? Is it still solid for Jesus Christ, the Scriptures, and what it teaches? A true test of faith is often something unpleasant.

2. Ownership: God owns it all.

On the bottom line doesn't God own everything? We need to work, but isn't our family more important? Our family is important, but isn't God, himself, for important? What are our priorities?

3. Greater than former and "I will give peace."

Only God can give peace. It will not be found in a man, an institution, or a philosophy. Once a person is at peace with God, they will find the direction for peace with others. Until we realize that we are not at peace with God-we have broken His laws--we will not ask for mercy--crying out, "Lord Jesus have mercy on me, forgive my sins"--then we will be at peace with God.

Haggai 2:1-5

Haggai 2:1-5 In the seventh month, on the twenty-first day of the month, the word of the LORD came by the hand of Haggai the prophet, (2) "Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to all the remnant of the people, and say, (3) 'Who is left among you who saw this house in its former glory? How do you see it now? Is it not as nothing in your eyes? (4) Yet 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. Work, for I am with you, declares the LORD of hosts, (5) according to the covenant that I made with you when you came out of Egypt. My Spirit remains in your midst. Fear not.

Three points:

1. Remember: What it was like.

Sometimes when we look back in our lives, we think "Everything was good; what went wrong"? In turning to the Lord Jesus to help, he can take the most terrible situation and turn into something beautiful.

2. Encouragement: Again; do we encourage one another?

I need to be encouraged sometimes. It is a blessing when someone comes up to me and says, "I'm praying for you." Are we mindful of others, praying for them, and helping them?

3. Fear: It is common. There IS a reason not to fear--I am with you.

Everyone has fear sometimes. If things are bad and continue day after day, we are to be encouraged; God says, "Fear not". God is in control. The Lord Jesus suffered, Job suffered, others have suffered, but after wards there was a blessing. We shouldn't give up.

Haggai 1:8-15

Haggai 1:8-15 Go up to the hills and bring wood and build the house, that I may take pleasure in it and that I may be glorified, says the LORD. (9) You looked for much, and behold, it came to little. And when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why? declares the LORD of hosts. Because of my house that lies in ruins, while each of you busies himself with his own house. (10) Therefore the heavens above you have withheld the dew, and the earth has withheld its produce. (11) And I have called for a drought on the land and the hills, on the grain, the new wine, the oil, on what the ground brings forth, on man and beast, and on all their labors." (12) Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the LORD their God, and the words of Haggai the prophet, as the LORD their God had sent him. And the people feared the LORD. (13) Then Haggai, the messenger of the LORD, spoke to the people with the LORD's message, "I am with you, declares the LORD." (14) And the LORD stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people. And they came and worked on the house of the LORD of hosts, their God, (15) on the twenty-fourth day of the month, in the sixth month, in the second year of Darius the king.

Three points:

1. Examine: "Look around you."

Examine your life, your situation, and your environment. What do you see--blessings or none? God made us to think; He wants us to think now.

2. Obeyed: "Yes, Lord; your will be done."

Finally, it must come down to this--your will O, God or mine.

3. Encouragement: This is an example of exhortation.

"I am with you." This happens with obedience. We are not perfect, sinless; we can be blameless. We can ask for help and confess that our way is not always His.