FEBRUARY 1, 2022

BIBLE READINGS

Haggai 1:13-15

13Then Haggai, the Lord’s messenger, gave this message of the Lord to the people: “I am with you,” declares the Lord. 14So the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua son of Jozadak, 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, 15on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month. In the second year of King Darius

Hebrews 10:24-25

24And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

WORDS that MATTER

Our devotions this week reflect the series THE TIME IS NOW that we have been looking at in our Sunday talks based on Haggai. As I have been reading and rereading this Old Testament prophetic book I keep asking the questions, what does this Bible book have to say to me? To us? To our Community of Jesus? Pastor's questions huh.

Here is what I notice in today's reading from Haggai above, that the first words that God speaks through Haggai, is to announce his presence with his people. Remember, these are the very same people who have built their own "high end" homes instead of rebuilding the Temple, saying it is not time for the temple rebuild. God say "I am with you." Now that's a loving God who is committed to his people. Maybe i am wrong, maybe I am the only one, but I often need the reminder that God is a very real presence in my life, and that even when I get distracted and self-focused, God speaks into my spirit and says "I am with you." Those 4 words matter, don't they?

Do you personally know that God is with you? Pause and answer this question.

How might knowing and believing that God says to you everyday "I am with you" affect the way you live out each day? Take a moment on this .... would it make a difference in your day?

You see Haggai wasn’t suggesting Zerubbabel or Joshua do it on their own. We note above in our reading that God stirred up the spirit of the entire community of God’s people. The whole community was called to be part of the rebuild. God stirred up the spirit of all, to begin to rebuild his house, with the promise of his presence among them. They began to work on Building God's house together.

REFLECT

In what ways can a community of Christ-followers encourage you to live enthusiasically for God?

How might your enthusiasm impact those around you?

Who is in your community? Name them aloud, and thank God for each one.




PRAYER

God, You didn’t just ask us to build Your house. You said, I am with you; build my house. Thank You for being with us. With your strong presence and help we will build your house.

Thank You also, for the encouragement and enthusaism of our community members that "spur us on to love and good deeds" so that at the "proper time, we will reap a harvest."

Amen

 January 31, 2022

BIBLE READINGS

Haggai 2:1-4 

1 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? 4Yet 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.

Luke 9:62 

62Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Colossians 3:23

23Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters,

STRONG IN THE LORD

Have you ever started something with great enthusiasm, only to struggle and become discouraged a short time later? We all have.

On Sunday we talked about two sources of discouragement that God points out to the people through Haggai, Comparisons and a lack of progress.

Comparing where we are, with someone elses finish. In Haggai, they compare their 1 month of toil on the temple rebuild, to Solomon's maginificent finished temple. Which by the way was a 7 year building project. I don't know about you, but I get incredibly discouraged when I compare. Compare to where I am to the finish of other people.

Second cause of discouragement is just a lack of progress, and results. The people are a month into this, and this is not going the way they had visualized it. We're trying so hard, but we're not getting anywhere.

I'm not where I thought I would be.

She's ahead of me. He's doing more.

They've got this. I don't have it.

I'm trying my best, and I'm not making progress,

and so one day, you feel like these people did,

"I'm not even sure it's worth it."

Ever have experiences like this? I believe we all have.

Today let's answer a few questions.


What setbacks have you experienced as you follow Christ?


Have those setbacks dampened your enthusiasm, or made you stronger?


How has comparison to others or lack of progress impacted your desire to keep growing in your walk with God?


What do you feel keeps you from being strong and doing the work you need to do to get past discouragement?

REFLECT

God's antidote to discouragement is "Be Strong and Do the Work." As you “do the work” of focusing on what God has for you rather than on comfort or comparisions or lack of progress, how can you stay consistent with what God has revealed to you to do?

PRAYER

God, You didn’t just ask us to build Your house. You said, "I am with you; build my house." Thank You for being with us. Holy Spirit, help each of us to identify the places we’ve allowed discouragement to hold us back. God, make us strong to do Your work. Amen.

CRUCIAL PRIORITIES

 January 28, 2022

Psalms 63:1-6 

1O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water. 2I have seen you in your sanctuary and gazed upon your power and glory. 3Your unfailing love is better than life itself; how I praise you! 4I will praise you as long as I live, lifting up my hands to you in prayer. 5You satisfy me more than the richest feast. I will praise you with songs of joy. 6I lie awake thinking of you, meditating on you through the night.

Haggai 1:10-12 NLT

10It’s because of you that the heavens withhold the dew and the earth produces no crops. 11I have called for a drought on your fields and hills—a drought to wither the grain and grapes and olive trees and all your other crops, a drought to starve you and your livestock and to ruin everything you have worked so hard to get.” 12Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the whole remnant of God’s people began to obey the message from the Lord their God. When they heard the words of the prophet Haggai, whom the Lord their God had sent, the people feared the Lord.

START NOW

January 27, 2022

 

Haggai 1:9 

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 your own house.

John 14:15 

15 “If you love me, keep my commands.

Psalm 119:105 

105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

HE STANDS READY

January 26, 2022

 

Haggai 1:8 

8Now go up into the hills, bring down timber, and rebuild my house. Then I will take pleasure in it and be honored, says the Lord.

Philippians 1:6 

6And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.

Isaiah 30:21 

21Your own ears will hear him. Right behind you a voice will say, “This is the way you should go,” whether to the right or to the left.

Micah 6:8 

8No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.

GIVE CAREFUL THOUGHT

January 25, 2022

 Haggai 1:2-7 

“Thus says the Lord of hosts: These people say the time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the Lord.” 3Then 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? 5Now, therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways. 6You 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.

Matthew 6:31-34 

31Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

STAYING CENTERED

January 24, 2022

Haggai 1:1-6 

1 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.” 3Then 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? 5Now, therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways. 6You 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. 

 Romans 12:2 

2Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.