Haggai
Haggai spoke (1:4,5): "How is it that it's the 'right time' for you to live in your fine new homes while the Home, God's Temple, is in ruins? God says: "Take a good, hard look at your life. Think it over." God says (1:9-10): Honor Me. You've had great ambitions for yourselves, but nothing has come of it. The little you have brought to my Temple I've blown away—there was nothing to it. You've been running around taking care of your own house. Tight-fisted stinginess. God, reveal how I've been more absorbed in my marriage, my family, my ministry, my deliverance OVER Your Pleasure. Is this about my satisfaction or Your Pleasure?
Haggai's Message changed them (1:13): God says, "I am with you."
"No matter how discouraged you feel, no matter how little evidence you see of My Power, no matter how off course My Plan appears to be or how unlikely fulfillment of My Promise seems to be, no matter how dark your night or empty your soul, build My Temple. I, the LORD of hosts, am speaking. So what does it mean for me to build God's Temple? Whatever you do for My Sake that involves the sacrifice of self-interest, whatever you do to reveal Me to others when you feel least able to do so, whatever you do that pleases Me at any cost to yourself, that is building My Temple." 66 LL.
"No matter how discouraged you feel, no matter how little evidence you see of My Power, no matter how off course My Plan appears to be or how unlikely fulfillment of My Promise seems to be, no matter how dark your night or empty your soul, build My Temple. I, the LORD of hosts, am speaking. So what does it mean for me to build God's Temple? Whatever you do for My Sake that involves the sacrifice of self-interest, whatever you do to reveal Me to others when you feel least able to do so, whatever you do that pleases Me at any cost to yourself, that is building My Temple." 66 LL.
There was a verse in the past few days in The Message that said that God is always right on time. Do you remember reading it---can you tell me the verse? Love that thought. And if we are surrendered, we are always right on time, too. Haggai 1:4 speaks of thinking that the right time is for us to take care of ourselves but that's not right with God. Am I right on time?
ReplyDeleteBuild my Temple. Such a word to me as I embrace my loss this night. I do feel least able to reveal God to anyone with what I embrace. But there's a stirring I can't explain. The LORD is with me and with you!
ReplyDeleteWas this what you were looking for?
ReplyDelete"If it seems slow in coming, wait! It's on its way. It will come right on time." Habakkuk 2:3
FG
I just have to share a beautiful God with you all...my son whom has been the one who has kept me on my knees for the greater part of his life is at another big crisis in his young 36 year old life....the praise is this...he was looking for one of the two Bibles that he has at the fire station(he is the Lt. on his shift) and couldn't find them, but had wanted one(he is dyslexic so does not read that much anyway)guess who showed up....he was upstairs and one of the guys got on the PA and said IF anyone wants a Bible there is a man down here giving some away,..it was a small NT with the Psalms and Provers...he went down and got one and read Psalms 20-50 three times. As he tells me this, I am raising my hand and tears streaming down my face and shouting Hallejuah in my soul!!! Ladies that was such a God thing and such beautiful timing.It spoke rather loudly to him too and believe me he needed a visible sighting of God working in his life. That is something that I never I ever forget. want to go and shout it from the rooftops. Love all of you.
ReplyDeleteIn vain pursuits, we are “a leaky, rusted-out bucket.” We always come up short. Just One Thing satisfies.
ReplyDeleteMary Lou, what a sweet gift for your son to have God show up just at the right time. He is always right on time.
Jeannette Clift George (played Corrie Ten Boom in The Hiding Place) once said, "God is always on time, but He rarely takes an opportunity to show up early."
Sweet Bev, God is near. A stirring--I love that concept. May each of your hearts be stirred this day with awareness of His merciful presence.
God has blessed us with beautiful weather for the retreat, it looks like now! You will need a jacket for the evenings or your morning walk. (Thank You, Jesus!) I can't wait to visit with you all face to face.
Just two chapters, yet much to ponder.
ReplyDelete"Take a good hard look at your life. Think it over."
Wrong priority: self-interest
Right priority: Honor God by building His Temple.
"Do not let discouragement or opposition get you off course." 66LL
Discouragement and "foot-dragging, halfhearted efforts at rebuilding the Temple"...enemies to overcome in my life today.
"I reveal Myself as the God with the power needed to win the war against sin and sorrow no matter how vile the sin or deep th sorrow." 66LL
LORD of hosts. I love this name. The name Hannah called on. The name David called on facing the giant. "It is God's name for man's extremity." (Kay Arthur's LORD, I Want to Know You.)
God will fulfill His plan. The One who resides in us is greater than the enemy. The Man of God's choosing is coming again. Do not lose hope!
FG
Mary Lou, what a praise report. Not only is He coming again, He shows up in our todays! He invites us to come boldly. When you share about your son, I think of Augustine's mother...her prayers and petitions bathed in tears. God saw and heard. May He continue to do the same for you. FG
ReplyDeleteMary Lou, that makes me so happy. It is God stirring his heart to make him want to read and know. Seek and find. 2Thes 1:11 - may God fulfill every desire he has to do what's right, every act prompted by his faith, and work a work of faith with power. You brought a tear to my eye!
ReplyDeleteFG - Yes, that's it. I just love what you wrote today which is no surprise to me cause I think you say what I think. I don't get it out sometimes and here you show up. Very touching to me. And thanks for looking up the other thought about God always being right on time.
ReplyDeleteIn the past couple of weeks, I've seen everything I owned or created pass before my eyes. I also see fresh how the enemy of my soul has discouraged me to think I had so missed God over the past five decades. As I read journals and letters and panoramic photo shows, I sensed God stirring something in me. A friend looked me in the eye not too long ago as I was so hard on myself, bemoaning the fact that I had failed my LORD, failed my family, failed in my minstry over the past 5 decades. And he said: "Bev, you are right on time." Stirred something in me. My God is right on time. And Yes, it is the right time to be fully alive. This day. Because the LORD of Hosts walks with me and with you. 1:13. Oh my!
ReplyDeleteRunning Around Taking Care of your House. At this point in my life I am seriously wanting to downsize and yet I do enjoy all my comforts afforded me.
ReplyDeleteGod is right on time. At a Sunday Bible Study Group event this past Friday night during the main activity for the evening a member amde this very profound comment. A person's weath is measured in dirct proportion to how much he/she can live without.
Bev thanks for leading the way and showing us more possibities God has there for each one of these