Should My House Be Viewed As Nothing To You?
Haggai 2:1-3
In the seventh month, in the one and twentieth day of the month, came the word of the Lord by the prophet Haggai, saying,
2 Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, and to the residue of the people, saying,
3 Who is left among you that saw this house in her first glory? and how do ye see it now? is it not in your eyes in comparison of it as nothing?
Glory to God. We are in the seventh month and likewise in the seventh month this Word of the Lord came to Haggai the prophet to speak to Zerubbael ,Joshua, and the residue of the people concerning His house. At the time, the topic was the temple Solomon built for the Lord and how majestic and glorious it was. The Lord says, “Who is left among you that saw this house in her first glory? and how do ye see it now? is it not in your eyes in comparison of it as nothing?”
How could the House of the Lord be viewed as nothing? If you know the story of Solomon and David-the Lord gave great care and specifications of how that temple should be built, and they spared no expense when He building it. God’s House was arrayed in jewels and splendor and there was no other place on earth that could compare to it’s beauty. But now it was nothing and the people let it sit as nothing. They went about building and rebuilding their lives and own homes while the temple of the Lord remained a ruin. And they thought God didn’t care-but He did. He cared how they traveled right past a House dedicated to Him that was once thriving and now it was an unseemly sight. And God cared that the heart or compassion to rebuild what was built for His presence-was not there among the people. It seemed they cared nothing that His House was desolate and torn down. So He decided to make His feelings known by announcing to the people His displeasure…saying, Consider their ways.
You see beloveds, God is not going to tolerate a desolate church. For the church was created by Him and it is a picture of who He is. The church was established before we even arrived on earth so it is the very core of who God is and His plan for the world. Therefore, His church will live and it will be a glorious place because God is glorious. And when the people understood their wrong to Him-they feared and obeyed as God commanded because their actions caused Him to send a drought and nothing else was working.
Again, we must remember God is the same God and once again the land is showing signs of drought. Beloveds, we don’t have time to go backwards, backwards, backwards! When God comes and tells us what adjustments we should make this is for our benefit so we can live. And when you are in the place He commanded, what does it matter what the others are doing? All in the Word of God you see Jesus enter places of worship to do a wonderful thing for just one person. For when God has an appointment with you-who else matters when the God of the universe shows up because you are there? Service can be going on and God reveals Himself to you and that one encounter can change your entire life. For when He shows up-your focus will only be on Him!
We are asking God for many things, but when He shows us our errors, we ignore Him. And when it comes to His commands-He has no respect of persons. Jesus instructs us in His right way, but if we won’t hear Him-the tidings will come and we will hear. You want to know His way for your life? Psalms 77:13 tells us: Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary: who is so great a God as our God?
Prayer:
Father, we praise Your holy name. We glorify You and we thank You today for all You have done. We thank you how You are kind, despite our disobedience. We thank You how You love us even during times you are displeased. Father, help us care about the souls of others more than we care about ourselves. Lord, we thank you for the people who obeyed you and took us to Your house when we didn’t know You. We thank You for the people You sent to care for our souls.
Jesus, give us this day our daily bread. Jesus, heal broken hearts and draw Your people, every lost sheep to You. Lord, Father, take over our minds if they are not right; take over our spirit if it is not right. Lord, whatever situation we are facing now-bring us through oh God. Help us Lord through our unrighteous decisions, and bring us more into Your perfect will for our lives. Now Lord, cover us by the blood and keep us safe and sound. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
You are blessed! Go in peace!
The Wonderful Thing Portion
Our text says, “And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves.” Jesus entered the temple and saw things being done that the temple of God wasn’t designed for. The concentration was not on prayer or deliverance, but had shifted to prosperity. We must ask, why would the people be selling and buying in the temple? Why had the environment shifted from prayer and His deliverance? It is because the people were focused on the natural of making more money! They knew the people would come to the house of God and they saw an opportunity to profit off the saints of God. So they moved from uplifting Him to uplifting themselves and maintaining their prosperity status.
Psalm 77:14
Thou art the God that doest wonders: thou hast declared thy strength among the people.
Matthew 21:12-17
12 And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves,
13 And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.
14 And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them.
15 And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the son of David; they were sore displeased,
16 And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?
17 And he left them, and went out of the city into Bethany; and he lodged there.
Glory to God. The Lord is about to visit His Temple in a greater dimension and when He shows up, it will be the turning point from good things to His wonderful things! However, we shouldn’t miss what He did first when He entered the temple. Yes, the Lord performed the wonderful things-but first it required
a spiritual cleansing. And the temple of God that was cleansed properly, and operating in His divine order experienced -the people received His wonderful things portion.
Our text says, “And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves.” Jesus entered the temple and saw things being done that the temple of God wasn’t designed for. The concentration was not on prayer or deliverance, but had shifted to prosperity. We must ask, why would the people be selling and buying in the temple? Why had the environment shifted from prayer and His deliverance? It is because the people were focused on the natural of making more money! They knew the people would come to the house of God and they saw an opportunity to profit off the saints of God. So they moved from uplifting Him to uplifting theirselves and maintaining their prosperity status.
And because they shifted their desire to getting richer, instead of “getting more of God”-Jesus was extremely angered because of this action and He demonstrated His anger. Yes, church was going on, but the motive behind what was driving the church was business opportunities, business advancements, and getting richer. So the pulpit and the pews were filled with people who were there for all the wrong reasons and they were attempting to change God’s originally design-but Jesus went into the temple and stopped it all.
Beloveds, when we come to His temple our first priority is Matthew 6:33. It says, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” And apparently, the buying and selling going on didn’t meet those conditions. The selling wasn’t for true spiritual enrichment of the people, but for their own personal gain. So Jesus is coming to cleanse the temple and make it again a place of prayer and deliverance. The Lord is committed to moving His people from the good things portion to the wonderful things portion. And every wrong thing in His house which is hindering His desire-believe this Word-it shall be casted out and overthrown! Position yourself firmly in the House of God so He can move you from good things to His wonderful things!
Prayer:
Father we thank you for Your grace. In all our lives let us be found to be those who come to Your temple with pure motives. With motives to glorify You and not seek to glorify ourselves. Motives to receive from You and let You be the center of our attention and not ourselves. Lord, let us reflect on this Word for our own personal lives for we are also temples of God. Now Lord, cover us by the blood of Jesus and keep us safe and sound. Lord, please let us see Your glory. Let us be recipients of Your wonderful things. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
You are blessed! Go in peace!
The Children, The Children
Ezekiel 20:17-20
17 Nevertheless mine eye spared them from destroying them, neither did I make an end of them in the wilderness.
18 But I said unto their children in the wilderness, Walk ye not in the statutes of your fathers, neither observe their judgments, nor defile yourselves with their idols:
19 I am the Lord your God; walk in my statutes, and keep my judgments, and do them;
20 And hallow my sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I am the Lord your God.
Note: Fasting Day, Wednesday
Glory to God. Fasting days are opportunities to personal seek a right way for you, your children, and the substance of your hands. Ezra 8:21 says, “Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river of Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance.” The Holy Spirit is concerned about our children and the way they are going. It has always been-and always will be-the plan of the Lord for our children to follow after His righteousness. It has never been His plan for ANY of our children to deviate from His path of righteousness and live a life which their heart has departed from Him. And when you see the actions of the children going in the wrong way without a heart to truly serve the Lord-you know the enemy has done this.
In our text we see the Lord is concerned about the children. This indicates, He is watching the lives of our children and who they are serving. In our reading, we read where the Lord God doesn’t just talk to the adults, but the scripture says-“I said unto their children in the wilderness, Walk ye not in the statutes of your fathers, neither observe their judgments, nor defile yourselves with their idols: I am the Lord your God; walk in my statutes, and keep my judgments, and do them.” So not only does God expect for us to follow Him, He expects the children to do so as well.
However, unfortunately we have a generation of children who are not following the Lord, so we must first examine ourselves and the role we have played. We must examine and repent for what we taught them through our lives and doings. Have we taught them about God? Have we taken them to the House of the Lord? Have we placed value on the things of God with our children? If not, God is asking us to turn and do better. Encourage the children and young adults to return to the House of the Lord for He is their God also. And He is NOT telling us to return while leaving our children out.
So, on this fasting day, let’s cry out for the children:
Father-forgive us for our roles in not teaching and bringing our children to You. Forgive us for trespassing and polluting Your Holy Name before our children.
Father, we petition You in the Name of Jesus:
Loose Your angels to visit our children.
Father-let our children return to Your right way.
Father-let our children be children of God and not children of the flesh.
Father-let our children walk not in the ungodly statutes of their fathers; neither let them observe their judgments, nor defile themselves with their idols.
Father-Deliver and rescue our children from wrong ways and doings. Deliver and rescue our children from the hand and plans of the enemy. Rescue their minds; rescue their bodies; rescue their future from the snares and nets of the devil.
Father-spare our children from reproach and the hands of the wicked. Let not our children be counted among the wicked, the rebels, or those who fear not the Lord.
Father-bless our children. Turn not Your face away from them.
Father-when Satan comes to resist them, Lord rebuke the devil. Take away the filthy garments from them and clothe them in Your righteousness.
Father-shut the mouths of lions and wicked voices speaking over them and to them. Shut the mouths of those sent to torment, harass, and attack them. Cast out all abusers, and those that seek their hurt.
Father-every mountain in their lives that is not good for them-Remove that mountain hence to a yonder place. Every mountain that rises up to destroy their glorious destiny and wonderful things-let those mountains be removed and cast into the sea. Bind every strongman in their lives. Bind the strongmen assigned to the kingdoms of the world that are in their path and that You are using to fulfill their destiny. Bind strongmen at school kingdoms, college kingdoms, social media kingdoms, sports kingdoms; job kingdoms; relationship kingdoms; friendship kingdoms and financial kingdoms. Wherever the strongman has set place to destroy their destiny-bind these strong men and cast them out in Jesus name.
Father-bind the strong man attacking their mental health. Cast this devil out oh God for it is the children’s bread to be free of the oppressions of the devil. Loose right minds; sound minds; sound understanding; pure minds. Keep their hearts and minds through Jesus Christ. For You created the mind and You’re the only One who can fix it.
Father-in Jesus name-Give our children a turn around to wonderful things in every aspect and phases of their lives. Make them peculiar children, skilled children, and children of wisdom and understanding. And because they are children of God-make them ten times better than the children in the world realm because You are in them. We plead the blood of Jesus over our children-protect them and us. Be their defense in all things. in Jesus name we pray, Amen.
You are blessed! Go in peace!