Hearing God’s Voice from His Word
James 4:8 says, “Come near to God and he will come near to you.”
Take a moment and turn your attention to God. Tell God that you desire to trust and obey Him. Ask God to speak to you from His word.
Psalm of the Day
Psalm 132:11-12 The Lord swore an oath to David, a sure oath he will not revoke:
“One of your own descendants I will place on your throne.
12 If your sons keep my covenant and the statutes I teach them, then their sons will sit on your throne for ever and ever.”
Read the Entire Psalm
God Keeps His Promise. David’s sons did not keep God’s covenant and the kingdom of Israel was divided and eventually both kingdoms fell. God kept His promise. Jesus came from the line of David. He is reigning on an eternal throne one day He will return to Judge. Praise the God who keeps promises, even if we are not faithful.
SCRIPTURE READING:
Haggai 1 – Christian Standard Bible
Command to Rebuild the Temple
1 In the second year of King Darius, on the first day of the sixth month, the word of the Lord came through the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, the governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest:
2 “The Lord of Armies says this: These people say: The time has not come for the house of the Lord to be rebuilt.”
3 The word of the Lord came through the prophet Haggai: 4 “Is it a time for you yourselves to live in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins?” 5 Now, the Lord of Armies says this: “Think carefully about your ways:
6 You have planted much
but harvested little.
You eat
but never have enough to be satisfied.
You drink
but never have enough to be happy.
You put on clothes
but never have enough to get warm.
The wage earner puts his wages
into a bag with a hole in it.”
7 The Lord of Armies says this: “Think carefully about your ways. 8 Go up into the hills, bring down lumber, and build the house; and I will be pleased with it and be glorified,” says the Lord. 9 “You expected much, but then it amounted to little. When you brought the harvest to your house, I ruined it. Why?” This is the declaration of the Lord of Armies. “Because my house still lies in ruins, while each of you is busy with his own house.
10 So on your account,
the skies have withheld the dew
and the land its crops.
11 I have summoned a drought
on the fields and the hills,
on the grain, new wine, fresh oil,
and whatever the ground yields,
on people and animals,
and on all that your hands produce.”
The People’s Response
12 Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, the high priest Joshua son of Jehozadak, and the entire remnant of the people obeyed the Lord their God and the words of the prophet Haggai, because the Lord their God had sent him. So the people feared the Lord.
13 Then Haggai, the Lord’s messenger, delivered the Lord’s message to the people: “I am with you—this is the Lord’s declaration.”
14 The Lord roused the spirit of Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, the spirit of the high priest Joshua son of Jehozadak, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people. They began work on the house of the Lord of Armies, their God, 15 on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month, in the second year of King Darius.
Having God’s Ear through Prayer
- Express thanksgiving to God.
- Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal sin to you.
- Confess your sin to Him and receive forgiveness.
(1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sin He is faithful and just and will forgive our sins.”) - Bring your personal requests to God.
(Psalm 62:8 “Pour out your heart before God”) - Pray for someone in your small group.
- Join with others from River and pray for those in our church who are sick. Ask God to heal their bodies and to give their family members strength.
Living as God’s People by applying the Bible
Scripture Reflection from the Sermon
The church is an earthly extension of the New and Better Temple, with Christ as the Heavenly Cornerstone. But, as was the case in the time of Haggai, this Temple is yet unfinished. There is yet room for us to grow in godliness so that we might better reflect the glory of our Lord. And there are yet people across our neighborhoods, our city, our nation, and our world waiting to hear the Good News of Jesus and to be built into His living Temple by the Spirit; there is yet room for evangelism and discipleship.
Take some time to consider God’s commands to the Israelites, recast in terms of the New Covenant and the church: consider your ways, go, and build. Are you faithfully participating in this work to continue to expand and solidify the Lord’s church? If you need to make an adjustment in your life, do so. If you are being faithful, keep going. In either case, remember the promise of the Living God: “I am with you.”
He always keeps His promises.