When I read this for my Bible time I began by thinking, Whatever I read today I will apply it to my life. As I began to read through, I wasn’t sure what God was trying to tell me but it soon became very clear. Let’s read, you’ll see what I mean.
A Call to Build the House of the Lord (NIV)
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, governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jozadak,[a] the high priest:
2 This is what the Lord Almighty says: “These people say, ‘The time has not yet come to rebuild the Lord’s house.’”
3 Then the word of the Lord came through the prophet Haggai: 4 “Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin?”
5 Now this is what the Lord Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways. 6 You have planted much, but harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.”
7 This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways. 8 Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build my house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored,” says the Lord. 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. 10 Therefore, because of you the heavens have withheld their dew and the earth its crops. 11 I called for a drought on the fields and the mountains, on the grain, the new wine, the olive oil and everything else the ground produces, on people and livestock, and on all the labor of your hands.”
12 Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, Joshua son of Jozadak, the high priest, and the whole remnant of the people obeyed the voice of the Lord their God and the message of the prophet Haggai, because the Lord their God had sent him. And the people feared the Lord.
13 Then Haggai, the Lord’s messenger, gave this message of the Lord to the people: “I am with you,” declares the Lord. 14 So 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, 15 on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month.
God knew the people’s hearts, he knew they were all thinking, and saying “It’s not time to rebuild the house of the Lord.” They were talking about the temple. The temple had been neglected and it was in poor condition. The Bible says it was in “ruin” (V. 4)
God spoke through Haggai to the people and asked, “So it’s ok for you, the people, to live in paneled houses while God’s temple remains in ruin” (summarized) He goes on to tell them, that they do the things they are supposed to do, like earn wages, eat, drink, but they are not satisfied, and their needs are never met.
Why do you think this is? I believe the answer lies in Matthew 6:25-34. It tells us that if we put God first all of our needs will be met. We will not have to worry, struggle, or be hungry, God will take care of us.
We see that in Haggai 1 the people were struggling, their needs were not being met. The would eat, but they were still hungry, they earn wages but the money didn’t stretch far enough. It’s because they were not putting God first. Back then, they had to start with God’s temple. This was a time before Jesus where God dwelt in the temple. He tells them to rebuild it so he can take pleasure in it and be honored.
Now to the question at hand.
How can you put God first?
Answer: By rebuilding God’s temple, so he can take pleasure in it and be honored.
Question 2: What is God’s temple? Wasn’t that like 2,000 years ago?
Answer: YOU are God’s temple
Is that starting to make sense? So let’s ask the question again. How can you rebuild God’s temple?
Answer: If your body is a temple, you need to rebuild it by taking better care of it.
Are you having daily Bible times with God for your heart, soul, and mind? Are they meaningful Bible times? Do you have your Bible time before you start your day? That is, putting on your armour before battle? Or do you have your Bible time after your day has already begun? You can’t put your armour on in the middle of battle. That means you are not protecting yourself.
Also, are you looking your best, and steering clear from debauchery? This can come in many forms. Debauchery can be food, alcohol, grooming, anything that you are doing in excess. Are you treating your body like the temple of God? You should be because that is what it is.
Are you getting enough sleep? Are you eating properly? Are you getting exercise and drinking enough water? I know this sounds like a fitness pitch, and I don’t care, God put this on my heart to share and I love every one of you and want you to be on the right path and taking care of yourselves.
Last year I found out I was about 30 pounds overweight for my age. I honestly thought I was only about 5 pounds over and was shocked to know I was overweight. At the same time, an author named Gabriel Jackson reached out to me and offered me a free copy of his book on Intermittent Fasting in exchange for an honest review. (You can read that review HERE my other website) It turns out that when you fast, your body starts to eat all the damaged cells like the ones that cause cancer. It’s called autophagy. It is Greek for “eat thyself”. Autophagy can prevent cancer, diabetes, heart disease, muscle loss, and much more. You can find more information Here
You don’t have to fast, but please I implore you to take care of yourself, let’s rebuild God’s temple so he will be pleased and honored.
What have you been doing especially during the pandemic to take care of yourself? Are you taking care of yourself? Let me know some of the things you have been doing to rebuild God’s temple in the comments below.
Stepping Into The Life 