AWAKE BIBLE IN A YEAR SEPTEMBER 19
Read Haggai 1-2
If Haggai were a local preacher today he would start with, ‘Give careful thought to your ways.’ Is it working?
Are your current efforts yielding a harvest?
For a moment, take your eyes off your house, your family and yourself. Is there anything you could do for God’s house? Be strong. Be strong. Be strong. And work. Do the thing you can for God. GOD is with you. Do not fear. Greater glory and a gift of peace is promised to God’s people. Haggai charges them to give careful thought. ‘From this day on I will bless you.’
Wherever we have been broken down we can be REBUILT. Built back better than before with heaven’s assurance, I HAVE CHOSEN YOU. This is no Pollyanna thinking— the temple had been fully destroyed, its former glory completely eradicated and emptied to the extent it looks like nothing. Haggai 2:3
Is there an area of your life where you feel like everything has been striped to the bare bones, like you’ve been left with nothing? Jesus offers you these same words of life, and more. “Fear not, only believe” Mark 5:36 and in Matthew 10:29-31 Jesus says ‘do not fear’ your value is far above many sparrows. And just before his death, (the destruction of Jesus body, ie God’s temple) Jesus cares for his disciples commanding, “Peace” to them in a final exhort to not be fearful. (John 14:27) God’s gift of peace is extended to you today. It will work out. How? God hasn’t changed his promise. In John 15:16 Jesus says, ‘you did not choose me, but I chose you.’ And in this beautiful exhortation from John for all believers, we can KNOW we are producing fruit that will last.
Wouldn’t it be great if the Lord made you his signet ring! Understand the Lord had taken off the signet ring in Jeremiah 22:24-27, and now he says I will put you on Zerubbabel, governor of Judea as a signet! Can you hear the language of forgiveness and restoration? And this is the same language that Christ uses!
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if the Lord was with you?
If the Lord stirred up your spirit!
All of this is available —today in this New Testament wild man— who is God’s very image on earth— JESUS the HOLY Spirit giver!
Lord give me this HOLY SPIRIT so I can produce fruit that will last. (Galatians 5:22)Joy comes with your Spirit! I’ll take it!’
What do you need from the Spirit of God today? ONLY BELIEVE.
