Consider Your Ways!

~~~ Haggai 1:1-8 ~~~ Psalm 149 ~~~ Luke 9:7-9 ~~~

Consider your ways!

Herod had John the Baptist killed while he was intoxicated.
Later, when he was sober, the guilt of his sin began to haunt him.
He was mentally tormented from what he was hearing about Jesus.

Herod heard things and saw things but the sad state of his soul
prevented comprehension.
Herod needed to 'consider his ways'
but he could not do it.

His guilt was so great that it overpowered his mind.
Herod was unable to think straight,
even without being under the influence of alcohol.

We too can become intoxicated with our own sins.
We too can become intoxicated with our guilt.

The invitation for us today is from the book of Haggai.
Consider your ways!

What needs to change in your life?
This is the time to overcome any residual guilt
that lingers in your soul.

 The Lord takes delight in his people.

We have the most loving and forgiving God.
There is no reason...no excuse
to harbor guilt within your heart.

Herod could not find a way to rid his heart of guilt,
but you have Jesus...you know Jesus.
Bring any guilt you have to Jesus;
he is ready to lift it from your soul.

The Lord takes delight in his people.

He is waiting for you to consider your ways
 so that you can believe that Jesus takes delight in you.

Herod clung to his troubled heart,
but you have an alternative choice.

Blessed to have a God
who takes delight in you.

~~~Peace~~~

How are You Building Up the Temple?

~~~ Haggai 1:1-8 ~~~ Psalm 149 ~~~ Luke 9:7-9 ~~~

 

Consider your ways!

Another translation says...Reflect on your experience!

 

God wants the people to build the temple,

but instead they have built their own houses and let themselves be distracted.

They have been giving their attention to all the wrong things....

eating, drinking, collecting their money.

 

All of their time spent has not brought them happiness

 or blessings from God.

They have found no pleasure even in their eating and drinking.

Their money brings them no return...nothing

is bringing them closer to the Lord.

 

God wants them to return to the work he commissioned them to do...

that of building up the temple where he can be glorified.

 

God tells the people they have lost sight of their task.

Once they return to the temple construction

 they will feel better about themselves.

They will know that they are completing what

God himself requested of them.

 

 

After killing John the Baptist,

Herod is haunted by what he is being told about Jesus.

 

John was the voice of wisdom, even for Herod.

Now he is restless and confused...he is more lost then ever before.

 

 “John I beheaded.
Who then is this about whom I hear such things?”

And he kept trying to see him.

Herod could not see who Jesus truly was:

his heart was closed to all new possibilities.

 

Everything leads back to the inner disposition of one's heart.

Where your heart is therein lies your treasure.

The people of the prophet Haggai have let their hearts

 loose sight of their calling.

 

They are mechanically focusing on the wrong things.

They are placing their attention on those things

that are not of God's design.

 

All that we say and do must be for the honor and glory of God.

Too often we fall short of that goal.

We get caught up in the importance of our own desires.

 

The time has come for us to examine our heart.

How do we spend most of our time?

 

Consider your ways!

 

God suggests we might want to step back

...take a fresh look at our heart.

When we are honest with ourselves

we may just discover how we too have been foolish.

 

Blessings come in examining

how we are to keep our heart connected

to the will of God.

Ask God to give you a new perspective...

a new viewpoint.