Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Obey obey obey

"You have planted much, but have 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." Hag 1:6

Isn't that true... when we disobey God, there's often that feeling of uneasiness. We may go about normal 'daily life' things but there's something missing and I know I've experienced it: that when I eat, I dont feel full and drink but am not satisfied.

Just like the Israelites, when we walk in disobedience and carry our stubborn, unbelieving heart, everything becomes meaningless. Meaningless, meaningless.. and what was the conclusion of that? Ecc 12:13 "Now that all has been heard: here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man." Take meaningless to meaningful as you fear God and keep his commandments --> which points to our relationship with God and obedience!

With disobedience, we cannot enter into God's rest as we learn from Hebrews 4:6 "It still remains that some will enter that rest, and those who formerly had the gospel preached to them did not go in, because of their disobedience."

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When we're given a task by God, we should not worry and should not fear. In Hag 1:13, it says that Haggai, the Lord's messenger, gave this message of the Lord to the people: "I am with you," declares the Lord." HE IS WITH US!

Awesome.

and again Hag 2:3-5 "'Who of you is left who saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now?'" (((In the face of discouragement...))) "'Does it not seem to you like nothing? But now be strong, O Zerubbabel,' declares the Lord. 'Be strong, O Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land,' declares the Lord, 'and work. For I am with you,' declares the Lord Almighty. 'This is what i covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt. And my Spirit remains among you. Do not fear.'"

Take your church or ministry group. Are numbers dwindling? In comparison to years of former glory where congregations were 5 times this amount? Are you discouraged? Take God's words.. I believe they apply just as much to our situation as the Israelites. God never breaks his covenant and what he covenanted with them, remains standing with us. Do not fear and have peace (Hag 2:9).