"These people say, 'The time has not yet come to rebuild the Lord's house'....
The Word of the Lord says, "Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while my house remains a ruin?"
"Give careful thought to your ways. 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."
The Lord says, "Give careful thought to your ways. Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build my house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored. You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little. Haggai 1:2-9
The temple of the Lord still lay in ruins. The Israelites started to rebuild after their arrival from captivity, but opposition hindered them and eventually discouraged them. They quit building and focused instead on their own houses and lives.
Fifteen years later, complacency and procrastination set in. They kept saying, "it's not time yet to rebuild the temple. It's not good timing right now, other things are higher up on the priority list, etc....
Frustration and distractions now settled in. nothing seemed to go well. They expected so much, but it turned out to be little. Why? Why is their path so hard? Does it have to be such a struggle? Nothing seems to satisfy. I'm so disquieted.
God's word cut through to the heart of the problem. They have used all their efforts, put all their hearts into enriching their own lives and homes while God's house lay in ruins. They have neglected the most important thing.
We are a temple of the Holy Spirit, when we give our hearts to Jesus, His Spirit dwells within.
Our enemy tries to distract us. To skew our priorities. Our focus can become distorted. And so we turn away to other things. Give our hearts and efforts to fill the emptiness.
It just doesn't work. Nothing quite does it. Life is a struggle. Our expectations of people, work, etc.... falls short and disappoints.
The Temple is neglected. That most Holy Place inside where we meet with Jesus. We commune with Him. Lay down all the hurts and disappointments. Satisfaction is there. Our starved, battered souls finds rest and peace.
Why do we neglect this? Why do we push Him away? I don't have an answer. Sadly, I do it too. But He woos me, calls to me, and pulls me back. I pray He never stops. I need Him so badly.
Beloved, answer His call. Go to Him now. Don't neglect your Temple. Rebuild it, keep the oil lamps burning, spend time there in His presence. You will never regret it.
I honestly never thought about Lent for most of my life. The church I attended never talked much about it. But I'll never look at it the same after this season.
The early English meaning for Lent is "Lengthen." Daylight lengthens as we reset our clocks.
Lent reflects on the forty days Jesus spent in the wilderness, before His three years of ministry, death and resurrection. He went without food, was tempted and strengthened by His Father.
Lent is a time to slow down, stretch out and grow spiritually. To rest in the presence of God, rather than force the pace. Not that we shouldn't do this all year round, as we should.
If you follow Lent, you give things up. Something we feel we can't do without. This sounds laughable now, but I gave up Candy Crush.
Early this spring in a women's study, we were asked to give up something. It was kind of a "Lent".
Then the virus happened. Quarantine happened. Lent was basically forced upon us. Days have definitely lengthened! March seemed to be an eternity.
We've been forced to give up things we wouldn't have volunteered, surrendered before. We've been stripped down to the bare necessities. Even control has been taken away from us.
I've been forced to slow down. I've had to do without luxuries I've enjoyed before. I've been close to tears many times.
Nevertheless, this Lent season has changed me. For the better. I probably won't be the same afterward. I've prayed more, leaned more on Jesus. I've been present more, which ironically is why I gave up Candy Crush.
I've been stretched. But like a muscle, stretching is good and needful to grow and be stronger. It can be uncomfortable and painful, but in the end my faith is stronger. I've drawn closer to Jesus. The unnecessary weights have been removed.
Eventually Lent will be over and hopefully normal life will resume. But I don't want this season to be a waste. I pray the Lord uses this time to grow me and change me.
After Jesus' time in the wilderness, it says He returned to Galilee in "the power of the Spirit." Luke 4:14
It's my prayer that when I walk out of this wilderness/Lent season: that I will be more tender to the Spirit's leading
that I hear His voice more clearly
that I be more effective in however He uses me
that I have pure motives
So many more I could list. So thankful for His faithfulness to me, His servant.
When they came to Marah, they could not drink its water because it was bitter. (That is why the place is called Marah.) So the people grumbled against Moses, saying, "what are we to drink?"
They Moses cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a piece of wood. He threw it into the water and the water became fit to drink. Exodus 15:23-25
This has been a tough season for me. Places, circumstances and people I thought would sustain me or come through for me have failed to live up to my expectations. And yes I've complained and grumbled. Even to God.
I've been here before. I should recognize this place. I've tasted the bitter waters of disappointment. This barren and bitter place has left me hungry and thirsty.
Complaining and grumbling never helps. NEVER DOES. But I indulge anyway. Live in the pit for awhile. Until He looks down and asks the same question He asked Elijah in the cave, "What are you doing here?"
I know the way out. I see the piece of wood and hear Him say throw that thing in there!
The piece of wood that sweetens the bitter places is thankfulness, gratitude and praise. Ultimately it's Him. When I choose to pick it up and release it to that bitter place, I find the waters sweetened. I feel a sweet breeze come into my stagnant place.
It always comes down to a choice. I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. Philippians 4:11
Practice. It's takes practice to be grateful. Sometimes it's a fight to choose to be thankful. The Holy Spirit always seems to help me find that piece of wood. The song, the praise...whatever it is to lift my eyes to Jesus and out of the pit.
I can do all this through Him who gives me strength" Philippians 4:13
There is a reason this verse follows the one about learning to be content. I'm no better than the ungrateful Israelites. I can be miserable with the bitter waters. left to myself.
I desperately need Him. He's always enough. He satisfies.
I can feel it deep inside when Moses said, "Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue." Exodus 4:10
This is me to a T! I write better than I talk. I feel awkward and uneasy talking to people. So how crazy is it that God would use me sometimes to share my heart and His word talking??
Well the same God was faithful to Moses when he stood in front of Pharaoh and spoke God words. He was faithful when Moses stood in front of millions of Israelites to lead them.
Won't He be faithful to me? Isn't He powerful enough to use my words to impact people? I say yes, and I choose to do so in faith when I feel so feeble to speak when He leads me to do so.
David prayed in Psalms 119:43, "Never take your word of truth from my mouth, for I have put my hope in your laws."
What a powerful prayer to hold on to when I feel disabled from speaking. When weakness overwhelms. When there seems to be no willing audience.
He is the treasure in the jar of clay. He's powerful enough to take the words I offer Him and bless and multiply it. Even to impact those who hear.
Has He given you a testimony? A message to share? The people He's placed around you need to hear. Trust your God, speak those words and watch what He does.
Will it thrive?
This vine of Egypt that King Zedikiah relies on to save him and Jerusalem. Can Egypt deliver Judah from Babylon's army?
Zedikiah refuses to listen to God's warnings. He pushes Jeremiah the prophet away, and stubbornly revolts.
God asks, "Will he thrive?"
Relying on this weak vine will not save him and will only doom him and Judah.
Nebuchadnezzar the King of Babylon will just yank up this Egyptian vine from the roots. It will shrivel and die. There's nothing there.
Will it thrive?
These weak, low vines I sometimes rely on and cling to will ultimately fail. If I turn away from my true Refuge, my strong tower and cling to a lesser vine, will I thrive?
Jesus stoops down and rips up this vine. Holding it up in front of me, He shakes it and asks, "Will this vine thrive?"
And will you thrive clinging to it?
Of course I can't. I thrive only by my trust in God alone. He alone is my strength. He is my anchor. My joy and peace.
I am the tree planted by the Living water. I am rooted in Him. I cannot be shaken. I will thrive regardless.
"I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." John 15:5
"What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of sin?" Romans 7:24
This corrupting carcass chained to me is slowly saturating my soul till it dominates and eventually kills me.
I cannot save myself from it. I am a wretched person.
Such is the fate of condemned murderers in Roman society. The murdered victim is chained to the back of the murderer. The rotting flesh eventually overwhelms the person carrying it around. Even infecting them. A rather gruesome picture isn't it?
This body of sin was chained to me. My Jesus unchained me and set me free from this rotting, corrupting carcass. "Therefore there is no more condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus!"
Yet what if I walked around like I was still chained? Still cowered under the imaginary weight? Influenced and enslaved to this dead body even though it exists no more?
What kind of life is this?
Initially I was saved by faith by Christ's work on the cross. Declared righteous before God. I already have His favor. I stand securely in His grace.
So does God do a bait and switch on me now? Now after the initial salvation, do I have to earn His favor? Do I grow in faith by rule keeping?
Is this how you want me to live? Constant struggles, wrestlings and strivings of the flesh? "My yoke is easy and my burden light." Matthew 11:28-30
I am no longer enslaved to the body of sin, the flesh. Yet, there is a war between my spirit and flesh. It will continue till I die.
Nevertheless, I have a new nature. I have God's spirit residing within. His power at work in my life.
Through Him I.....
have life, I know the truth
I am justified
I am more than a conqueror
I have access to the Father
I have strength
I am reconciled to God perfectly
the powers and authorities are disarmed, completely defeated!
I offer sacrifices of praise to the One I adore.
The Word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart, that is, the Word of faith we are proclaiming. Romans 10:9
Do I feel so far from Him? Perhaps from neglect, or distractions?
He is as close as a breath-a whispered prayer. He is there, at the ready.
I make it so hard sometimes. I'm too hard on myself sometimes. I can close myself away rather easily.
Yet He is so near. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you. Jeremiah 29:13
He longs for me. Desires me with an everlasting love. He left the ninety nine to search out the lost one. He ran to meet the prodigal son.
Just a word of faith, a confession that I need Him so badly. An invitation to come, is all that is needed.
I do believe, help me overcome my unbelief. Mark 9:24
Sometimes I need the Spirit's help to even pray. I don't have the strength, or I lack sufficient words to express. My faith rises above it all, and I touch Him. His presence is the breath of fresh air breaking up the stale air.
So when you are feeling far from God, and are having a lonesome day, take a deep breath and remind yourself,
"God is only a breath away"
He's only a breath away
Louvenia Duncan
