Sometimes we may be dissatisfied in our Christian life, even though everything seems to be going fine, we don't feel satisfied. Praying more, reading the Bible more, just doesn't seem to help. At this time we have to ask ourselves, have we neglected God's house?
Old Testament Principle
Haggai 1:2
This is what the LORD Almighty says: "These people say, 'The time has not yet come to rebuild the LORD's house.'"
Haggai 1:4
"Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin?"
Haggai 1: 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."
Haggai 1:8 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.
Haggai 1:9 "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.
Haggai 1:14 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,
New Testament Relevance
In Haggai, the Israelites had neglected God's house, causing God to remove his blessing of satisfaction and ease. In New Testament terms, God's house is simply another name for God's kingdom. To seek first God's kingdom and seek first God's house basically means the same thing, so whatever principles there are in the Old and New testaments regarding God's house, these principles also apply to God's kingdom (Matt 6:33). Jesus instructed his followers to make disciples (Matt 28:19). This includes outreach to the unsaved as well as "in-reach" for feeding the believers in our fellowship (John 21:15-17). As long as we remain concerned only with building our own life, or family, and our own house (our mini-kingdom, if you will), we will not be satisfied. We will labor much but see little return. Clearly,we cannot build God's house by ourselves or in isolation from other believers - we must be established in a church fellowship. To build God's house, firstly we need the revelation that one of God's greatest pleasures is His house (Haggai 1:8), secondly we (and our church leadership) need to be stirred up in spirit and turn from our self-centered heart (Haggai 1:14, 2 Tim 1:6, Luke 9:23), then we must coordinate with and be overseen by the church leadership in our service to God (Haggai 1:14).
Remarks:
*Usually the time when people neglect God's house is after major life events such as marriage or having children, when our own family becomes the main focus and priority. But eventually we will not be satisfied only with our marriage or our children - Jesus still asks us to love and put Him first, and hate our family in comparison (Luke 14:26) by not neglecting His house.
*Building God's house does not mean constructing a building or Cathedral, it's about people.
*Building God's house does not mean simply attending church and having church services. Just attending church doesn't make us satisfied, and there are many dissatisfied believers in church because they only come to attend, listen and receive, rather than come to serve and give (Acts 20:35). It's about making disciples, learners and followers of Christ (not merely converts/believers) (Matt 6:33) and feeding the sheep (John 21:15-17).
Old Testament Principle
Haggai 1:2
This is what the LORD Almighty says: "These people say, 'The time has not yet come to rebuild the LORD's house.'"
Haggai 1:4
"Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin?"
Haggai 1: 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."
Haggai 1:8 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.
Haggai 1:9 "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.
Haggai 1:14 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,
New Testament Relevance
In Haggai, the Israelites had neglected God's house, causing God to remove his blessing of satisfaction and ease. In New Testament terms, God's house is simply another name for God's kingdom. To seek first God's kingdom and seek first God's house basically means the same thing, so whatever principles there are in the Old and New testaments regarding God's house, these principles also apply to God's kingdom (Matt 6:33). Jesus instructed his followers to make disciples (Matt 28:19). This includes outreach to the unsaved as well as "in-reach" for feeding the believers in our fellowship (John 21:15-17). As long as we remain concerned only with building our own life, or family, and our own house (our mini-kingdom, if you will), we will not be satisfied. We will labor much but see little return. Clearly,we cannot build God's house by ourselves or in isolation from other believers - we must be established in a church fellowship. To build God's house, firstly we need the revelation that one of God's greatest pleasures is His house (Haggai 1:8), secondly we (and our church leadership) need to be stirred up in spirit and turn from our self-centered heart (Haggai 1:14, 2 Tim 1:6, Luke 9:23), then we must coordinate with and be overseen by the church leadership in our service to God (Haggai 1:14).
Remarks:
*Usually the time when people neglect God's house is after major life events such as marriage or having children, when our own family becomes the main focus and priority. But eventually we will not be satisfied only with our marriage or our children - Jesus still asks us to love and put Him first, and hate our family in comparison (Luke 14:26) by not neglecting His house.
*Building God's house does not mean constructing a building or Cathedral, it's about people.
*Building God's house does not mean simply attending church and having church services. Just attending church doesn't make us satisfied, and there are many dissatisfied believers in church because they only come to attend, listen and receive, rather than come to serve and give (Acts 20:35). It's about making disciples, learners and followers of Christ (not merely converts/believers) (Matt 6:33) and feeding the sheep (John 21:15-17).
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