I have an amazing pastor! I write this not to compare him with other pastors...I know there are a lot of terrific pastors. But, I am grooving to the relationship the Lord has with my pastor; the two of them together are achieving great things, and the enemy is greatly annoyed!
Pastor Rob just ended a study on Daniel and next week starts Revelations. He confessed to us this morning, with a boyish grin on his face, that as of early last week, he had no idea what he was to preach about on this ' in between' Sunday. He was totally open to what our Father wanted him to say.
Pastor Rob has been keeping us updated on the recent purchase and relocation into his new home. It has had its ups and downs with the weather, illness, his family, etc. As he shared with us this morning the most recent news, he said that God led him to preach on Haggai...a short two chapter book in the OT by a prophet who encouraged the returned exiles to rebuild the temple. Haggai had to encourage, firmly, people who were preoccupied with building their own homes and were ignoring the Lord's orders to rebuild His house.
The key verse that was impressed upon me was in chapter 1. Verse 6 reads "You have sown much, but you have reaped little; you eat, but you do not have enough; you drink, but you do not have your fill; you clothe yourselves, but no one is warm; and he who earns wages has earned them to put them in a bag with holes in it." (Amplified Bible) God then asked, concerning the peoples' conduct, "...how have you fared?" The Lord will have His way...He will deny blessings if we deny Him.
Pastor Rob saw the challenge God put before him when He asked, "Is your house a priority, or is Mine?" So, I am to focus on God's house more and my house less. And if I listen to Him, I can be assured that He will be with me. (vs.13)
