Consider Your Ways: It’s Time to Build

To fulfill our goals in life is not an easy task. To succeed in accomplishing the most important purposes of life is even more difficult. Our number one goal in life ought to be to please and glorify God. Everything else comes in second place.
We are masters of procrastination and we often look and wait for ideal circumstances before we decide to live for God or go for our goals that would glorify Him. This message is for you if you feel like you are stuck in a rut and not getting very far very fast in the fulfillment of your goals in life. Maybe you take two steps forward and then three steps back.
Haggai preached to the nation of Israel upon the return of a remnant from Babylonian captivity. Haggai is an elderly man, probably seventy years old. Many believe that he saw Solomon’s Temple, and so his wisdom and experience naturally led others to listen to him. In 538 B.C. Cyrus of Persia issued a decree allowing the Jews to return to their land and rebuild the temple. Led by Zerubbabel as Governor and Joshua as High Priest, the work on the temple began in 536 B.C. as their city lay in ashes and ruin. The foundation of the temple was laid and then trouble began.
The first sign of trouble was when the older people wept at the dedication of the temple foundation. These were tears of discouragement and disappointment that this new temple was not as glorious as Solomon’s Temple. At this new temple, the Ark of the Covenant, the Ten Commandments, and the Shekinah Glory cloud of God were never present. Things just did not “feel” the same. Read Ezra 3:11-13.
Then, the Samaritans sought to infiltrate the work of God but they were disallowed. “Let us build with you; for we seek your God, as ye do.” That is what people often say who worship a false God, or who even attempt to worship the true God falsely. There is one God and your way of worship is as good as mine. Who are you to judge me? Zerubbabel and Jeshua said to them, “Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves will build unto the LORD God of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded us” (Ezra 4:2,3).
The Samaritans then sought to intimidate the rebuilding remnant and got them to cease the work by force and power. In this they succeeded. For sixteen years the foundation of the temple sat all by itself, and the project came to a screeching halt.
The people of God were disappointed that this new temple did not come close to the former temple. Discouraged by the deceitful Samaritans, the work stopped. Their disappointment turned to indifference and idleness. The work stood still. The people turned to building their own homes since they could not build the house of God. They made houses with luxury covered walls of costly woodwork. They forgot about building the house of God. Every year they probably said, “Next year, we will start building the temple.” Every year, however, brought another project that hindered them from building the temple. Every year’s New Year’s Resolution was, “Next Year!” Personal comfort took priority over their commitment to glorify and please God.
Do you know what the result of living like that is? ALL THEIR EFFORT WAS IN VAIN.
“Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.”
You see, something strange happened. They built their dream house inlaid with special imported wood, but they were not satisfied. They planted much seed but they only harvested a little but they were not satisfied with their harvest. They drank sufficiently, but they were not satisfied. They put on nice clothes but they were not satisfied. They made money, but it was not enough and it was like they had holes in their pockets. So they said, we must work harder. Still, they were not satisfied. They planted more seed, but now it did not rain when it should have, they harvested mostly chaff, and drought conditions set in. They had MISPLACED their priorities by allowing materialism to overcome them and now they experienced drought. Now they thought even less of God’s house. “We will never have time to build God’s House, because now we have to work even harder. We cannot afford the time to build God’s House,” or so they thought.
When God is not first, nothing satisfies!
Along comes Haggai who challenges them to set their heart or their soul on the road they are traveling and to build the house of God. Set your soul on your life’s decisions! “Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the LORD” (Haggai 1:8).
But we can’t afford to build the house, the people said. Build it anyway. But we don’t have enough food to eat. Build it anyway! But we don’t have enough to drink. Build it anyway! But we don’t have warm enough clothes to build the house. Build it anyway!
You see, here is the simple point. It will never seem like we have enough money of our own, so we don’t have enough to give to the Lord. We are already stressed out with our time and we don’t have enough time to go to church. We don’t have enough energy read our Bible or pray. We have a tendency to wait for ideal circumstances to serve God and then get trapped in a vicious cycle where we have less and less and so it becomes more inconvenient to seek God. The time to glorify God is now.
Ecc.11:4, He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap.
Let me ask you a few questions:
When will it be the right time to glorify God? When will have enough time to glorify God? When will circumstances be ideal for you to glorify God?
There are two answers to this question, depending on how you want to live: NOW or NEVER. You will never have ideal circumstances, so just do the best you can NOW for the rest of your life.
When will the world, your flesh, and the Devil assist you in glorifying God? Now that is a never!
If you wait for perfect conditions, nothing will ever get done. The people of God waited for a good harvest to build the temple, but God was waiting for them to just put Him first and build the temple!
We think, I can’t afford to come to church. No, I can’t afford NOT to come. I can’t afford to read the Word and memorize Scripture. No, I can’t afford NOT to be in the Word of God. I can’t afford to give money. I can’t afford NOT to have the privilege of giving to God’s work and God’s house.
Here is what you cannot afford to do in 2002. You can’t afford to keep living selfishly. You can’t afford to keep living half-heartedly for the Lord who bought you with his blood. You can’t afford to continue living so inconsistently, on a spiritual roller coaster. It is time to set your heart on the road you are driving and start building for God in order to glorify Him.
As we enter 2002, let’s consider our ways for it’s time to build in at least three major areas:
Our Life to Glorify Him
1 Cor. 6:19,20 What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.
When we become saved, the Holy Spirit indwells us. This enables us to live in a manner glorifying to God. To glorify God means we do not and cannot do what we think is right. We are not our own authority. We have a divine authority, and He bought us.
The time to build your life as a temple that will glorify God is now. This begins with SALVATION and it continues with a day by day desire to grow into Christ’s image.
When will it seem like the right time to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and become saved? When will you “feel ready?” Perhaps never, but now is the time for salvation, and this is the day of salvation.
Do you know about Felix in the New Testament? In Acts 24:25-27. Felix was a political ruler and a governor. Paul witnessed to Felix about the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and he “reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come.” But Felix did not get saved, rather “he trembled and answered, Go thy way for this time: when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.”
Felix hoped that money could be given him for Paul’s release, so it never seemed convenient to believe on the Lord. It is never convenient to do all to the glory of God. If you continue in your sinful, backslidden condition, you will remain in a position that will never glorify God, that is, to live to make His character known. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.
When will it seem like the right time to get baptized and join this church? Perhaps never, but now is the time to obey God and fear God and do right by following the Lord in believer’s baptism.
When will it seem like the right time to start memorizing Scripture? Never! But the time is now.
Jude 20: Building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost.
When will it seem right to begin to serve the Lord in ministry? When will it be convenient to tithe? When will it seem convenient to faithfully attend the services of the church no matter what my circumstances? Never, never, never, but consider the road you are traveling and realize that it is time to build now! Your body is the temple of God and you are to be built up as a holy house for His glory.
It is time NOW to worship Him consistently and come to church 52 Sundays this year. It is time now to give to Him out of what He has given to you. It is time now to love the Lord wholeheartedly. I am waiting for more energy to serve God and attend church. God says, use the little bit of energy that you have to serve Him and He will give you more.
Make the rest of your life the best of your life by living for the glory of God! As we become saved, give our the rest of our life to Him, and serve Him, we will glorify Him. Let your light so shine before men, that they see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
James 4:17: For what is your life? It is just a little vapor that appeareth for a little time and then vanisheth away.
Listen to me. Life is just a little bit of time. Not one of us has anything more to live with than just a little time. The rich and the poor are equal when it comes to time. We have just a little. If we have just a little, we must use it wisely. When you don’t have much of something, you don’t squander it. You redeem it, or use it wisely. Is there a God? Of course there is. If there is no God, then go ahead and eat, drink and be merry. Go ahead and live as if there is no God, do your thing, and live it up. But there is a God! Since this is true, then it is time to glorify God.
Your Home to Glorify Him
Ephesians is all about the glory of God. We are to live for the praise of His glory.
Read Eph.1:6, 12, 14; 3:16-21
One of the great ways we can glorify God is in our home life. Husbands, wives, and children all have a great opportunity to glorify God. The best way to have meaningful human relationships is to establish a love relationship with God first whereby you realize that you live to glorify and please Him. He makes our human relationships fulfilling and meaningful.
Ephesians 5:31,32
Men, now is the time for husbands to love his wife. It is not the convenient time but it is the right time. It glorifies God. How can I love my wife? Cherish her so that she knows she is the most important person in my life. We love our wives by listening to them, living with them and leading them. We love our wives by communicating our love to them, by providing for them, handling our money wisely, and holding and cherishing them. Make your wife feel like a treasure. Pursue her. Read a book or play a game with the children.
Ladies, now is the time for wives to submit to husband. Recognize his headship over you in the Lord. It is time for you to trust him his leadership. This glorifies God. You submit to your husband as you show that you trust his decisions. You respect him and speak kindly to them. Do not be afraid to trust him and make decisions.
It is so easy in a relationship to allow indifference to creep in and for “feelings” to die out. Routine sets in and outside influences attack the home. What do you do when your marriage does not “feel the same” as it used to? You must focus on your commitment and not your feelings, and God will renew that same sense of love and it will even grow. When our goal is to glorify God in our homes, then relationships have real meaning and purpose.
Children, now is the time for you to obey your parents in the Lord. This glorifies God.
Parents, teach your children. NOW. Teach your stepchildren. Invest your heart, time, and energy into them. Some of you are waiting for God to put you in the ministry. You have to see the ministry that God has given you now if you will ever have a ministry. Some people wait for something “GREAT and BIG” to do for God. Don’t you know that it is a GREAT thing to love your wife, to submit to your husband, to bring up your children in God’s admonition? These things are the great things of life.
Your CHURCH to Glorify Him
1 Timothy 3:15, But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the pillar and ground of the truth.
The context of this verse is not dealing with some universal church way out there. The fact is, it is dealing with the local church that you are sitting in right now. This is the house of God. Not a building of brick or mortar, but the house of God is this assembly of blood bought believers. Someday it will be time for us to give so that we might have our own church building in Manhattan.
1 Cor. 3:9, speaking in the context of Paul laying the foundation of churches, says, “Ye are God’s building.” As a corporate body, we are a building. You must gain ownership of this building, friends. Don’t think you don’t have a part in this building that you find yourself in today. We desire to build people who seek God and live for His glory!
Notice that the people in Haggai’s time did not say, “We will never build the house of God.” No, but they did say, “Not yet.” It is so easy putting off giving toward God’s House of our time, talent, and treasure so that we might do things for ourselves and buy things for ourselves. We reason wrongly when we say, “Why, look what everyone else has, I deserve to have that, too, before I can begin to give my tithe.”
Put your heart on the road you are traveling and ask yourself, “How can I make an eternal difference in this world?” I believe if you answer that question properly, you will decide to be an active member in a Bible believing church like Heritage Baptist Church.
Pour yourself into some aspect of the ministry. Choir. Homeless. Men or women fellowship. Sunday School or Junior Church. College Campus ministry. Summer Bible Club ministry. There are opportunities of all kinds if you are willing to do it faithfully. Pour yourself into some life to be a part in making disciples.
We have a new ministry opportunity, and that is to bring prayer to the streets of our city. We have two “Prayer Station Stands” that we can set up each Thursday night in various locations and be available to pray with those who have a need.
Let’s not make the same mistake that the returning remnant made. They spared no expense in building their own homes with paneled ceilings but when it came time to investing in God’s house, they said, “It is not time yet.” Every year, some other distraction will arise that can hinder your spiritual growth. This year, the kids need to go to college. Next year, I need to get a new boiler. Then, I have to buy a new car. Then, I have to redo my kitchen. Then, it is the bathroom. The thing to do is to stop aiming to serve God and pull the trigger.
As long as procrastination rules your world, you will never be satisfied and God’s blessing will not be on your life. Stop waiting for ideal circumstances, and just put God first. As long as you postpone glorifying God you will look for much and it will come to little. You will get caught in the vicious cycle of never having enough time, money, or energy to serve God and God will not bless you!