Is God First In Your Life? Matthew 22:36-38

Babylonian Captivity and rebuilding the temple zBegan to do Gods work zTroubled by peoples around them zStopped work zGod instructs zMessage of God to Haggai for people

Haggai 1:2-4 z2.Thus speaks the LORD of hosts, saying: This people says, The time has not come, the time that the LORDs house should be built. z3.Then the word of the LORD came by Haggai the prophet, saying, z4.Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, and this temple to lie in ruins?

Haggai 1:2-4 Looking at Haggai 1:2-8 zLook at what the Lord says the people were doing vs.2-4

Haggai 1:5-6 z5.Now therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts: Consider your ways! z6.You have sown much, and bring in little; You eat, but do not have enough; You drink but you are not filled with drink; You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm; And he who earns wages, Earns wages to put into a bag with holes.

Haggai 1:5-6 Looking at Haggai 1:2-8 zThey made time for what was important to them and not God, and still were unable to get what they needed vs.6

Haggai 1:7-8 z7.Thus says the LORD of hosts: Consider your ways! z8.Go up to the mountains and bring wood and build the temple, that I may take pleasure in it and be glorified, says the LORD.

Haggai 1:7-8 Looking at Haggai 1:2-8 zGod tells them to Consider your ways! vs.7 zGod tells the people what they really need to be doing vs.8 Is there a lesson in this for us today?

The message for us today z1. Are we putting God first in our lives over other things? z2. Do we let worldly things (even difficult things) stop us from proper worship of God and the work of the Lord? z3. Do we take inventory of our lives and consider how it glorifies God?

1. Is God first? Matthew 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. zLook at previous verses. zIs this not what Israel was trying to get and didnt have enough? zWhat is important to you in your life?

Is God where He should be? zCan we put a name to things that are putting God in second place? zAre our needs or desires taking priority over God? zIt is more needful for us to take care of spiritual things then to worry too much about physical things to the detriment of our work and worship.

2. Are worldly things our desire? zThe people of Israel let the Samaritans keep them from Gods work. zInstead of fearing God they feared men. Romans 8:31 z31.What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

Romans 12:1-2 z1.I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. z2.And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

I John 2:15 z15.Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. zAre we ready to accept correction from God if we find we are short in any of these things?

Deuteronomy 8:5 z5.So you should know in your heart that as a man chastens his son, so the LORD your God chastens you. zIt we wont accept correction, has our hearing become dull to the wholesome words of Jesus? 2 Timothy 1:13- Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.

How Long do we give to God? Each Week z2 hours of bible study z2 hours of worship = 4 hours to God z40 hours work z7 x 7 = 49 hrs. sleep z2.5 x 7 = 17.5 eating = z Left with 57.5 hours Each Year z 208 hours a year for worship and study z 2080 working z 2548 sleep z 910 eating = 5538 total z 2990 hours left (124 days)

A Good lesson Haggai 1:12- Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of Jehovah their God, and the words of Haggai the prophet, as Jehovah their God had sent him; and the people did fear before Jehovah. Haggai 1:14- And Jehovah stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and did work on the house of Jehovah of hosts, their God, zSo let us learn all the lessons we can.

3. Do we consider our ways? zAs it said in verse 7, do we look at what we are doing and make sure it is for God? James 1:23-25 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; z24.for he observes himself, goes away and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.

James 1:25 z25.But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does. Psalms1:1-2 z1.Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;

Psalms 1:1-2 z2.But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. zAre we looking at Gods law? zAre we considering what were doing? zBeing honest with ourselves? zMaking corrections?

Do we think about things before its too late? zCalling our brothers and sisters? zPreparing for bible class? zPreparing for worship?

Lets be pleasing to God zI Thessalonians 4:1- Finally then, brethren, we urge and exhort in the Lord Jesus that you should abound more and more, just as you ought to walk and to please God; zLet us do the work God has for us, the way He wants!