Those of us who watch the news regularly will know that there is widespread drought in North America, both in the USA and in parts of Canada. The experts are warning us of higher food costs due to the very hot and dry weather that has kept the crops from producing the normal bushel amounts. So when we see this we can not help but wonder what is going on and why is this happening? The scientist blames it on climate change but I disagree with that. I certainly do not have the all the answers but as I read my Bible, I get a small glimpse as to the reason why God sent droughts at other times. I believe that God is in direct control of the weather as well as who He allows into government, etc and I believe we can trust Him with every area of our life.
This morning as I read my Bible, I was in Haggai chapter 1 for part of my devotional time. I was kind of shocked by what I read. The people were building up their own houses and wealth but were not giving God what was rightfully His - that is they were not giving Him the glory and honor that He deserves. Please read the following verses from Haggai 1: 3-6 Then the word of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet, saying, 4 “Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses while this house lies desolate?” 5 Now therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts, “Consider your ways! 6 You have sown much, but harvest little; you eat, but there is not enough to be satisfied; you drink, but there is not enough to become drunk; you put on clothing, but no one is warm enough; and he who earns, earns wages to put into a purse with holes.”
So while the people were living selfishly and kept busy working to build up their own properties, for their own pleasures, they were neglecting the things of the Lord. In those days God required the temple - that is His House to be kept up in a certain way but the people had not done so. In Verse 7 and 8 God says : Thus says the Lord of hosts, “Consider your ways! 8 Go up to the mountains, bring wood and rebuild the temple, that I may be pleased with it and be glorified,” says the Lord. Notice that God specifically asks that they do this in order to please Him and to bring Him glory.
Because they were not living in obedience to the Lord, He continues in verses 9-11 9 “ You look for much, but behold, it comes to little; when you bring it home, I blow it away. Why?” declares the Lord of hosts, “Because of My house which lies desolate, while each of you runs to his own house. 10 Therefore, because of you the sky has withheld its dew and the earth has withheld its produce. 11 I called for a drought on the land, on the mountains, on the grain, on the new wine, on the oil, on what the ground produces, on men, on cattle, and on all the labor of your hands.”
God says that He called for the drought to come because His house lies desolate. So thinking about our life today and making application here - I have to ask the question - By sending the droughts in 2012, what is God saying?? Is He saying that He is not pleased with the way the Christian church ( as Christians we make up His temple today) is operating and that Christians are living selfish and worldly lives? Has the Christian church lost sight of Christ and become too much like the world, becoming more and more a place of entertainment rather than the place where people are called to repentance and to faith and to solid Biblical teaching? Is the church teaching life-altering faith in the Lord Jesus that is committed to following Him and will not run with the world? Are these droughts indicators of the spiritual condition of the Christian community today? These are the questions that I am asking? When I think of my own church that I attend regulary, I would have to say that there is both there - people to are deeply commited to the things of the Lord and others who try to make it a place of entertainment, a place to show off your fashions, and to distract from honest worship. It is heartbreaking to see the looseness of so called Christians. How long has it been since your church has preached to warn people of the ongoing sin among so called Christians - such as abortion, homosexuality,sex outside of marriage and pornograghy, as well as immodest dress, alcohol and drugs, immoral music and movies, the excessive spending, the saturation of oneself with pleasures, etc. I would have to say that at my church these issues are not being addressed.
So we can see that the drought is not only real in the fields and crops across North America but the drought seems to also be equally as real in the church itself in the lukewarm pleasure seeking hearts of those who worship the pleasures of this world. It is time to come back to the Lord and seek Him with our whole heart. I believe God is drawing a line and is waiting for people to turn back to Him in sincerity and truth. Let's earnestly pray for people to turn back to God, to give Him the glory and the honor that He so very much deserves. Time is of the essence here.
Psalm 33: 17-21
17 An horse is a vain thing for safety: neither shall he deliver any by his great strength.
18 Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy;
19 To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.
20 Our soul waiteth for the Lord: he is our help and our shield.
21 For our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy name.
Heavenly Father, In the Name of Jesus, I ask you for a real turning in the churches today. I ask that You would help people to see where it's really at and that in repentance we would all seek You and turn from the wickedness within our hearts and within our churches. I especially ask You to alert the Pastors to what You are saying and where it is all heading. Thank-you for Your loving "nudges" that You give. Amen
This morning as I read my Bible, I was in Haggai chapter 1 for part of my devotional time. I was kind of shocked by what I read. The people were building up their own houses and wealth but were not giving God what was rightfully His - that is they were not giving Him the glory and honor that He deserves. Please read the following verses from Haggai 1: 3-6 Then the word of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet, saying, 4 “Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses while this house lies desolate?” 5 Now therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts, “Consider your ways! 6 You have sown much, but harvest little; you eat, but there is not enough to be satisfied; you drink, but there is not enough to become drunk; you put on clothing, but no one is warm enough; and he who earns, earns wages to put into a purse with holes.”
So while the people were living selfishly and kept busy working to build up their own properties, for their own pleasures, they were neglecting the things of the Lord. In those days God required the temple - that is His House to be kept up in a certain way but the people had not done so. In Verse 7 and 8 God says : Thus says the Lord of hosts, “Consider your ways! 8 Go up to the mountains, bring wood and rebuild the temple, that I may be pleased with it and be glorified,” says the Lord. Notice that God specifically asks that they do this in order to please Him and to bring Him glory.
Because they were not living in obedience to the Lord, He continues in verses 9-11 9 “ You look for much, but behold, it comes to little; when you bring it home, I blow it away. Why?” declares the Lord of hosts, “Because of My house which lies desolate, while each of you runs to his own house. 10 Therefore, because of you the sky has withheld its dew and the earth has withheld its produce. 11 I called for a drought on the land, on the mountains, on the grain, on the new wine, on the oil, on what the ground produces, on men, on cattle, and on all the labor of your hands.”
God says that He called for the drought to come because His house lies desolate. So thinking about our life today and making application here - I have to ask the question - By sending the droughts in 2012, what is God saying?? Is He saying that He is not pleased with the way the Christian church ( as Christians we make up His temple today) is operating and that Christians are living selfish and worldly lives? Has the Christian church lost sight of Christ and become too much like the world, becoming more and more a place of entertainment rather than the place where people are called to repentance and to faith and to solid Biblical teaching? Is the church teaching life-altering faith in the Lord Jesus that is committed to following Him and will not run with the world? Are these droughts indicators of the spiritual condition of the Christian community today? These are the questions that I am asking? When I think of my own church that I attend regulary, I would have to say that there is both there - people to are deeply commited to the things of the Lord and others who try to make it a place of entertainment, a place to show off your fashions, and to distract from honest worship. It is heartbreaking to see the looseness of so called Christians. How long has it been since your church has preached to warn people of the ongoing sin among so called Christians - such as abortion, homosexuality,sex outside of marriage and pornograghy, as well as immodest dress, alcohol and drugs, immoral music and movies, the excessive spending, the saturation of oneself with pleasures, etc. I would have to say that at my church these issues are not being addressed.
So we can see that the drought is not only real in the fields and crops across North America but the drought seems to also be equally as real in the church itself in the lukewarm pleasure seeking hearts of those who worship the pleasures of this world. It is time to come back to the Lord and seek Him with our whole heart. I believe God is drawing a line and is waiting for people to turn back to Him in sincerity and truth. Let's earnestly pray for people to turn back to God, to give Him the glory and the honor that He so very much deserves. Time is of the essence here.
Psalm 33: 17-21
17 An horse is a vain thing for safety: neither shall he deliver any by his great strength.
18 Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy;
19 To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.
20 Our soul waiteth for the Lord: he is our help and our shield.
21 For our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy name.
Heavenly Father, In the Name of Jesus, I ask you for a real turning in the churches today. I ask that You would help people to see where it's really at and that in repentance we would all seek You and turn from the wickedness within our hearts and within our churches. I especially ask You to alert the Pastors to what You are saying and where it is all heading. Thank-you for Your loving "nudges" that You give. Amen
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