ARE WE BUILDING GOD’S TEMPLE? By Oludare Akinbo

1 Co 3:16  You realize, don't you, that you are the temple of God, and God himself is present in you?

Eph 4:12  ...to train Christians in skilled servant work, working within Christ's body, the church...

Haggai is a prophet God sent to the Israelites, to call them to set their priorities right and to put God first. It is easy to make other priorities much more important than "seeking first the kingdom of God and its righteousness" or doing God's work, being involved in His work. God wants us to follow through and build up His kingdom First, and "all other things will be added" unto us... (Matt 6:33)

Haggai was the only prophet that got a response - and only 23 days after the message was given! Sadly today, the message goes out to God's people daily, weekly, regularly and for many it has been going on for years, but we hardly respond at all... at least not with the response Paul credit the Corinthians of showing:

2 Cor 7:11 For behold this same thing (you being grieved according to God); how much it worked out earnestness in you; but also defense; but also indignation; but also fear; but also desire; but also zeal; but also vengeance! In everything you approved yourselves to be clear in the matter.

How many times do we hear a message and never respond even though we believe it and know we should respond?

Hear what God sent to the Israelites (and us today as the spiritual Israelites of God) through Haggai:

Hag 1:7-11 MSG

(7)  That's why GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies said: "Take a good, hard look at your life. Think it over."

(8)  Then GOD said: "Here's what I want you to do: Climb into the hills and cut some timber. Bring it down and rebuild the Temple. Do it just for me. Honor me.

(9)  You've had great ambitions for yourselves, but nothing has come of it. The little you have brought to my Temple I've blown away--there was nothing to it. "And why?" (This is a Message from GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies, remember.) "Because while you've run around, caught up with taking care of your own houses, my Home is in ruins.

(10)  That's why. Because of your stinginess. And so I've given you a dry summer and a skimpy crop.

(11)  I've matched your tight-fisted stinginess by decreeing a season of drought, drying up fields and hills, withering gardens and orchards, stunting vegetables and fruit. Nothing--not man or woman, not animal or crop--is going to thrive."

Let us ask ourselves "What am I running around building? God's temple by working to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, or our own physical temporal comforts and temple?