Friday, January 27, 2006
From This Day On...
Tammy mentioned Haggai in her January 26 post, where God spoke directly to her heart through a Bible verse. This is the 2nd time in the past couple of weeks that someone has mentioned Haggai to me, and I'm not sure I've ever even read Haggai. (I probably read it once while trying to read through the whole Bible, but I honestly can't remember it.)
So, I decided I better go check out Haggai today. There are only 2 chapters in the whole book. Haggai was a prophet who labored toward the goal of rebuilding the Temple after it had been destroyed under Babylonian rule. The foundation was laid right away, but the work was delayed for years. So Haggai was urging the people to finish the task. The Jews were neglecting the Temple, and God had not blessed them. The message is so clear. God was withholding their blessings because they were not following the path of obedience.
Here are God's words in Haggai 2:15-19:
" 'Now give careful thought to this from this day on —consider how things were before one stone was laid on another in the LORD's temple. When anyone came to a heap of twenty measures, there were only ten. When anyone went to a wine vat to draw fifty measures, there were only twenty. I struck all the work of your hands with blight, mildew and hail, yet you did not turn to me,' declares the LORD. 'From this day on, from this twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, give careful thought to the day when the foundation of the LORD's temple was laid. Give careful thought: Is there yet any seed left in the barn? Until now, the vine and the fig tree, the pomegranate and the olive tree have not borne fruit.
" 'From this day on I will bless you.' "
This last sentence is so powerful to me. God was withholding His blessings, but when His people stopped neglecting their work for the Lord, He decided to no longer withhold the blessings. How wonderful it would sound if God said to us, "From this day on, I will bless you."
As we continue choosing the path of good health, let's remember that our bodies are also the temple of God. When we neglect our bodies, we are neglecting God's temple.
"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body." (1 Corinthians 6:19,20 NIV).
Just imagine what God will do for us if we stop neglecting our bodes. Could we each say "From this day on...I will no longer neglect my body, the temple of God?"
God told his people He would bless them "from this day on." When we make a commitment to follow His ways, I believe He will bless us, too.
From this day on, I want to honor God with my body.
So, I decided I better go check out Haggai today. There are only 2 chapters in the whole book. Haggai was a prophet who labored toward the goal of rebuilding the Temple after it had been destroyed under Babylonian rule. The foundation was laid right away, but the work was delayed for years. So Haggai was urging the people to finish the task. The Jews were neglecting the Temple, and God had not blessed them. The message is so clear. God was withholding their blessings because they were not following the path of obedience.
Here are God's words in Haggai 2:15-19:
" 'Now give careful thought to this from this day on —consider how things were before one stone was laid on another in the LORD's temple. When anyone came to a heap of twenty measures, there were only ten. When anyone went to a wine vat to draw fifty measures, there were only twenty. I struck all the work of your hands with blight, mildew and hail, yet you did not turn to me,' declares the LORD. 'From this day on, from this twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, give careful thought to the day when the foundation of the LORD's temple was laid. Give careful thought: Is there yet any seed left in the barn? Until now, the vine and the fig tree, the pomegranate and the olive tree have not borne fruit.
" 'From this day on I will bless you.' "
This last sentence is so powerful to me. God was withholding His blessings, but when His people stopped neglecting their work for the Lord, He decided to no longer withhold the blessings. How wonderful it would sound if God said to us, "From this day on, I will bless you."
As we continue choosing the path of good health, let's remember that our bodies are also the temple of God. When we neglect our bodies, we are neglecting God's temple.
"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body." (1 Corinthians 6:19,20 NIV).
Just imagine what God will do for us if we stop neglecting our bodes. Could we each say "From this day on...I will no longer neglect my body, the temple of God?"
God told his people He would bless them "from this day on." When we make a commitment to follow His ways, I believe He will bless us, too.
From this day on, I want to honor God with my body.
# posted by Karen Whitson @ 10:56 AM 
