Stay Encouraged 09.27.08

Hello My friend/Guest,

Today we are studying the books Zephaniah and Haggai, we will read and learn about God's judgement; the future destruction of the Gentile nations; Haggai urging the people to rebuild the Temple; and the reproof of the unfaithful. Today's message focuses on the importance of staying encouraged through our trials. God gives us tasks to do and usually they are when we are in the midst of our circumstances. It is during this time that we need to seek obey His commands otherwise we will waste precious time and end up struggling a lot longer than we have to.

The book of Zephaniah is the 36th book of the Old Testament and contains 3 chapters, the author of the book is Zephaniah and it was written to the people of Israel. The purpose of the book was to warn Israel and all nations of the judgement God placed upon them. What we are to learn from the book is that God is mighty to save all who turn to Him. Please read Chapters 1-3 in your Bible or Click Here to read them online. You can also cut & paste this link to your browser: biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Zephaniah%201-3&version=9

God through Zephaniah spoke to the people of Israel about the judgement that had been placed upon their nation. "I will utterly consume all things from off the land, saith the LORD. I will consume man and beast; I will consume the fowls of the heaven, and the fishes of the sea, and the stumbling blocks with the wicked: and I will cut off man from off the land, saith the LORD. I will also stretch out mine hand upon Judah, and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place, and the name of the Chemarims with the priests; And them that worship the host of heaven upon the housetops; and them that worship and that swear by the LORD, and that swear by Malcham; And them that are turned back from the LORD; and those that have not sought the LORD, nor enquired for him." (Zephaniah 1:2-6).

However, in the midst of it all God assures them that those who turn to Him will be saved. "The LORD hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy: the king of Israel, even the LORD, is in the midst of thee: thou shalt not see evil any more. In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not: and to Zion, Let not thine hands be slack. The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing. I will gather them that are sorrowful for the solemn assembly, who are of thee, to whom the reproach of it was a burden." (3:15-18).

The book of Haggai is the 37th book of the Old Testament and contains 2 chapters, the author of the book is Haggai ann it was written to the people of Israel, after the exile; particularly the Jews who had returned to Jerusalem. The purpose of the book was to inspirew Israel to have a new enthusiam for God and to make the leaders aware of their responsibility to rebuild the Temple. Please read Chapters 1-2 or Click Here to read, cut & paste to your browser: biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Haggai%201-2&version=9

The Israelites returned from Persia with Zerubbabel to begin rebuilding the Temple with great enthusiam, but when their Samaritan enemies greatly opposed them they became discouraged and stopped working on it. While the Israelites continued to hope for better times, about fifteen years passed and nothing more was accomplished for the Lord. Then God moved upon the prophet Haggai to speak to them, "Then came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet, saying, Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houses, and this house lie waste? Now therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways. Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes. Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways. 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 1:3-8).

As soon as the Israelites heard Haggai say, Then came the word of the Lord", they renewed their interest in rebuilding the Temple. This time they ignored the threats and did not stop until the Temple was complete, which took about four years. (You can learn more about the rebuilding of the Temple by reading the book of Ezra).

The book of Haggai illustrates that without the Word of God with us we will always fall prey to the threats that keep us from putting Him first. Reading God's Word daily and applying it to our lives gives us encouragement and keeps us renewed. "Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work, To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men. For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;" (Titus 3:1-6).

In today's reading Jesus Christ is revealed as the Lord, King of Israel, (Zephaniah 3:15). Jesus is the King of kings and Lord of lords.

Have a wonderful day and many blessings to you.
God Bless,
Christina

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