SCRIPTURES
Ex. 35:21-29; Num. 7:2-28; Hag. 1:2-11; Ex. 3:20-21; Zech. 1:17; Matt. 6:33; Luke 8:1-3
CONFESSION
I shall not lay up for myself treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but I shall lay up for myself treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where my treasure is, there my heart will be also (Matt. 6:19-21).
EXHORTATION
The Lord purchased us with His own blood. We are no longer our own; we belong to Him. We are His bondservants. A bondservant does not live for himself, but for his Master. We must put God first in our lives. Our priorities should be in accordance with His will. And this should especially be so in how we use the resources He has entrusted to us – time, money, strength, and talent. All these things belong to Him. We do not own anything of our own; it is all His. They are given to us to manage, to hold in trust for Him. They are not things to squander on our selfish lusts and idols and the ways of this present evil age.
Therefore, in matters of various projects and advancing the cause of Christ and His kingdom, our resources should be willingly, generously, and cheerfully deployed and put at His feet. Every financial vow made is sacred and should be paid. As citizens of heaven, our priority and purpose should be to promote the things of our eternal home in the use of the gifts, money, means, and all that our Father has given to us. That’s why He gave them to us in the first place: to further His kingdom on earth and give glory and honour to Him.
Circumstances become difficult when we place our own selfish interests before God’s. When we put Him first and seek to do His will, He will bring us joy and prosperity. Only when we put Him first by making His kingdom business our business will His hand of blessing be upon us.
This was the harsh lesson the Jews learnt on their return from Babylonian exile. The temple in Jerusalem (God’s house, the symbol of His presence with them) had been destroyed in 538 B.C. by the armies of Babylon. King Cyrus of Persia allowed the Jews to return to their homeland and rebuild their temple. However, sixteen years after the rebuilding process began, the people had yet to finish the project. They forgot their purpose and lost their priorities, as opposition and spiritual indifference brought the work to a standstill. They were more concerned with their own building projects. The temple lay half-finished while the people lived in beautiful homes. As a result, they suffered: their work was not fruitful, their material possessions did not satisfy; God’s blessing was withheld.
Haggai’s message was for the people to reorder their priorities and complete the temple before they could expect the blessing of God upon their efforts. Let’s hear him:
“Thus, speaks the LORD of hosts, saying: “This people say, ‘The time has not come, the time that the LORD’s house should be built.’’
“Then the word of the LORD came by Haggai the prophet, saying, “Is it time for yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, and this temple to lie in ruins?”
Now therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts: “Consider your ways!
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.”
Thus, says the LORD of hosts: “Consider your way! 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. “You looked for much, but indeed it came to little; and when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why?” says the LORD of hosts. “Because of My house that is in ruins, while every one of you runs to his own house. Therefore, the heavens above you withhold the dew, and the earth withholds its fruit. For I called for a drought on the land and the mountains, on the grain and the new wine and the oil, on whatever the ground brings forth, on men and livestock, and on all the labour of your hands.” (Hag. 1:2-11)
God’s desire for us is to choose the heavenly in place of the earthly. He opens for us in the kingdom the possibilities of heavenly investment, the richly fulfilling adventure of investing in His work. What joy, what bliss we experience when we align our will with that of our Creator, our Father, our Source, our All in All, our Everything. When the riches that moth and rust destroy shall be swept away, faithful saints can rejoice in their heavenly treasure, the riches that are imperishable.
BIBLICAL TRUTHS
- God’s kingdom is His priority.
- Financial prosperity is to build His kingdom.
- It is a true test of total freedom from idolatry (self-centeredness).
- The repercussion for neglecting God’s project is grievous as outlined in the foregoing.
PRAYERS
- Thank God for opening your eye of understanding
- By the blood of Jesus, I cancel every judgement, counsel and litigation of darkness against my financial breakthrough, in Jesus name
- O Lord, grant me grace to release my substance and resources for kingdom use
- O Lord, open your treasury in heaven for resources to move kingdom projects forward
- I shall not be bench warmer in kingdom projects in Jesus name
- O Lord, raise kingdom-minded people for kingdom projects participation
- My finances, reject any form of manipulation.
- Manipulation that prevents selfless promotion of projects in the body of Christ, be removed, in Jesus name.
O lord, the anointing and grace to give, let it fall upon the church of God, in Jesus name.
