When our wages earned are put into ‘a purse with holes in it’, it may be worth giving careful thought to our ways…
READ HAGGAI 1 Make notes, if you’d like, of what stands out for you. Feel free to use the “Leave a Comment” box below to also write some of your thoughts.
A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:
Though it shouldn’t be surprising, what was experienced by people 25 centuries ago, seems similar to what we can experience today:
“You’ve planted much, but harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.” [v6]
Looking about at the current problems, the ancient prophet, Haggai, challenges his contemporaries four times to “give careful thought to their ways”. [v5,7; 2:15, 2:18] The general focus of his community was on their own homes and what could be accumulated – instead of making a central place for their Maker, the Creator God, at the heart of their life experience. [v4,7-9] The issue wasn’t about being bad people. The fallout came instead, from neglect. When the essential had become the peripheral, they noticed their rudders broken, their sails limp, their “true north” gone, and the people worn out from trying…
Read More? CLICK to follow “29 August – Additional Notes”
But what about your thoughts – can you tell me what today’s “breadcrumb” is? Leave a note in the “Comments” box below to tell me what you think of today’s chapter.
Wanting to bring your Maker into your inner circle? The rest of this webpage uses Jesus’ own prayer to help…[a]
THE LORD’S PRAYER:
1. Praise: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your Name. Your Kingdom come! Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven …”
As for me, I’ll hope continually in You, Lord. I’ll praise You yet more and more! [Psalm 71:14]
2. Ask: “…Give us today our daily bread…”
The World: Government decisions in Mexico[b]
Your Country: Pray for a Spiritual Revival
Yourself: Your close family and friends
Your concerns for today
Even now, I pray: let the power of the Lord be great – yes, even in our day, just as You’ve declared, Father God. [Numbers 14:17]
3. Admit: “…Forgive us our sin as we forgive those who sin against us…”
Please Lord, help me not to be just a hearer of Your Word, help me to do what You say. [James 1:22]
4. Protect: “…Lead us not into temptation but delivers us from evil.”
Now, O Lord my God, deliver me from the hands of evil, I pray, so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You alone, O Lord, are God. [2 Kings 19:19]
“For Yours Lord is the Kingdom, the Power and the Glory now and forever. Amen!”
When questioned, tested, tricked, or in His hour of great need, Jesus spoke what was previously written in God’s Word.[c] So, the final section on this page is about memorizing the script through 10 topics. Following these will help you learn 52 portions from the bible in a year! THIS WEEK’S MEMORY VERSE: Prayer
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” [Philippians 4:6]
[a] Matthew 6:5-15
[b] http://www.operationworld.org/country/mexi/owtext.html
[c] Matthew 4:4,6,7,10; 11:10; 21:13; and 26:24,31