Within the pages of the Minor Prophets in the Bible, the Book of Haggai could easily be overlooked. Yet, this miniature book had a mighty message for the nation of Israel, as well as powerful principles for us today. In 538 B.C., the Jews had returned from Babylon to Jerusalem after spending 70 years in captivity. Under Ezra’s leadership, they began to rebuild the Temple, but opposition from their enemies caused the work to cease (Ezra 4:23-24). God sent Haggai to prophesy to the Jews in the second year of King Darius, which was 520 B.C. Haggai’s message was direct and concise. “Is it time for you 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!’” (Haggai 1:4). He then told the Jews that they were eating, drinking and clothing themselves but never had enough. They were earning wages to put into a bag with holes. Then in verse 7, Haggai again urged, “Consider your ways!” The Jews had neglected the house of God for over 15 years and were more concerned with their own material wealth and wellbeing. In 1 Timothy 3:15, Paul referred to “the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.” What about you? Have you been guilty of neglecting the house of God? Is your first priority found in eating, drinking and clothing yourself? Jesus commanded in Matthew 6:31-33, “Therefore, do not

Everyone has an opinion about who should run the country, but did you ever wonder what God’s opinion is? The only way to know is by reading the Bible. During the time of the Old Testament, God appointed kings to rule over His people in Israel and Judah, but some of the kings began to worship manmade idols. God sent many prophets to warn them to turn away from their idolatry, but they would not listen. Because of their disobedience, the city of Jerusalem was destroyed, and the people were carried away to Babylon by the cruel king Nebuchadnezzar. Among those taken to Babylon was a young man named Daniel. Many years later, he told Nebuchadnezzar “that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses” (Daniel 4:25). In the New Testament, the apostle Paul told the Christians who lived under the authority of the evil Roman emperors, “Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority, except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God” (Romans 13:1). When elections are over and the ballots are counted, some will be glad, and some will be sad according to the outcomes. But no matter who wins, it is ultimately God Who decides who will rule. Let us remember that God is in control and He gives it to whomever He chooses. [Editor’s Note: Truly, God is in control. Yet, that does not excuse Christians from doing their

I recently read an article in The Voice of Truth International called, “My Child Doesn’t Like Bible Class.” The author gave some excellent suggestions to parents on how to motivate their children to want to go to Bible class. However, in some congregations, just the opposite problem exists. The children do not come to class, not because they do not want to come, but because their parents prefer to attend only the Sunday morning worship service. The Sunday school teacher, with a lesson all prepared and ready, sits in an empty classroom week after week. This is discouraging for the teacher, but more importantly, it is tragic for children who are missing out on essential, age-appropriate lessons from God’s Word. In Matthew 19:13-14, the disciples rebuked parents who brought their children to Jesus, but Jesus Himself intervened and said, “Let the little children come to me.” Today, more than ever, parents need to bring their children to Jesus. What better way to do that than to take them to Sunday school and midweek Bible class, where they can learn Bible stories and sing songs to help them remember basic Bible truths? Paul told fathers in Ephesians 6:4, “…do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the teaching and the admonition of the Lord.” As parents, we all have the responsibility of teaching our children about God and Jesus. We can do this by having Bible studies and devotionals in our homes, and also by bringing them to Bible

I recently got a brochure in the mail from a computer dating service. The company boldly advertised in big, flowery letters, “Let us help you find your soul mate.” Most people long for a soul mate, someone with whom they can share all the intimate details of their lives. Finding such a person is difficult. Those who reveal their deepest thoughts and emotions to another person do so at the risk of ridicule, rejection and betrayal. Psalm 139 is a beautiful psalm in which David describes his soul mate. He begins, “O Lord, you have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up. You understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word on my tongue, but behold, O Lord, you know it altogether” (verses 1-4). So often you hear people say, “He just doesn’t understand me.” Wouldn’t it be great to have a friend who really understands you, someone who knows what you are going to say, even before you say it? God does. David continued, “Where can I go from your Spirit? Or where can I flee from your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there. If I make my bed in hell [“Sheol” ASV; “Hades or the world of the dead” (Biblesoft’s)], behold, You are there” (verses 7-8). Maybe you have been hurt by someone who abandoned you or disappointed you in

It wasn’t a great day to be taking a walk. A dense fog permeated the air, and dampness seemed to wrap itself around me like a cold, wet blanket. My mood was as gloomy and gray as the weather as I allowed negative thoughts to take control of my mind. After a while, the sun came out, beaming warm rays on my face. As the fog lifted, I began to notice the trees, garbed in their autumn attire of rusty red, brilliant yellow and bright orange leaves. I laughed at two squirrels merrily chasing each other from tree to tree. My sour mood began to dissipate like the fog. I came home with a greater appreciation for the beauty of nature and the blessings of God. Later, as I was reading the Song of Deborah in the Book of Judges, Deborah’s final words grabbed my attention. She said in Judges 5:31, “But let those who love Him be like the sun when it comes out in full strength.” I stopped to ponder this great advice from the wise woman judge of Israel. How can we be like the sun? The sun brings people out. There is nothing like a lovely, sunny day to bring people out into the open to enjoy some fresh air and exercise. They feel better after a day out in the sunshine. Many people are trapped in a gloomy dungeon of loneliness. All they really need is someone to bring them out of their shell with

I know a woman who had a house built by Habitat for Humanity. In order to qualify for this charitable organization’s assistance, the woman had to commit at least 400 hours of service. For months, she spent every moment of her spare time helping the construction workers build her new home. When the house was completed, she had a feeling of great joy and a sense of accomplishment. A dedication service was planned for a Sunday afternoon. Surrounded by family and friends, the woman listened reverently as the preacher blessed the house and those who would soon occupy it. Tears glistened her eyes as she contemplated the joy of finally having a home of her own. Can you imagine how people would feel if this woman suddenly drove a bulldozer into the house and knocked it down, after all the hard work she put into building it? That would be a very foolish thing to do! Proverbs 14:1 says, “The wise woman builds her house, but the foolish pulls it down with her hands.” No woman in her right mind would deliberately tear down her house, but what about her home? Many children today are the victims of “broken homes.” According to research compiled by George Barna, over one million divorces are granted each year, compared to 393,000 divorces granted in 1960. Surprisingly, at least 16% of the divorced population consider themselves “evangelical Christians.” Even families who choose to stay together for the sake of the children are often characterized

What is more beautiful than a wedding? The soft glow of candlelight, colorful flowers and romantic music are just the prelude to a lovely ceremony that joins a man and woman as husband and wife. What a fitting word picture God gives us when he describes Christ’s church as a beautiful bride. John gives us a glimpse of the vision that he saw in Revelation 21:2: “Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.” We learn from Hebrew 12:22-23 that this holy city of Jerusalem is the “the general assembly and church of the firstborn.” So, in what ways is the church like a beautiful bride? First, the bride has to prepare herself for her husband. John also wrote in Revelation 19:7-8, “Let us be glad and rejoice and give him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his wife has made herself ready. And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.” At a wedding, all eyes are on the bride as she gracefully marches down the aisle in her beautiful and carefully selected wedding gown. Can you imagine going to a formal wedding where the bride comes down the aisle in torn blue jeans and a sweatshirt? That would be totally unacceptable! Equally unacceptable in God’s eyes is a member of his church

[Christian Bible Teacher 46 (2002): 56.] Whenever I read Exodus 33:18-23, I am filled with a sense of awe. Moses made a bold request of God when he said, “Please show me your glory.” God answered, “Here is a place by me, and you shall stand on the rock. So, it shall be, while my glory passes by, that I will put you in the cleft of the rock, and will cover you with my hand while I pass by. Then I will take away my hand and you shall see my back, but my face you shall not see.” What an awesome experience that must have been for Moses, as he stood in the cleft of the rock under the protective hand of God. Then came the climactic moment when God took his hand away, and Moses was able to see the glory of God! Sometimes I wish I could see the glory of God in the way Moses did. God may never reveal himself to us in such a dramatic way, but he gives us small glimpses of his glory every day. Whenever we see a beautiful sunset or a brilliant rainbow, we are witnessing the glory of God. The Psalmist said, “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows his handiwork” (Psalm 19:1). We also see God’s glory when we come together as a church to worship him. Our times of worship should be a delight, not a duty. If we don’t enjoy worship, how can