12.20.11 "For the Glory of God"

"For the Glory of God" 

Haggai 1:1-2:23
Revelation 11:1-19
Psalm 139:1-24
Proverbs 30:15-16

"Active Ministry Involvement". It's the "A" in our DREAM acronym. Beyond that, what does that mean to you? How do you view it? 

At the surface it seems that Active Ministry Involvement (AM I) is just a matter of joining a ministry group. Choir, nursery, usher, etc. So then Living the "A" is a yes or no question. If you're a Sunday School teacher, you're living the "A". While that's a great start, that's not the whole picture. 

The book of Haggai sheds some great light on the principles of AM I. The specific references in this book are in regards to rebuilding the temple. However, we miss out on another view of the character of God if we don't realize that there are "life" principles involved here. Let's look at some of the verses and then bring life application.

"'Why is everyone saying it is not the right time for rebuilding my Temple?' asks the Lord. His reply to them is this: 'Is it then the right time for you to live in luxurious homes, when the Temple lies in ruins? Look at the result: You plant much but harvest little. You have scarcely enough to eat or drink, and not enough clothes to keep you warm. Your income disappears, as though you were putting it into pockets filled with holes! Think it over,' says the Lord Almighty. 'Consider how you have acted, and what has happened as a result! Then go up into the mountains and bring down timber, and rebuild my Temple, and I will be pleased with it and appear there in my glory,' says the Lord." Hag. 1:2-8

As you read through these scriptures, do you see the incredible picture? God has created us with the purpose of using the gifts and resources he has given us for HIS glory. When we use them for our own, it amounts to nothing. Do you remember when David asked to build a temple? The Lord said, "I don't need a temple." Yet in Haggai, the people are chastised for not working on the temple. Why is that? It's because they are not working for the glory of the Lord. They are working toward their own comfort and success.

Look at the world around us. Doesn't it look like verse 5-6? "plant much but harvest little", never have enough... I ran into a guy in a restaurant who said, "Yeah, we really need income, so I'm taking an extra job. You probably wont be seeing much of me around church." I felt bad for the guy. Whether or not the income comes in as he hopes for, soon he'll be wondering why there isn't enough time, etc. 

It's not just about joining a group or "serving our time" in a ministry. It's about applying the principle of blessing and giving to our life. 

verse 12-15 say, "Then Zerubbabel... and the few people remaining in the land obeyed Haggai's message from the Lord their God; they began to worship him in earnest. Then the Lord told them... 'I am with you; I will bless you.' And the Lord gave them a desire to rebuild his Temple; so they all gathered... and volunteered their help."

Notice what happens when the people gather to work for the glory of God: He is there! 

Do we wanna see revival? We need to begin to be generous with our time, talents and resources for the glory of God. This is not just for inside the walls of the church. This is for every part of life. We need to be "investors" of everything we have. 

Too often the answer is "it's not the right time". I love the Lord's answer, "Is it then the right time for you to live in luxurious homes?" In the same way people don't have to be "good enough" to begin to live the Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship, people don't need to "have enough" to begin to live the principles of AM I. 

What do you have right now? Give to the glory of God. It's not just about money. It's about your passion. Your experience. Your time. This is a BIG deal!

"You people were contaminating your sacrifices by living with selfish attitudes and evil hearts - and not only your sacrifices, but everything else that you did as a 'service' to me. And so everything you did went wrong. But all is different now, because you have begun to build the Temple. Before, when you expected a twenty-bushel crop, there were only ten. When you came to draw fifty gallons form the olive press, there were only twenty. I rewarded all your labor with rust and mildew and hail. Yet, even so you refused to return to me," says the Lord. 

"But now note this: From today, this 24th day of the month, as the foundation of the Lord's Temple is finished, and from this day onward, i will bless you. Notice, I am giving you this promise now before you have even begun to rebuild the Temple structure, and before you have harvested your grain, and before the grapes and figs and pomegranates and olives have produced their next crops: From this day I will bless you." Hag. 2:14-19

This scripture stirs up excitement in me! Oh, if we could only get this. It's not about the harvest or the fruit! It's about the application of this principle to our life! We don't shovel our neighbor's snow because they need it, we shovel it because it's a part of who we are! For the Glory of God. As we do that, we are building the Temple! That's why we change diapers in the nursery! Yes, they need to be changed, but more importantly, we are applying the AM I principle of responsibility to our life. 

Can you see it? Can you see what happens when the church awakens and REALLY applies this to their life? Instead of looking at ministry as "community service" like the world does, and begins to work each and every day as unto the Lord, we will experience the blessing and presence of the Lord as never before! And the world will see his Glory! 


Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!

Pastor Greg Lathe

Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ