Dear friends, Partners and Believers in Christ,

Greetings to you in the precious name of our LORD and Savior Jesus Christ. We shall meditate the word of the LORD, which came through Haggai the Prophet, in this new day of the new year January 1 st ‘2014. These words of the prophesy were given to Zerubbabel the son of shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Governor is the one who looks after the administrative matters of a country and the High Priest is the one who is doing spiritual ministry towards God. Servants of God and officers in the world together, you should hear the word of the LORD.

The first point in my three part sermon is ; ‘Consider your ways!’ The key verses of Haggai are 1:7,8; 2:7-9. The key word is ‘ The Reconstruction of the temple’. Haggai brings God’s people to an understanding that circumstances become difficult when people place their own selfish interests before God’s. When we put God first and seek to do His will, He will bring His people joy and prosperity.

The outline of the Book of Haggai is as following:

1. Consider your ways, My House that is in ruins, 1:1-15
2. The glory of this latter temple shall be greater, 2:1-9
3. From this day foreword I will bless you, 2:10-2:19
4. I will shake heaven and earth, 2:20-2;23

The Temple of God is described in verses 1;1-2:9 and the blessing of God in 2:10- 2:23. The location of the prophesy was Jerusalem. Let us meditate the message in the first part of the temple of God.

1. CONSIDER YOUR WAYS:

The care, burden and thought about the house of the LORD is essential.. The people of Israel, who were redeemed from Babylonian captivity, were living in ceiled houses with joy and happiness. At the same time period, they were not considering the Father’s House, which was in ruins. Therefore, God raised a prophet named Haggai to speak the word of the LORD. God’s Word says; “ 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’! (Haggai 1:4,5)

Let us consider the life of God’s people at the time of this prophesy;

1. You have shown much, and having in little;
2. You eat, but never have enough;
3. You drink, but you are not filled with drink;
4. You cloth yourselves, but no one is warm, and
5. He who earns, earn wages to put into a bag with holes

Therefore, the Lord of Hosts says, ”Consider your ways’.

The word consider means, give careful thought or reflective thinking. You must think in your mind and see with your inner eyes. Do not talk much, see with your eyes. Hear God’s voice. This is the secret to victory. Jeremiah 2:31 says; “ o generation, see the word of the LORD”. It is very important to think, meditate, see and speak the word of the LORD. With this, you should also consider your ways. David in his psalms speaks as the following

“ Search me, o God, and know my heart: Try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting”( Psalm 139:23,24).

First, you must consider yourself, your thoughts and words. Examination is necessary, then only you can know what is in your mind. When good thoughts, words are in your mind, good word will come out from you. You should not trouble others with your words or actions( mind your own business). We need to examine ourselves, God is our Judge. Let us pray like David. Our Lord Jesus Christ said in Matthew 7:13,14: “ Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who finds it’.

If you had gone in the broad way in 2013, consider entering through narrow way in 2014, which leads to the life of God. We must choose life. That living way is Jesus Christ. Jesus said that in John 10:9,10 and 14:5,6 as following:

“ I am the door; If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly”.

Think about these verses very carefully. Jesus had spoken here beautifully about Himself and the goodness which comes through Him. Jesus is the door. When you walk in the way of Jesus, and enter into the door, who is Jesus, You shall receive salvation, i.e. forgiveness of sins, deliverance from evil spirits, protection, bodily healing, and victorious living and so on. The end result is heavenly life through Jesus to God the Father. “ Jesus said to him,” I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me” ( John 14:6).

Jesus is the door. Jesus is the way, Jesus is the truth, and Jesus is the life. This truth is very crystal clear. There is no other way, except Him. There is no other truth, except Him. Jesus is our life. In Him is life, and the life is the light of men. That light of the gospel shines in darkness. He is true light and the true God and everlasting life. Believe on Him, and you shall be blessed.

2. BUILD THE HOUSE (TEMPLE):

“ 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;8 )

Moses received 10 commandments on the top of Mount Sinai. Elijah received abundance of rain, when he prayed on the mountain top. Jesus was transfigured on the mount of transfiguration. ‘Go up to the mountain’ says the word of the LORD. And , we need to bring the Building Materials which are used for construction. In those days, about 525 B.C., the important building material was wood. Timbers are used for the following purposes:

1. Timber ( wood) is used for door and window frames, shutters of doors and windows, roofing materials etc.,
2. for formwork of cement concrete,
3. for making furniture, agricultural instruments, etc.,
4. for engraving work
5. for temporary bridges and boat construction.

According to 1. Corinthians 3:12, the following are the building materials for construction of God’s House whose foundation is LORD JESUS CHRIST. 1. Gold, 2. Silver, 3. Precious stone, 4. Wood, 5.Hay, 6.Stuble. Therefore , two promises are mentioned to the people of Israel who obeyed the voice of the LORD to build the house of the LORD. i) I will take pleasure in it, and ii) I will be glorified, saith the LORD. By building the temple, God is happy and His name will be glorified in it. In the New Testament, what is the Temple? 1. Corinthians 3;16,17 verses tells us :

“ Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are”.

There are five truths mentioned in these verses about God’s temple:

1. you are the temple of God,
2. the Spirit of God dwells in you,
3. if any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy,
4. the temple of God is holy,
5. you are God’s holy temple.

There are three important fluids in the human body:1. spirit,2. water, 3. blood. Man is three dimensional being consisting of Body, Soul and Spirit. It is the will of God, that all these three should be made holy. Without holiness, no man shall see God. When we build His temple, God is pleased with us. “When you build God’s church, He will build your House”. The glory of God shall be revealed in and through your body. The Word of the LORD tells us in 2. Thessalonians 2:14 : “ Whereunto He called you by our Gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ”.

3. I AM WITH YOU:

God’s presence with us is comforting, encouraging and motivating us. God’s presence, His protection and His guidance always surrounding us. The LORD keeps His eyes upon us all the 24 hours with concern and protecting us and delivering us from evil. Let us thank the LORD. The Scripture says in Haggai 2:13: ‘ Then spake Haggai the LORD’S messenger in the Lord’s message unto the people saying: I am with you, saith the LORD”.

The Scripture also says in Isaiah 41:10: “ Fear thou not, for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God; I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness”. Who can be against us, if the LORD is with us. If a man’s ways pleases the Lord, even his enemies will become friends to him. The LORD is with us as a mighty warrior in this year 2014. You need not be afraid. Since, the LORD Jesus is with us always, Go to the villages, towns, cities to preach the gospel this year. The LORD will be with you and perform miracles. Believers shall do the following mighty works: i) In Jesus name. they shall cast out devils, ii) They shall speak with new tongues, iii) They shall take up serpents, and iv) If they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them, v) They shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. This responsibility is given to all the believers and ministers of the Gospel in this age and dispensation. Therefore,

1. Go into all the world, 2. Proclaim the good news, 3. Baptize them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 4. Teach the words of Jesus to all nations. Jesus said: “…lo, I am with you, even unto the end of the world” ( St. Matthew 28:18-20). GOD BLESS YOU

If this God’s Message has been a blessing to your spiritual life, please respond to us by sowing an offering to the ministry as unto the LORD, in this new month and new year by Money order/Cheque/ Demand Draft and forward your offering to the following office:

Rev. C. Peter Chandran, THE LIVING GOD MINISTRIES,NO.46/61, First Floor, Ravi Electronics, East Jones Road, Saidapet, Chennai 600015 India.

Email: peterchandran@hotmail.com cell phone: +91 9445113726

Website: www.thelivinggodministries.org

You can also send your gift offering through Money Transfer in favor of:

May God open the windows of Heaven and pour on you showers of His blessings.

2014 YEAR OF GOD’S FULLNESS, VICTORY AND FAMILY LIFE AND WORLD EVANGELISM : Pray for this year ministry: 1. Planting “ The Living God Church “ ( 100 church buildings construction all over the world) , 2. Monthly help to 100 Pastors, 3. Gospel Crusades, Conferences, 4. Helping the Poor, Orphans and Widows, ( mercy ministry), and 5. Magazines, Newsletters, Gospel Literatures and tracts and spiritual books.