God's Work Delayed Series

+ Haggai 1:1-4 1In the second year of King Darius, on the first day of the sixth month, the word of the LORD came through the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest: 2This is what the LORD Almighty says: "These people say, ’The time has not yet come for the LORD’s house to be built.’" 3Then the word of the LORD came through the prophet Haggai: 4"Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin?" (NIV)

GOD’S WORK WAS DELAYED!

In the same way that Jesus told His disciples that He would build His church, God’s purpose was to have the temple rebuilt, but opposition from their enemies slowed the work until it finally stopped.

DOES IT SURPRISE YOU THAT THE WORK OF GOD CAN BE DELAYED? God will not force His people to do what they do not want to do!

· Moses led the nation of Israel out of the bondage of Egypt and led them to the promised land. How many of you know that God’s plan and purpose were for them to receive what he had promised then? Unfortunately the people believed the bad report of 10 spies and what God promised was delayed forty years! The people would not listen to listen to Caleb and Joshua when they said that God would surely give them what He had promised. Instead receiving the promised land, God’s work was delayed. God told the people, “Turn back toward the desert.”

Folks, can I tell it to you like it is? I don’t want to wait 40 years to see God’s promise fulfilled for our church. I want to move ahead and follow God’s direction to receive what He wants to give us now and without delay! How many of you are with me?

I wonder how many of our Golden Praisers have a spirit like Caleb who even at the age of 85 said, “I’m as strong today as I was when I was young; now give me that mountain!” (see Joshua 14) How many of you are willing to say, “I’m not going to wait any longer!” Let’s not delay the work of God; let’s not dwell in the past. Today is the day; let’s move forward and be the great church God has planned for us to be!

I am thankful for our heritage; I’m thankful for those who prayed, gave and worked to bring us to the place we are today. I’m not saying those in the past have failed us, that they have kept us out of “the promised land.”

THIS MORNING WE ARE CONFRONTED WTIH A CHOICE!

Today, each of us has to make a choice. Will we believe that God is leading us as a church and follow His direction? Will we do what God wants us to do, or will we believe the bad report?

 “We need more people; we’re too small.”

 “We don’t have enough money.”

 “We can’t be a great church; we don’t have a Sunday School or evening service.”

The list could go on and on. Will we just do what we have always done, or will we just do what we want to do and miss God’s blessing?

Let’s not allow God’s work to be delayed because of us! Let’s receive a Holy Spirit-inspired dream–a God size vision–and follow His plan. Let’s do what God asks us to do!