The Book of Haggai: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow!

 

My Dear Readers
In this article I will attempt to bring some kind of perspective of how the Old Testament book of Haggai and its message was not only relevant to the Jews of the time but is also significantly relevant to us today as born again Christians and also significant to us on the “Day of the Lord” in the end times in the New Jerusalem – A new heaven and a new earth – Revelation 21:1-8!

Brief background information to the Book of Haggai.
The Book of Haggai forms part of the Hebrew Bible which the Jews call the Tanakh. The Tanakh is the foundational text and teaching of Judaism. The word “Tanakh” is an acronym of its three parts:

1. The Torah which consists of the Five Books of Moses - Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. These five books are also commonly known as the Pentateuch.

2. The Nevi’im, pronounced ‘nih-vih-eem’ is the plural of the word ‘navi’ and means ‘Prophets’.

3. The Ketuvim, pronounced ‘ke-tu-veem’ and means ‘writings’. It contains stories, law, poetry, and teachings about God and His relationship with humanity.

The Book of Haggai is found in Part 2 of the Tanakh, the ‘Nevi’im and Haggai himself is considered to be one of the minor prophets.

One interesting fact about the minor prophets from Hosea through to Malachi, is that they were originally compiled as a single book called ‘The Twelve’. Haggai being the 10th book of The Twelve.

Who Was Haggai and What Is the Book of Haggai About?
When Assyria and Babylon rise to power there was nothing and no one to stop them becoming global superpowers. Assyria takes over the Northern Kingdom of Israel and Babylon sacks the Southern Kingdom of Israel. Israel spends 70 years in captivity before they return to Jerusalem. Haggai steps onto the scene when they return to Jerusalem after the exile in Babylon. His book contains hopeful messages from God about Israel's and ultimately the Church's future.

Haggai was a prophet who lived during the time of the rebuilding of the second temple. For context, the Israelites had turned away from the Lord and had neglected the rebuilding of the temple and were rather concentrating on building their own homes and establishing their careers in their own strength. They were not obeying the Word of God!

Not much is known about Haggai as a person as the Bible gives no familial knowledge about him and his lineage, but his name means, ‘let’s celebrate the Lord.’

His prophetic ministry lasted for just less than four months. The Lord gives five messages to Haggai between August 29, 520 BC, and December 18, 520 BC. We know this as Haggai records each precise date with the messages themselves.

The shortness of Haggai’s prophetic ministry time would indicate that the Lord wanted the Jewish leaders to act almost immediately.

Haggai’s message was directed at the Jews who had returned to Jerusalem after 70 years exile in Babylon. The leaders of the Jews in Jerusalem at the time of the return from exile were Zerubbabel who was a descendant of King David through Solomon and Jeconiah and the High priest was Joshua the son of Jehozadak.

Zerubbabel was a governor of the Achaemenid Empire's province of Yehud and was the grandson of Jeconiah, the penultimate king of Judah. Zerubbabel led the first group of Jews, numbering 42,360, who returned from the Babylonian captivity in the first year of Cyrus the Great, the king of the Achaemenid Empire – this empire is sometimes known as the First Persian Empire and its territory is now known as modern day Iran. The date is generally thought to have been between 538 and 520 BC. Zerubbabel also laid the foundation of the Second Temple in Jerusalem soon after the return of the exiles to Jerusalem.

Haggai’s prophetic ministry was a very short ministry and lasted just less than four months in circa 520 BC. His message begins with a rather stern rebuke of the Jews because they were only focused on themselves by establishing homes for themselves and forgetting about serving God and building the second temple – the Lord’s House! Their priorities were sadly misplaced!

Note: in the body on this article the verses from Haggai are in italics, the explanation of the verse/s follows in straight text with additional scriptures shown in bold italics.

Chapter 1 (NKJV)

The Command to Build God’s House

1 In the second year of King Darius, in the sixth month, on the first day of the month, the word of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, saying,

In verse 1 Haggai pinpoints the exact date that he received his prophetic message from the Lord. This would make the exact date in our calendar today as 1 September 520BC.

2 “Thus speaks the Lord of hosts, saying: ‘This people says, “The time has not come, the time that the Lord’s house should be built.” ’ ”

In verse 2 Haggai tells the Jews that his message comes directly from the Lord, “Thus speaks the Lord of hosts…..” He lets the people know that God knows that they are deliberately putting off building the second temple in order to feather their own nests. God knows that the Jews have got their priorities wrong and are not putting Him first which is displeasing to Him.

3 Then the word of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet, saying, 4 “Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your panelled houses, and this temple to lie in ruins?” 5 Now therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts: “Consider your ways!

In verses 3-5 God’s message to the Jews through Haggai is a rebuke! The gist of the rebuke is that they’ve made fine houses for themselves and have left His house in ruins! He goes on to sternly tell then to, “Consider your ways.” This is a call for them to repent and get on with building the second temple. Putting God first is our FIRST priority!

6 “You have sown much, and bring in little;
You eat, but do not have enough;
You drink, but you are not filled with drink;
You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm;
And he who earns wages,
Earns wages to put into a bag with holes.”

In verse 6 God tells the Jews and His church today, exactly why our own efforts and works outside of Christ yield little or no reward not only in the flesh but in spiritual reward as well. When we focus on ourselves, as the Jews were doing, we are never satisfied and what we have is wasted. But when we focus on God our every need is catered for, both physically and spiritually. Our works of the flesh (our works outside of Christ Jesus) are like filthy rags to God – he sees them as unclean!

Failing to put God first in everything is a sin!

Matthew 6:33 (AMP)

But first and most importantly seek (aim at, strive after) His kingdom and His righteousness [His way of doing and being right—the attitude and character of God], and all these things will be given to you also.

Isaiah 64:6 (NKJV)

But we are all like an unclean thing,

And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags;

We all fade as a leaf,

And our iniquities, like the wind,

Have taken us away.

7 Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Consider your ways!

In verse 7 God tells His people to, “Consider your ways!” This is an instruction to them to repent of their wicked ways and not to fall into the same trap as their ancestors that resulted in the temple being destroyed and them led off into captivity.

This call to repentance rings out to us today. We, those of us who are born again, are His Church (the Temple) and God wants us to repent of not putting Him first in all our ways. As individual children and corporately as His Church we will never be able to walk in the fulness of Christ and in the power of His Holy Spirit if we do not put Him first in everything we do!

1 Corinthians 3:16-17 (NKJV)

16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 17 If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.

8 Go up to the mountains and bring wood and build the temple, that I may take pleasure in it and be glorified,” says the Lord.

In verse 8 there is a very clear command from God telling the Jews to go and get the materials they need to build the temple so that He can take pleasure in it and be glorified!

This command still stands today! As His Church (Temple) each of us are required to build ourselves up in the most holy faith. Faith in Christ Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, faith in Word as it instructs us in righteousness and faith in the Holy Spirit who leads and guides us in all truth! In this way God takes pleasure in us as we glorify Jesus!

All the material we need to build our “temple” is found in the Bible, but we have to read it (fetch the material) ourselves and become doers of the Word and not just hearers and listeners! We need to live life in the Spirit!

Jude 1:20-21 (AMP)

20 But you, beloved, build yourselves up on [the foundation of] your most holy faith [continually progress, rise like an edifice higher and higher], pray in the Holy Spirit, 21 and keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously and looking forward to the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ [which will bring you] to eternal life.

Luke 11:28 (NIV)

He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”

James 1:22 (NIV)

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

John 16:13-14 (NKJV)

13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. 14 He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.

9 “You looked for much, but indeed it came to little; and when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why?” says the Lord of hosts. “Because of My house that is in ruins, while every one of you runs to his own house. 10 Therefore the heavens above you withhold the dew, and the earth withholds its fruit. 11 For I called for a drought on the land and the mountains, on the grain and the new wine and the oil, on whatever the ground brings forth, on men and livestock, and on all the labor of your hands.”

In verses 9-11 Haggai’s message to the Jews further explains that because they have neglected God in not rebuilding the temple, they have brought the covenant curses of disobedience from Deuteronomy 28:22-40 (I encourage you to read this passage!) upon themselves once again. The labour of their hands has become fruitless, and they gain nothing but hardship and heartache.

Now, how are these verses relevant for today’s Church? Well, using the reference point of the Church being individually and collectively the temple of God, we need to put God first in all we do and say! If we don’t then we are wilfully walking in disobedience to the Word and are thus walking in sin and as such we will be unable to walk in the fulness of Christ unless we repent and turn to walking in full obedience.

As the in the Mosaic Covenant the Jews were free to choose between good and evil, so today we, as born-again Christians, have the freedom to choose between obeying God’s Word or not. When we choose not to and remain unrepentant of not putting God first in everything, we hinder ourselves from walking in the fulness of Christ Jesus, which is living life in the Spirit.

Galatians 6:16-17 (NKJV)

16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.

The People’s Obedience

12 Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the Lord their God, and the words of Haggai the prophet, as the Lord their God had sent him; and the people feared the presence of the Lord. 13 Then Haggai, the Lord’s messenger, spoke the Lord’s message to the people, saying, “I am with you, says the Lord.” 14 So the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and worked on the house of the Lord of hosts, their God, 15 on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month, in the second year of King Darius.

In verses 12-15 we’re told that Zerubbabel, Joshua, and the remnant of Israel were provoked (stirred up in their spirits) by Haggai’s message and were motivated to start rebuilding the temple. They were stirred up into obedience and a reverent fear of the Lord overwhelmed them and galvanised them into action. Wisdom came upon them!

Proverbs 9:10 (NKJV)

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,

And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

When we walk in obedience to the teachings of the Bible, we store up for ourselves treasures in heaven where they will not be corrupted. Disobedience of the Word leads only to heartache and pain and to a corrupt soul!

Matthew 6:19-21 (NKJV)

19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Let your heart always be for the things of God first and foremost. God will supply all your needs when He has first place in your heart.

Matthew 6:33 (NKJV)

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

Philippians 4:19 (NIV)

And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.

Chapter 2 (NKJV)

In the second section of Haggai’s message, which follows about a month after the first, Haggai addresses the problem of disappointment, low morale and shattered expectations among the people. The temple they are rebuilding doesn’t come anywhere near as grand and impressive as the first temple that Solomon built some 500 years before!

In verses 1-9 Haggai gives the Jews an encouraging pep talk by reminding them of the great prophetic promises of God’s future Kingdom in the new Jerusalem as spoken of by the preceding prophets and in particular Isaiah and Micah.

He tells them that the new Jerusalem will be the place from which God will redeem the world and that all nations will come and participate in worshipping in God’s future Kingdom which will result in peace for all (Isaiah 9, 60-62; Micah 4-5).

So, the temple plays a key role in God’s plans not only for the Jews of the time, but for all the future generations, and the temple the Jews are now rebuilding is a shadow of what is to come. Haggai calls on the people to work in hope and faith, standing on God’s prophetic promises for the future, despite the current disappointing circumstances.

The Coming Glory of God’s House

1 In the seventh month, on the twenty-first of the month, the word of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet, saying: 2 “Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people, saying: 3 ‘Who is left among you who saw this temple in its former glory? And how do you see it now? In comparison with it, is this not in your eyes as nothing? 4 Yet now be strong, Zerubbabel,’ says the Lord; ‘and be strong, Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest; and be strong, all you people of the land,’ says the Lord, ‘and work; for I am with you,’ says the Lord of hosts. 5 ‘According to the word that I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt, so My Spirit remains among you; do not fear!’

In verses 1-5 the Word that God gives to Haggai for the Jews is one of encouragement. The Lord tells them not to make comparisons between the glory of Solomon’s temple and the one they are now building. He exhorts the people to be strong and to continue working on restoring the temple for He is with them as He was with Israel when they were released from Egypt – His covenant promises to them are still with them. He tells them not to fear because His Spirit is still with them.

For today’s Church we need always remember that God is a promise keeper, and he never changes. He is the same yesterday today and always. We too can take encouragement from Haggai’s message when things don’t seem to be going right for us or we have experienced profound loss in our lives. God was good to His children yesterday, He is good to them today and He will be good to us tomorrow and beyond into eternity because we belong to Him through the blood sacrifice of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ!

Hebrews 13:8 (NKJV)

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

2 Corinthians 1:20 (NKJV)

For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.

Deuteronomy 31:6 (NKJV)

Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”

In verses 6-9 Haggai’s message to the Jews from God changes tack from the present day hardship to one of His future glory, not only for the Jews but for all nations – The New Jerusalem with His temple, God and His Lamb will be the new temple, His dwelling place, filled with His glory!

Revelation 21:1-3 (NKJV)

Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. 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. 3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.

Revelation 21:22-24 (NKJV)

22 But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23 The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light. 24 And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it.

6 “For thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Once more (it is a little while) I will shake heaven and earth, the sea and dry land;

In verse 6 Haggai tells us that God at some time in the future, will once again shake the heaven and earth.

Revelation 21:1 (NKJV)

Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea.

7 and I will shake all nations, and they shall come to the Desire of All Nations, and I will fill this temple with glory,’ says the Lord of hosts.

In verse 7 God tells us that at this future time He will shake all nations and they shall come to the “Desire of All Nations.” There is some controversy surrounding what is meant by this phrase, but I am of the opinion that it refers to Jesus based on the fact that every knee shall bow before him. The desire of every born again Christian should be to bow before King Jesus, the Lamb of God, Lord of lords and King of kings!

Philippians 2:9-11 (NKJV)

9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Revelation 7:9-11 (NKJV)

9 After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”

8 ‘The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine,’ says the Lord of hosts.

The Jews had become despondent about the temple they were building not shaping up to the glory of Solomon’s temple. But God says to them in verse 8 that all the silver and gold in the world is His anyway to do what He likes with. God is not interested in material richness He is interested in spiritual richness which includes obedience. All He required from the Jews was to rebuild the temple as He had instructed, instead they were only intent on gaining material wealth for themselves.

God is not interested in our material possessions and wealth! He is interested in our relationship with Him. He is interested in our full obedience to His Word and allowing ourselves to be led and guided by His Holy Spirit. He is interested in us loving our neighbours as ourselves. In this way the Church will bring glory to Jesus!

9 ‘The glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former,’ says the Lord of hosts. ‘And in this place I will give peace,’ says the Lord of hosts.”

In verse 9 Haggai gives a prophetic reference to a future event. This event is the New Jerusalem as mentioned in Revelation 21:1 quoted above. This temple is Jesus Christ and His Bride, the Church. The New Jerusalem filled with the glory of God. The Church are His temple, in the New Jerusalem His glory will shine in and through us. The Church, the Bride of Christ, will be far greater than any of the former temples built by the hands of men!

The People Are Defiled

10 On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet, saying, 11 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Now, ask the priests concerning the law, saying, 12 “If one carries holy meat in the fold of his garment, and with the edge he touches bread or stew, wine or oil, or any food, will it become holy?” ’ ”

Then the priests answered and said, “No.”

13 And Haggai said, “If one who is unclean because of a dead body touches any of these, will it be unclean?”

So the priests answered and said, “It shall be unclean.”

14 Then Haggai answered and said, “ ‘So is this people, and so is this nation before Me,’ says the Lord, ‘and so is every work of their hands; and what they offer there is unclean.

In verses 10-14 Haggai delivers a strong word to the people, he tells them that God considers them to be unclean or defiled before Him because they have neglected His instruction and have turned back to their idolatrous ways.

Haggai engages with the priests in a conversation about ritual purity. If someone touches a dead body and becomes ritually impure or marked by death and then goes to touch some food, does it become impure too? The priests say, “Yes.”

Haggai tells them it is the same with the people of Israel because they have defiled themselves in disobedience and selfishness and what they’re putting their hands to is thus also defiled (the works of their hands in their own strength) and they are unable to receive God’s blessings.

For the Church today we have a similar situation, many in the Church are not putting God first in everything and are only seeking self-gain. Many Christians have turned the things of the world into idols and are worshipping them. If this current generation doesn’t humble themselves and turn from this idolatry, apathy and self-indulgence, then whatever they do with their hands outside of Christ Jesus, including themselves as a temple of God, will become impure before Him!

Promised Blessing

15 ‘And now, carefully consider from this day forward: from before stone was laid upon stone in the temple of the Lord— 16 since those days, when one came to a heap of twenty ephahs, there were but ten; when one came to the wine vat to draw out fifty baths from the press, there were but twenty. 17 I struck you with blight and mildew and hail in all the labors of your hands; yet you did not turn to Me,’ says the Lord. 18 ‘Consider now from this day forward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, from the day that the foundation of the Lord’s temple was laid—consider it: 19 Is the seed still in the barn? As yet the vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate, and the olive tree have not yielded fruit. But from this day I will bless you.’ ”

In verses 15-19 Haggai encourages the people to repent of their wicked ways and turn back to putting God first and heeding His instruction to rebuild the temple. He tells them that when they do this, from that very moment forward, God will bless them, and they will live in the fulness of His love and provision! What they put their hands to will no longer be eaten up by blight, mildew and hail -when they put God first and are obedient to His Word!

It will be the same for God’s people today, His Church, we will be able to live in His full blessing and provision if we repent of not putting Him first in all we do and humble ourselves before Him so that he can lift us up to live in harmony with Him and our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. We will be able to live together in the unity of the Spirit and bring glory to Jesus.

James 4:10 (NKJV)

Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.

Psalm 133:1 (NKJV)

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brethren to dwell together in unity!

Zerubbabel Chosen as a Signet

20 And again the word of the Lord came to Haggai on the twenty-fourth day of the month, saying, 21 “Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying:

‘I will shake heaven and earth.
22 I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms;
I will destroy the strength of the Gentile kingdoms.
I will overthrow the chariots
And those who ride in them;
The horses and their riders shall come down,
Every one by the sword of his brother.

23 ‘In that day,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘I will take you, Zerubbabel My servant, the son of Shealtiel,’ says the Lord, ‘and will make you like a signet ring; for I have chosen you,’ says the Lord of hosts.”

In verses 20-23 Haggai delivers a personal message to from God to Zerubbabel after telling the people that God will defeat all His enemies and destroy all the kingdoms of the Gentiles. He will shake the whole earth and overthrow any kingdom and ruler that stands against Him – in that age as well as the ages to come and in particular the “last days!” No weapon that comes against Israel or His Church will succeed!

Isaiah 54:17 (NKJV)

No weapon formed against you shall prosper,

And every tongue which rises against you in judgment

You shall condemn.

This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord,

And their righteousness is from Me,”

Says the Lord.

The personal message to Zerubbabel is that God will make him like a signet ring for he is God’s chosen one.

Zerubbabel was to become symbolically a “signet ring.” The “Signet ring” in those days was usually worn by the first son in a Jewish family and was engraved with the father’s name and a design to identify the son's authority in the name of the ring’s owner. 

It was also used to attest to the authority of royal messengers who carried papers stamped by the image on the ring (see 1 Kings 21:8). It was also used to mark precious articles. It proved ownership. It proved that Zerubbabel belonged to God!

For us today, all born again believers – His true Church, we carry God’s signet ring! We are chosen ones as well – when we become born again we are sealed by the Holy Spirit. We belong to God the Father. The devil has no hold on us, and we will receive God’s protection and covering here on earth until the Lord returns for us. We are God’s royal priesthood in the name of Jesus.

John 15:16 (NKJV)

You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.

1 Peter 2:9-10 (NKJV)

9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.

Ephesians 1:13-14 (AMP)

13 In Him, you also, when you heard the word of truth, the good news of your salvation, and [as a result] believed in Him, were stamped with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit [the One promised by Christ] as owned and protected [by God]. 14 The Spirit is the guarantee [the first installment, the pledge, a foretaste] of our inheritance until the redemption of God’s own [purchased] possession [His believers], to the praise of His glory.

The Holy Spirit in every born again believer is God’s signet ring and seal of approval and authority on us in Christ Jesus!

NO WORD FROM GOD WILL EVER FAIL!

Luke 1:37 (NIV)

For no word from God will ever fail.”

Prayer
Dear Father
In the name of Jesus, I pray that you would continually fill me with your Holy Spirit and help me to put you first in everything I do. Help me to read and study your Word daily and help me to walk in the power of the Holy Spirit and in the reverent fear of God that I may glorify Jesus. Help me Lord to remain humble before you and put the needs of others before my own. Lord help me not neglect my relationship with the you in order to fulfil my own wants and needs in my own strength and worldly ways.

Amen!

To Jesus belongs all glory, honour and praise!

Jesus the Name above all names!

Remember: Reading this article is no substitute for reading and studying the Bible for yourself. My word is flawed the Bible is not!