Haggai: Called to Rebuild the Temple

The Enemy May Stall, But None Shall Stop the Prophetic Promises talks about the enemy's influence in stalling the progression of the temple building project.  Eighteen years have passed have passed since the Cyrus gave approval to the temple project, but because they were delayed by the enemy, the people turned their attention to building their own homes.  God's temple was in ruins, yet the people lived in "paneled houses."
 
 
Haggai 1:2-4
Amplified Bible (AMP)
 

² Thus says the Lord of hosts: These people say, The time is not yet come that the Lord’s house should be rebuilt [although Cyrus had ordered it done eighteen years before].

³ Then came the word of the Lord by Haggai the prophet, saying,

⁴ Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses while this house [of the Lord] lies in ruins?

 
Today, the "temple" God is calling us to rebuild is our own body, because as Christians "your body is the temple (the very sanctuary) of the Holy Spirit Who lives within you."
 
1 Corinthians 6:18-20
Amplified Bible (AMP)
 

¹⁸ Shun immorality and all sexual looseness [flee from impurity in thought, word, or deed]. Any other sin which a man commits is one outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body.

¹⁹ Do you not know that your body is the temple (the very sanctuary) of the Holy Spirit Who lives within you, Whom you have received [as a Gift] from God? You are not your own,

²⁰ You were bought with a price [purchased with a preciousness and paid for, made His own]. So then, honor God and bring glory to Him in your body.

 

Father is calling us to rebuild who we are "inside." Haggai teaches us that "holiness is not infectious." In other words, we aren't holy just because we attend a church service or perform in a godly manner.  We are holy, because Jesus has imparted His holiness in us when we accepted His gift of salvation.  Yet, Haggai also teaches us the "unholiness is infectious."  The way that we live matters to God, and it starts with who we are on the inside, the place where His Spirit lives.

 

Joyce Meyer's had it right when she said the reason we read the Bible is "so we don't live stupid."  Friends, the Bible teaches us the way to build our personal, internal temple, and what's awesome is that Holy Spirit empowers us to do it!  It is a never-ending building project.  We are being remade each day as each day He pours out His mercy.  We just need to be willing to turn our attention to the thing that really matters, building a house that is suitable for the King of Kings!