Priorities

Good morning men. First of all, I want to commend every single guy that showed up here this morning. I used to cancel men’s breakfast in November due to lack of turn out, due to competing activities. It is hunting season in Maine, and for many that is more than a hobby, it is a necessity to provide for their families. But is just a very busy time of year. It seems like those busy seasons have stretched out so they are no longer seasons, they are constants.

Most men that I know, feel like they are crazy busy all the time, and I’m one of them. Sadly, lots of time those same guys that are crazy busy all of the time, feel like they are spinning their wheels and not accomplishing anything of purpose and lasting meaning. I don’t know if you guys can relate to that or not, but someone you know certainly does.

I’ve been challenged recently to re-examine my priorities. It came from being at a gathering of pastors and ministry leaders and the challenge was, “are we resting in Jesus?” Are we spending time with Him, resting in Him, being refreshed in Him. And I know my response, and the response of about 90% of men would be yeah, but probably not enough, or I know it’s not enough, and if you’re busy…then you need even more of it, more rest in Jesus.

But this all caused me to examine and re-examine what it was that I was busy with. Were these things the priorities of the Lord, or just things that I thought were really important, or things that I thought were necessary? Are the priorities that I have in my heart, and the priorities of the Lord the same, and... do my actions, the things I actually do, match what I profess those priorities to be? Does that make sense.

Open you’re bibles with me to the book of Haggai. Turn to the Gospel of Matthew and flip back a few pages. Let me know when you’re there. Hag 1:1-4

Haggai 1:1–4 NKJV

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, 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.” ’ ” 3 Then the word of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet, saying, 4 “Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, and this temple to lie in ruins?”

Haggai 1:5–8 NKJV

5 Now therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts: “Consider your ways! 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.” 7 Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Consider your ways! 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.

Haggai 1:9–11 NKJV

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.”

There is certainly a rebuke in this passage about men allowing the house of the Lord to be in ruins, while they run to their own house and prioritize their own things. But that is not why we are here. It is really this command of the Lord that is repeated twice in these first 11 verses… Thus says the Lord of hosts; “Consider your ways!”

Philippians 3:7–8 NKJV

7 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. 8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ

Paul says here a couple of times this idea of I have counted. These I have counted loss for Christ. And then I also count all things loss…further in verse 8, and Count them as… Paul is evaluating the things in his life. He is considering his ways. Like the Lord instructs in Haggai. Thus says the Lord of hosts; “Consider your ways!”

When we do that, we e-VALUE-ate the importance of them. What things have value? We just went through a couple of years when other people were trying to tell us what was essential and what wasn’t. Thus says the Lord of hosts; “Consider your ways!” What are the essential things, what are the things of value, and what things can be pruned away, so that the Lord’s house, the Lord’s plans for our lives don’t fall into ruins.

What should no longer be prioritized so that we can invest a higher quality of time and treasure into the things of value? Check out verse 14 with me in Haggai 1

Haggai 1:14 NKJV

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,

This is awesome! They heard from the Lord, they considered their ways, they evaluated, determined the things that were of value and the Lord encouraged them in the Spirit. This stirring of the spirit, began in the leaders and it says that it then spread to all the remnant of the people.

Practical Application from the Book of Haggai.

I’ve got 5 points here and they were stolen from Got Questions Ministries, Got questions.org

Practical Application: The Book of Haggai draws attention to common problems most people face even today. Haggai asks us:

1) to examine our priorities to see if we are more interested in our own pleasures than doing the work of God;

2) to reject a defeatist attitude when we run into opposition or discouraging circumstances;

3) to confess our failures and seek to live pure lives before God;

4) to act courageously for God because we have the assurance that He is with us always and is in full control of our circumstances; and

5) to rest secure in God’s hands knowing that He will abundantly bless us as we faithfully serve Him.

So my encouragement to you men that showed up here this morning is this. Take the time to Evaluate before the Lord. Ask Him to direct your steps, to order your steps…A few weeks ago, I attempted to share Psalm 119:133-135

Psalm 119:133–135 NKJV

133 Direct my steps by Your word, And let no iniquity have dominion over me. 134 Redeem me from the oppression of man, That I may keep Your precepts. 135 Make Your face shine upon Your servant, And teach me Your statutes.

But when I went to look it up I looked up verse 33 rather than 133, any of you guys ever not able to find the verse that you’re looking for? The thing is, I love all of Psalm 119, SO I want to share with you the verses I looked at by accident, because it goes with this theme perfectly… Psalm 119:33-35

Psalm 119:33–35 NKJV

33 Teach me, O Lord, the way of Your statutes, And I shall keep it to the end. 34 Give me understanding, and I shall keep Your law; Indeed, I shall observe it with my whole heart. 35 Make me walk in the path of Your commandments, For I delight in it.

Psalm 119:36–37 NKJV

36 Incline my heart to Your testimonies, And not to covetousness. 37 Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things, And revive me in Your way.

That is my prayer for you guys, that you be revived in His way, that He stirs your spirit, and that you share this encouragement with the men that surround you.