Your Latter Will Be Greater

- 6 For thus says the Lord of hosts: Once again, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land; 7 and I will shake all the nations, so that the treasure of all nations shall come, and I will fill this house with splendor, says the Lord of hosts. 8 The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, says the Lord of hosts. 9 The latter splendor of this house shall be greater than the former, says the Lord of hosts; and in this place I will give prosperity, says the Lord of hosts.

The title of today’s message is, Your Latter Will Be Greater.

As we come to the end of another year, the older we get, the faster they seem to go. But to move forward, sometimes we have to glance back. This time of year there are many programs on TV where they do a review of the year.

As Love Christian Center takes a glance back, we’ve had some people come and we’ve had some go. Others just stopped through on their way to somewhere and something else.

As individuals, we’ve had some challenges, the enemy attacked our heart using our children and grandchildren, he attacked our bodies with pain and accidents and we experienced the death of one of our own for the first time, there were relationships that ended, some people showed us who they really were and it wasn’t pretty.

But as we glance back, we can also celebrate the victories, the new members, the births, the birthdays, the anniversaries, wedding and church and the fact that we’re still standing, we’re still loving and we’re still looking forward to our future with great anticipation and expectation.

You see we can glance back, but make sure a glance is all it is, because you can’t go forward, looking back. We glance back and we use those experiences as a spring board into what’s to come and I’m expecting great things in 2019. How about you?

We made some moves in 2018 to bring a better 2019. We had our first worship service discussing business of importance, we presented a calendar of events for next year, we’ve made a sign-up list for ministry leaders and special events, we’ve created a budget—a God-sized budget, we’ve created a building fund plan, we start training for our first two deacons next year. You see if you want to get something different, you have to do something different. But we’re still doing Bible study and Intercessory prayer, because there are some things that are foundational.

In our text, it’s eighteen years after the children of Israel had been released from their 70-year Babylonian captivity. They had settled into their lives, going about their days, planting and harvesting, building their own homes, doing their day to day stuff…isn’t that just like us? We get so busy with the cares of this world to the point where circumstances and other people dictate our lives, outside forces determine what we do rather than us planning our own lives, determining what we will and won’t do and when we will and won’t do it.

They did then what we sometimes do today, the thing that should have been first was ignored. The temple of the Lord laid in ruins, ignored. Instead of praying we’re on the run, dropping off or picking up children, going to the grocery store, trying to clean the house—instead of taking time to study, we’re tired and falling asleep—instead of meditating on the Word we’re surfing the net.

There were probably people going by the Temple everyday and never even giving it a second thought or a second look. Much like us here, although we’ve been here 4 years, there are people who still say they didn’t even know there was a church here, yet, they go to the store next door on a regular basis and never give us a second look. Is it us or is it them?

What the children of Israel experienced is they planted much but harvested little. They ate but were not satisfied. They drank but they were still thirsty. They put on clothes but couldn’t keep warm. Their wages disappeared as though they were putting them in pockets filled with holes! They were running but going nowhere, like a hamster on a spinning wheel.

Have you ever felt like you were going and going, but you weren’t making any head way? You were working and working but you never had enough money to pay your bills. You were doing and doing, but never seemed to get anything done. You might need to check your priorities. What are you putting first?

They were running but going nowhere. Have you ever felt like you were going and going, but you weren’t making any head way? You were working and working but you never had enough money to pay your bills. You were doing and doing, but never seemed to get anything done. You might need to check your priorities. What are you putting first?

Through the prophet Haggai, God is instructing the people to rebuild His house, take care of His house and He would take care of them. This message is not so different from some others we see in Scripture.

Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test! 11 Your crops will be abundant, for I will guard them from insects and disease. Your grapes will not fall from the vine before they are ripe,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. 12 “Then all nations will call you blessed, for your land will be such a delight,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

“Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.”

The NLT says it this way, “38 Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.”

What are you putting first in your life? Is it God or is it something or someone else? What is it you’re trying to hold on to? Let it go—so God can bless you with more, so He can bless you with better, so your latter will be greater than your past.

God is calling for us to glorify him, to put him first, to worship him with our first fruits. To trust Him with everything, our lives, our children, our time, our talent and our money. Because guess what, they all belong to him and to give back to Him what he has blessed us with is just our reasonable service to Him. And when we do that, when we can get that down in our spirit, watch Him bless us, watch him do exceeding, abundantly above all that we could ask or think according to the power, that is the Holy Ghost power that works in us.

Until we get our priorities straight, we can’t be blessed. And it starts at the head, I’m talking to me too. There are some things that I don’t even have to think about, it’s just what I do, and there some others it’s going to take a concerted effort on my part to put in order. One of our intercessory prayers is setting proper priorities and it says

Father, too often I allow urgency to dictate my schedule, and I am asking You to help me establish priorities in my work. I confess my weakness* of procrastination and lack of organization. My desire is to live purposefully and worthily and accurately as a wise, sensible, intelligent person. You have given me a seven-day week—six days to work and the seventh day to rest. I desire to make the most of the time [buying up each opportunity]. Help me plan my day, and stay focused on my assignments. In the name of Jesus, I demolish and smash warped philosophies concerning time management, tear down barriers erected against the truth of God, and fit every loose thought, emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ. I clear my mind of every obstruction and build a life of obedience into maturity. Father, You are in charge of my work and my plans. I plan the way I want to live, but You alone make me able to live it. Help me to organize my efforts, schedule my activities and budget my time. Jesus, You want me to relax. It pleases You when I am not preoccupied with getting, so I can respond to God’s giving. I know You, Father God, and how You work. I steep my life in God-reality, God-initiative and God-provisions. By the grace given me, I will not worry about missing out, and my everyday human concerns will be met. I purpose in my heart to seek (aim at and strive after) first of all Your Kingdom, Lord, and Your righteousness [Your way of doing and being right], and then all these things taken together will be given me besides. Father, Your Word is my compass, and it helps me see my life as complete in Christ. I cast all my cares, worries and concerns over on You, that I might be well-balanced (temperate, sober of mind), vigilant and cautious at all times. I tune my ears to the word of wisdom and set my heart on a life of understanding. I make insight my priority. Father, You sent Jesus that I might have life and have it more abundantly. Help me remember that my relationship with You and with others are more important than anything else.

Can anyone else say amen to that prayer or is it just me? We all have areas of our lives we need and want to work on, improve on. We all have some things we need to put down and some others we need to pick up. Saints it’s time, let the Spirit of God stir up the gift in you to get you moving in the right direction, because when we move in the right direction individually, we’ll move in the right direction collectively and Love Christian Center will go to another level in Christ.

The Israelites got to work and they rebuilt the temple, but it wasn’t at all the first one was. Remember, the first one was the one Solomon built and it was magnificent. The walls were lined with gold and there were those who had seen for themselves the first Temple and no doubt they were only too eager to share their disappointment at what was being built now.

Anybody ever look at something at think, wow this isn’t as nice as the other one, or have someone else say to you this building isn’t as nice as my old church, you’re all happy and they come along and just try to rain on your parade; but watch this...

All God needs is for you to just start, take a step and He’ll meet you where you are and take you to where He wants you to be. If you put the wheels in motion, He’ll provide the oil to keep them moving.

You may not be able to run like you used to — but you can still walk

You may not have the money you used to — but you still have income

The building we worship in now may not be as grand as some of the ones we’ve worshiped in before - but the Lord still meets us here and anoints us with His precious Holy Spirit.

Now see what the text says in — Chapter 2, verse 6 and 7, and we have to note this is for all the people, not just the leaders, the text says, “For thus says the Lord of hosts: Once again, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land; 7 and I will shake all the nations, so that the treasure of all nations shall come, and I will fill this house with splendor, says the Lord of hosts.

6 For thus says the Lord of hosts: Once again, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land; 7 and I will shake all the nations, so that the treasure of all nations shall come, and I will fill this house with splendor, says the Lord of hosts. 8 The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, says the Lord of hosts. 9 The latter splendor of this house shall be greater than the former, says the Lord of hosts; and in this place I will give prosperity, says the Lord of hosts.

Just as He’s done before, God is about to shake some things up on our behalf. When we started there was much opposition against us being here, it appeared the Lord was the only one on our side, but he put a lone voice that would speak out for us on the Planning and Zoning Board, then He had a county commissioner who spoke out and in a room full of naysayers and opposers we got our permit.

Then you might ask, “How is it a church our size can have what we have and be debt free”. It’s the grace of God. And He’s not finished yet, in fact He’s only just begun. Eye has not seen, ear has not heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man what God has prepared for those who love Him. Do you love Him today? Then get ready, because He’s about to shake some stuff up, anybody feel that earthquake that TN had a few weeks ago. Anybody hear about the tsunami in Indonesia? The heavens and the earth are being shaken, wake up people and get ready.

God is about to shake the nations, and here’s what’s really exciting to me, He’s shaking the nations so that their treasure is poured out; that treasure is coming and God is filling this house with splendor. He’s filling this house with His splendor.

He can do that because He said, 8 “The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, says the Lord of hosts.” Stop trying to hang on to stuff, to money, to people, stop trying to manipulate situations and circumstances, thinking you’re going to hold out until something better comes. Your better is here, your better is now and it’s only going to get gooder and gooder because God goes on to say in verse 9 The latter splendor of this house shall be greater than the former, says the Lord of hosts; and in this place I will give prosperity, says the Lord of hosts.

8 The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, says the Lord of hosts. 9 The latter splendor of this house shall be greater than the former, says the Lord of hosts; and in this place I will give prosperity, says the Lord of hosts.

I’m not a prosperity preacher but I do preach the truth of God’s Word and church you’d better get ready and hang on because we’re about to take off and I don’t want anyone to be left behind, I don’t want anyone to feel like they can’t go too and this is your invitation so don’t look for another one because we’re about to get real busy for the Lord. We’re going to get busy but we’re not going to be tired because we’re going to learn to set proper priorities. We’re going to mount up on wings as eagles, we’re going to run and not grow weary, we’re going to walk and not faint, because the Spirit of the Lord will rest upon us and give us the grace and strength we need to do exactly what God is calling us to do.

A move of God is on the way and I am so excited; church can you get excited with me. I know what it looks like right now, my physical eyes see the numbers right now, but with my spiritual eyes I see a building filled with the people of God, on fire, ready, willing and able to work and coming with a blessing in hand to give to God, instead of with their hand outstretched trying to receive.

I see the people of God going into the highways and the hedges taking blessings and bringing people into the Kingdom of God. I see people coming and asking what must I do to be saved, they’re asking, “how do I get Jesus like you?” And each of us is able to walk them through the steps of salvation, then we can invite them to church. The harvest is ripe and yes the laborers are few but I see some more laborers coming, those that will join the work of Christ, not just putting their name on the role. You see it’s about more than being ready when Jesus comes, it’s about going and making more disciples while we’re here.

Jesus said in - Go ye therefore and make disciples, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe whatsoever things I have commanded you. It’s not just about increasing the roll at Love Christian Center, it’s about making people who look like, talk like, walk like, live like Christ. Who have the love of Christ down in their heart and it comes out in the way they deal with God’s people, no matter how those people behave.

You see Jesus didn’t come for the righteous, he came for the sinner. The same way the well don’t need a doctor, the righteous don’t need a Savior, but says that all have sinned and fall short… so we all needed a Savior and Jesus came to be that Savior. So as we see our brothers and sisters, remember, Jesus loves them too, He died for them too, He wants them to accept his free gift too and they can’t receive what’s never presented. Whatever your packaging may look like, there is someone who will be happy to receive it.

I present Jesus to you right now, will you receive Him? The doors of the church are open for salvation.

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