FINISHING UP THE MINOR PROPHETS

Yesterday, we had a great day at Church.  It was a great time with souls being saved and I preached my second sermon on stewardship in a series called:  Matters of the Heart.  Giving is about the heart, not the checkbook.  I'm glad to see so many people responsive to God's truths. Today, I finished up the Minor Prophets.  Here is a thought or so for you today: 1) HAGGAI- This whole book is about rebuilding the temple.  God wants them to build His house.  Five different times God calls to attention things they need to "consider".  In the last chapter of the book in chapter two, verse 19 it says:  "Is the seed yet in the barn?  yea, as yet the vine, and the fig tree, and the pomegranate, and the olive three, hath not brought forth:  from this day will I bless you."  What he means is that IF the people will build the house of the LORD, that from "this day will I bless you."  If we put God's House (our Church) in it's proper place in our lives, then God will take care of our homes as well. 2) THE GREAT BATTLE- The Battle of Armageddon is the future great battle in History.  In Zechariah 14:2 it says:  "For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle."  This will be a great battle unlike anything the world has ever seen.  Millions will die in this one battle!  The blood of the battle field will flow throughout the land.  Praise God, we are not in that battle until the end and we will come with Jesus on white horses and defeat the enemy.  It will have a great end and God's foes will be defeated.  3) TITHES- Malachi 3:8-10  "Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.  9  Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.  10  Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it."   God says some powerful things about our tithing in this chapter.  It would do all Christians well to give liberally to the work of God through the agency of their own local church.  Well, I've got to go for now.  Hope you have a blessed day! Pastor Mike Mutchler