Grace Community Church
Big Idea: Our best ideas and decisions in life aren't the best until they have been submitted to God.
To hear from God, we can't just tell Him what we're deciding to do as we do it, but we must take the time to pause, to listen. We need to make space for God to speak into our lives and truly submit our best ideas and plans to Him.
Proverbs 3:5-6 (NLT)
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
do not depend on your own understanding.
6 Seek his will in all you do,
and he will show you which path to take.
Proverbs 3:7-8 (NLT)
7 Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom.
Instead, fear the Lord and turn away from evil.
8 Then you will have healing for your body
and strength for your bones.
Haggai 2:10-19 (ESV)
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, 11 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: Ask the priests about the law: 12 ‘If someone carries holy meat in the fold of his garment and touches with his fold bread or stew or wine or oil or any kind of food, does it become holy?’” The priests answered and said, “No.” 13 Then Haggai said, “If someone who is unclean by contact with a dead body touches any of these, does it become unclean?” The priests answered and said, “It does become unclean.” 14 Then Haggai answered and said, “So is it with this people, and with this nation before me, declares the Lord, and so with every work of their hands. And what they offer there is unclean. 15 Now then, consider from this day onward. Before stone was placed upon stone in the temple of the Lord, 16 how did you fare? When one came to a heap of twenty measures, there were but ten. When one came to the wine vat to draw fifty measures, there were but twenty. 17 I struck you and all the products of your toil with blight and with mildew and with hail, yet you did not turn to me, declares the Lord. 18 Consider from this day onward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month. Since the day that the foundation of the Lord's temple was laid, consider: 19 Is the seed yet in the barn? Indeed, the vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate, and the olive tree have yielded nothing. But from this day on I will bless you.”
Being around Godly people doesn't give you a relationship with God, but being around ungodly people can push you farther away from God.
Amos 5:14 (NLT)
Do what is good and run from evil
so that you may live!
Then the Lord God of Heaven’s Armies will be your helper,
just as you have claimed.
Jeremiah 29:13 (NIV)
You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
For My Personal Time With God This Week:
[#1] Read Haggai and see the work God was calling His people then to do. Pay special attention to Haggai 2:10-19. Why do you think God’s people minimized the importance of prayer and listening to God in this story? How can you relate in your own life?
[#2] Read Proverbs 3:5-8 and Jeremiah 29:13. What do these Scriptures say about listening to God? What are they saying to you?
[#3] Pastor Dave shared this week from Haggai what he called God’s Principle of Proximity: Being around Godly people doesn’t give you a relationship with God, but being around ungodly people can push you farther away from God. Do you see any ways in your life where this possibly applies? What is God leading you to do to take one step closer to Him?
[#4] Pray about the decision laying ahead of us as a community this month, to expand and improve our campus here for future ministry. Ask God to give you clarity and peace, even if it means strength and courage, and perhaps personal sacrifice, will be involved. Speak to leaders at Grace about any questions or concerns you might have that they could answer.