The Sermon Be the Parent of Your Future Not the Child of Your Past by Brad Price
Mar 20, 2011
Be the Parent of Your Future Not the Child of Your Past (33:22)
Referenced Scriptures: Romans 15:4; Haggai 2:1-9; Psalm 121:1-2
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The scriptures below are from the WEB Bible.
Romans 15:4
4) For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that through patience and through comfort of the scriptures we might have hope.
Haggai 2:1-9
1) In the seventh month, in the twenty-first day of the month, the Word of Yahweh came by Haggai the prophet, saying,
2) "Speak now to Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua, the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people, saying,
3) ‘Who is left among you who saw this house in its former glory? How do you see it now? Isn‘t it in your eyes as nothing?
4) Yet now be strong, Zerubbabel,‘ says Yahweh. ‘Be strong, Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land,‘ says Yahweh, ‘and work, for I am with you,‘ says Yahweh of Hosts.
5) This is the word that I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt, and my Spirit lived among you. Don‘t be afraid.‘
6) For this is what Yahweh of Hosts says: ‘Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, the earth, the sea, and the dry land;
7) and I will shake all nations. The precious things of all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory, says Yahweh of Hosts.
8) The silver is mine, and the gold is mine,‘ says Yahweh of Hosts.
9) ‘The latter glory of this house will be greater than the former,‘ says Yahweh of Hosts; ‘and in this place will I give peace,‘ says Yahweh of Hosts."
Psalm 121:1-2
1) I will lift up my eyes to the hills. Where does my help come from?
2) My help comes from Yahweh, Who made heaven and earth.
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I know why you think you demonstrate something, but people are demonstrative because the word demonstratives sounds totally different than demonstrate to me that my aunt, but you don't sometimes we'll talk with the hands and moving on in the safety of the old doubt whatever stereotype with the Italians were that way always enough. I I've I've had some good job, friends of the families were very much Italian and some of them were nosed it was it was noisy when they got together, but it's not just amongst Italian buffet that much. Its others to let anything because here's go, but it will be harder, harder hearing silly shout louder and but one person 's trying to watch the TV in the room they had turned TV up really loud. Everyone here with us as my family. Okay, nevermind. Listen him this morning to find a job in earlier not a bad something is for Steve Bernstein how's not nice in a bit. Oh well, I I've had this one in my heart for a while so that information to me this morning. Maybe I'm friction for all this. I don't know but on the throw it out there and you decide, but I thought, word, God 's word, I believe, is applicable in every situation, so it's always got something good inside. So I got some level I share with this morning because I do feel God 's latest message of my heart for us as a church day doing her one little joke before I continue I use a treasured one Sunday morning is that the bridge was giving is the sermon and her two teenage girls in the back of the sanctuary, giggling and disturbing people are really becoming quite a distraction in there talking and not paying attention in the printer interrupted his sermon, said there are two of you here who are not heard a word that I said which what would happen that quieted the young ladies downright so on. The service was over, the preacher went to the door to greet people on their way out and three don't apologize for going to sleep during church. They promise to never happen again. Predecessor fifteen verse four says this, I believe, and that has appear on the projector. If not I will read from the Bible and from my notes, which I also copied in there if you don't believe me go to your own Bible and check it out is to make sure a market in who you say member always check always check check up on the preacher for everything that was written in the past was written. It's a difficult version is ninety yes, so that through endurance and encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. Okay, I guess if I would title this anything today. I would say this be the parent of your future, not the child of your past. Okay, this is what's on my mind this morning. Now old-school testament. The book of EI hey guys the best pronunciation. I promote with it if you got something better. I'm going to entertain options with the book is the second chapter versus one hundred nine on the reader from the new King James version game. I think that's what's up there. Yes, Curly Joe Aguiar, chapter two verses one through nine of this is what's going on. The Israelites have been in bondage, so to speak. A better exile actually in Babylon for approximately seventy years they finally convinced the Babylonians to let them return to Jerusalem to begin rebuilding at the move back and rebuild homes in the first chapter, Peggy, I really rolled off some dozen AVI gave a message to the people living in the well anyhow I'll get that a second adjuster to verses one to nine of the readers read along with the other you wondering your Bible in the seventh month, on the twenty first in the month, the word of the Lord came by Hagy, I often say, speak now to Sarah Babel, the son of Schell TL, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Joseph back high priest, and to the remnant of the people saying it was left among you who saw this temple in its former glory and how do you see it now in comparison with it. Is this not in your eyes is nothing yet now be strong, Sarah Babel says the Lord, and a strong Joshua the son of Joseph that the high priest and be strong. All you people of the land, says the Lord, and work for I am with you, says the Lord of hosts, according to the word that I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt. So my spirit remains among you, do not fear, for most of the Lord of hosts, once more, it is a little while I will shake the heavens and earth can see in dry land, and I will shake all nations, and they shall come to the desire of all nations, and I will fill this temple, glory, says the Lord of hosts, the silver is mine in the gold is mine says the Lord of hosts, the glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former, says the Lord of hosts, and in this place I will give peace, says the Lord of hosts is to the people in the previous chapter in AEI 's first message that he gave to them I received a call from God to build his house 's time to rebuild Solomon 's Temple, which was destroyed. Instead of concentrating so much on their own to people move back in and around Jerusalem were building their own homes. First, when they were called to go back and rebuild the temple first lost their way to sort a got distracted. You know, in much the same way friends. Or in sometimes the same boat. We've been focused to be called out by God 's wireless morning right spirit. I spoke your heart somewhere. Somewhere along the way you felt this was a place to be important enough to focus on rebuilding God 's house inside your own heart right by solicitor God speaks to us the word build this temple inside of our hearts. His home in knots in what was once I'm ruined by the sinful nature that we were born with God wants to rebuild his temple in our hearts and firstly the people have responded to God 's call and just like the Holy Spirit does with us. God is looking into our hearts. God sees discouragement and how discouragement and setting friends. Nothing can suck the life out of you faster than discouragement. Okay, comparing the past to the present in my own opinion is about the fast track to discouragement that you can get there. That's Brad 's opinion. Okay so the trap of comparing the presence of the past and that's why Jesus said the person who who love to put their hand up while share and looks backward is unfit for the kingdom of God. Jesus said, you know they will store grew up in the boondocks down lovely on a farm. My grandpa lived right there next our place and have was Horsemen. He was come out of a very great Mennonite influence and so he loved working with horses. He had a team of horses to the day he died just back this past September, but Pat like these horses, Guam, the spring. And while early to get on the field with a with a horse and plow a lot faster than he could get out the tractor a lot a lot sooner in the year, but angry here ever try plowing with either a plow behind your holding a plow by chain behind a tractor were plowing behind team of horses are members. A kid trying to and it was one of the most difficult things I've ever tried, and I never got the mastery of it. He could think of the team of horses held the reins. All I did was try to hold the plow okay and it was everywhere and it was all over the place and I was doing it all wrong and I got frustrated got worked up a good hope to raise together with him over her shoulder. He can do the reins. The horses in the plow all-in-one and everything was laser straight, but a lot of times, you wind up as your when you're going somewhere, okay, if you're plotting a course from where you are to where you're going right all you need to spots where I'm at now where I'm going to that healthy plot course right does it involve the past but somewhere back there. Do we need to use that as a reference point as to where we're going. All we need is here where we armor had soup. I can, I got sucked in the trap of looking behind me to see what things look like and I got drowned by my grandfather. He was not yelling man. He was a quiet man, but I'd say ground. He didn't raise his voice, but to listen to worry about what's back there worried about where you're at clown clown track right now. Don't worry about what happened back there is out of his future worked up and get you frustrated okay the past has a value. I like to study history like to read history. I love all revolutionary American Revolutionary history probably is my most favorite. I also like to read about European history, but it's about were run now and were going to the Passos Duffy, because I don't want to repeat the mistakes of the past right thing. That's good thing. But instead of discouragement God 's word gives us this strength for today and an expectation for tomorrow okay. Strength for the day where I'm at now an expectation of what tomorrow's dinner. Bring so God said, I am with you the text today. Chapter two verses one through nine, is the second prophecy that idea. I gave in the first one he warned the people to begin the work of rebuilding the Temple, they focused all the attention on themselves, building their own homes concerning themselves with that while the Temple was left in ruins and their priorities were little mixed up. Maggie, I encourage them to get things right so because of high gas encouragement in the prophecy is, but sometimes people get a little to care it away the commercial side. Be careful here. Okay, prophecy is so excitable to prophecy and think everything with prophecies foretell okay to me, but for tell elements before that happened when prophecy is ninety percent or telling them I say foretelling. I mean this prophecy is telling forth of the goodness of God and his encouragement to God 's people. Okay, ninety percent of prophecy is encouraging God 's people through God 's word about God 's goodness, but people sometimes get a little confused and I think every bit of prophecy is foretelling something is going to happen. Okay, there is that there is that aspect, but I want to say biblical prophecy and all points to God 's strength. So because of high GIs prophecy and encouragement, and exhorting people to begin the work in September of that year. However, it only for the money and discouragement set in. People were coming in in the first chapter, there occurs to celebrate the festival 's okay. People were coming in to celebrate festivals and their muttering words of discouragement. They said things like this. It just ain't like it used to be here things on his greatest things used to be here. Things used to be great. The Temple used to be glorious Temple, usually filled with cedar logs. The Temple was wrapping gilded in gold and rapid children and silver. It aggressively talking about the good old days. But how great they were out of so much better than things are now like what pastor has to say the good old days necessarily work any better. It's just that were stronger now, because we and what we did back then were stronger now. Today, okay, but comparing the past to where we are now is one of the quickest ways to discourage people and suck the life out of them. God told hagiography to the people. Does anybody remember this house. This temple in its former splendor, and there were some people who remember what it was like seventy years ago. You see, there were people who would come back with the remnant of Israel after exile who were old enough to remember the good old days. The role rather remember the glory days, he said, I still can remember it. Then, in comparison, how does it look to you now, how does it look to you now. It must seem like nothing at all, compared to how it used to be, and he said what he think in their minds, it was never going to be like it was before. It had nothing to do with the size of the temple was being rebuilt. In all actuality, when they set about rebuilding the Temple after the Babylonian exile and to build bigger they were going to get bigger than it used to be, but that's not all people remembered it. I remember the past, a lot of times, everything tasted better. Everything shinier, wasn't it, there were more people involved in something. It was more this and more. That was in it. We always tend to glorify a few certain things in our past and remember back in. We killed certain things that we have no business building friends and we get discouraged because we say, well, it's not like that now here was: Bill larger than it used to be, but they couldn't see that because they were looking with their past thoughts today have those resources. The Solomon had installed originally built the Temple do you know anything about what took place and what was going on, the King of Lebanon gave an cedar logs like crazy right to build. They had offerings of gold. Everything was so ornate and so fancy. This temple was being built was humbler friends. I will say that much. They didn't have all the silver and gold as Solomon had rebuilt Temple they couldn't afford to pay skilled craftsmen from other countries the way Solomon did with his big warchest and he said it could never be like it used to be and people were discouraged and people were disheartened look at the economy in the past month have you thought about perhaps of economy might've been different. Five. Ten years ago. Fifteen years ago, and we might like that better than a minute and better people can get discouraged in so many ways by comparing today to yesterday to the point where people get ready to give up you can make that an spiritual analogy analogies you can make it church. You can make it in anything that you want to and we can discourage ourselves but notice what God says, the radii, and he says this first four but now strong Sarah Babel says the Lord, and be strong, Joshua, son of Joseph that the high priest and be strong. All you people of the land, says God, and work for I am with you, says the Lord of hosts look at the phrase, but now six letters. Okay, but it's too really big words, what now insinuates that something has got to change the people 's understanding has changed the people 's attitudes must change and the peoples focused must change. This is what now be strong. Three times in verse four. The phrase appears and in looking into some air interlinear Bible study. The phrase. Be strong, comes from the Hebrew work on his act, which denotes a frame of mind which enables somebody to pursue something, or initiate something with fervor and with diligence, Joshua chapter one verse six when they are ready to leave the wilderness, and go take the promised land. Joshua said to be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors. I would give them. Josh was telling them not only to continue but to do it with all their might and all of their passion and God says it's time to get to work because I am with you. God is encouraging people and calls out to leaders Sarah Babel and he calls out Joshua by name and he calls up will take action. It's time to step up. This is said in first Chronicles chapter twenty verse twenty. Be strong and courageous, and then work don't be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord my God is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. You will see to it that all the work related to the temple of the Lord is finished correctly, just like the apostle Paul said to the Romans. Those sings a song if God is for us, who can be against us in a God puts the icing on the cake when he says my spirit remains among you, just as I promised when you came out of Egypt. So do not be afraid, Zechariah four six says it is not my force or by strength, but by my spirit says the Lord of heavens armies if God was with them, and the Holy Spirit was within then they could not fail if God was with them, and the Holy Spirit was with them, and they had nothing to fear at all, God is still here, friends, God is still here, and God is still involved in our lives will story I came across a father was looking out the kitchen window at his seven -year-old son playing in the sandbox in the backyard and he watched his boy as he moves several large rocks of the sandbox, but there was one very big rock that was giving the little boy a quite a hard time came, he wants the boy moved to the edge of the sandbox, but it doesn't look like you would be ready to move out and just about it fell back in and the last time pages long fingers okay the father walked out who boy was crying and he said, what's the matter, and the little boy told him all about the heavy rock in the sandbox. The last one that he wanted out, and his dad said white knees all the strength you have isolated bad I gave it everything I had. I couldn't get it out of the box. They said no son even asked me to help him with that debt reached down and together, him and his boy move the rock out of the sandbox together a we have lots of strength. We have lots of resources available to us. Okay, in just as God told the people in Haggai 's time trying to rebuild Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple. I think God is saying to us today. Be strong. Okay, take initiative take action. God wants to do something here. Ephesians chapter six verse ten says this a final word, be strong in the Lord that it is mighty power. I think I would tell us never give up never given. Don't give out. God is still here and you're what he never changes. We change things happen. Okay, God is unchanging, and God would encourage us to serve him with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength. This is biblical prophecy friends. It is the edification. It is the building up of the body of Jesus Christ. That's warm, as were about here. Okay, encouragement, this morning I think I would tell us don't be afraid to get to work because I'm with you, Matthew, sixteen, eighteen, Jesus said upon by this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not. Congress Jesus has promised to be with us till the end of the age and he has not broken his promise. This church is not Brad 's church. This church is not your church. This church is God 's church became together. Yes, we come together and we make it up his Holy Spirit is still here with us in this place book of acts chapter one verse eight says this, but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you and you will be my witnesses. My prayer is the power of Pentecost, the alive and well in this church because Holy Spirit will fill us overflowing with an outpouring that will change our lives, and change lives of everybody that we come in contact with K the power to make a difference. The power to overcome circumstances around us, and along astray. For the present but also gives us as I said earlier, an expectation for tomorrow. Okay, he said the future glory affinity greater, although got support from Haiti, IR, so now forgot isn't done yet. He said, for this is what the Lord of heaven 's army says it just a little while I will again shake the heavens near the oceans and the dry land, I will shake the nations in the treasures of all the nations we brought the Temple. I will fill this place with glory, says the Lord of heavens armies he told him not to worry about the precious shining pretty things don't take care of themselves. God said there's nothing wrong with a humble, simple okay nothing wrong with the humble Temple with baby doesn't have all the fragrant cedar and he doesn't have all the gold in all the silver is nothing wrong with that, this time for that later. God said, but there are more important things to be done. God said he would be the shaking for the nations to bring contributions to rebuild the Temple and he said that he would fill the sample with his boring and is referring to more than just glory of gold and silver more than just rubies, diamonds, or the precious clothing that the priest war he fought with all the tools and sediment he's talking about. The only minority can come from him his glory. He was talking about his son, Jesus Christ and how he comes to the church. Jesus came step in the history. Jesus, I want to say we said earlier about Matthew sixteen, eighteen or not that was in it. It was some or was it were, was at a loss to your somewhere grazing. Now we're back to it later wasting time on that. It's like this, friends, Jesus is God 's presence came to earth fixed our sin problem rose again. In so doing defeated death defeated the grave to make eternal life available for us and God poured out his Holy Spirit and the chaplain then enacts as we see these are the future glory in the temple will be greater than the past glory. So if it was that great back then, the beautiful ornate Solomon 's Temple, and he said it was going to better yet the reason for this because it will be graced by the presence of the Messiah, the son of God. This is one of them before, Matthew, chapter twelve, six, I tell you there is one here. Jesus said, who is even greater than the temple, how can it help but be greater than with the presence of Jesus in our lives came across as the poem. It reads like this. I was regretting the past and fearing the future, and suddenly my board was speaking my name is I am. He paused. I waited the continued when you live in the past with its mistakes and regrets it is hard. I am not there. My name is not. I was when you live in the sure its problems and fears. It is hard. I'm not there. My name is not, I will be when you live in this moment it is not hard. I am there. My name is I am ever one God spoke to Moses through the burning bush and most one round round sparring with God and profitable reasons why he was unable to do any contribution for what God wanted them to do deliver his people, and finally said what was supposed to tell them when I go there and say, God speaking to me and ask what your name is, what am I supposed to tell them what God say he said. I am didn't say I was even say I am who I used to be writing what I used to be. God said, I am God doesn't dwell on the past. We as people sometimes get stuck in the past. Sometimes we get bogged down dwelling on the past and all the good things, it might've been there, Exodus, chapter sixteen, first to the Israelites were longing for the good old days back, Major General Moses was waiting them out. It wasn't too much longer after they left Egypt. There were long for the good old days as a bank that our clocks were pulled a set what God do to change that in Exodus sixteen for God was able to deal with their complaining and he said, behold, I will rain down bread from heaven, and so God gave the manner that's how he was able to take care of them by giving them meet in the evening and read on the ground in the morning. God was able to take care of them know what in the following verses we find out that what God gave them each day was only good enough for what just that day except for the day before the Sabbath, God gave them a double amount. At last the Sabbath him fresh outpouring. Same thing here that what God might've done twenty five years ago or last week is not going to be his today and it's not an abuse in the future friends. We need a fresh outpouring of God 's Spirit in our lives every day in this place to shake us out of our routines, and take us into tomorrow. Still, even in Deuteronomy chapter twenty six. When God was giving a law to Moses and the rules. We talked about gathering the time of the ten percent attentive level of what they had. He said the time was never to be given to the deck points of the idea that our energies are for today for tomorrow. God 's provision. He gives us now is for today to curious into tomorrow. Even Philippians three thirteen, fourteen, says forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Ecclesiastes seven ten. Don't long for the good old days. He says this is not wise. Jesus is not the great I wisely is the great I am. And God has a great future in store for obscure friends right here right now. God does have a very great future in store and we to press on towards that goal, we need to expect that God is going to fill this temple with his glory Ephesians three twenty says, now all glory to God who is able through his mighty power at work within us to accomplish infinitely more than we could ask for. Think God has power over all things you can do more than what you and I can dream up, and more than you and I can imagine it's okay to have expectations for tomorrow we should have we should have expectations that God is very good. Something powerful. We should have expectations that God is going to do something new and something mighty in this place and we should have expectation that God wants to do something miraculous in this place and we need to expect that future glory is greater than past glory systemically if you would let me ask you this. Are you discouraged it all, and where things are at. God gives strength for the present, God gives this expectation for what tomorrow holds things look bleak to them. Things looked smaller, darker things look shabbier, but God came in and so no, it's not the way it is. It's going to be better than it ever was, and I believe it by his Holy Spirit. I believe it. That's the way it's going to be here that things are going to be better than they've ever been. It's got a be for the presence of God 's Holy Spirit. That's the only way that's the only way some chapter one twenty one versus one Sue says I look up to the mountains does my help come from there. My help comes from the Lord, maker of heaven andI know why you think you demonstrate something, but people are demonstrative because the word demonstratives sounds totally different than demonstrate to me that my aunt, but you don't sometimes we'll talk with the hands and moving on in the safety of the old doubt whatever stereotype with the Italians were that way always enough. I I've I've had some good job, friends of the families were very much Italian and some of them were nosed it was it was noisy when they got together, but it's not just amongst Italian buffet that much. Its others to let anything because here's go, but it will be harder, harder hearing silly shout louder and but one person 's trying to watch the TV in the room they had turned TV up really loud. Everyone here with us as my family. Okay, nevermind. Listen him this morning to find a job in earlier not a bad something is for Steve Bernstein how's not nice in a bit. Oh well, I I've had this one in my heart for a while so that information to me this morning. Maybe I'm friction for all this. I don't know but on the throw it out there and you decide, but I thought, word, God 's word, I believe, is applicable in every situation, so it's always got something good inside. So I got some level I share with this morning because I do feel God 's latest message of my heart for us as a church day doing her one little joke before I continue I use a treasured one Sunday morning is that the bridge was giving is the sermon and her two teenage girls in the back of the sanctuary, giggling and disturbing people are really becoming quite a distraction in there talking and not paying attention in the printer interrupted his sermon, said there are two of you here who are not heard a word that I said which what would happen that quieted the young ladies downright so on. The service was over, the preacher went to the door to greet people on their way out and three don't apologize for going to sleep during church. They promise to never happen again. Predecessor fifteen verse four says this, I believe, and that has appear on the projector. If not I will read from the Bible and from my notes, which I also copied in there if you don't believe me go to your own Bible and check it out is to make sure a market in who you say member always check always check check up on the preacher for everything that was written in the past was written. It's a difficult version is ninety yes, so that through endurance and encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. Okay, I guess if I would title this anything today. I would say this be the parent of your future, not the child of your past. Okay, this is what's on my mind this morning. Now old-school testament. The book of EI hey guys the best pronunciation. I promote with it if you got something better. I'm going to entertain options with the book is the second chapter versus one hundred nine on the reader from the new King James version game. I think that's what's up there. Yes, Curly Joe Aguiar, chapter two verses one through nine of this is what's going on. The Israelites have been in bondage, so to speak. A better exile actually in Babylon for approximately seventy years they finally convinced the Babylonians to let them return to Jerusalem to begin rebuilding at the move back and rebuild homes in the first chapter, Peggy, I really rolled off some dozen AVI gave a message to the people living in the well anyhow I'll get that a second adjuster to verses one to nine of the readers read along with the other you wondering your Bible in the seventh month, on the twenty first in the month, the word of the Lord came by Hagy, I often say, speak now to Sarah Babel, the son of Schell TL, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Joseph back high priest, and to the remnant of the people saying it was left among you who saw this temple in its former glory and how do you see it now in comparison with it. Is this not in your eyes is nothing yet now be strong, Sarah Babel says the Lord, and a strong Joshua the son of Joseph that the high priest and be strong. All you people of the land, says the Lord, and work for I am with you, says the Lord of hosts, according to the word that I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt. So my spirit remains among you, do not fear, for most of the Lord of hosts, once more, it is a little while I will shake the heavens and earth can see in dry land, and I will shake all nations, and they shall come to the desire of all nations, and I will fill this temple, glory, says the Lord of hosts, the silver is mine in the gold is mine says the Lord of hosts, the glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former, says the Lord of hosts, and in this place I will give peace, says the Lord of hosts is to the people in the previous chapter in AEI 's first message that he gave to them I received a call from God to build his house 's time to rebuild Solomon 's Temple, which was destroyed. Instead of concentrating so much on their own to people move back in and around Jerusalem were building their own homes. First, when they were called to go back and rebuild the temple first lost their way to sort a got distracted. You know, in much the same way friends. Or in sometimes the same boat. We've been focused to be called out by God 's wireless morning right spirit. I spoke your heart somewhere. Somewhere along the way you felt this was a place to be important enough to focus on rebuilding God 's house inside your own heart right by solicitor God speaks to us the word build this temple inside of our hearts. His home in knots in what was once I'm ruined by the sinful nature that we were born with God wants to rebuild his temple in our hearts and firstly the people have responded to God 's call and just like the Holy Spirit does with us. God is looking into our hearts. God sees discouragement and how discouragement and setting friends. Nothing can suck the life out of you faster than discouragement. Okay, comparing the past to the present in my own opinion is about the fast track to discouragement that you can get there. That's Brad 's opinion. Okay so the trap of comparing the presence of the past and that's why Jesus said the person who who love to put their hand up while share and looks backward is unfit for the kingdom of God. Jesus said, you know they will store grew up in the boondocks down lovely on a farm. My grandpa lived right there next our place and have was Horsemen. He was come out of a very great Mennonite influence and so he loved working with horses. He had a team of horses to the day he died just back this past September, but Pat like these horses, Guam, the spring. And while early to get on the field with a with a horse and plow a lot faster than he could get out the tractor a lot a lot sooner in the year, but angry here ever try plowing with either a plow behind your holding a plow by chain behind a tractor were plowing behind team of horses are members. A kid trying to and it was one of the most difficult things I've ever tried, and I never got the mastery of it. He could think of the team of horses held the reins. All I did was try to hold the plow okay and it was everywhere and it was all over the place and I was doing it all wrong and I got frustrated got worked up a good hope to raise together with him over her shoulder. He can do the reins. The horses in the plow all-in-one and everything was laser straight, but a lot of times, you wind up as your when you're going somewhere, okay, if you're plotting a course from where you are to where you're going right all you need to spots where I'm at now where I'm going to that healthy plot course right does it involve the past but somewhere back there. Do we need to use that as a reference point as to where we're going. All we need is here where we armor had soup. I can, I got sucked in the trap of looking behind me to see what things look like and I got drowned by my grandfather. He was not yelling man. He was a quiet man, but I'd say ground. He didn't raise his voice, but to listen to worry about what's back there worried about where you're at clown clown track right now. Don't worry about what happened back there is out of his future worked up and get you frustrated okay the past has a value. I like to study history like to read history. I love all revolutionary American Revolutionary history probably is my most favorite. I also like to read about European history, but it's about were run now and were going to the Passos Duffy, because I don't want to repeat the mistakes of the past right thing. That's good thing. But instead of discouragement God 's word gives us this strength for today and an expectation for tomorrow okay. Strength for the day where I'm at now an expectation of what tomorrow's dinner. Bring so God said, I am with you the text today. Chapter two verses one through nine, is the second prophecy that idea. I gave in the first one he warned the people to begin the work of rebuilding the Temple, they focused all the attention on themselves, building their own homes concerning themselves with that while the Temple was left in ruins and their priorities were little mixed up. Maggie, I encourage them to get things right so because of high gas encouragement in the prophecy is, but sometimes people get a little to care it away the commercial side. Be careful here. Okay, prophecy is so excitable to prophecy and think everything with prophecies foretell okay to me, but for tell elements before that happened when prophecy is ninety percent or telling them I say foretelling. I mean this prophecy is telling forth of the goodness of God and his encouragement to God 's people. Okay, ninety percent of prophecy is encouraging God 's people through God 's word about God 's goodness, but people sometimes get a little confused and I think every bit of prophecy is foretelling something is going to happen. Okay, there is that there is that aspect, but I want to say biblical prophecy and all points to God 's strength. So because of high GIs prophecy and encouragement, and exhorting people to begin the work in September of that year. However, it only for the money and discouragement set in. People were coming in in the first chapter, there occurs to celebrate the festival 's okay. People were coming in to celebrate festivals and their muttering words of discouragement. They said things like this. It just ain't like it used to be here things on his greatest things used to be here. Things used to be great. The Temple used to be glorious Temple, usually filled with cedar logs. The Temple was wrapping gilded in gold and rapid children and silver. It aggressively talking about the good old days. But how great they were out of so much better than things are now like what pastor has to say the good old days necessarily work any better. It's just that were stronger now, because we and what we did back then were stronger now. Today, okay, but comparing the past to where we are now is one of the quickest ways to discourage people and suck the life out of them. God told hagiography to the people. Does anybody remember this house. This temple in its former splendor, and there were some people who remember what it was like seventy years ago. You see, there were people who would come back with the remnant of Israel after exile who were old enough to remember the good old days. The role rather remember the glory days, he said, I still can remember it. Then, in comparison, how does it look to you now, how does it look to you now. It must seem like nothing at all, compared to how it used to be, and he said what he think in their minds, it was never going to be like it was before. It had nothing to do with the size of the temple was being rebuilt. In all actuality, when they set about rebuilding the Temple after the Babylonian exile and to build bigger they were going to get bigger than it used to be, but that's not all people remembered it. I remember the past, a lot of times, everything tasted better. Everything shinier, wasn't it, there were more people involved in something. It was more this and more. That was in it. We always tend to glorify a few certain things in our past and remember back in. We killed certain things that we have no business building friends and we get discouraged because we say, well, it's not like that now here was: Bill larger than it used to be, but they couldn't see that because they were looking with their past thoughts today have those resources. The Solomon had installed originally built the Temple do you know anything about what took place and what was going on, the King of Lebanon gave an cedar logs like crazy right to build. They had offerings of gold. Everything was so ornate and so fancy. This temple was being built was humbler friends. I will say that much. They didn't have all the silver and gold as Solomon had rebuilt Temple they couldn't afford to pay skilled craftsmen from other countries the way Solomon did with his big warchest and he said it could never be like it used to be and people were discouraged and people were disheartened look at the economy in the past month have you thought about perhaps of economy might've been different. Five. Ten years ago. Fifteen years ago, and we might like that better than a minute and better people can get discouraged in so many ways by comparing today to yesterday to the point where people get ready to give up you can make that an spiritual analogy analogies you can make it church. You can make it in anything that you want to and we can discourage ourselves but notice what God says, the radii, and he says this first four but now strong Sarah Babel says the Lord, and be strong, Joshua, son of Joseph that the high priest and be strong. All you people of the land, says God, and work for I am with you, says the Lord of hosts look at the phrase, but now six letters. Okay, but it's too really big words, what now insinuates that something has got to change the people 's understanding has changed the people 's attitudes must change and the peoples focused must change. This is what now be strong. Three times in verse four. The phrase appears and in looking into some air interlinear Bible study. The phrase. Be strong, comes from the Hebrew work on his act, which denotes a frame of mind which enables somebody to pursue something, or initiate something with fervor and with diligence, Joshua chapter one verse six when they are ready to leave the wilderness, and go take the promised land. Joshua said to be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors. I would give them. Josh was telling them not only to continue but to do it with all their might and all of their passion and God says it's time to get to work because I am with you. God is encouraging people and calls out to leaders Sarah Babel and he calls out Joshua by name and he calls up will take action. It's time to step up. This is said in first Chronicles chapter twenty verse twenty. Be strong and courageous, and then work don't be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord my God is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. You will see to it that all the work related to the temple of the Lord is finished correctly, just like the apostle Paul said to the Romans. Those sings a song if God is for us, who can be against us in a God puts the icing on the cake when he says my spirit remains among you, just as I promised when you came out of Egypt. So do not be afraid, Zechariah four six says it is not my force or by strength, but by my spirit says the Lord of heavens armies if God was with them, and the Holy Spirit was within then they could not fail if God was with them, and the Holy Spirit was with them, and they had nothing to fear at all, God is still here, friends, God is still here, and God is still involved in our lives will story I came across a father was looking out the kitchen window at his seven -year-old son playing in the sandbox in the backyard and he watched his boy as he moves several large rocks of the sandbox, but there was one very big rock that was giving the little boy a quite a hard time came, he wants the boy moved to the edge of the sandbox, but it doesn't look like you would be ready to move out and just about it fell back in and the last time pages long fingers okay the father walked out who boy was crying and he said, what's the matter, and the little boy told him all about the heavy rock in the sandbox. The last one that he wanted out, and his dad said white knees all the strength you have isolated bad I gave it everything I had. I couldn't get it out of the box. They said no son even asked me to help him with that debt reached down and together, him and his boy move the rock out of the sandbox together a we have lots of strength. We have lots of resources available to us. Okay, in just as God told the people in Haggai 's time trying to rebuild Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple. I think God is saying to us today. Be strong. Okay, take initiative take action. God wants to do something here. Ephesians chapter six verse ten says this a final word, be strong in the Lord that it is mighty power. I think I would tell us never give up never given. Don't give out. God is still here and you're what he never changes. We change things happen. Okay, God is unchanging, and God would encourage us to serve him with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength. This is biblical prophecy friends. It is the edification. It is the building up of the body of Jesus Christ. That's warm, as were about here. Okay, encouragement, this morning I think I would tell us don't be afraid to get to work because I'm with you, Matthew, sixteen, eighteen, Jesus said upon by this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not. Congress Jesus has promised to be with us till the end of the age and he has not broken his promise. This church is not Brad 's church. This church is not your church. This church is God 's church became together. Yes, we come together and we make it up his Holy Spirit is still here with us in this place book of acts chapter one verse eight says this, but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you and you will be my witnesses. My prayer is the power of Pentecost, the alive and well in this church because Holy Spirit will fill us overflowing with an outpouring that will change our lives, and change lives of everybody that we come in contact with K the power to make a difference. The power to overcome circumstances around us, and along astray. For the present but also gives us as I said earlier, an expectation for tomorrow. Okay, he said the future glory affinity greater, although got support from Haiti, IR, so now forgot isn't done yet. He said, for this is what the Lord of heaven 's army says it just a little while I will again shake the heavens near the oceans and the dry land, I will shake the nations in the treasures of all the nations we brought the Temple. I will fill this place with glory, says the Lord of heavens armies he told him not to worry about the precious shining pretty things don't take care of themselves. God said there's nothing wrong with a humble, simple okay nothing wrong with the humble Temple with baby doesn't have all the fragrant cedar and he doesn't have all the gold in all the silver is nothing wrong with that, this time for that later. God said, but there are more important things to be done. God said he would be the shaking for the nations to bring contributions to rebuild the Temple and he said that he would fill the sample with his boring and is referring to more than just glory of gold and silver more than just rubies, diamonds, or the precious clothing that the priest war he fought with all the tools and sediment he's talking about. The only minority can come from him his glory. He was talking about his son, Jesus Christ and how he comes to the church. Jesus came step in the history. Jesus, I want to say we said earlier about Matthew sixteen, eighteen or not that was in it. It was some or was it were, was at a loss to your somewhere grazing. Now we're back to it later wasting time on that. It's like this, friends, Jesus is God 's presence came to earth fixed our sin problem rose again. In so doing defeated death defeated the grave to make eternal life available for us and God poured out his Holy Spirit and the chaplain then enacts as we see these are the future glory in the temple will be greater than the past glory. So if it was that great back then, the beautiful ornate Solomon 's Temple, and he said it was going to better yet the reason for this because it will be graced by the presence of the Messiah, the son of God. This is one of them before, Matthew, chapter twelve, six, I tell you there is one here. Jesus said, who is even greater than the temple, how can it help but be greater than with the presence of Jesus in our lives came across as the poem. It reads like this. I was regretting the past and fearing the future, and suddenly my board was speaking my name is I am. He paused. I waited the continued when you live in the past with its mistakes and regrets it is hard. I am not there. My name is not. I was when you live in the sure its problems and fears. It is hard. I'm not there. My name is not, I will be when you live in this moment it is not hard. I am there. My name is I am ever one God spoke to Moses through the burning bush and most one round round sparring with God and profitable reasons why he was unable to do any contribution for what God wanted them to do deliver his people, and finally said what was supposed to tell them when I go there and say, God speaking to me and ask what your name is, what am I supposed to tell them what God say he said. I am didn't say I was even say I am who I used to be writing what I used to be. God said, I am God doesn't dwell on the past. We as people sometimes get stuck in the past. Sometimes we get bogged down dwelling on the past and all the good things, it might've been there, Exodus, chapter sixteen, first to the Israelites were longing for the good old days back, Major General Moses was waiting them out. It wasn't too much longer after they left Egypt. There were long for the good old days as a bank that our clocks were pulled a set what God do to change that in Exodus sixteen for God was able to deal with their complaining and he said, behold, I will rain down bread from heaven, and so God gave the manner that's how he was able to take care of them by giving them meet in the evening and read on the ground in the morning. God was able to take care of them know what in the following verses we find out that what God gave them each day was only good enough for what just that day except for the day before the Sabbath, God gave them a double amount. At last the Sabbath him fresh outpouring. Same thing here that what God might've done twenty five years ago or last week is not going to be his today and it's not an abuse in the future friends. We need a fresh outpouring of God 's Spirit in our lives every day in this place to shake us out of our routines, and take us into tomorrow. Still, even in Deuteronomy chapter twenty six. When God was giving a law to Moses and the rules. We talked about gathering the time of the ten percent attentive level of what they had. He said the time was never to be given to the deck points of the idea that our energies are for today for tomorrow. God 's provision. He gives us now is for today to curious into tomorrow. Even Philippians three thirteen, fourteen, says forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Ecclesiastes seven ten. Don't long for the good old days. He says this is not wise. Jesus is not the great I wisely is the great I am. And God has a great future in store for obscure friends right here right now. God does have a very great future in store and we to press on towards that goal, we need to expect that God is going to fill this temple with his glory Ephesians three twenty says, now all glory to God who is able through his mighty power at work within us to accomplish infinitely more than we could ask for. Think God has power over all things you can do more than what you and I can dream up, and more than you and I can imagine it's okay to have expectations for tomorrow we should have we should have expectations that God is very good. Something powerful. We should have expectations that God is going to do something new and something mighty in this place and we should have expectation that God wants to do something miraculous in this place and we need to expect that future glory is greater than past glory systemically if you would let me ask you this. Are you discouraged it all, and where things are at. God gives strength for the present, God gives this expectation for what tomorrow holds things look bleak to them. Things looked smaller, darker things look shabbier, but God came in and so no, it's not the way it is. It's going to be better than it ever was, and I believe it by his Holy Spirit. I believe it. That's the way it's going to be here that things are going to be better than they've ever been. It's got a be for the presence of God 's Holy Spirit. That's the only way that's the only way some chapter one twenty one versus one Sue says I look up to the mountains does my help come from there. My help comes from the Lord, maker of heaven and