Building God’s House - Mark Cowart Ministries

by Pastor Mark Cowart

Through the prophet Haggai, God convicted his people, who had returned from the Babylonian captivity to the promised land, of neglecting to rebuild His house as He had instructed them to do. He relates the lack of prosperity in their works, His chastening, to their misplaced priorities.

God told the Israelites who had returned from exile to build His house, and they built their own first. We are also the “house” or temple of His Holy Spirit, released from slavery to sin by the redemption of Jesus Christ. The Lord can then build His Church in and through us. Your participation is required in all this.

Your priorities reveal where your heart is, where you have “set your affection”. If you are focused on “things above” rather than worldly things, you will be positioned for blessing to flow through your life. You are God’s temple, and by His Spirit dwelling in you, you become His Church.

God’s house is a structure, but the Church is a living organism. A house is made by humans, but the Church requires divine life.

In studying the book of Haggai, you can explore building the Lord’s house in your life by seeking first His kingdom in all things. This will move you closer to coming into the fullness of God’s purpose for your life, where Jesus can build His Church, first in you and then through you to others.

As part of this process, I challenge you to write down what you see as the top five vulnerabilities or problem areas in your life. This could be your health, marriage, children, addiction, etc. When you have done this, you have also identified what can become your top five priorities. Rank them by importance.

Then study out the Word of God on the first three. See what God has to say about each one. Pray about it as you research it. Set some goals, some deadlines. Press into the Lord. Jesus said if you ask, you shall receive. As you complete your study on one, move another up into the top three, and apply these steps. Expand your list as more vulnerabilities are revealed to you.

As you thus “seek first the Kingdom of God” for your needs, you build God’s house in you, so that Jesus can build His Church in and through you.

DIG DEEPER

Haggai
Mark 4:1-8
Colossians 3:1-2
Acts 17:28
Ezekiel 11:19
Romans 8:37
Philippians 4:13
James 1:5
Matthew 16:18
Matthew 7:7-8
Jeremiah 29:11

PRAY

Thank God that He has a plan for your life.
Repent of having neglected the building of His house, ask forgiveness and receive it in the name of Jesus Christ
Ask Him to help you exercise the discipline to build His house in your life now.
Ask Him to crown your efforts with success.