1.  “For it is not so much of our time and so much of our attention that God demands; it is not even all our time and all our attention; it is ourselves.  For each of us the Baptist’s words are true: ‘He must increase and I must decrease.” (C.S. Lewis from his last sermon, ‘A Slip of the Tongue,’ in Magdalene College Chapel, Cambridge)

2.  The Israelites wrongly assumed that God had to bless them without delay because they had begun His work, by resuming the building of the Temple.  Haggai answers with three points pertinent to us today:

-they had not considered the pervasive nature of sin and had taken it lightly

-sin, even forgiven sin, has consequences which must run their course and may not immediately abate

-God is faithful to His Word and to His erring people

3.  God is not interested in religious people but in holy, consecrated people; He is not interested in sacrifice but in obedience; He is not interested in ritualism but in sincere worship.

4.  “God requires true obedience not just going through the motions.  Haggai emphasizes poverty of religious exercises apart from obedience to all the will of God.  Disobedience and self-will make even spiritual service to God profane and unacceptable.  Mark 7:6-8: ‘These people honor me with their lips but their hearts are far from me.’” (source unknown)

5.  Trying to make youe4self acceptable with God through ceremonies and all that sort of thing is like pouring a gallon of Chanel No. 5 on a pile of fertilizer out in the barnyard in an effort to make it clean and fragrant.  My friend, it won’t work.” (McGee)

6.  When we turn from sin and disobedience we do not always wee immediate results but we must trust God that they will come.