The Lord is always at work in our lives, teaching, purging, guiding, and strengthening.

In the little book of Haggian, we learn great truth about his work in us and how we are to work with him.

Welcome to God's Construction Zone. Let's join Scott Pauley Manor as we studied together.

As a child, we used to sing the little chorus,

He's still working on me to make me what I ought to be.

There really ought to be a sign upon my heart.

Don't judge me yet.

There's an unfinished part.

For I'll be perfect, just according to his plan,

fashioned by the master's loving hand. I don't know about you,

but all these many years later, after living a little while, I'm glad he's still working on me.

And I'm glad he still allows me to get in on his work. We've begun our study of this

amazing little book, the two-chapter long book of Haggai in the Old Testament.

And we've come to Haggai chapter 1, verse number 8, where God says to his people,

go up to the mountain and bring wood and build the house.

And I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, sayeth the Lord.

Now the house that he wants built is not just any house.

This is not a house for Haggai to live in. This is not a house for people of Judah to live in.

This was God's house. It's a definite reference to the temple. And you remember in the Old Testament

economy, the life of Israel revolved around the temple. The temple was the place of sacrifice.

It was the place of worship. It was the place where they met with God. It was the place where

the shakana glory of God descended. It was the visible reminder of the presence of the Lord.

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