QT 09/12/2025 Tue. Haggai 1 When God is not first, everything else becomes restless. 当神不居首位时，万事便失序。

QT 09/12/2025 Tue. Haggai 1 When God is not first, everything else becomes restless.
READ http://www.esv.org/haggai1

🔨 Haggai 1 is a stirring call from God to re-order our priorities, awaken our hearts, and return to wholehearted obedience.

1️⃣ Putting Your Own Business Above God’s Business Is Wrong (Haggai 1:1–5)

The people had returned from exile, but God’s house still lay in ruins. Meanwhile, they had poured their energy into building comfortable homes and stable lives. None of those desires were sinful— until they displaced God’s mission.

The Lord’s question cuts through centuries and lands on us today: “Is it time for you to flourish in your own pursuits while My work is neglected?” We often justify our delay:

• “When life calms down…”
• “When finances improve…”
• “When I’m less stressed…”

But spiritual procrastination is still disobedience. God invites us to reorder our priorities right now—not tomorrow.

Reflection: Where have I placed comfort, career, or personal goals above obedience, worship, or service?

2️⃣ There Are Physical Consequences to Spiritual Wellness and Fidelity (Haggai 1:6–11)

Even today, many would try to disconnect their spiritual behaviour with what’s happening in the real world or their own world! While we might not have exhaustive understanding of all cause-and-effect consequences, we should not talk and live as if there were NO consequences at all for the state of our love for the LORD.

God tells the people that their lack of satisfaction, their financial struggle, and their unfruitful labour are connected to their misplaced priorities. They harvested little, felt unsatisfied, and watched resources slip away. Their external lack mirrored internal disobedience.

This doesn’t mean every hardship is a direct punishment—Scripture is careful about that. But Haggai highlights a principle: When God is not first, everything else becomes restless. When we neglect worship, generosity, righteousness, or mission, life begins to feel thinner, smaller, and more self-consuming. The Lord lovingly frustrates our self-made kingdoms so we will return to His.

Reflection: Where is God using frustration, lack, or restlessness to call me back to Himself?

3️⃣ In the End, Spiritual Revival Is God’s Work Among Leaders and People (1:12–15)

The most beautiful part of Haggai 1 is what happens after the rebuke. Three groups are mentioned:
The political leader — the governor. The spiritual leader — the high priest. The community — the remnant of the people.

And what happens to them? They hear the word of the Lord, they fear the Lord, and they obey. But the key isn’t their reaction—it’s the source of their renewal: God Himself “stirs up the spirit” of the leaders and the people.

Revival is never the achievement of human effort. It is always the work of God awakening hearts, aligning leaders, and uniting His people in obedience and worship. What begins as a rebuke ends as a renewal. What starts in discouragement ends with courage. What begins with apathy ends with a community eager to work for God’s glory.

Reflection: Do I believe that God can stir my heart—and the hearts of leaders and communities—for fresh obedience and renewed mission today?

✨ Application for Today

(1) Reorder your priorities. Put God’s kingdom first—not as an afterthought but as the center.

(2) Watch for spiritual signs in practical frustrations. Let setbacks be invitations to evaluate the heart.

(3) Pray for God’s stirring. True revival—in families, churches, leaders, and communities—is always God-initiated.

(4) Obey immediately. Like the remnant, move when God speaks; obedience is the doorway through which revival walks.

🙏 Prayer

Lord, help me put Your work above my comforts and ambitions. Where my life feels thin or frustrated, show me how You are calling me back to You. Stir my heart as You stirred the governor, the high priest, and the remnant of the people. Bring revival—beginning in me, flowing into my home, my church, and my community. Strengthen my hands to work for Your glory. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

QT 09/12/2025 星期二.  哈该书1章.. 当神不居首位时，万事便失序。
阅读 http://m.bbintl.org/bible/ncv/hag/1/

🔨 哈该书1章是神发出的振聋发聩的呼召，要我们重整优先次序、唤醒心灵、回归全心顺服。

1️⃣ 优先处理私事而非神的事是错误的（哈该书1:1-5）

百姓虽已从流亡归回，但神的殿宇仍成废墟。与此同时，他们倾注心力建造舒适的居所与稳定的生活。这些渴望本身并非罪恶——直到它们取代了神的使命。

主的话语穿越时空直指今日：“你们是否只顾自己兴旺，在追求自身利益的同时，却忽略了我的工作？” 我们常为拖延找借口：

• “等生活平静些...”
• “等经济好转...”
• “等压力减轻些...”

但属灵的拖延仍是悖逆。神呼召我们此刻就重新排序优先级——而非推迟至明日。

反思：我何时将舒适、事业或个人目标置于顺服、敬拜或事奉之上？

2️⃣ 属灵健康与忠心关乎肉体后果（哈该书1:6-11）

即便在今天，许多人仍试图将属灵行为与现实世界或自身处境割裂开来！虽然我们未必能完全理解所有因果关系，但绝不该言行举止仿佛我们对主的爱毫无后果可言。

神告诉百姓，他们心怀不满、经济拮据、劳碌无果，皆因优先次序错乱。他们收成微薄，心怀不满，眼见资源流失。外在的匮乏映照出内心的悖逆。

这并非意味着每种困境都是直接惩罚——圣经对此持谨慎态度。但哈该书揭示了一个原则：当神不居首位时，万物便陷入不安。当我们忽视敬拜、慷慨、公义或使命时，生命便开始变得单薄、狭隘且自我消耗。主以慈爱挫败我们自建的王国，好叫我们回归祂的国度。

反思：神正借着何种挫折、匮乏或不安呼召我归向祂？

3️⃣ 属灵复兴终是神在领袖与百姓中的作为（1:12-15）

哈该书第一章最动人的部分，是责备之后的转变。经文提及三类群体：
政治领袖——省长。属灵领袖——大祭司。群体——百姓的余民。

他们经历了什么？他们听见耶和华的话语，敬畏耶和华，并遵行祂的命令。但关键不在于他们的反应，而在于更新的源头：是神亲自“激动”领袖与百姓的心。

复兴绝非人力所能成就，乃是神的工作——祂唤醒人心，整顿领袖，使祂的子民在顺服与敬拜中合一。以责备为始，终成更新；以沮丧为始，终得勇气；以冷漠为始，终成热切为神荣耀而劳作的群体。

反思：我是否相信神今日仍能搅动我的心——以及领袖与群体的内心——唤醒崭新的顺服与更新的使命？

✨ 今日应用

(1) 重整优先次序。将神的国度置于首位——不是事后才想到，而是作为核心。

(2) 在实际挫折中察看属灵征兆。让挫折成为省察内心的契机。

(3) 祈求神的感动。真正的复兴——在家庭、教会、领袖和群体中——永远源于神的主动。

(4) 即刻顺服。如余民般在神发声时行动；顺服是复兴临到的门户。

🙏 祷告

主啊，求祢助我将祢的事工置于舒适与野心之上。当生命感到枯竭或受挫时，求祢显明如何召我归向祢。求祢如曾感动总督、大祭司和余民那样，搅动我的心。求祢带来复兴——从我开始，流进我的家、我的教会、我的社区。求祢坚固我的双手，为祢的荣耀而劳作。奉耶稣的名求。阿们。