More important than your Dream House

All images are from Pinterest & WordPress

What is your dream house?

For me I always wanted a pool.

With a house filled with glass in front.

Still dreaming about it.

We all dreamed of our own dream house with its beautiful designs.

Nothing wrong with it.

But beneath theses dreams….

God wants to be in the picture….

Is God more important than your dream house?

If God is your God, He is your # 1.

PRIORITY.

First reading today mentions Haggai, a prophet urging Jews to prioritize God’s temple construction….

Over their own house.

Over their dream house..

As free men…

Newly settled in Judea.

God wants us to prioritize His affairs.

We block God’s blessings in our lives when we do not put Him No. 1.

Make Him No.1

And your life will be truly rich.

Gospel today is about the past haunting Herod the tetrach.

Jesus reminds Herod of John the Baptist.

The guilt is still carried inside Herod.

Are we trapped in the past by guilt?

Guilt ties us up in the past.

We do not need to be slaves chained with the past.

We are free.

Thru the name of Jesus.

The past should not scare us anymore.

Thursday Sept 26 2019

First Reading HAGGAI 1:1-8

In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, on the first day of the month, the word of the LORD came by Haggai the prophet to Zerub’babel the son of She-al’ti-el, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehoz’adak, the high priest, “Thus says the LORD of hosts: This people say the time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the LORD.” Then the word of the LORD came by Haggai the prophet, “Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins? Now therefore thus says the LORD of hosts: Consider how you have fared. You have sown much, and harvested little; you eat, but you never have enough; you drink, but you never have your fill; you clothe yourselves, but no one is warm; and he who earns wages earns wages to put them into a bag with holes. “Thus says the LORD of hosts: Consider how you have fared. Go up to the hills and bring wood and build the house, that I may take pleasure in it and that I may appear in my glory, says the LORD.

Set up: Jews now are in Jerusalem.

They are free people….

but construction of the house of God is delayed…

By their own choice.

Haggai is one of the prophets urging Jews to finish construction of God’s temple.

What do these verses mean to me?

● Jews in post-exile stage are still hard headed

● Still needed Haggai & other leaders to prioritize God’s temple

● Prioritized construction of their own houses & delay God’s temple

They have not learned the lesson.

Your needs versus God’s dwelling…

Which is more important to you?

God wants to be the God of your all.

So put God # 1 in your life.

In 2nd year of King Darius, 6th month, on 1st day of the month:

● Word of God came to Haggai the prophet passed to :

– Zerub’babel (son of Sheal’tiel, governor of Judah)

– Joshua (son of Jehoz’adak, the high priest)

“Thus says the LORD of hosts: This people say the time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the LORD.”

“Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins?

If we go back to King David, King David first thought of a dwelling fit for God.

His descendants however, think differently.

As a loving parent, God wants to be in every part of their life.

Consider how you have fared. You have sown much, and harvested little; you eat, but you never have enough; you drink, but you never have your fill; you clothe yourselves, but no one is warm; and he who earns wages earns wages to put them into a bag with holes.

God tells them that they are still struggling in their new life in Judea.

If we do not put God # 1, we block God’s blessings

Go up to the hills, bring wood & build the house, that I may take pleasure in it & that I may appear in my glory, says the LORD

If we really loved God, then His house is important to us.

We contribute by giving back to our Mother Catholic Church.

His affairs & Spreading Jesus to the world is your priority.

Tithing:

In my catholic community, we practice tithing.

Give 10% of what we receive, back to God thru the church.

We give freely, not out of obligation.

We trust God will take care of our affairs when we take care of His house & His Kingdom.

God does not need your money.

Or mine.

He owns everything in this world.

God asks your participation.

To His house.

To His kingdom.

To see your priorities.

That you prioritize His affairs in your life.

Is God really your God?

Gospel LUKE 9:7-9

Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done, and he was perplexed, because it was said by some that John had been raised from the dead, by some that Eli’jah had appeared, and by others that one of the old prophets had risen. Herod said, “John I beheaded; but who is this about whom I hear such things?” And he sought to see him.

Who is Herod the Tetrach?

● son of Herod the king (killed male babies during Jesus’ birth)

● John the Baptist opposed his adultery with Herodias (his new wife & former wife of his brother Herod II)

● Responsible for John the Baptist’s death

● One of the leaders decided for Jesus execution

● brought Jesus back to Pontius Pilate for Final decision for crucifixion

● His father is an Edomite & his mother, a Samaritan

What do these verses mean to me?

● Herod the Tetrach still carries guilt of killing John the Baptist

● he knew in heart, killing John the Baptist is wrong

● Guilt ties him up with fear to the past

Guilt ties us up with fear to the past.

● Herod has not seen Jesus

● The past haunts Herod thru what he hears about Jesus

Is it Jesus’ fault so Herod will feel guilty?

No.

● Out of curiosity, Herod the Tetrach wants to meet Jesus

● They met after 3 years

What does it relate to Jesus?

● Jesus became famous up to top government leaders because of His’ good works & miracles

● Because of Jesus’ works & teachings, people reporting to Herod had different opinions

They think Jesus is:

● Risen John the Baptist

● Elijah

● Old prophet risen

● Jesus reminds Herod of his past with John the Baptist

● Jesus was not self-conscious with the impression of people to Him

● Jesus carried on even if He was misunderstood yet diligent in His role

Can we carry on with our mission even if we are misunderstood?

What does it relate to the future?

● We can be misunderstood like Jesus

● When people can’t understand you, continue your mission to God

● Free yourself from the ghost of the past

● Guilt makes us slaves of the past

● Guilt places fear of the past in our hearts

● Remove guilt: asking God forgiveness & forgiving yourself

● Be humble to recognize your mistakes

● Repent & live a different life

● Change today

● Know that you will never go back to that sin again

● God wants us to be free, not tied down from the past

● We are no longer slaves of the past