Yesterday, we saw that defilement spreads easily in the physical world. And today we can understand that it does in spiritual things too. The people had become defiled because of their neglect of the temple. Just attending services did not purify them any more than touching something blessed brought blessing.

Haggai was speaking to the priests of his day, not because he needed the answers, but to see if they could understand the message. Would you ask a priest or pastor for a spiritual answer to a query that you have? Are your church leaders approachable to their church members?

Consecration does not rub off! Because you mix with church attending friends, does not mean you will pass the righteousness test when trying to get into heaven. Even attending church every week of your life does not guarantee a place in Heaven. Only a personal relationship with Jesus can do that.

Not one of us is perfect. We are all defiled in one way or another. Sometimes that defilement is from our own wrong doings. Sometimes it can be inherited, and sometimes it is the fault of other people for forcing us to do something we never would choose to do.

This is the continuation of the message yesterday, both for the people rebuilding the temple, and for those following my personal story of the last two days. Our house was certainly a place where the Lord granted us peace. It also became a home for many wanderers and foreign students.

I went to the chapel prepared to sit in silence until God spoke to me. I had not been there very long when a friend also from the church, came to do some work in the church-office. She was as surprised as I was to see anyone else that day.

All of us in our own small ways can be a part of greater things God is doing on the earth. We have to learn to hear His voice for ourselves. But we can join in and listen to other prophets. There are many good ones found on the internet.

The covenant with the Israelites began when Moses brought them out of slavery. God had a plan to solve every problem His people struggle with. As we look at our world, there are many problems, it is good to remind ourselves from time to time that God sees them all.

In my family all of us knew that God was moving us to France in 1983. And then again 30 years later, after our children had all grown and left home, my husband and I had several words from the Lord that we were to move to the west coast.

The Jewish people had been exiled in Babylon. They had returned with enthusiasm and each focused on their own homes and livelihoods. They had planted crops and prepared for the future, and more or less forgotten the God who had been instrumental in helping them return to their home land.