Consider Your Ways

After the Babylonians invaded Judah and destroyed “the house of God” (2 Chr 36:19), they took many Jews captive to Babylon (2 Ki 24:14). Their exile lasted for 70 years as prophesied by Jeremiah the prophet (Jer 25:12). Then, the Jews were allowed to return to Jerusalem and start rebuilding. However, “the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building” (Ez 4:4). When the work stopped, they began to focus on re-building their own houses and farms while neglecting God’s house! The Lord called the prophet Haggai and told them to, “consider your ways.” He wants them to look at what they are doing! When we also consider our ways, we must ask: What are we doing?

Why are we doing it? And whose ways are we following? As God’s children, we need to understand that everything we see around us is temporal (2 Cor 4:18). We should always follow and walk according to God’s ways (1 Jn 2:6), instead of the ways of men (Prov 14:12). The people of Judah thought that what they were doing was right in their own eyes (Prov 16:2), but they were only following their ways and not God’s way. Therefore, God stopped blessing them. There is only one way to do God’s way, and that is His way (Isa 55:8)!

There are many false teachers and false prophets today (2 Pet 2:1). Sadly, many professing believers also “follow their pernicious ways” (2 Pet 2:2), because they lack discernment (Heb 5:14). What we do and why we do things for the Lord must come directly from His word (1 Thes 2:13), and not from heretical men who have rejected Him (Jer 8:9)! God’s ways are clearly written in His word the Bible (Deut 5:33). We can learn them through the preaching and teaching ministry of the local church (1 Tim 3:15). The Holy Spirit will guide us “into all truth” (Jn 16:13). When we consider our ways, we must always follow God’s ways! God bless you!



- Pastor Melito Barrera