from Despair to Delight

Pastor Calvin Lee

Haggai 2:1-9

Why did discouragement sets into the hearts of the people in chapter 2?
- answer Haggai 2:3
- it's got to do with memory
- instead of celebrating, they were lamenting

Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don't mind it doesn't matter.
-Mark Twain-

Ezra 3:11-13

Reasons why this is happening :
- they were looking back to the good old days (they were looking back to the good old temple)
- they were playing the comparison game (the more they compare the more discourage they become)
- they were living in the past and downgrading the present (the memory of the past has become a burden to them)

How can we move from state of despair to delight?
(1) LOOK AWAY (Haggai 2:4-5)
- we need to move on from the past and be strong in the present. We cannot constantly live on this life and looking back the rear view mirror
(2) LOOK UP (Haggai 2:6-8)
- have a new perspective view of God and experience the power of God. Perspective eg. David & Goliath (1 Samuel 17:45)
(3) LOOK FORWARD (Haggai 2:9)

** We build more than we can see **
** Don't just look at the present condition and make a conclusion out of it **
** We trust in the unseen hands of God **

Some of us are holding on to the memory of the past that we cannot enjoy the present. Some of us are fearful of tomorrow that we cannot enjoy the present.

Sometimes God will allow you to experience a bigger-than-life Goliath so that you get to experience a bigger-than-goliath God.
-Tony Evans-

Hebrew 12:26-28
The world may be shaken but we belong to an unshakable kingdom