STOP SAYING ‘It’s Not the Right Time’: How Delay Keeps Us from God’s Blessing | Pastor Aaron Graham

The story of Haggai is a powerful reminder of God’s faithfulness and the importance of spiritual priorities. God’s promise to Abraham was that all nations would be blessed through his descendants, but the journey of God’s people was marked by cycles of blessing, disobedience, judgment, and restoration. After centuries of God’s patience, the people of Israel and Judah experienced exile, the destruction of their temple, and the loss of their sacred space. When the opportunity came to return and rebuild, only a small remnant responded, and even their initial zeal faded into complacency and apathy.

Haggai’s prophetic voice breaks a long silence, calling the people to “consider their ways.” The unfinished temple was not just a construction problem; it was a symptom of misplaced priorities and spiritual drift. The people had become adept at making excuses, blaming their circumstances and even God for their lack of progress. Yet, God’s challenge was clear: if they truly valued His presence, they would put His work first, even in the midst of scarcity and uncertainty.

God exposes the hypocrisy of living in finished homes while His house remains in ruins. He points out that their lack of fulfillment and fruitfulness is not due to external circumstances, but to disordered priorities. The principle is timeless: peace and flourishing come not from possessions or productivity, but from putting God first in all things. Jesus echoes this in the Sermon on the Mount, urging us to seek first the kingdom of God, trusting that all other needs will be met.

God’s call is not just about buildings, but about hearts aligned with His purposes. He desires a people who love, think, and act—who allow their worship to be reflected in their time, resources, and actions. When God is first, His favor rests on us, multiplying our efforts beyond what we could achieve alone. But when we put ourselves first, we find that our striving leads only to emptiness.

The vision is for a church that shines as a light in the city, not just through physical restoration, but through spiritual renewal. The invitation is to let our light shine, to be part of a move of God that draws others to Him, and to ensure that the church is seen as part of the solution, not the problem. May we be a people who put God first, so that His glory is seen in our lives and in our city.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Spiritual Drift Begins with Small Compromises The returned exiles started with good intentions, eager to put God first, but over time, fatigue, discouragement, and the pressures of life led to spiritual drift. Complacency and apathy crept in, not through dramatic rebellion, but through subtle shifts in priorities. This reminds us that spiritual decline often begins with small, seemingly reasonable compromises that, left unchecked, distance us from God’s purposes. [07:33]
• 2. Excuses Mask Deeper Issues of the Heart The people’s claim that it was “not the right time” to rebuild God’s house was more than a scheduling problem—it was a form of circumlocution, using many words to avoid the real issue. At the core, they were blaming God for their lack of progress, when in reality, their hearts were not fully surrendered. Our excuses often reveal deeper issues of trust, fear, or misplaced values that need to be brought into the light. [11:28]
• 3. God’s Favor Follows Right Priorities, Not Mere Effort Despite their hard work, the people found themselves unfulfilled and unproductive because their priorities were disordered. God’s favor is not earned by busyness or striving, but by putting Him first in every area of life. When we seek God’s kingdom above all else, He multiplies our efforts and brings a peace and fruitfulness that cannot be manufactured by human means. [15:14]
• 4. True Worship Is Reflected in Our Time and Resources Where we invest our time and money reveals what we truly worship, regardless of what we profess. God invites all His people to participate in building His house—not because He needs a building, but because He desires hearts aligned with His glory. Our actions, not just our words, demonstrate whether God is truly first in our lives. [19:39]
• 5. The Church’s Light Shines When God Is First The vision for the church is to be a beacon of hope and renewal in the city, a place where God’s presence is evident and His glory is displayed. When God is not first, the church’s light grows dim, but when we put Him at the center, our collective witness draws others to Him. The call is to let our light shine, both individually and corporately, so that the world may see and glorify God.
  
  ** [27:05]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:31] - God’s Promise and Israel’s Journey
• [01:42] - The Temple and the Divided Kingdom
• [03:04] - Exile and the Loss of Sacred Space
• [04:16] - The Return from Exile
• [05:35] - The Halted Rebuilding and Haggai’s Call
• [06:17] - Complacency and Spiritual Priorities
• [08:11] - Hearing God’s Voice Again
• [10:15] - Excuses and Blaming God
• [12:44] - God Exposes Hypocrisy
• [13:59] - The Futility of Disordered Priorities
• [15:14] - The Principle of Putting God First
• [18:58] - Love, Think, Act: God’s Instructions
• [20:17] - The Purpose: God’s Glory, Not Buildings
• [22:22] - The Cost of Disobedience
• [24:21] - Vision for Spiritual Renewal
• [26:23] - The Church as Light in the City
• [28:21] - Lighting the Tower: A Symbol of Witness
• [30:14] - Letting Our Light Shine
• [30:57] - Prayer and Closing

Bible Reading

Haggai 1:2-11 (ESV) — 2 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: These people say the time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the Lord.”
3 Then the word of the Lord came by the hand of Haggai the prophet,
4 “Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins?
5 Now, therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways.
6 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 does so to put them into a bag with holes.
7 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways.
8 Go up to the hills and bring wood and build the house, that I may take pleasure in it and that I may be glorified, says the Lord.
9 You looked for much, and behold, it came to little. And when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why? declares the Lord of hosts. Because of my house that lies in ruins, while each of you busies himself with his own house.
10 Therefore the heavens above you have withheld the dew, and the earth has withheld its produce.
11 And I have called for a drought on the land and the hills, on the grain, the new wine, the oil, on what the ground brings forth, on man and beast, and on all their labors.”

Matthew 6:33 (ESV) — But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Observation Questions

1. What reasons did the people give for not rebuilding the temple, according to Haggai 1? ([09:27])
2. How does God describe the people’s living situation compared to the state of His house? ([12:44])
3. What repeated phrase does God use through Haggai to get the people’s attention, and what does it mean? ([13:21])
4. According to Matthew 6:33, what does Jesus say should come first in our lives?

Interpretation Questions

1. Why do you think the people’s priorities shifted from rebuilding God’s house to focusing on their own homes and needs? What pressures or fears might have influenced them? ([07:33])
2. The people said, “It’s not the right time” to rebuild. What deeper heart issues might this excuse be covering up? ([11:28])
3. God says their lack of fulfillment and fruitfulness is connected to their priorities, not just their circumstances. How does this challenge the way we think about success and satisfaction? ([13:59])
4. Jesus says to “seek first the kingdom of God.” What does it look like practically to put God first in our daily decisions and use of time and resources? ([15:14])

Application Questions

1. The sermon talked about “spiritual drift” starting with small compromises. Can you think of a time when a small compromise in your priorities led you further from God than you expected? What was the first step, and how did it grow? ([07:33])
2. Are there any areas in your life right now where you find yourself making excuses for not putting God first? What are those excuses, and what might be the real issue underneath? ([11:28])
3. If God were to look at your calendar or your bank statement, what would He say about your priorities? Is there a specific change you feel prompted to make this week? ([13:21])
4. The people in Haggai’s time worked hard but felt unfulfilled. Have you ever experienced a season where you were busy but not fruitful? What do you think was missing? ([13:59])
5. The sermon said, “Where you invest your time and money reveals what you truly worship.” What is one practical way you can re-align your time or resources this month to reflect God’s priorities? ([19:39])
6. The vision for the church is to be a light in the city. What is one way you can let your light shine in your neighborhood, workplace, or community this week? ([27:05])
7. When you think about putting God first, what is one area of your life where you want to invite God’s favor and blessing? What step can you take to surrender that area to Him? ([15:14])