November 1, 2026
Putting God’s Presence First
Will we make way for Him?
When God moves to the margins of our lives, everything else feels empty.
Haggai 1:2-11
1. The neglect of God’s presence often begins with a “not yet.” – Haggai 1:4
“Thus says the Lord of hosts: These people say the time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the Lord.” – Haggai 1:2
Spiritual drift doesn’t happen in a moment. It happens one “not yet” at a time.
Where have you been telling God “not yet”?
2. God’s presence is pushed to the margins when our priorities are misplaced. – Haggai 1:4-6
“Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin?” – Haggai 1:4
The issue wasn’t that they stopped believing in God; it was that they stopped putting Him first.
“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.” – Haggai 1:6
Spiritual emptiness is often a result of misplaced priorities.
3. God often uses dissatisfaction to draw us back to Himself.
“You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little … I blew it away.” – Haggai 1:9
The emptiness they experienced was not God’s rejection. It was God’s invitation.
Sometimes God’s greatest act of love is refusing to let lesser things satisfy us.
Could the restlessness you’re feeling be God’s mercy calling you back to Himself?
God’s invitation
“Give careful thought to your ways” – Haggai 1:5-7
“Seek first the kingdom of God …” – Jesus, Matthew 6:33
“The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former….And in this place I will give peace…” – God, Isaiah 2:9
Let’s prioritize God’s presence.
