Dear Christian friends:

During the past month we had the crisis with Cuba and Russia. Why did that happen? Only because the Russians are bad and greedy? True they are bad and greedy and we caught them in a big lie. First they lied and said there were no missiles on Cuba. Then they said they would take away the missiles if we promised not to invade Cuba. Well, why doesn't God punish them and destroy them? He could easily do that. Why does God let them grow and become stronger and stronger? He is using Russia to make us Christians wake up. He gives us trouble so we will stop and think about our habits and ways. That's what God did with Israel as we see here in our text. He sent the prophet Haggai to the Church to say, "Consider Your Ways!"

I think its about time for us Church members today to consider our ways also. The cold war (Berlin and Cuba) is God's way of saying to us: Consider Your Ways! So from our text and God's Holy Spirit to guide us let us today:

We should ask ourselves: Are my ways in agreement with God's ways? Am I living like God wants me to live?
In our text we see that the Jewish Church was not. Their ways were against God's ways. True they were not very bad as we may think. They were not killing or stealing or breaking holy marriage here. They were working hard trying to get ahead. They had come back from exile in Babylon to a broken and wasted city Jerusalem. So they had to work hard and fix up the stores, the streets and their houses. Nothing wrong with that. They worked 12, 16 hours a day sunrise to sunset to get things cleaned up and fixed up. But they forgot one important building - God's building, God's house the temple. They said to one another, "Lets leave God's house broken first, Not time for that now. First let us fix our streets, the city walls and our homes. Our homes are more important. Later we will fix the temple."

That was their way. Was their way right? Was God pleased with their ways?

He sent Haggai the prophet to them to say, "The Lord of hosts says, This people say, The time is not come (yet), the time that the Lord's house should be built.... Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houses and, this house of lie (left) was (broken)? Now you see God was not pleased with their ways. Are your ways any better? Are you attending first to your things and your house and leaving God's house broken? Broken - maybe not, but broke - yes? Always short, behind, deficits here at Prince of Peace in Minnesota District and in Synod 1961. We failed $1200.00 for missions. After nine months Minnesota District is behind $428,293. Synod is behind several million. And all the time communism is growing faster than Christianity. In Africa Mohammedaus have fifteen missionaries to our one! Many years ago we didn't care about Cuba very poor. We bought their sugar and cigars and paid only a little not give them enough for their work. By cheating Cuba we prepared them for Castro and Communism. Also we sent our missionary Rev. Gruell there too late. Rev. Gruell says that when he first went to Cuba he thought he had plenty of time to get God's work done, but he sees that was a mistake. God gave him only two years in Cuba, and then the Castro government forced him to leave. How much time do you think you have left? Do you say like the Jews, "Now is not the time to do God's work, maybe later?"

Do you say, "I can't pledge 15% for God's work and His house? Do you think you must buy your house first and leave God's house broke and behind? If you think that way you better attend to what God says here, "Consider your ways!"

The Lord says here: "Consider your ways. Ye have sown etc.(verses 6, 9-11 read it). God withheld his blessing from Israel when their ways displeased him so God is doing this to us. We earn good wages, but are forced to pay back much to the government in income taxes to support missiles and planes and soldiers for the cold war or even a hot war. Also we have much inflation. Like the Jews here we earn money to put into bags with holes.

God our heavenly Father is warning us and spanking us in love and mercy, so we wake up and consider our ways. With the Cuba crisis and by our Every Member Visits (E.M.V) God is asking us to Consider our ways and then repent and change our sinful ways to agree with His Word. (Read verses 7&8) The Jewish Church ago listened to God's admonition and they were sorry and asked Him to forgive, and they changed their ways and hurried to build God's house and God blessed them and helped them.

During our E.M.V. we are happy to see some of our members listen to God's Word and change their ways. God bless them and help them in that decision through His Holy Spirit by Jesus Christ. But many are not really considering their ways and continue in the same old sinful ways. If you do that, you will not succeed. God will not bless your work or your plans.

The Bible says, "Except the Lord build the house they labor in vain that build it." And here, "You looked for much and see it came to little; and ye brought it home I did blow on it. Why? etc. If you continue to love your house more than God's you will lose your faith in Jesus Christ."

May God's Holy Spirit touch our hearts and lead us to consider our ways and then turn to Jesus Christ for forgiveness of sins and strength to change and improve our ways.

Amen.