PUT GOD FIRST SERIES PART III: STOP POSTPONING GOD
HAGGAI 1:2-4
The Word of the Lord says:
“These people say, The time is not come, the time that the Lord’s house should be built.”
“Then came the word of the Lord…
Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your paneled houses, and this house lie waste?”
God is saying:
“You’re prioritizing everything except Me.”
THE LIE OF “NOT YET”
The people in Haggai’s day were not atheists.
They were not rebellious.
They were not anti-God.
They were simply saying:
“Lord, I’ll get to You… just not yet.”
And family — that is where many of us live.
We don’t reject God.
We just delay Him.
We don’t walk away from God.
We just say, “Later.”
“I’ll pray later.”
“I’ll read the Word later.”
“I’ll fast later.”
“I’ll spend time with God later.”
“I’ll surrender later.”
But “later” is a thief.
“Later” steals blessings.
“Later” steals closeness with God.
“Later” steals peace.
“Later” keeps us spiritually “almost there,” but never fully committed.
God is saying:
Stop postponing Me.
Put Me first.
WE POSTPONE GOD BUT PRIORITIZE EVERYTHING ELSE
God said to them:
“You’re living in your beautiful, finished houses…
but My house is unfinished.”
Translation:
“You’re putting energy into everything else…
but the spiritual part of your life is starving.”
Today, we might say:
We put effort into:
✔ our jobs
✔ our homes
✔ our relationships
✔ our social life
✔ our scrolling
✔ our entertainment
But the one thing that holds everything together—God — gets pushed to the back of the line.
Not because we stop believing…
but because we stop prioritizing.
GOD WANTS MORE THAN EMERGENCY WORSHIP
Last week we said something important:
We treat God like roadside assistance.
We only call Him when we’re broke down on the side of the road of life.
As long as life is driving smoothly,
we don’t say too much.
But the moment a tire pops…
the moment a bill hits…
the moment stress rises…
the moment heartbreak comes…
We reach out to God immediately.
God will answer even then — because He’s good.
But that’s not the relationship He wants.
He doesn’t just want you in crisis.
He wants you in consistency.
He wants to hear from you on the mountaintop…
not just in the valley.
He wants to walk with you daily…
not just rescue you occasionally.
Stop postponing God.
He wants to be the priority, not the last resort.
THE DANGER OF DELAYED OBEDIENCE
Delayed obedience…
is still disobedience.
If God said:
“Seek Me first.”
and we say,
“I will — later…”
That “later” becomes disobedience in slow motion.
And here’s what happens when we postpone God:
1️⃣ Our spirit becomes dull.
2️⃣ Our prayer life becomes weak.
3️⃣ Our peace becomes shaky.
4️⃣ Our decisions become stressful.
5️⃣ Our purpose becomes cloudy.
Life doesn’t get better when we postpone God.
Life gets heavier.
God is saying today:
Don’t delay Me another day.
Put Me first now.
THE MOMENT YOU SAY “YES NOW,” GOD MOVES IMMEDIATELY
When the people finally stopped postponing…
something supernatural happened.
Later in the chapter, God says:
“I am with you.”
The moment they decided to obey —
God moved.
He didn’t wait.
He didn’t hold back.
He didn’t delay them the way they delayed Him.
The moment they said “Yes,”
God said, “Let’s go.”
And family — He will do the same for you.
When you stop postponing God,
God stops postponing blessings.
CONCLUSION — JOIN THE GOD FIRST MOVEMENT
Family…
this is your moment.
Not next year.
Not next week.
Not later today.
Not “after I get through this season.”
God is calling you NOW.
Right now.
This moment.
This hour.
This broadcast.
Don’t postpone Him anymore.
Say yes now.
Put God first now.
Join the God First Movement now.
Because when you give God the first…
God blesses the rest.
“Give God Something to Work With.”
Until then…
Start your morning with God.
Start your plan with God.
Start your decisions with God.
And above all…
Stop postponing God — keep Him FIRST.
“These people say, The time is not come, the time that the Lord’s house should be built.”
“Then came the word of the Lord…
Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your paneled houses, and this house lie waste?”
God is saying:
“You’re prioritizing everything except Me.”
THE LIE OF “NOT YET”
The people in Haggai’s day were not atheists.
They were not rebellious.
They were not anti-God.
They were simply saying:
“Lord, I’ll get to You… just not yet.”
And family — that is where many of us live.
We don’t reject God.
We just delay Him.
We don’t walk away from God.
We just say, “Later.”
“I’ll pray later.”
“I’ll read the Word later.”
“I’ll fast later.”
“I’ll spend time with God later.”
“I’ll surrender later.”
But “later” is a thief.
“Later” steals blessings.
“Later” steals closeness with God.
“Later” steals peace.
“Later” keeps us spiritually “almost there,” but never fully committed.
God is saying:
Stop postponing Me.
Put Me first.
WE POSTPONE GOD BUT PRIORITIZE EVERYTHING ELSE
God said to them:
“You’re living in your beautiful, finished houses…
but My house is unfinished.”
Translation:
“You’re putting energy into everything else…
but the spiritual part of your life is starving.”
Today, we might say:
We put effort into:
✔ our jobs
✔ our homes
✔ our relationships
✔ our social life
✔ our scrolling
✔ our entertainment
But the one thing that holds everything together—God — gets pushed to the back of the line.
Not because we stop believing…
but because we stop prioritizing.
GOD WANTS MORE THAN EMERGENCY WORSHIP
Last week we said something important:
We treat God like roadside assistance.
We only call Him when we’re broke down on the side of the road of life.
As long as life is driving smoothly,
we don’t say too much.
But the moment a tire pops…
the moment a bill hits…
the moment stress rises…
the moment heartbreak comes…
We reach out to God immediately.
God will answer even then — because He’s good.
But that’s not the relationship He wants.
He doesn’t just want you in crisis.
He wants you in consistency.
He wants to hear from you on the mountaintop…
not just in the valley.
He wants to walk with you daily…
not just rescue you occasionally.
Stop postponing God.
He wants to be the priority, not the last resort.
THE DANGER OF DELAYED OBEDIENCE
Delayed obedience…
is still disobedience.
If God said:
“Seek Me first.”
and we say,
“I will — later…”
That “later” becomes disobedience in slow motion.
And here’s what happens when we postpone God:
1️⃣ Our spirit becomes dull.
2️⃣ Our prayer life becomes weak.
3️⃣ Our peace becomes shaky.
4️⃣ Our decisions become stressful.
5️⃣ Our purpose becomes cloudy.
Life doesn’t get better when we postpone God.
Life gets heavier.
God is saying today:
Don’t delay Me another day.
Put Me first now.
THE MOMENT YOU SAY “YES NOW,” GOD MOVES IMMEDIATELY
When the people finally stopped postponing…
something supernatural happened.
Later in the chapter, God says:
“I am with you.”
The moment they decided to obey —
God moved.
He didn’t wait.
He didn’t hold back.
He didn’t delay them the way they delayed Him.
The moment they said “Yes,”
God said, “Let’s go.”
And family — He will do the same for you.
When you stop postponing God,
God stops postponing blessings.
CONCLUSION — JOIN THE GOD FIRST MOVEMENT
Family…
this is your moment.
Not next year.
Not next week.
Not later today.
Not “after I get through this season.”
God is calling you NOW.
Right now.
This moment.
This hour.
This broadcast.
Don’t postpone Him anymore.
Say yes now.
Put God first now.
Join the God First Movement now.
Because when you give God the first…
God blesses the rest.
“Give God Something to Work With.”
Until then…
Start your morning with God.
Start your plan with God.
Start your decisions with God.
And above all…
Stop postponing God — keep Him FIRST.