I have been hesistant to post much on the board of late for the posting have been more political than spiritual.

When I initially started posting on the board 4 years ago, there were many posts about God, mission, evangelism, humor, hearing from our ame family in africa and yes conflict.

There are few posts now and the board has become a political board. But on this day after the election, I too feel compelled to respond politically and spiritually. There is a great sadness and divide across this country. For many of us the candidate we voted for did not win, along with sadness comes hopelessness.

The world has become more secularized than ever, in the U.S. more people have stopped going to church, for those of us as Christians we have to work harder now than in the past to fullfill the great commission for Christ.

President Bush was elected and has won the electoral votes needed. Scripture has always told us to look to God and God alone. Though many are sad and feel hopeless, remember our hope is in God, God alone.

Let us think of creative ways to evangelize for Christ, when people do a search under A.M.E. the ame today discussion board comes up. Do they see the reflection of christ? Would they want to join our ame church?

Let us pray for our country and President Bush, Let us pray healing for those who feel 4 more years is a prison sentence. But let us pray!

In another post a clergy person, cited a scripture passage that he will be preaching this sunday and invited us to join him.

As a pastor I use the lectionary reading, the lectionary is a collection of scripture passages assigned to each day of the church. This practice was started in the middle ages. The majority of protestant churches use the lectionary readings. I like them for it allows my congregation to hear from the entire bible, instead of my favorite passages, and I also feel the unity of the body of christ around the world knowing we are preaching from the same scripture.

Below is one of the old testament lectionary readings for Nov. 7th. I think it speaks to many this week. It is from the book of Haggai. Let us have a spirt of love, let us have a spirit of boldness for Christ.

Haggai 1 verse15 on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month in the second year of King Darius.

Haggai 2

The Promised Glory of the New House 1 On the twenty-first day of the seventh month, the word of the LORD came through the prophet Haggai: 2 "Speak to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people. Ask them, 3 'Who of you is left who saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Does it not seem to you like nothing? 4 But now be strong, O Zerubbabel,' declares the LORD . 'Be strong, O Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land,' declares the LORD , 'and work. For I am with you,' declares the LORD Almighty. 5 'This is what I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt. And my Spirit remains among you. Do not fear.' 6 "This is what the LORD Almighty says: 'In a little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. 7 I will shake all nations, and the desired of all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory,' says the LORD Almighty. 8 'The silver is mine and the gold is mine,' declares the LORD Almighty. 9 'The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,' says the LORD Almighty. 'And in this place I will grant peace,' declares the LORD Almighty."

-- Anonymous, November 03, 2004

Answers

Rev Rogers,

Just the reading of the scriptures put a praise in my spirit.

Thank you.

Carmen

-- Anonymous, November 03, 2004

Densise -

The AME Church is a microcosm of our political reality. Our Zion is inherently "political" given the way her governance structure is defined and implemented. I always welcome a thoughtful exchange on Scripture. My consistent prayer and work is aimed at raisng the Biblical IQs of our members. That's why Church School is a high priority for me and my family. Haggai is one of the "minor" prophets with a major message. Thanks for the lectionary reading. QED

-- Anonymous, November 03, 2004

Thanks Bill, I wanted to share some background info on Haggai. First of all in the old testatment (Hebrew Scriptures0 the books of the prophets are broken into Major and Minor prophets. This is not to say that Major prophets are more important than Minor prophets, it simply means the length of the book of the Prophets. Prophets who has short books such as Haggai are considered minor prophets, prophets who had long books such as Isaih are major prophets. There is much we can learn from all the prophets.

Haggai was a man:

Here is some additional background on the book of Haggai:

Haggai and Zechariah were particularly concerned with the rebuilding of the temple which had been destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians nearly 70 years before. The people had been tending to their personal affairs and neglecting the temple and other spiritual responsibilities. HAGGAI Haggai has been described as a man with a single ambition. He preached to a poor, discouraged, and frightened people. He attributed their lack of success in all areas of their national life to the single fact of their neglect of the temple. In a bold and authoritative manner, he pleaded for the people to rebuild the temple.

Haggai and Zechariah are credited with getting the temple completed c. 516 BC (Ezra 6:14-15). The dates of Haggai's ministry which is covered in the book is only about four months in the year 520 BC (1:1; 2:1; 2:10; 2:20).

The temple foundation had been laid almost immediately after the exiles returned from Babylon. But then about sixteen years intervened before the work resumed. It took the powerful exhortation of Haggai and Zechariah to motivate Zerubbabel and Jeshua to arise and begin to rebuilt the house of God. Outline of Haggai: The prophecy consist of four messages to the returned exiles.

1. The first message was a call to rebuild the temple. The people objected saying that the time to rebuild had not come. Haggai answered, "Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your ceiled houses, while this house lieth waste?" He delivered a stinging rebuke to the people for seeking to establish their own prosperity while neglecting spiritual responsibilities. The result of this sermon was that Zerubbabel, Joshua and the remnant of the people obeyed the voice of the Lord and began rebuilding (1:12-15).

2. The second message was designed to encourage the people who had undertaken the rebuilding (2:1-9).

3. The third recalled that sin and impure hearts had brought God's punishment in the past (2:10-14) and promised that obedience and pure hearts would bring divine blessings (2:15- 19).

4. The fourth message is a messianic prophecy (2:20- 23).

-- Anonymous, November 03, 2004