What is the most valuable thing in your life? It can be a material possession, a person, an activity, etc. What one thing in your life, if you had to do without it, would affect your life the most? God's Word teaches us that anything that comes between us and God is an idol Anything we love more, fear more, serve more, or worship more than God is an idol god. On that basis, most (American) believers would have to plead guilty to idol worship. The name of our primary idol is spelled S-E-L-F. This message deals with priorities. Matthew 6:33 tells us, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God . . . " Matthew 22:37-38 says "Thou shalt love the Lord . . . this is the first and great commandment." One of our greatest problems today is maintaining proper priorities in our lives as children of God. This has often been a problem for God's people. In our text the Jews had returned from Babylonian captivity. One would think they would be so thankful to God for their freedom and that worship would be their priority. However, instead of working on the Temple, they began to build houses for themselves. (What a contrast with the attitude of David in I Chronicles 17:1. The Temple in the Old Testament is a picture of New Testament churches. In the early days of the Jerusalem church, people sold their lands and goods and gave to the church (Acts 2:44-45; Acts 4:32, 36-37.) In these last days of the Church Age, few show such great love for the Lord and His churches. We're busy doing things that won't amount to anything in 50 years while the Lord's churches go lacking. God's words to Israel should serve as a warning to us. As Haggai spoke to these we see:

I. THEIR PRACTICE.

II. THE PROTEST -- VV. 3-8.

III. THE PENALTY -- VV. 9-11.