Prioritizing Your Priorities: Studies from the Book of Haggai

By Lawrence G. Vaughn Sr.

How is it that there are so many of us who now have more than we have ever had,live better then we have ever lived, and yet there is still no contentment, no peace, no happiness. I believe that the answer lies in what we have allowed to become our new priority. The book of Haggai is the clarion call for us to wake up and take a conscientious look at what we are doing and what we have allowed to become our major concern! God is calling for us to consider our ways!

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Jul 18, 2013
• ISBN: 9781467039895

Lawrence G. Vaughn Sr.

Lawrence Vaughn is the founding pastor of the Liberty Church in Clarksville Tenn. He is a native of Port Aruthr Texas and he comes from several generations of preachers and pastors, although raised in the traditions of the church he is clearly anointed to speak to this contemporary Christian generation. God has clearly gifted him to be multi-generational in his explanation of biblical truths. In his clear writing style you will discover that Vaughn has the unique ability to bridge the generational gaps and uncover timeless truths that speak to us all no matter what generations we find ourselves in. He is truly a clear and called voice for this contemporary age. Lawrence is married to the former Karen R. Davis and they have three sons, Lawrence II, Lance, Landen.

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© 2013 by Lawrence Vaughn. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 07/16/2013

ISBN: 978-1-4670-3990-1 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4670-3989-5 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2011917570

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Contents

Dedication

Preface

Consider Your Ways

The Big Turn Around

Overcoming Discouragement

When Is the Blessing Going To Come?

A Final Word of Encouragement

Conclusion

Dedication

I would like to first of all dedicate this work to My Lord and savior Jesus Christ, who has through the power of the Holy Spirit given insight into the word and allowed me to put this work together so that it will be shared throughout the entire world.

This work is also dedicated to my late grandfather Rev. Verdell Calhoun Sr. One of the greatest men that I have had the privilege to know and love. He was so much too so many, husband, father, brother, uncle, Pastor, friend, etc. and the list can go on and on, but to me he was my Papa! I love you papa and thanks for the inspiration and illustrations of what real men look like. To my grandmother the late Elizabeth Calhoun thanks for all you have done and meant in our lives. We will forever cherish the memories.

To my wife Karen, I finally did it, I’m writing. Thanks for all of your encouragement and believing in me. You continue to show me the visible undying love of Jesus Christ, as you continue to look beyond all my faults and meet all my needs! Thank you for prayerfully reading through these manuscripts and making the comments and the inputs that you made! Your keen spiritual eye has blessed my life and my ministry. If I had to do it all over again, I would still choose you, love you till the end my superwoman! Lawrence II, Landen, Lance, thanks for your support and for making me believe that I’m the best dad in the world. You are the best group of young men that a father could ask for! To my Parents Randy and Brenda Vaughn, thank you for raising me in a home where we were taught that we really can do all things through Christ who gives us strength. Ma, I wonder where that 4th grade teacher is now? Hope he can get one of these books! To my siblings thanks so much for letting me be the ‘big brother’.

To the staff of the Liberty church thanks so much for your undying support and allowing me to be your leader. Thanks to you to SMIGA. To the Liberty Church congregation thanks for your development of a steady expository diet for the word of God, for it was in preparation for our Sunday morning experiences these sermons were developed. I pray that your lives have been changed and your faith has been strengthened through the preaching of the word of God.

To the Mt. Sinai Church, thank you for allowing me to preach through this book as we transitioned to a new place as church congregation and leadership. It was a blessing to preach these expositions and I was blessed the more at your reception of the weekly exposition. Thanks to my assistant Dr. D. Kay Flakes thank you for your editorial expertise and for your review of these manuscripts. It is my prayer that we have all been helped in making sure our priorities are in the right place!

Preface

pri·or·i·ties—Precedence, especially established by order of importance or urgency.

One of the major problems of progressive people is, if we are not careful, we can quickly allow our priorities to become un-prioritized! Success sometimes has a way of making us forget about all of the things that it took for us to make it to where we are currently! Position, power, prestige, and prosperity all have a way of moving what was at the top of the priority list before these things came to pass, to sometimes not even being on the priority list at all.

How is it that there are so many of us who now have more than we have ever had, live better than we have ever lived, and yet there is still no contentment, no peace, no happiness? I believe that the answer lies in what we have allowed to become our new priority. For the believer, I believe that the Book of Haggai is the clarion call for us to wake up and take a conscientious look at what we are doing and what we have allowed to become our major concern! The call of the book of Haggai is for the people of God to consider their ways and re-order their priorities!

When we open the Book of Haggai, we discover that for the past sixteen years, according to chapter one, the work on the temple of God has been neglected and is incomplete. It was through a period of five months in the year 520 B.C. that Haggai preached these five sermons that challenged the people to give careful thought to what it was costing them to neglect the House of God! Haggai’s desire was to stir the people out of their lethargy and materialism so that they would continue the work on the temple! The underlying theme of the Book of Haggai is that the House of God should be at the center of life for the people of God! Nothing and no one should be able to take God’s place; not even one’s own ambitions, dreams and goals. God demands to be first! Just as it was for the people of God then it is for the people of God today! God should be at the center of our lives and if he is not then it is time for us to re-prioritize out priorities!

This work is not meant to be a commentary on the book of Haggai; these are simple sermonic expositions that have been expanded. Dr. Martin L. King Jr. says in his book, "Strength to Love and I quote, . . . A sermon is not an essay to be read but a discourse to be heard. It should be a convincing appeal to a listening congregation. Therefore a sermon is directed toward the