Hal’s Blog

“Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin?” Haggai 1:4

Haggai was a prophet of God. This event took place around 520 BC in Judah.

The Israelites were preoccupied with their own interests and the temple of God stood in ruins.

This made God angry. He created a long drought and the people suffered.

God stirred the spirit of Zerubbabel, the governor, and Joshua, the high priest and the remnant living in Judah. God told them to rebuild the temple and He would be with them. 

God gave the Israelites supernatural strength to take on this task.

God told the Israelites He would shake the earth and fill His house with glory. 

God reminded the Israelites all the gold and treasures of the world belong to Him and He dispenses according to His pleasure.

God said the glory in the new temple would be greater than the former temple and He would grant His peace  to those who worship Him in the new temple. 

Haggai told the Israelites they were a defiled people and their hands were unclean. And, this is why their labors produced very little in the past.

God was delighted with the repentant attitude and efforts of the Israelites and promised to bless the people with the completion of the foundation of the temple.

How can you and I find the values of God in this story?

Recognize God is angry over the despicable conditions in the Body of Christ.

Do not neglect God! Seek out His priorities for your life. Listen for the voice of God!

Pray for Jesus to cover you with His blood and restore you to God.

Ask God for His strength and the power of the Holy Spirit to accomplish the work He has assigned to you.

God controls all the treasures in the world. You and I have to operate with the values of Christ and submit to His authority. This will bring increase and the favor of God.

God is at work to rebuild the glory of His temple today. This has nothing to do with a building. It is a call to repentance. 

We have to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness above all else.

Your body is the temple of the Living Christ. Are you honoring God with your thoughts, words, and actions?

The Israelites heard and feared the voice of God. They changed their priorities and God blessed them!

What are God’s priorities in your life?

Christianity has stereotyped Jesus to conform to a religious model of behavior. Nothing can be farther from the truth.

Jesus is controversial and acts in unpredictable ways.

Jesus does not think or act like you.

Jesus is holy and it is impossible to match up to His standards.

Jesus tells you to go and sin no more; religion tells you to go to church.

Jesus desires to have an embracing and vibrant relationship with you. He wants to have intimate conversations and share His life with you.

Jesus wants you to lay down your life for Him.

Jesus is the way to become born again into a new creature. The gift of salvation gives you a new identity and heritage in Christ without all of the baggage from the past.

Jesus asks you to live by faith trusting in Him for your every need.

Jesus is a God of retribution. He blesses and He curses. You are accountable to God for all your actions.

Jesus wants your obedience to Him above all else.

Jesus is at work to bring down strongholds and set people free.

Jesus desires to live in oneness with you through the Holy Spirit. 

Jesus offers the fullness of His life to you.

The characteristics of a Christ follower!

The epiphany of Christ is accepting you are a man of many sins and fail God often.

You please God walking by faith believing in His promises.

You encounter the Living Christ and witness His greatness and glory.

God seems like a mystery at times but He is your hope and nourishment for life.

Your journey with God brings pain, suffering, and many troubles in life.

You live in awe and respect of Jesus who has power and dominion over the heavens and earth.

You worship Jesus in Spirit and Truth with all of your heart. 

You are a fountain of Living Water touching those living in darkness.

Your destiny is in the hands of God!

There is no one like God!

“There is a way that seems right to a man but its end is destruction.” Proverbs 14:12

The word from God today is precipitous which is defined as an action taken suddenly and without careful consideration.

We do something hastily without inquiring of God. This is the cause of many troubles for believers. 

We get ahead of the Holy Spirit because of our emotions, fears or doubts. We rely on human wisdom which will always lead you astray from God.

Inquire of God through the Holy Spirit. He lives inside you.

The Holy Spirit is the life of Christ and His wisdom is perfect. He is omniscient and knows every detail of your future and how to avoid dangers or adversity.

Commit your works each day to God and His thoughts will be established within you. Remember, you have the mind of Christ.

All the great miracles of God come to those who cease from striving and wait upon God.

It is not by might nor by power but by the Spirit of God!

“Because they lead my people astray, saying, ‘Peace’ when there is no peace, and because, when a flimsy wall is built, they cover it with whitewash, therefore tell those who cover it with whitewash that it is going to fall.” Ezekiel 13:10-11

God brought up the subject of “speaking parenthetically” to me today. 

Speaking parenthetically is adding a footnote or interpretation related to a subject. This practice can be constructive or derail you from the truths of God. 

Another consequence of speaking parenthetically is adding insult to injury. You injure someone with inerrant teaching and then insult them with flattery.

Many of the parenthetical insights from those who teach the Word come from commentaries. This can easily lead you astray. 

The source of insight to understanding God is very important. Is it from the Holy Spirit, a scholarly approach, or a religious view of God? 

As a believer, ask the Holy Spirit to bring illumination to the Word of God. He is your teacher and final authority on the Word of God. 

The corruption in Christianity has been caused by the whitewashing of the truths of God. 

The trend is to attempt to make God comfortable and lenient to all believers. 

The leaders in the Body of Christ tend to sugar coat the truths of God to attract or retain followers.

God never changes and He will never compromise His word.

Do not accept those who attempt to patronize you with false teaching. 

Walk with God by faith anchored to the Holy Spirit.

The prophetic voice of God confirms the accuracy and intent of the teachings of Jesus.

“Then all Israel will hear and be afraid, and no one among you will do such an evil thing again.” Deuteronomy 13:11

The word from God today is “patronize”. This means
to treat someone in a way that seems apparently kind or helpful but that betrays a feeling of superiority.

In a dream last night I saw the efforts of Satan to cover up the truths of God and attempt to remove the evidence of the Living Christ.

We act like we adore God but treat Him in a condescending manner. We worship other gods or false idols and are unwilling to come under the authority of Jesus. This has created an uproar in the heart of God.

God spoke to the Israelites about those who persuade you to worship other gods. The punishment was to stone the false prophets to death without any mercy. This punishment was to include families or entire cities who worshipped false gods.

God never changes. This truth in Deuteronomy is in the heart of God today. 

We have deserted God for false idols.

We worship the spirit of religion.

We worship money, prestige and success.

We compromise the truths of God to appease a changing society.

We are a people of pride.

We attempt to please God through laws and works.

We worship personalities instead of God. 

Faith is merely a talking point or intellectual concept. 

We despise the efficacy of the Holy Spirit and attempt to bury Him in a book of religion.

God wants you to worship Jesus in Spirit and Truth. Walk with Jesus by faith anchored to the Holy Spirit.

There is no other truth. Jesus is alive and lives in all believers!

In the near future you witness the sweeping judgment of God in the Body of Christ. Leaders will fall and churches will crumble. 

The terrifying presence of God will be like a whirlwind touching all believers. This will lead to repentance and a return to the Living Christ.

There will be a revival unlike anything ever before. Masses will come to Christ and there will be powerful signs and wonders.

The return of the New Testament church is imminent!

“Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word coming out of the mouth of God.” Matthew 4:4

The word from God today is exploitation. This is acting selfishly to take advantage of someone in order to profit for yourself.

You and I both have needs. The question is how are you going to fulfill your needs?

You were born with an inner nature to live for self and act in defiance to God. This condition is alive in all humanity. We are self driven people. 

If you are a believer God examines your every action to determine if your motives are pure or self serving. His goal is for you to operate with the values of Jesus. 

You can’t go anywhere in the world and expect to find an environment replicating the kingdom of God. There will be glimpses of light mixed in with darkness. 

God will send you where He desires. You will encounter darkness wherever this might be-your workplace, in an educational setting, among family and friends, or in religion.

Jesus was tempted by Satan and responded man must build his life on the words coming from the mouth of God. Jesus was saying to find your nourishment in Him not in the ways of the world. For most people including believers this is an intellectual concept not a living principle. 

The solution to this conflict is to be in relationship with the Living Christ. You do this through prayer, listening for His voice, and walking with Him under the authority of the Holy Spirit.

You have to wake up to the fact Jesus is alive and wants to give you an abundant life. 

He lives in all believers in the essence of the Holy Spirit. He will make sure you are on track with God and operating with the values of Jesus.

You can listen to this here:

https://anchor.fm/hal-hollister8/episodes/Living-by-exploitation-or-the-words-of-God-et0ra6

“But whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” John 4:14

God spoke to me yesterday using the term of an elixir to delineate between Jesus and the remedies of the world.

The definition of an elixir is a mixture or solution of magical ingredients. The idea is you drink this solution and you can have a happy and robust life. 

It is like all the health drinks on the market today promising you energy and well being.

Let’s forget about the elixirs of the world. They are short lived and fail to keep their promises.

The Living Water is the life of Christ. It is the love, joy and compassion of God. It is the gift of salvation.

The Living Water does not come to you through your own efforts. It is not a meditation therapy or a new age philosophy. And, it has no roots in eastern religions or other gods. 

The life of Jesus is a free gift and comes to all those who make a decision to live for Him. The starting point is to come to Jesus by faith. All that is required is an open heart and a determination to seek out God above all else. Jesus will confirm His authenticity to you.

Merging with Jesus requires common ground! You have to be one with Him!

The Holy Spirit is sealed inside all believers. He is a fountain of Living Water springing up to eternal life.

The Holy Spirit is motivated by your faith and obedience to God.

The Holy Spirit nourishes believers with the life of Jesus.

The Holy Spirit gives you the ability to hear the voice of God and walk in oneness with Jesus.

The Holy Spirit is your connection to the live stream of Jesus. He is at work today to merge your personality into the character of God.

Invite the Holy Spirit to have authority over your life and you will experience the reality of the Living Christ!

I live so you can live!

“For as the sash clings to the waist of a man, so I have caused the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah to cling to Me, says the Lord, that they may become My people, for renown, for praise, and for glory; but they would not hear.” Jeremiah 13:11

This is a story about Jeremiah, a prophet of the Lord. 

God told Jeremiah to get a linen sash and wear it around his waist. After wearing the sash for a period of time, God told Jeremiah to go to the Euphrates River and hide the sash in a hole under a rock. 

After many days God told Jeremiah to go back and get the sash. Jeremiah dug the sash out of the ground and saw that it was ruined and good for nothing.

God then spoke to Jeremiah “In this manner I will ruin the pride of Judah and the great pride of Jerusalem. This evil people, who refuse to hear My words, who follow the dictates of their hearts, and walk after other gods to serve them and worship them, shall be just like this sash which is profitable for nothing. 

God chose the Israelites to be His chosen people. He performed powerful signs and wonders and set them free from slavery. God transformed a small Jewish tribe into a powerful nation. 

The Israelites failed God time and again because they would not listen to the voice of God.

This is the deplorable condition existing in the Body of Christ today.

We do not listen to the voice of God.

We are filled with pride and worship the spirit of religion. 

We are self seeking people and worship false idols. 

We do not reflect the renown, praise, and glory of God. 

We are no longer of value to God.

God has judged us and found that we are unworthy to Him. This why we are living in a pandemic with more storms on the way.

To be profitable to God you must be in contact with His voice and walk with Jesus by faith.

He lives so you can live!

“Commit your works to the Lord, and your thoughts will be established.” Proverbs 16:3

The word from God today is “capitulation” which is defined as the action of surrendering to a higher authority. In the context of biblical truth this refers to yielding your life to Jesus.

The idea of surrendering your life to God is overwhelming and cannot be accomplished by a simple prayer. It is a work in progress with many ups and downs.

Think of surrender as a journey with God learning who Jesus is and how to live out His values in your life.

The human personality cannot be changed overnight. You were born to live for self and your personality has been shaped by many diverse factors. 

God’s work is a process of congealing you from your self nature into a new creature.

The transformation of the inner man requires a lot of time. It took Moses forty years before he was ready to work for God.

Focus on living with God one day at a time yielding to His will. 

The subject of capitulation deals with how you spend your time, what you fill your mind with, your eating and fitness habits, and how you spend your money. God wants to live with you in all these moments of life.

It’s not so much what you do but the motives behind your actions. This is where God works on your capitulation to Him.

The discipline of walking with God is built on prayer, the Word, and listening to the voice of God. 

Seek out God by faith living in the promises of Christ! Without faith it is impossible to please God!

Capitulation is obedience to the voice of God. When God speaks to you comply without questioning Him. He is perfect.

God told Abraham to leave his homeland and travel to a new country. Abraham gave up his inheritance and security to venture into the unknown with God.

Commit your works to God today and you will hear His voice!

Jesus loves you!

Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” Luke 24:31-32

God spoke to me with the title for this blog and told me to illustrate this spiritual principle with the interaction between Jesus and two men walking on the road to the city of Emmaus.

The men were downcast thinking about the recent events concerning the death of Jesus. 

Jesus appeared to these men incognito and entered into a conversation with them.

After listening to their doubts about whether Jesus was the Messiah, He spoke scripture to them and the words were like a burning fire in their hearts.

The men invited Jesus to have dinner with them and after the meal Jesus revealed His identity to them and then disappeared.

These men will never again doubt the legitimacy of Jesus.

You can have this same experience today with Jesus. 

You won’t find the legitimacy of Jesus through personal testimony. And, you can’t find the Living Jesus by going to church, reading spiritual books or participating in religious activities.

So how do you overcome this cloud covering the face of Jesus?

How does Jesus change from a historical figure in the Bible to reality in your life?

You have to approach the Living God with an open heart. The misnomer is thinking God is distant and cannot be touched. Nothing is further from the truth.

The first step is to reach out to Jesus by faith. Set aside your perceptions or feelings about God. 

This has to be a moment of faith, believing in something you cannot see.

Come to Jesus by faith and make a decision to live for Him. God will seal you with the Holy Spirit. He is the life of Christ and will interact with you like the two men in this story who encountered Jesus.

Jesus said the wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.

Jesus will appear in your life and there will be no doubt in your heart about the Living Christ.

Jesus may do this through a vision or simply by hearing His voice. Or, you might experience a transfigured moment with Jesus and see His greatness and glory.

There is no one like Him!