There is a time and place for everything. According to Ecclesiastics 3:3, there is a time to “break down and build up.” In our Wednesday Night Bible Study at First Timothy Baptist Church on May 8, the lesson focused on a time to “consider your ways” and rebuild your life with Jesus Christ.

Utilizing the book, Beyond the Sunday Sermon, Dr. Ronald Holmes’ message highlighted three key points regarding this matter: (1) attitudes to adjust, (2) actions to adopt, and (3) affliction for attention. Dr. Holmes said that just as we check the oil for our vehicle periodically to prevent the oil from becoming dirty and avoid engine failures, we have to check our attitude to prevent our minds from becoming unclean and avoid medical complications. In the book of Haggai: 1-2, the “people say, the time is not come, the time that the Lord’s house should be built.”

During this time, the Israelites returned to Judah from captivity in Babylon, rebuilt God’s altar and started offering sacrifices (Ezra 3:2). Two years later, they laid the foundation of the Temple (Ezra 3:10). However, the Israelites became discouraged and threatened by people in their community who opposed their rebuilding God’s house of Israel (Ezra 4:4 and 4:23). Dr. Holmes raised the question: Should the Israelites have listened to the people? His answer was that the Israelites needed to “seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness” (Matthew 6:33). They needed to adjust their attitudes and listen to the voice of God rather than the naysayers of the world. “All power is given unto him in heaven and earth” (Matthew 28:18).

In point two, Dr. Holmes said there are actions we should adopt or take in our lives to become a better person. We should occasionally do a self-examination of ourselves to assess how we act, feel, and think. In Haggai 1:5, the Lord says to us, “consider your ways.” The word consider appears five times in the only two chapters of Haggai. It basically means to bare or set your mind upon your ways. Using some of the lyrics from Michael Jackson, “I am starting with the man in the mirror. I’m asking him to change his ways. If you want to make the world a better place, take a look at yourself then make a change.” In fact, if we take a look at ourselves, we can assess how we spend our time and money; and it will show us where our values are. For “where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Matthew 6:21).

For point three, Dr. Holmes said we will receive good things from God as well as bad things (Job 2: 7-10). Sometimes God sends affliction to get our attention. He allows occurrences such as a pandemic on earth to test our faith. When we forget where we came from spiritually, socially, educationally and economically, God has to bring us down before he can elevate us. Before God could bless Jacob, for example, God wrestled with him all night; and bruised his thigh in order to get his attention (Genesis 32: 24-29). As it is written, “many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all” (Psalm 34:19). If we are going to rebuild our life with Christ, we must listen to his voice, obey his word and become filled with the Holy Spirit.

Wednesday’s bible study lesson on June 5 at 7:00p.m. – 8:00p.m. (EST) is, “God Never Fails” from the book, Beyond the Sunday Sermon. The book can be purchased online from Amazon.com. To virtually attend the bible study, go to the First Timothy Baptist Church’s website, YouTube or Facebook.

Dr. Ronald Holmes is the author of 27 books and publisher of “The Holmes Education Post,” an education focused Internet newspaper. His books for children cover topics on the coronavirus, solar system, flowers, careers and school bullying.  His books for adults focus on religion, relationships, hazing, workplace bullying, bipolar disorders, issues in education and completing the dissertation.