It’s Time to Stop Playing It Safe

When the exiles returned to Jerusalem around 538 B.C., they had one job: rebuild the temple. They laid the foundation. Then… they stopped.

 For sixteen long years, the work of God’s house sat idle while the people paneled their own homes, planted their gardens, and busied themselves with comfort. The prophet Haggai stepped into that moment like a trumpet blast from Heaven, saying:


Sound familiar?

It’s never a good time to take a bold step for God. There’s always another bill to pay, another project to finish, another season to wait for. But waiting for “the perfect time” is how people waste entire lifetimes.

There are two kinds of people:

• Thermometers measure the temperature.
• Thermostats change it.

The Jews in Haggai’s day were thermometers. They looked around at economic hardship, political opposition, and social instability and said, “This just isn’t the right time.”

The problem wasn’t their environment—it was their faith.

If we’re honest, many of us fall into the same trap. We’ve got “someday faith.”
“Someday when things are good, I’ll serve.”
“Someday when the kids are grown, I’ll give.”
“Someday when my schedule lightens up, I’ll obey.”

That’s not obedience. That’s procrastination dressed in religious language.

You’ll never learn to swim if you refuse to get in the water.

Haggai told them,


Ever feel like your money evaporates? Like no matter how hard you try, things don’t add up?

Sometimes, that’s God’s mercy—He’s shaking you awake.

When God’s house is neglected, your house won’t prosper. When His mission becomes secondary, frustration becomes normal.

The way to reverse that isn’t by tightening your belt—it’s by loosening your grip.

Jesus said it best:


If you want your home blessed, build His house first.

When the new temple started rising, it was nothing compared to Solomon’s. The old-timers wept. But Haggai said,


There’s power in remembering what God has done. When you recall the victories of the past—the answered prayers, the revivals, the changed lives—it stirs something in you. It wakes up your courage.

That’s why we study history. That’s why we read biographies of people like Knox, Spurgeon, or Lottie Moon. Their lives remind us: God still uses ordinary people who are willing to risk everything for His glory.

The same Spirit that moved in the past still moves today. He hasn’t changed—we have. It’s time to remember, repent, and rebuild.

Haggai closed with a stunning vision:


That’s not nostalgia—that’s prophecy.

Whether Haggai meant Herod’s temple, the body of Christ, or the heavenly city, the point is this: God’s glory is not behind us; it’s ahead of us.

When you serve Christ boldly, you’re not gambling—you’re investing in the one outcome guaranteed by God Himself: the triumph of the Gospel.


That’s not wishful thinking. That’s a promise. The Great Commission will succeed. Every nation will hear. Every knee will bow. You can either spectate—or participate.

Some of you reading this aren’t lazy—you’re tired. You’ve been discouraged by delays, criticism, or setbacks. Hear the Word of the Lord:

Be strong. Work. I am with you.

Others are comfortable. Your “paneled house” is spotless while His house lies neglected. Repent. Rip out a panel this week—your time, your treasure, your talent—and bring a beam to God’s temple.

The true temple isn’t stone or gold—it’s Jesus Christ. And He’s building a living house made of you and me.

So stop waiting for perfect conditions. The time is now.

Leverage the pain of the present, the power of the past, and the promise of the future—and get on with the work.

When you die, the world will keep spinning.
Your company will replace you. Your stuff will rust.

But if you’ve built something for God—if you’ve dared greatly for His kingdom—your impact will echo into eternity.

So stop measuring the temperature of the culture. Be the thermostat. Turn it up.