Build God’s House First : A Lesson In Priorities From Paneled Houses

The book of Haggai is brief—just two chapters—but its message is profound. Through Haggai, God delivers a profound lesson on priorities. When God’s people returned from exile, they focused on rebuilding their homes while neglecting to rebuild God’s temple:

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

HAGGAI 1:4 (NIV)

God further reveals the consequences of misplaced priorities:

“You have planted much, but harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.”

HAGGAI 1:6 (NIV)

When we prioritize building our own house over building God’s house, our efforts and outcomes become misaligned. It’s like walking in quicksand—constant motion, little progress. But when we build God’s Kingdom first, everything else falls into alignment. We reap where we haven’t sown, we receive when we haven’t asked, and God’s blessings, both financial and non-financial, flow freely.

A PROMISE OF GREATER GLORY

One of the most powerful prophetic images in Scripture follows in Haggai 2. God declares that when Israel realigns its priorities, He will move mightily:

“This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘In a little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. I will shake all nations, and what is desired by all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory,’ says the Lord Almighty... ‘The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house... And in this place I will grant peace,’ declares the Lord Almighty.”

HAGGAI 2:6-9 (NIV)

Haggai’s message challenges us to examine our true motives. Are we investing our best in God’s Kingdom, or are we merely building personal security?

A KINGDOM-FIRST APPROACH TO WEALTH

At Corus, we believe that stewardship is more than financial management—it’s an act of worship. A Kingdom-first mindset doesn’t mean neglecting personal goals, but ensuring they remain secondary to God’s purposes.

When families embrace this perspective, generosity becomes second nature, wealth becomes a tool for eternal impact, and financial planning becomes a way to live boldly for God's glory.

The greatest shifts in history happen when God’s people make radical decisions to build His house first. What does that look like in your life today?