The Pathway To Greater

The Pathway to Greater: Aligning Your Life for God's Promise

Sermon Blog 2/15/26: Pastor Jimmy McKinnies

There's a powerful promise echoed throughout Scripture that speaks directly to where many of us find ourselves today: "The glory of this latter house shall be greater than the former, saith the Lord of hosts. And in this place I will give peace" (Haggai 2:9).

This isn't just ancient history or a nice sentiment to display on a wall. This is a living promise for your life, your family, and your future. But here's what we often miss: the pathway to "greater" requires something foundational—alignment.

The Promise After Correction
The promise of greater glory in Haggai didn't come in a vacuum. It came after a crucial correction of priorities. When we back up to Haggai chapter one, we discover a community that had returned from 70 years of captivity in Babylon. They came home with excitement and revival in their hearts. They immediately built an altar and laid the foundation for God's temple.

Then something happened. They stopped.

For 16 years, the temple remained unfinished. Not because of rebellion or idolatry, but because of something far more subtle—misalignment. They got busy building their own houses while God's house lay in waste.

God's response through the prophet was direct: "Consider your ways."

The people were working hard. They were active. They were back in the land. But they weren't advancing. Despite all their effort, they saw little fruit. They looked for much but it came to little. They earned wages only to put them in bags with holes. They ate but weren't satisfied. They drank but weren't filled.

Why? Because when God is not first, nothing else works as it should.

The Kingdom Structure
This ancient principle finds its clearest expression in the words of Jesus: "But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you" (Matthew 6:33).
Notice the word "first." Not eventually. Not after comfort is established. Not when it's convenient. First.
The people in Haggai reversed the order. They built their houses first and delayed God's. When the kingdom is first, peace is added. When the kingdom is first, stability is added. When the kingdom is first, strength is added. Addition and growth happen after alignment.
This isn't just theory. This is the architecture of a life that works.

What the Temple Represented
The temple represented more than a building. It represented God's presence, worship, covenant identity, and generational faith. When it remained unfinished, the spiritual center was incomplete. Everything else suffered as a result.
Strong families aren't built on comfort, busyness, opportunity, or income. Strong families are built on the Word of God, worship, prayer, and faithfulness. If the altar is neglected, the home will eventually feel it.

A Word to Families
For those leading homes, the responsibility is clear: "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord" (Joshua 24:15). The culture of a home is set by its priorities. Children watch what excites their parents. Spouses feel what is protected. Homes reflect what is honored.

Seeking first looks like initiating prayer, guarding worship, modeling repentance, and leading humbly. Leadership in the home is about direction, not domination.

The wisdom of Proverbs reminds us: "Every wise woman buildeth her house, but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands" (Proverbs 14:1). Building is spiritual work. Faith sets the atmosphere. Peace stabilizes storms. Worship anchors identity.
Children inherit what we prioritize. If sports come first, they know it. If career comes first, they know it. If the kingdom comes first, they know it too.
The temple in Haggai's day was generational. Without it, there was no visible center of worship—just a foundation and rubble of incompleteness.
When children see us start something with God and then walk away, they see that pattern. When they see us begin with prayer and then drift, they notice. They see a foundation but no structure to look at.

Families thrive when the altar is central.

The Turning Point
Here's where the story gets beautiful. Haggai 1:12 records the turning point: "They obeyed the voice of the Lord and the people did fear the Lord."
Obedience came first. Then verse 14 tells us: "And the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel and the spirit of all the remnant of the people. And they came and did work in the house of the Lord of hosts."
Notice the order: obedience, then stirring. Many people wait to feel stirred before they obey. But the biblical pattern is to obey the Word, and then God puts something in you that says, "This is for me and my family."

When they realigned their priorities, God released the promise. The latter became greater than the former. Peace came to the house.

What Greater Really Means
The vision was never about buildings or structures. The vision has always been about His presence. Glory doesn't mean natural prosperity or material abundance. It means His presence dwelling with His people.
If we can be in His presence, we'll be moved and stirred for others to be in His presence. If His presence is in our homes, we'll feel it. When we're building the temple back in its proper place—starting with the temple of our own hearts—everything else begins to align.
The promise of greater glory isn't just for institutions. It's for your life, your home, your family. It's not just the glory either—it's the peace. In a world where people are restless, struggling, and searching, peace becomes the most valuable commodity.

Consider Your Ways
"Consider your ways" means consider your priorities. Not in belief—most of us believe God should be first. Not in intentions—we intend for Him to be first. But in actual priority. In the daily choices. In the calendar. In the budget. In the conversations. In what gets our best energy and attention.
This isn't about guilt. It's about order. It's about growth. It's a call not from failure but toward greater things.
You can be in church and still have misaligned priorities. You can be present but drift away in your heart. But when you say, "God, I need to make sure You're first," everything begins to shift. Peace comes in the midst of the storm. Peace comes during financial struggle. Peace comes when circumstances haven't changed but alignment has.
The promise still stands: the latter shall be greater than the former. But greater is aligned.
Greater requires that we consider our ways, realign our priorities, and put the kingdom first.

The pathway to greater isn't about working harder. It's about putting God back in the center. When that happens, the promise activates. Glory increases. Peace dwells. And the latter truly becomes greater than the former.