CONSIDER YOUR WAYS: THE TEMPLE GOD WANTS TO BUILD
Based on the message by Chris Pollard
OVERVIEW
Many students grow up hearing sermons, attending church, going to youth group, and learning what God’s Word says. But the real question is not whether you have heard the truth. The real question is whether you are building your life around it.
In this message from Haggai 1, Chris Pollard challenges the church to “consider your ways.” God’s people had returned from exile, but they had stopped building the house of the Lord. They were taking care of their own houses while God’s house was left unfinished.
Chris reminds us that God is not just interested in buildings, stages, services, or religious activity. God is building people. If you are a follower of Jesus, the Holy Spirit lives in you, and your life is called to be a temple where God is honored, welcomed, and glorified.
This message is a wake-up call. Chris says we are not in the early hours; we are in the late hour. Jesus is coming again, and this is not the time to live distracted, comfortable, compromised, or spiritually asleep.
The enemy wants to pull you away from God through distraction, deception, and delay. Distraction divides your focus. Deception twists the truth. Delay postpones obedience until it becomes disobedience.
God is calling you to more than just knowing church answers. He is calling you to examine your life, reject spiritual drift, renew your mind with truth, obey what He has spoken, and let Him build something real in you.
HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE
Read → Respond → Reflect
● Open your Bible.
● Let Scripture answer the questions.
● Be honest instead of giving the “church answer.”
● Ask God to show you where you have drifted, delayed, or compromised.
● Choose one real step of obedience before you finish.
This study is not just about learning information.
It is about considering your ways, surrendering your life to Jesus, and allowing God to build something in you that can stand under pressure.
SECTION 1 — CONSIDER YOUR WAYS
FOCUS
God calls His people to stop, examine their lives, and return to what He has asked them to build.
READ
Haggai 1:2–8
RESPOND
- What excuse were the people giving in Haggai 1:2?
- What question does God ask His people in Haggai 1:4?
- What repeated instruction does God give in Haggai 1:5 and Haggai 1:7?
- What does Haggai 1:6 reveal about the condition of the people’s lives?
- According to Haggai 1:8, what does God tell the people to do, and why?
REFLECT
● If God told you to “consider your ways,” what part of your life would He be asking you to look at first?
● Are you building your life around Jesus, or are you just adding Jesus to the life you already want?
● What gets more of your attention right now: God’s Word, your phone, your friends, sports, entertainment, or your future plans?
● Where have you been saying “not yet” to something God has already told you to do?
● This week, ask God to show you one area where your priorities need to change.
Further Scripture Reading
Psalm 139:23–24, Lamentations 3:40, 2 Corinthians 13:5
SECTION 2 — GOD IS BUILDING PEOPLE
FOCUS
God is not looking for outward performance. He is building people who are surrendered temples of the Holy Spirit.
READ
1 Corinthians 6:19–20, 1 Corinthians 3:9, John 2:19–21
RESPOND
- According to 1 Corinthians 6:19, what is your body?
- What does 1 Corinthians 6:19–20 say about ownership?
- What does it mean that you were “bought at a price”?
- In 1 Corinthians 3:9, how does Paul describe God’s people?
- In John 2:19–21, what temple was Jesus talking about?
REFLECT
● Do you treat your body, mind, and heart like they belong to God?
● Are there things you watch, listen to, post, say, or participate in that do not honor the Holy Spirit living in you?
● Do you ever care more about looking spiritual than actually being surrendered to Jesus?
● What would change if you really believed your life is a place where God wants to dwell?
● This week, identify one area of your life where God wants to build something stronger in you.
Further Scripture Reading
Ephesians 2:19–22, 1 Peter 2:4–5, Romans 8:9–11
SECTION 3 — WAKE UP IN THE LATE HOUR
FOCUS
Jesus is coming again, so you cannot afford to live spiritually asleep, comfortable, or compromised.
READ
Romans 13:11–14, Galatians 5:13, Haggai 1:14
RESPOND
- According to Romans 13:11, what is it time to do?
- What does Romans 13:12 tell believers to cast off and put on?
- What behaviors does Romans 13:13 warn against?
- According to Galatians 5:13, what have believers been called to?
- In Haggai 1:14, what did the Lord stir up in the leaders and the people?
REFLECT
● Are you spiritually awake, or have you become comfortable going through the motions?
● Do you live like Jesus is coming again, or like you have unlimited time to get serious later?
● Where has comfort made your obedience weaker?
● Where has compromise started to feel normal?
● If God stirred up your spirit this week, what would He be calling you to do differently?
Further Scripture Reading
Ephesians 5:14–17, Matthew 25:1–13, Revelation 3:1–3
SECTION 4 — DISTRACTION, DECEPTION, AND DELAY
FOCUS
The enemy uses distraction, deception, and delay to pull believers away from truth and obedience.
READ
Romans 12:1–2, Galatians 5:7–8, James 1:22–25
RESPOND
- According to Romans 12:1, how are believers called to present their bodies to God?
- What does Romans 12:2 say believers must not be conformed to?
- What happens through the renewing of the mind?
- In Galatians 5:7, what question does Paul ask?
- According to James 1:22, what danger comes when someone hears the Word but does not do it?
REFLECT
● What distracts you most from God right now: your phone, social media, gaming, dating, sports, music, stress, busyness, or people’s opinions?
● Have you ever called something “discernment” when it was really delayed obedience?
● What truth from God’s Word have you been ignoring because obedience would cost you something?
● Are you being shaped more by Scripture or by culture?
● This week, choose one distraction to limit so you can make room to obey God.
Further Scripture Reading
Hebrews 2:1, 2 Corinthians 10:4–5, Matthew 7:24–27
SECTION 5 — LET GOD TRANSFORM YOU
FOCUS
God transforms His people as truth enters the heart, the mind is renewed, the Spirit leads, and the life changes.
READ
Romans 12:2, Galatians 5:16–25, Philippians 1:6
RESPOND
- According to Romans 12:2, how are believers transformed?
- What does Galatians 5:16 tell believers to walk by?
- What conflict is described in Galatians 5:17?
- What fruit should be evident in someone who is led by the Spirit?
- According to Philippians 1:6, what confidence can believers have about the work God has begun?
REFLECT
● What is currently shaping your thinking the most?
● Are you feeding your mind truth, or are you giving the enemy room to build lies?
● Which fruit of the Spirit is most lacking in your life right now?
● Where do you need to stop being led by your feelings and start being led by the Holy Spirit?
● This week, spend time with God before opening social media, entertainment, or anything else that usually gets your first attention.
Further Scripture Reading
John 15:4–5, Colossians 3:1–10, Titus 3:3–7
FINAL ENCOURAGEMENT
God is building something in you.
You are not too young to be serious about Jesus. You are not too young to obey God. You are not too young to be a temple of the Holy Spirit.
The enemy would love for you to stay distracted, deceived, delayed, comfortable, and compromised. He would love for you to think you can get serious about God later.
But Jesus is coming again, and the hour is late.
This is the time to consider your ways. This is the time to wake up. This is the time to stop postponing obedience. This is the time to let God renew your mind, lead you by His Spirit, and build something in you that can stand.
The question is not just what you believe.
The question is: What are you building your life on?