Why is it that you can plan, prepare, enlist, and follow all the rules of preparation…and then your efforts produce no results? Why does that happen? The book of Haggai gives us some insight into this.
Haggai 2: 10 On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month (again, this was in the second year of Darius), GOD’s Message came to Haggai: 11“GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies speaks: Consult the priests for a ruling. 12 If someone carries a piece of sacred meat in his pocket, meat that is set apart for sacrifice on the altar, and the pocket touches a loaf of bread, a dish of stew, a bottle of wine or oil, or any other food, will these foods be made holy by such contact?â€
The priests said, “No.â€13 Then Haggai said, “How about someone who is contaminated by touching a corpse-if that person touches one of these foods, will it be contaminated?†The priests said, “Yes, it will be contaminated.â€
14 Then Haggai said, “‘So, this people is contaminated. Their nation is contaminated. Everything they do is contaminated. Whatever they do for me is contaminated.’ GOD says so.
Haggai the prophet gives a principle that is still in operation. The principle is this: if the servant of God is involved with something that is ‘dead’, then every work of his hands will be dead. So what is ‘dead’? Sin is a ‘dead’ activity that contaminates. Everyday we sin. This is why we must keep short accounts with God. There is not a day that I don’t sin. I have to confess my sins every morning. But keep even shorter accounts. There are times that I see something, think something, speak something and I know that it is wrong. Then stop and agree with God…”I have sinned and I am so sorry.”
What happens if we don’t do this? Based on our scripture, our work will be contaminated and will be nullified.