King
James Bible Daily Devotion – Learning
Scripture One Day At A Time
Date: Tuesday, September 29, 2015
Chapters: The Book of Malachi http://imfollowingjesus.com/Bible-Reading-272.html
Message Title: Loving God Wholeheartedly
Hello My Friend,
The Book of Malachi is the thirty-ninth book of the Old Testament/Bible, the final book of the Old Testament, and contains four chapters. The author of the book is Malachi and it was written to Israel. The timeline for these events took place approximately between 440BC and 410BC. The purpose of the book was to call Israel to repentance and return to righteousness in order to restore the nation, calling great emphasis on the Levites. What we are to learn from the book is, it is not enough to turn to God, we must turn to Him wholeheartedly. “If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the LORD of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart.” - Malachi 2:2.
Many people want God in their lives, the problem is they are not willing to do what is necessary to make Him a part of their lives. Malachi was the last of the Old Testament prophets, he would be the last prophet for over four hundred years. When the Jews in Babylon chose to return to Jerusalem they were not expecting a disaster, but that's exactly what they got, a city in ruins and under great corruption. They begin questioning God's judgment, but through Malachi, God tells them exactly why the city is in such a mess and why He is angry with them.
“Who is there even among you that would shut the doors for nought? neither do ye kindle fire on mine altar for nought. I have no pleasure in you, saith the LORD of hosts, neither will I accept an offering at your hand. For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the LORD of hosts. But ye have profaned it, in that ye say, The table of the LORD is polluted; and the fruit thereof, even his meat, is contemptible. Ye said also, Behold, what a weariness is it! and ye have snuffed at it, saith the LORD of hosts; and ye brought that which was torn, and the lame, and the sick; thus ye brought an offering: should I accept this of your hand? saith the LORD. But cursed be the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male, and voweth, and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing: for I am a great King, saith the LORD of hosts, and my name is dreadful among the heathen.” - Malachi 1:10-14.
Ye brought that which was torn, and the lame, and the sick. Here's the situation, if a person wanted to be clean of their sins and pardoned for them, they were to bring, unblemished animals, this means they were not to have any cuts on their skin, no broken bones or sickness in them. These people were bringing sacrifices that were blemished, they wanted God in their lives, but were not willing to come to Him wholeheartedly. This is the same as a person who goes to church, pays tithes, volunteers, even becomes part of a church, but never receives Christ. We are blemished, stained, broken, full of sin, we cannot go before God unless we come to Him wholeheartedly. Christ makes us blemish free, He allows us to be able to stand before God, but unless we come to Him wholeheartedly He cannot. “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” - John 3:17,18.
He that believeth on him is not condemned, those of us who are saved do not have anything to worry about with our salvation. Those who serve Him in His church are truly blessed, and pretty good at showing God that they are faithful to Him and love Him with all their heart. As much as we would like to admit that we are one hundred percent wholehearted toward God, the truth is, we are not. Let's face it, life happens and as long as it does our heart is not always going to be completely on God, and when that happens we can expect affliction from God. This happens to both laymen and servants of God. Now, not only were the laymen complaining about God, so were the priests, God calls them out and tells them why He was angry with them.
“For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts. But ye are departed out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble at the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the LORD of hosts. Therefore have I also made you contemptible and base before all the people, according as ye have not kept my ways, but have been partial in the law. Ye have wearied the LORD with your words. Yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied him? When ye say, Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and he delighteth in them; or, Where is the God of judgment?” - Malachi 2:7-9,17.
For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth. Those who serve God in and out of His church as pastors, missionaries, teachers, or even laymen are to be godly examples. Their lips should be knowledgeable in the things of God and the should seek to know and teach them everywhere we go. Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the LORD, church leaders who disregard God's Word and condone corruptible actions in the church face severe judgment from God. Everything is not good in the sight of God, we must never condone sinful behavior in our churches, it will cause great confusion. “If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret. But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God. For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.” - 1Corinthians 14:27,28,33.
The Jews enjoyed all the same privileges and advantages, there were many of very different characters, some very good and others very bad, some plainly appeared to be the children of God and others discovered to be the children of the devil (under his control) himself. Those who are God's kids are written in His book and shown as they fear, respect and honor Him. God knows who are His, even if they had gotten away from Him, He will bring all His kids to that realization and will also teach them to know the difference between a true preacher and one that is lying. Through Malachi, God reveals the book of remembrance.
“Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the LORD of hosts? And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered. Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name. And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.” - Malachi 3:14-18.
People look to men and women who know God for guidance and direction, but when they are not reading and following God's Word themselves all they are doing is deceiving those who are truly trying to live for God. Heads up to those religions who use other books as God's Word, if churches do not encourage you to read the Bible or read from the Bible themselves in the church service then they are deceiving you. A good sign that you are not hearing the true Word of God is how they preach the Gospel (the death burial and resurrection for the remission of sin). No one written in the book of remembrance also known as the book of life will be saved from judgment. This is even found in
“For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.” - Malachi 4:1,2,5,6.
Today's Prayer: God, We can live in such a way that our limitations define us and guide us in all that we think, do, and say to the point that we feel like prisoners. Or we can recognize our true freedom when You accomplish Your will in our lives as when we humbly serve You. The constraints we place on ourselves can be lifted by the power of Your Holy Spirit as we wholeheartedly devote ourselves to You and Your service. In Jesus' name. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
Subscribe To Our Devotions: http://eepurl.com/2WMzT
Do You Know For Sure You Are Going To Heaven?: http://godsprice.com/
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Copyright © 2015 I'm Following Jesus, All rights reserved.
Date: Tuesday, September 29, 2015
Chapters: The Book of Malachi http://imfollowingjesus.com/Bible-Reading-272.html
Message Title: Loving God Wholeheartedly
Hello My Friend,
The Book of Malachi is the thirty-ninth book of the Old Testament/Bible, the final book of the Old Testament, and contains four chapters. The author of the book is Malachi and it was written to Israel. The timeline for these events took place approximately between 440BC and 410BC. The purpose of the book was to call Israel to repentance and return to righteousness in order to restore the nation, calling great emphasis on the Levites. What we are to learn from the book is, it is not enough to turn to God, we must turn to Him wholeheartedly. “If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the LORD of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart.” - Malachi 2:2.
Many people want God in their lives, the problem is they are not willing to do what is necessary to make Him a part of their lives. Malachi was the last of the Old Testament prophets, he would be the last prophet for over four hundred years. When the Jews in Babylon chose to return to Jerusalem they were not expecting a disaster, but that's exactly what they got, a city in ruins and under great corruption. They begin questioning God's judgment, but through Malachi, God tells them exactly why the city is in such a mess and why He is angry with them.
“Who is there even among you that would shut the doors for nought? neither do ye kindle fire on mine altar for nought. I have no pleasure in you, saith the LORD of hosts, neither will I accept an offering at your hand. For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the LORD of hosts. But ye have profaned it, in that ye say, The table of the LORD is polluted; and the fruit thereof, even his meat, is contemptible. Ye said also, Behold, what a weariness is it! and ye have snuffed at it, saith the LORD of hosts; and ye brought that which was torn, and the lame, and the sick; thus ye brought an offering: should I accept this of your hand? saith the LORD. But cursed be the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male, and voweth, and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing: for I am a great King, saith the LORD of hosts, and my name is dreadful among the heathen.” - Malachi 1:10-14.
Ye brought that which was torn, and the lame, and the sick. Here's the situation, if a person wanted to be clean of their sins and pardoned for them, they were to bring, unblemished animals, this means they were not to have any cuts on their skin, no broken bones or sickness in them. These people were bringing sacrifices that were blemished, they wanted God in their lives, but were not willing to come to Him wholeheartedly. This is the same as a person who goes to church, pays tithes, volunteers, even becomes part of a church, but never receives Christ. We are blemished, stained, broken, full of sin, we cannot go before God unless we come to Him wholeheartedly. Christ makes us blemish free, He allows us to be able to stand before God, but unless we come to Him wholeheartedly He cannot. “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” - John 3:17,18.
He that believeth on him is not condemned, those of us who are saved do not have anything to worry about with our salvation. Those who serve Him in His church are truly blessed, and pretty good at showing God that they are faithful to Him and love Him with all their heart. As much as we would like to admit that we are one hundred percent wholehearted toward God, the truth is, we are not. Let's face it, life happens and as long as it does our heart is not always going to be completely on God, and when that happens we can expect affliction from God. This happens to both laymen and servants of God. Now, not only were the laymen complaining about God, so were the priests, God calls them out and tells them why He was angry with them.
“For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts. But ye are departed out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble at the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the LORD of hosts. Therefore have I also made you contemptible and base before all the people, according as ye have not kept my ways, but have been partial in the law. Ye have wearied the LORD with your words. Yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied him? When ye say, Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and he delighteth in them; or, Where is the God of judgment?” - Malachi 2:7-9,17.
For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth. Those who serve God in and out of His church as pastors, missionaries, teachers, or even laymen are to be godly examples. Their lips should be knowledgeable in the things of God and the should seek to know and teach them everywhere we go. Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the LORD, church leaders who disregard God's Word and condone corruptible actions in the church face severe judgment from God. Everything is not good in the sight of God, we must never condone sinful behavior in our churches, it will cause great confusion. “If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret. But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God. For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.” - 1Corinthians 14:27,28,33.
The Jews enjoyed all the same privileges and advantages, there were many of very different characters, some very good and others very bad, some plainly appeared to be the children of God and others discovered to be the children of the devil (under his control) himself. Those who are God's kids are written in His book and shown as they fear, respect and honor Him. God knows who are His, even if they had gotten away from Him, He will bring all His kids to that realization and will also teach them to know the difference between a true preacher and one that is lying. Through Malachi, God reveals the book of remembrance.
“Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the LORD of hosts? And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered. Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name. And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.” - Malachi 3:14-18.
People look to men and women who know God for guidance and direction, but when they are not reading and following God's Word themselves all they are doing is deceiving those who are truly trying to live for God. Heads up to those religions who use other books as God's Word, if churches do not encourage you to read the Bible or read from the Bible themselves in the church service then they are deceiving you. A good sign that you are not hearing the true Word of God is how they preach the Gospel (the death burial and resurrection for the remission of sin). No one written in the book of remembrance also known as the book of life will be saved from judgment. This is even found in
“For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.” - Malachi 4:1,2,5,6.
Today's Prayer: God, We can live in such a way that our limitations define us and guide us in all that we think, do, and say to the point that we feel like prisoners. Or we can recognize our true freedom when You accomplish Your will in our lives as when we humbly serve You. The constraints we place on ourselves can be lifted by the power of Your Holy Spirit as we wholeheartedly devote ourselves to You and Your service. In Jesus' name. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
Subscribe To Our Devotions: http://eepurl.com/2WMzT
Do You Know For Sure You Are Going To Heaven?: http://godsprice.com/
Visit I'm Following Jesus: http://imfollowingjesus.com/index.html
Like I'm Following Jesus On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/byhisstrength
Copyright © 2015 I'm Following Jesus, All rights reserved.
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