At World Outreach Center we have proclaimed 2001 as the year of commitment. A time to realign our priorities and fulfill the purpose and plan of God. What about you? How is your relationship with God? What is your gauge? Thermometer? How do you check up on the most important thing in your life?
Well, God’s Word says we do so by giving heed to God’s Word. It is the mirror we see ourselves in, the standard or ruler. It is the measuring rod. Why not do a personal inventory NOW! Malachi was written for just such a purpose. A burden of the Word of the Lord (Malachi 1:1). Verse 6 Gods asks, “Where is mine honor?” God then begins to talk to them personally concerning the relationship to Himself.
Verse 13 God says that the things of God has become a weariness to you. You have snuffed at it. Snuffed means to disesteem by blowing hard. Kind of like a 13 year old who is sighing in disgust at a parent’s request!
What about you? Does church attendance weary you? Is Sunday morning, Wednesday night and one other weekend night just too much? Should there not be a joy in being in God’s house and with God’s people? I mean, if we are born again and a part of God’s family, why should we be weary of being with them?
Chapter 3, verses 16 and 17 speak of small group meetings of believers talking about the things of God and how He records these for a Book of Memory! Malachi speaks of marriage, 2:14, and family, 4:5 and 6. How is your commitment to your family? Not just money, I mean to their spiritual future and the blessings of God on your home! God continually talked about their worship and the Word of God. How committed to the Bible are you? Do you read it any time other than on Sunday as the Pastor reads his text?
Do you sigh when a prayer meeting is announced? No time, too busy with the blessings of life? In Chapter 2:2, God declares He will curse our blessings and send a curse upon us.
What are you spending your life on? When you stand before Christ in eternity, what will be your reward? Are your days spent on eternal things or temporal things? When we stand before Him we will only give account for one thing, did we “finish our course,” that which He gave us to do specifically, our personal destiny assignment and purpose on this earth.
Will souls be in your record? After all, this was, is and forever will be the cause of God in the earth. Souls saved, loving the lost and living to see them come into the Kingdom of God.
In these days God is sending out His call. . 1 Samuel 2:30, “Them that honor Me I will honor and they that despise Me shall be lightly esteemed.” Do you honor God with your commitment? Really God was speaking in Malachi concerning the offering of the people. No real offering. 1:7-10. Polluted. In Chapter 3:8- 10 He declares a curse because of offerings. You see God says, “Honor Me with the sacrifice of your offerings.” Proverbs 3:9 says, “Honor the Lord with ‘your’ substance.” This is not the tithe. Even so many still rob God with the tithe. The tithe belongs to God but the offering is His blessings that are yours. We fuss and argue over every penny. Even now God is speaking of your “money.” Jesus declared “where your ‘treasure’ is, there your heart is.” Where is your heart? Look in your check book. Keep a record. How much do you spend on yourself, temporal things, and what is invested in God’s Kingdom? Could the church advance, could the kingdom enlarge if only we honored God with what belongs to us?
“Where is My honor?” Really, God is asking if these basic things are wearisome to us, do we really have a viable relationship with God or have we become religious? Church goers, but not Christians? Born again, or just a case of the do betters? I believe the Spirit of God like a fire is here to burn up the chaff of our lives. God has always wanted commitment and now His Word is calling us to TURN or RETURN to the love of our Father and give honor TO HIM. God is ready to bless us in a way that nations will stand and recognize we are His. Why walk under a curse when the blessings of commitment await us now!
We will not. We must not. We will turn to our Father and the curse will not smite the earth. Malachi 4:6
At World Outreach Center we have proclaimed 2001 as the year of commitment. A time to realign our priorities and fulfill the purpose and plan of God. What about you? How is your relationship with God? What is your gauge? Thermometer? How do you check up on the most important thing in your life?