Malachi 3:14-20
14“You have said, ‘It is futile to serve God. What did we gain by carrying out his requirements and going about like mourners before the LORD Almighty? 15But now we call the arrogant blessed. Certainly the evildoers prosper, and even those who challenge God escape.’”
16Then those who feared the LORD talked with each other, and the LORD listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the LORD and honored his name.
17“They will be mine,” says the LORD Almighty, “in the day when I make up my treasured posession.a I will spare them, just as in compassion a man spares his son who serves him. 18And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.
When I read the Old Testament I’m often reminded that the peoples of old, asked themselves the same questions that I hear in conversations today. In fact I’ve asked myself many of these same questions and used them as an excuse to keep behaving, in a way that God would not find pleasing to him. We’ve all heard about how we should live and find ourselves in many ways acting and behaving just like those who do not put their faith and hope in the Lord Jesus Christ. This can cause a person to really question themselves as to whether God really exists.
We have time for so many things. The world offers so many things to keep us from spending time really seeking God’s will in our lives. Last week early one morning my wife said to me, “ You have time to look at Facebook first thing in the morning, but have you spent anytime with God yet.” The answer was no I hadn’t. What annoyed me were the thoughts I had after she said this to me.
We all have things in life that distract us. We can look around and say just like the scripture points out in verse 14 of Malachi , “Certainly the evildoers prosper, and even those who challenge God escape.” Sounds to me like the flesh screaming and asking that question. What do we profit by serving God?
Well it’s not about profit. Secondly, it’s not about what God do can for me.
We were created to worship God. We weren’t created to worship ourselves or fashion or the cars we drive or where we live. We were created to worship God. Keeping this though forefront in my mind at times has been difficult for me. Why ?
Because just like you at times I get caught up looking around me instead of keeping my eyes focused on Jesus. Spending time in this Book that he provided for me to get to really know him. Spending time in prayer. Asking him what his will is for me on a day to day basis. Looking through scripture I’m reminded that Jesus also went through temptation and was able through the power of the Holy Spirit to resist that temptation. In Luke Chapter 4 where he was tempted by Satan and offered dominion over this world if he would just worship Satan. Jesus replied with,
“The scripture says, You must worship the Lord God and serve him only.”
So there we have it. Even Jesus when he was tempted went straight to the scripture and quoted what had been given to the prophets of old. Through this example it is obvious to me that Jesus spent time seeking his fathers will for him He did not bend to the left or the right. The example that he set for me is to do the same. Will I always succeed? Probably not. But I will continue to seek God’s will in my life? Absolutely!
My prayer for this week is: Lord thank you for revealing yourself to me. Allow me Lord Jesus as I go through this week that I will be acutely aware of those in need around me. I look forward to being able to serve you in any way that I can. Allow me Lord Jesus to be a witness for you. Thank you for giving us your written word that we can truly come to know you more intimately. Allow this to be the most important desire of my heart to know you and worship you. Amen
14“You have said, ‘It is futile to serve God. What did we gain by carrying out his requirements and going about like mourners before the LORD Almighty? 15But now we call the arrogant blessed. Certainly the evildoers prosper, and even those who challenge God escape.’”
16Then those who feared the LORD talked with each other, and the LORD listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the LORD and honored his name.
17“They will be mine,” says the LORD Almighty, “in the day when I make up my treasured posession.a I will spare them, just as in compassion a man spares his son who serves him. 18And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.
When I read the Old Testament I’m often reminded that the peoples of old, asked themselves the same questions that I hear in conversations today. In fact I’ve asked myself many of these same questions and used them as an excuse to keep behaving, in a way that God would not find pleasing to him. We’ve all heard about how we should live and find ourselves in many ways acting and behaving just like those who do not put their faith and hope in the Lord Jesus Christ. This can cause a person to really question themselves as to whether God really exists.
We have time for so many things. The world offers so many things to keep us from spending time really seeking God’s will in our lives. Last week early one morning my wife said to me, “ You have time to look at Facebook first thing in the morning, but have you spent anytime with God yet.” The answer was no I hadn’t. What annoyed me were the thoughts I had after she said this to me.
We all have things in life that distract us. We can look around and say just like the scripture points out in verse 14 of Malachi , “Certainly the evildoers prosper, and even those who challenge God escape.” Sounds to me like the flesh screaming and asking that question. What do we profit by serving God?
Well it’s not about profit. Secondly, it’s not about what God do can for me.
We were created to worship God. We weren’t created to worship ourselves or fashion or the cars we drive or where we live. We were created to worship God. Keeping this though forefront in my mind at times has been difficult for me. Why ?
Because just like you at times I get caught up looking around me instead of keeping my eyes focused on Jesus. Spending time in this Book that he provided for me to get to really know him. Spending time in prayer. Asking him what his will is for me on a day to day basis. Looking through scripture I’m reminded that Jesus also went through temptation and was able through the power of the Holy Spirit to resist that temptation. In Luke Chapter 4 where he was tempted by Satan and offered dominion over this world if he would just worship Satan. Jesus replied with,
“The scripture says, You must worship the Lord God and serve him only.”
So there we have it. Even Jesus when he was tempted went straight to the scripture and quoted what had been given to the prophets of old. Through this example it is obvious to me that Jesus spent time seeking his fathers will for him He did not bend to the left or the right. The example that he set for me is to do the same. Will I always succeed? Probably not. But I will continue to seek God’s will in my life? Absolutely!
My prayer for this week is: Lord thank you for revealing yourself to me. Allow me Lord Jesus as I go through this week that I will be acutely aware of those in need around me. I look forward to being able to serve you in any way that I can. Allow me Lord Jesus to be a witness for you. Thank you for giving us your written word that we can truly come to know you more intimately. Allow this to be the most important desire of my heart to know you and worship you. Amen
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