THIS WEEK'S FEATURED PROGRAM

THE PEOPLE OF GOD QUESTION WHY THEY ARE NOT BLESSED

Malachi's Strong Warning for Israelite's who doubted God's Love is shocking! The last Prophet gave some startling messages to the returnees about their love for the most high God. God loves His people even when they are misguided. The people were not appreciating or feeling the blessings, and said to God “ How have you loved us?” God replies bluntly:

Malachi 1:1-3 NKJV 1 The burden of the word of the LORD to Israel by Malachi. 2 "I have loved you," says the LORD. "Yet you say, 'In what way have You loved us?' Was not Esau Jacob's brother?" Says the LORD. "Yet Jacob I have loved;

God explains that Jacob was blessed far beyond other nations. They are fortunate as members of His people, Israel. It is true of America as well, in-spite of poor leadership mostly during the last fifty years, it also has Jacob's blessings upon her. America still has the best mix of natural resources of any nation. They had the blessings not Esau or other nations on this planet. Then God follows up :

Malachi 1:6-8 NKJV 6 "A son honors his father, And a servant his master. If then I am the Father, Where is My honor? And if I am a Master, Where is My reverence? Says the LORD of hosts To you priests who despise My name.

 

This denunciation of their spiritual leadership surprises them. God elaborates :

Yet you say, 'In what way have we despised Your name?' 7 "You offer defiled food on My altar. But say, 'In what way have we defiled You?' By saying, 'The table of the LORD is contemptible.' 8 And when you offer the blind as a sacrifice, Is it not evil? And when you offer the lame and sick, Is it not evil?

 

The people did NOT perceive that their approach to God was lacking in priority. Our leaders today both clergy and media pundits, are guilty of shoddy, sloppy worship as well. They were allowing people to give the lame and crippled sacrifices to the true God. What an insult! If we give God only our leftovers or torn, useless clothing, this is a show of disrespect. God demanded that Israel give their best to the Master. Giving worthless things is not a sign of true love. The clergy said what do you mean shoddy? God answered further:

Malachi 1:13 NLT 13 You say, ‘It’s too hard to serve the LORD,’ and you turn up your noses at my commands,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. “Think of it! Animals that are stolen and crippled and sick are being presented as offerings! Should I accept from you such offerings as these?” asks the LORD .

 

These priests felt that serving God at the Temple was a 'burden'. They were seeking a God of convenience- serving God should make life only easy and comfortable and profitable. They took a disrespectful perspective too far. True believers today know that the Messiah said the exact opposite is true in a world heavily influenced by Satan. The priests were giving detrimental leadership to God's people. God, accordingly, withdrew his support for the work of those priests.

Malachi 1:10 NKJV 10 "Who is there even among you who would shut the doors, So that you would not kindle fire on My altar in vain? I have no pleasure in you," Says the LORD of hosts, "Nor will I accept an offering from your hands.

 

DEVELOPING TRUE LOVE AND A LOVING RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD

 

God is developing new members of His family. Therefore we need to be more like God, full of unselfish love. We must repent of our selfish, sinful ways and learn to resist them and thereby build truly loving character in a world that pushes against loving God and His ways.

Matthew 7:13-14 NKJV 13 "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 "Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

This has always been the number one goal. Note what God has always said:

Deuteronomy 6:4-6 NKJV 4 "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one! 5 "You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. 6 "And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart.

Jeremiah 31:33-34 NKJV 33 "But this is the covenant that I will make.... I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 34 "No more shall every man teach his neighbor, ...' for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them,...

 

Somewhere in the near future, everyone will know God and will have learned to love him. All mankind except the defiantly wicked will have a loving relationship with God. Wow! This is the goal of the core of God's Law, The Ten Commandments.

Mark 12:28-31 NKJV 28 ... "Which is the first commandment of all?" 29 Jesus answered him, "The first of all the commandments is: 'Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one. 30 'And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This is the first commandment. 31 "And the second, like it, is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these."

Jesus summarized the objectives of the Ten Commandments. The first ones are to teach us how to love God and the second part is to guide us as to how to love each other. Jesus stumped his rivals and critics with this analysis.

Matthew 22:34-46 NKJV 34 But when the Pharisees heard that He had silenced the Sadducees,...Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, 36 "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?" 37 Jesus said to him," 'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' 38 "This is the first and great commandment...46 And no one was able to answer Him a word, nor from that day on did anyone dare question Him anymore.

Christ left his so called smart but worldly critics speechless with regard to loving God.

 

BELIEVERS TODAY NEED TO PRACTICE SELFLESS, GODLY LOVE

Paul told the immature Corinthians that they needed to understand why they were given spiritual gifts. They were given for them to learn to start acting in a mature loving manner, and to understand agape love. They wanted gifts to show off more than to help others.

Romans 12:1 NKJV 1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.

1 Corinthians 12:31 NKJV 31 But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way.

Paul said it is fine to desire gifts but the better truly Christian way is...

1 Corinthians 13:1-2 NKJV 1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

 

The Apostle Paul is using hyperbole to make his point. Even if they had the greatest amounts of tongues, teachings and knowledge and faith and used it without selfless love it is meaningless spiritually. Love is BOTH a gift and a fruit of the Holy Spirit. Note Gal 5:22-24. Without love fruit, talents and gifts are NOTHING.

1 Corinthians 13:3 BBE 3 And if I give all my goods to the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it is of no profit to me.

Charitable giving for virtue signaling or PR without love are meaningless spiritually. During the Vietnam war some young Monks were persuaded to burn themselves alive in an attempt to push for another administration in Saigon. All that was wasted effort.

1 Corinthians 13:4 MNT 4 Love suffers long and is kind; love envies not; love makes no parade, is not puffed up,

 

Gifts are like orchestra instruments when played badly as without agape love they are just strident, selfish music. Gifts used with Godly love are so beautiful. Wow!

1 Corinthians 13:5-8 MNT 5 is not rude, nor selfish, nor easily provoked. Love bears no malice, never rejoices over wrong-doing, 6 but rejoices when the truth rejoices. 7 It knows how to be silent, it is trustful, hopeful, patient, enduring. 8 Love never fails; but though there are prophecies, they will fail; though there are tongues, they will cease; though there is knowledge, it will be superseded.

 

We demonstrate our love for God by our actions regarding sacrificing our important things like time and resources to Him. Further, by how we love His other children as well.