HONORING GOD

"From the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the gentiles"  (Malachi 1:11)

During the day of Malachi it was God's plan for the priests and the people of Israel to be shining examples of God's power and grace so the many nations of the world would be drawn to life with God.  God wanted their worship to be a testiment of His grace and greatness.

Instead God's people were exhibiting the very opposite.  The priest were offering crippled and diseased animals on the altar and the people were living as though they had forgotten the God that had created them.  They had broken faith with God and with one another.

They were going through the motions of worship, but their true attitude toward God was reflected in the nature of what they offered Him.  They treated God with contempt by presenting Him with such insulting sacrifices.

This same danger is present today.  We have to be careful what we offer God.  God does not want our second hand worship.  He does not want our leftovers. We serve a God that is due our best. 

Are you giving God your best?  Is God pleased with what He sees of you on Sunday?  When the doors open to the church, are you coming in excited at the opportunity to worship God and hear the Word of God?  Or do you drag in late, wishing you were somewhere else?  When songs are being sung do you mouth the words, while your thoughts are wondering some where else?  When it is time for offering, do you give joyfully and generously, or do you dig in your pockets for loose change treating God like a panhandler on the street?  Better yet is He pleased with what He sees on a daily basis?  

God wants our true worship and we are required to give God the honor that He deserves!

Encouraging Word

There is nothing more important to the Lord than seeing His children grow to come Quality Christians. Yes, He is concerned about our spiritual birth, but He is also concerned about our spiritual growth. John 14:26 says, But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. Every believer has been given the gift of the Holy Spirit in order that we might become quality Christians. When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, it is an extremely exciting time. However, it is a tragic mistake to think that this is all we have to do once we establish this relationship. Every believer has to go beyond the conversion experience. If not, we will find ourselves regressing into the same old habits and sins of our past. The ministry of the Holy Spirit is to grow the believer into a Quality Christian. You need to ask yourself this question, are you allowing the Holy Spirit to do his work in your life?

Pastor Foster