Category Archives: Following

Abiding, Bible, Blessing, Doubts, Encouragement, Following, Humiliation, Scripture

I’M DONE WITH GOD

MALACHI 3:14

“‘You have said, “It is pointless to serve God; and what benefit is it for us that we have done what He required, and that we have walked in mourning before the LORD of armies?”’”

There have been times in my life when I have felt totally inept. Everything I did seemed to fall apart. Indeed, it felt pointless to continue to try to do the thing I was attempting. Failure was assured. I can remember one football game in high school when we were losing in the fourth quarter. The coach called a timeout and gave us a pep talk. It was simple – play til the clock hits 0:00. We felt like zeroes.

In today’s verse, the Lord is reminding the people what they had been saying about following Him. They saw the faithful still suffering in poverty. They had decided it was better to not obey since obedience only brought sorrow. Serving Jehovah seemed useless. They had rather reap the benefits of the world than wallow in the pits.

APPLICATION

Oh, but they were forgetting one important thing. This world is not our home. The things we obtain here are only temporal. They will not last. The faithful realized that. They were not obeying God to get things down here. They were laying up treasure in heaven, where neither moths nor rust can destroy.

In 1 Corinthians 15:19 Paul says, “If we have hoped in Christ only in this life, we are of all people most to be pitied.” How true! If my walk with Christ was dependent on what God gives me down here, I would have long ago left the path. It is not about that. He does bless us down here, though. I have been blessed in so many ways. But I do not and cannot live for those things.

Neither can you. Follow Christ out of joy. Follow Christ because of how much He loves you. Follow Christ because the promise we have in heaven. Follow Christ because ________________ (you fill in the blank). We all need to remember why we are serving Him here. We serve Him for what is coming. Praise God!

Lord, I love You and want to show You by serving You here on this earth. I look forward to my heavenly rewards.

Standard
Abiding, Bible, Following, Home, Return, Safety, Scripture

HOW DO I GET HOME?

MALACHI 3:7

“‘From the days of your fathers you have turned away from My statutes and have not kept them. Return to Me, and I will return to you,’ says the LORD of armies. ‘But you say, “How shall we return?”’”

Sometimes we get lost, don’t we? When was the last time you got lost on a trip? I know, with GPS systems and Google Maps, it is harder to get lost. Even when you get off course, those systems will reroute you and bring you home. But back in the days of paper maps, you might have had a harder time finding the right path back home.

The Lord says as much to the people in that last sentence of today’s verse. “But you say, ‘How shall we return.’” The people were truly off course. They didn’t have a GPS to bring them back into alignment with their God. They had strayed so far away that they had forgotten how to return, much less which way to go. Their fathers had strayed, and so had they.

APPLICATION

I have discovered a little secret to prevent getting lost and not knowing how to return. Stay home! Now, I don’t mean you can’t ever leave your house. I mean stay home with Jesus. Stay close! Continue to have your daily quiet times. Talk to Him daily. Spend time listening for His voice. Follow Him wherever He leads you.

I will let you in on another little secret. If He is leading you somewhere, you can bet that He is not lost. He knows exactly where He is going and leading you. I love that old hymn that says, “Where He leads me I will follow, Where He leads me I will follow, Where He leads me I will follow, I’ll go with Him, with Him all the way.”

Can you say that? Can you avoid that return trip home by staying close to Him? The first half of James 4:8 says, “Come close to God and He will come close to you.” It’s interesting that the Greek word for “come close” means immediate imminence. It almost has the idea of “it is here.” That’s where I want to be with Jesus. How about you?

I truly want to be wherever You are, Lord. I will follow!

Standard
Abiding, Belief, Bible, Commands, Following, God's Will, Intimacy, Marriage, Salvation, Scripture

THE WRONG MARRIAGE

MALACHI 2:11

“Judah has dealt treacherously, and an abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah has profaned the sanctuary of the LORD which He loves, and has married the daughter of a foreign god.”

There are a lot of marriages that should never happen. People who jump into a marriage often jump out. Some people think if they live together first, they will have a better chance of staying married. You know, the old take the car for a spin first mentality. Those marriages often don’t make it either. So, what’s the secret?

Well, we see in today’s verse one think is obviously a problem. The priests had married foreign wives, which had been strictly forbidden long ago. Why was this banned? Because they brought in their idols and corrupted the people. The priests were given even stricter marriage laws than the people. Leviticus 21:13-15 tells us, “‘13 He shall take a wife in her virginity. 14 A widow, or a divorced woman, or one who is profaned by prostitution, these he shall not take; but rather he is to marry a virgin of his own people, 15 so that he will not profane his children among his people; for I am the LORD who sanctifies him.’” Pretty clear, huh?

APPLICATION

So, how does this apply to us today? Well, we may not bring idols into our homes, but we can be unequally yoked with someone. Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 6:14, “Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness?” If you want to read more on that, read verses 15-18. Wow!

When we marry someone who is not a believer, they will almost always weaken our faith, not strengthen it. But Carl, I can win them to Jesus. Then do that before marriage, not after. When we are married to a fellow believer, our priority is Jesus. As we grow closer to Him, we grow closer to each other. You won’t find that kind of spiritual intimacy with a non-believer.

So, what do you do if you find yourself in lopsided marriage? Go to the Word. Ask the Lord how you can lead your spouse to Jesus. Of course, pray daily for your spouse’s salvation. Most of all, exhibit Jesus to them. Live like you know Jesus. Your behavior and lifestyle will do so much toward leading them heavenward. There is always hope. Believe.

Father, I praise You that You have given me a loving spouse who loves You more than she does me.

Standard
Allegiance, Bible, Calling, Commands, Decisions, Following, God's Will, Messages, Scripture

GOD’S MESSENGER

MALACHI 2:7

“‘For the lips of a priest should maintain knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth; for he is the messenger of the LORD of armies.’”

I surrendered to full-time ministry at seventeen-years-old. Shortly after my salvation I heard God’s call on my life. I have to say that I didn’t really understand what that meant. Here I was a teenager who has given his life to serve the Lord wherever He may lead. Through all these years (I’m in my 45th year of service) I have never doubted His calling. It hasn’t always been easy, but I have always been one of His messengers.

In part two of my memory passage (Malachi 2:6-7), the Lord reminds the priest of two other responsibilities – that his lips should preserve knowledge and that people should come to them for instruction. Why? Because they are His messengers, sent according to His direction to lead the people of Israel. That was a weighty role and one not taken lightly.

APPLICATION

2 Corinthians 5:20 says, “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.” The Greek word for “ambassadors” there means a trusted and respected ambassador who is authorized to speak as God’s emissary. So, we are given this responsibility as believers in Christ.

Therein lies the rub. Did you see what that word meant? It said an ambassador is to be a “trusted and respected” person. That’s where so many of us fall short. We don’t live our lives worthy of this calling. We don’t live trusted and respected lives. We don’t represent our God as we should with our lives, so our messages fall short.

I try to make sure my life is reflective of the Gospel every day. Do I always succeed? To be honest – no. Some days I fall short. I am not as Christlike as I should be. But I know my talk is only as affective as my walk. The same is true of you. Be God’s messenger. Be worthy of His calling.

I am honored to be Your messenger, Lord. Help me walk worthy of that calling.

Standard
Abiding, Bible, Calling, Commands, Following, Justice, Peace, Scripture

THE ROLE OF PRIESTS

MALACHI 2:6

“‘True instruction was in his mouth and injustice was not found on his lips; he walked with Me in peace and justice, and he turned many back from wrongdoing.’”

When I read today’s verse, I said, “Hey, I know that verse.” Malachi 2:6-7 is one of the passages we memorize as leaders with our ministry, Every Man A Warrior. In fact, this passage was one of the very ones my boss drilled me on over and over. I have pondered this passage many times, so I am thrilled to share my thoughts with you.

The Lord is still speaking in today’s verse. He is reminding the priests of their roles. They were to have true instruction in their mouth. Nothing false should come forth. They were to ensure no words of injustice should fall from their lips. They were to walk in peace and justice, and most importantly, turn many from their sins.

APPLICATION

Did you know that these duties apply to every believer? Wait a minute, Carl. We aren’t priests. Oh no? God calls you that. You are a royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:9). Take a look at those expectations I just listed for the priests. Which of those would not apply to you? Speaking truth? Walking in peace and justice? Turning others from sin?

We all have the responsibility to do these things. God has given us an incredible opportunity in each of these. When someone comes to you for advice, where do you turn? There is only one true source – His Word. Point them there. When asked your opinion on a matter, make sure you are speaking justly according to His Word. Getting along with others in your daily walk is critical. And by all means, share Jesus with the lost.

We are truly God’s priests today. We have a holy calling to uphold. What a privilege it is to be given these opportunities. Allow the Lord to use you this week. Do your best to fulfill your duties as His priest in the world today.

You have given me a holy calling, Lord. I take it up freely.

Standard
Attitude, Bible, Devout, Following, Heart, Purity, Scripture, Worship

SNOBBY WORSHIP

MALACHI 1:9

“’But now, do indeed plead for God’s favor, so that He will be gracious to us. With such an offering on your part, will He receive any of you kindly?’ says the LORD of armies.”

Have you ever visited a church, and no one spoke to you? You walked in, and no one greeted you. Perhaps you even sat down, and someone gave you the stare that meant you were sitting in their seat. Everyone seemed to have their nose up in the air as if they belonged there and you didn’t. You know what I am talking about. They almost seemed to give off the impression that they were doing God a favor by being there.

That is exactly what the Lord is addressing in today’s verse. These priests totally ignored God’s commands. They did as they pleased in regards to worship. God should be pleased. After all, they were doing something. Something is better than nothing, right? Nope, it’s not, and they will find out soon enough.

APPLICATION

How do you ensure your worship is pure and holy? How do you present yourself before the Lord? I want my worship to be what He wants, not what I want. If you are like me, I have my own preconceived ideas about worship. I like this or I don’t like that. I want the choir to sing this song. I want the pastor to preach longer (come on now, who says that, lol).

We are told that “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” That’s John 4:24. What does that mean? Albert Barnes says this about that verse. “A pure, a holy, a spiritual worship, therefore, is such as he seeks – the offering of the soul rather than the formal offering of the body – the homage of the heart rather than that of the lips.”

Oh, to do that each and every time we enter into worship. Worship is about our heart attitude, not what we sing or preach. It’s a heart issue. So, is your heart right when you enter into worship? Are you bringing in unresolved grudges or ill will towards someone? If you are, confess that and get your heart right before worship. Then your heart will be what God desires.

Father, help me worship You in spirt and in truth. Let my heart cry out to You.

Standard
Abiding, Allies, Battles, Bible, Choices, End Times, Following, God's Will, Repentance, Salvation, Scripture

SECOND CHANCES

ZECHARIAH 14:16

“Then it will come about that any who are left of all the nations that came against Jerusalem will go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of armies, and to celebrate the Feast of Booths.”

God is a God of second chances. If you don’t believe that, just ask me. God has given me and others that second chance. Mine came at age sixteen, after living a lie for the previous eight years. I had been baptized at age eight but did not know Christ. At age sixteen, I was given new life in Christ when I truly repented and asked Jesus to be my Lord. Second chances are great.

It is pretty clear in today’s verse that the remnant from the defeated ones will repent and worship Jesus on the great and awesome day. They will come to Jerusalem, the very city they were trying to destroy, and worship Him there. The Feast of Booths (Tabernacles) is a daily event in the life of the Christian. We are continually “tabernacling” with Jesus.

APPLICATION

Have you thanked the Lord for your second chance? Maybe you are still running in rebellion. Maybe you have not yielded to Him and received that second chance yet. Don’t wait too long. You may miss out. But for those of us who have received it, we are continually celebrating Who He is. Amen?

I am thankful God gave David a second chance after he blew it with Bathsheba. He gave Saul (Paul) a second chance after he was guilty of jailing and even killing Christians. He gave Peter a second chance after he denied Him three times. How has the Lord given you that second chance? What has He rescued you from?

Oh, I can’t begin to tell you how grateful I am for second chances, even third and fourth chances. My God has never failed me, and He never will. He is watching over me. He is ready to catch me when I fall. He will never give up on me. He won’t give up on you either. Celebrate second chances and give God the glory.

Thank You, Lord, for second chances. You desire for me to live in them.

Standard
Appearance, Bible, Christ's Return, Deliverance, Devil, End Times, Eternity, Evil, Following, Glory, God's Will, Heaven, Hell, Judgment, Miracles, Return, Scripture

ESCAPE ROUTE

ZECHARIAH 14:5

“And you will flee by the valley of My mountains, for the valley of the mountains will reach to Azel; yes, you will flee just as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the LORD, my God, will come, and all the holy ones with Him!”

I have had the opportunity to participate in a couple of Escape Room experiences. You know – those rooms set up to allow groups of people to problem solve a situation, gather clues and follow directions to get out of that room. There is always a way out if the team can just figure it out. Fortunately, I was able to escape each time, lol.

Look back at verse 4 of Zechariah 14 for a second. It says, “…the Mount of Olives will be split in its middle from east to west forming a very large valley…” That valley is the one referred to in today’s verse. Azel was obviously a village on the other side of that valley. The earthquake mentioned here is not in historical records but must have been massive for it to have been remembered two centuries later. But the best part of this verse is the last phrase – “Then the LORD, my God, will come, and all the holy ones with Him!”

APPLICATION

Wow, there’s a lot in that verse, huh? Where do we start? First of all, let’s address the escape route that God will make for the people of Jerusalem on that day. He does the miraculous to achieve His purpose. He is still doing that today. We can all probably recount a story that was nothing less than miraculous. Will you join me in looking around for those today? God is still providing a way out for us. We can share the story of Jesus with someone who is lost today and provide them with that miraculous way of escape from the punishment of hell.

How about the Lord returning with “all the holy ones”? Won’t that be a sight? I plan to be there. These “holy ones” will include His legions of angels and perhaps all the saints. That last part is us, the believers, who are with Him in glory. That is shouting ground. Look at Jude 1:14-15. “14 Behold, the Lord has come with many thousands of His holy ones, 15 to execute judgment upon all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their ungodly deeds which they have done in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.”

Whether I am with Him or not when He returns to earth to judge it, the fact of the matter is He is coming with authority. He is coming back as King and Judge, not a baby in a manger. He is not coming back to spend years teaching. No, He is coming back to issue forth judgment on the unbelieving masses and on the evil one himself. What a day that will be!

What a day that will be, when my Jesus I shall see. And I look upon His face, the One who saved me by His grace…What a day, glorious day that will be. 

Standard
Abiding, Belief, Bible, Following, God's Will, Judgment, Messiah, Return, Scripture

ON THAT DAY

ZECHARIAH 14:4

“On that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which is in front of Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives will be split in its middle from east to west forming a very large valley. Half of the mountain will move toward the north, and the other half toward the south.” 

We have all had days that we waited anxiously for – Christmas morning, wedding day, the birth of a child. Some are more exciting than others. They all have one thing in common. We can’t make that day come any quicker. We have to wait for the day to arrive. We count the days, hours and even seconds, don’t we? We are pretty anxious bunch.

Oh, beloved, look at today’s verse. We are told that one day the long-awaited Messiah will come. We know Him as Jesus, the Son of God. He will come and stand on the Mount of Olives. When that happens there will be a great earthquake which will split the mountain. We believe this is literally what will happen. But just like our awaited days, this day will only occur when it is time. We can make guesses, but we can’t change the date. When it is time, God will send Him. He is coming. That is for sure.

APPLICATION

At the ascension of Christ, angels appeared and told the disciples, “and they said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.’” (Acts 1:11) That should get your heart pumping. That should excite you much more than the anticipation of any day on your calendar. He will return, just like He came.

Now, to be clear, this is NOT the rapture. That will precede this. We, the believers in Christ, will be caught up by Jesus in the air. This event prophesied in Zechariah 14:4 is when Jesus will literally return to earth to judge it. For those who remain on earth after the rapture, who have gone through the tribulation period, this will be a scary time. For those of us who accompany Him, it will be a glorious time. Which side will you be on?

I know where I will be. I will be with Jesus. I’m already on His side. I am just anxiously waiting. Will it be today? Tomorrow? Only the Father knows! Jesus told us in Matthew 24:42, “‘Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming.’”

Lord, I am ready. Help me lead others to You so they too will be ready.

Standard
Abiding, Belief, Bible, Devil, Evil, Following, Identity, Obedience, Relationships, Rescue, Scripture, Witnessing

WHO IS THIS SHEPHERD?

ZECHARIAH 13:7

“‘Awake, sword, against My Shepherd, and against the Man, My Associate,’ declares the LORD of armies. ‘Strike the Shepherd and the sheep will be scattered; and I will turn My hand against the little ones.’”

When I was a boy, there was a television program called To Tell The Truth. On this program, three contestants were presented to a guest panel of four people. All three contestants said they were the same person. Only one was the real person. Questions were asked and finally one was asked to “tell the truth.”

Why am I describing this program? Because in today’s verse we have a “Shepherd” that is not identified. The Lord, through Zechariah, does not come right out and say the person’s name. However, because we have other evidence, we can point out this person’s identity. This Shepherd is none other than God’s only Son, Jesus. He was the one struck. It was His sheep that were scattered. Jesus fulfilled this prophecy through His death on that cruel cross.

APPLICATION

So, how do we apply this verse to our lives today? Can people identify you as a follower of Christ? How do people know what you believe. The Word, Jesus, tells us in John 13:34-35, “‘34 I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are My disciples: if you have love for one another.’” Don’t you want to be identified with the Shepherd?

Too many believers hold their faith so close to their chest that no one would know they are a child of the King. We need to be shouting it from the rooftops. What is stopping you from being more bold in your witness? Just think of what He did for us. He underwent all the suffering of the cross to rescue us. The least we can do is stand up for Him.

Now, I must warn you. When you do that, we run the risk of being persecuted, just as is described in today’s verse. It says His sheep were scattered. The world will not like the fact that we are identifying with Christ. We can identify with anyone else or with any other group and we will be just fine. But the moment we identify with Jesus, watch for the fiery darts of the evil one to come our way. That’s okay, though. Why? Because any suffering we may endure gives glory to Him. Amen? Amen!

I know I am a sheep of the Shepherd who was pierced for my transgressions. Thank You, Lord.

Standard