What if you came to church this next Sunday and God locked the doors? How could that be? What will I do with my spotted three legged lamb?
"Why doesn't one of you just shut the Temple doors and lock them? Then none of you can get in and play at religion with this silly, empty-headed worship. I am not pleased. The God-of-the-Angel-Armies is not pleased. And I don't want any more of this so-called worship!"~Malachi
God reveals through Malachi, His displeasure in the way His people are going about worship. It is in this impotent worship the people's true heart is revealed. If we could see "God-of-the-Angel-Armies" take His place on a throne in front of our assembly in church, would He be pleased?
Malachi goes on to say...
"I am honored all over the world. And there are people who know how to worship me all over the world, who honor me by bringing their best to me. They're saying it everywhere: 'God is greater, this God-of-the-Angel-Armies.'
It seems there are two very important components to an acceptable worship of God. The first element of true and acceptable worship is to bring your best. The second component is to acknowledge that God is Sovereign. God is subservient to no other god.
Malachi describes what a rank smell our impotent worship looks like..
"All except you. Instead of honoring me, you profane me. You profane me when you say, 'Worship is not important, and what we bring to worship is of no account,' and when you say, 'I'm bored—this doesn't do anything for me.' You act so superior, sticking your noses in the air—act superior to me, God-of-the-Angel-Armies! And when you do offer something to me, it's a hand-me-down, or broken, or useless. Do you think I'm going to accept it? This is God speaking to you!
A sure way to torque off God is to bring in your discards...
"A curse on the person who makes a big show of doing something great for me—an expensive sacrifice, say—and then at the last minute brings in something puny and worthless! I'm a great king, God-of-the-Angel-Armies, honored far and wide, and I'll not put up with it!"--
God deserves and expects your best. It is not wise to go before an angry God.
Surf to: http://www.freshc.org for a Fresh Connection...
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