Day of the Lord Malachi 4:1-6

Sermon Nuggets Mon Feb 20 Day of the Lord

Verses- Mal 4: ¹ “Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble, and that day that is coming will set them on fire,” says the LORD Almighty. “Not a root or a branch will be left to them. ² But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. And you will go out and leap like calves released from the stall.³ Then you will trample down the wicked; they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day when I do these things,” says the LORD Almighty.                                                                                                                                                                             ⁴ “Remember the law of my servant Moses, the decrees and laws I gave him at Horeb for all Israel.      ⁵ “See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the LORD comes. ⁶ He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers; or else I will come and strike the land with a curse.”

The Day of the Lord

   Malachi was far richer for me than I anticipated when I started the series. Like most prophets he called Israel to repentance, and wanted them to confront sins of apathy and pretence. I also knew that the book of Malachi stressed the importance of tithing. What became even more focused for me was the longsuffering of God. He wanted to give them chance after chance of finding true blessing in proper relationship. To be right with God results in heartfelt worship, it results in holiness and proper relations with your spouse and families and marriages.  When it comes to training there is no substitute including the church, for what happens in the home for Bible teaching, memorization and teaching of the laws of God.

   Also what brought renewed focus for me was how central to worship was the act of giving. It wasn't something hidden, or something given out of manipulation. If we love God, central to expressing that are offerings.

   Now as we come to the conclusion of the book, the prophet discusses the Day of the Lord. This November will be a day of reckoning for all the political candidates. The judgment will come as to who will serve our nation, our state, our communities. There will be winners and losers. All have given everything they had to win elections. There are many differences of opinions with many fundamental issues. We urge you all to use your freedom to vote. When that Tuesday is done there will be celebration and there will be great disappointment and sorrow. The day of reckoning will have come. If you don't vote you will be without excuse to say my candidate didn't win. You hold responsibilities for your decisions or your lack of them. In fact when the Bible speaks of the Day of the Lord it also holds us responsible for our decisions or lack of them.

       Still speaking the words from God, Malachi is warning the people of the coming Day of the Lord. He describes it in unsettling terms. Its purpose is twofold: to bring to justice the unrighteous and evil doer and to bring reward and blessing to the righteous.

     The Day of the Lord has far greater significance than Presidential elections, or even a day in courts of our land.

     This is the subject of our meditations this week.

Pastor Dale

Sermon Nuggets Tues Feb 21 – Warning

Mal 4:1 “Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble, and that day that is coming will set them on fire,” says the LORD Almighty. “Not a root or a branch will be left to them. 

Warning of the Day of the Lord.

   Its purpose is twofold: to bring to justice the unrighteous and evil doer and to bring reward and blessing to the righteous. When the day is referred in with other prophecies it is looking to the consummation of the age, although sometimes it takes a more current historical warning of judgment on Israel and Judah for their sin.  I believe here he is referring to the end of the age.

    This day of the Lord will be the time of distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between the saved and the lost.  The primary concern of the passage is to show God is righteous and just. He will carry out completely what he says He will do. We cannot continue to live like we do without facing spiritual consequences. And for the one who is weary and tired and wondering indeed if they are forgotten of the Lord this word reminds us that He also provides comfort to those who love him.

    Our decisions have consequences. Our actions result in certain conclusions.

   There are three symbols that are used to describe the day of the Lord; they are fire, sun, and liberated calves.

   Fire symbolizes terror and destruction. The wicked will be destroyed like a handful of grass which is thrown into a fire.  The wicked will meet with punishment. We don't like to use the term much but in the New Testament it is hell-fire. Jesus speaks of it often.

   It is not easy nor do I find it enjoyable to speak of the wrath and severity of God but it is something that we need to hear. It seems like there are fads in theology just like there are fads in clothes. The fact that not much is preached about the judgment of the day of the Lord, has been an over-reaction of the day when you heard little else than the hell, fire, and brimstone preachers that scared everyone into making decisions for Christ like fire insurance, but little was said of discipleship, grace and love of God.

    We hear of the sermon of which Jonathan Edwards was often criticized as emotional narrow preacher, "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God. "Yet Edward read his sermons and did not have a powerful delivery. People today would readily fall asleep on him. Yet when the people heard him read this sermon in a monotone voice they cried out in terror as though they were over the very pit and felt the flame of hell itself.  That also become the beginning of revival.

   First let me say that it is because of the goodness of God that He reveals this truth to us. It is either true or it is not true. If it is true then how gracious it is of God to reveal it to us.

    Lots of controversy is given over the AIDS scare. Can we say, O don't tell us because that is negative talk. Or are we doing what needs to be done to prevent people, young and old from not only protecting themselves from a deadly disease, but also and more importantly from behavior which dishonors God in sexual promiscuity, as it is so normally transmitted.  Is that being judgmental or factual? Are we helping people or hurting them with the truth?

   The Lord's curse on the woman and the man is felt today. He is not indifferent to sin and rebellion or we would still be in paradise and not face severity of the great deserts, howling hurricanes, thistles, briars, and weeds.  The earth is filled with violence because of the curse of sin. The reason all of mankind was annihilated by the flood was God judgment on sin after repeated warnings to repent and turn to God and when the consequences of the truth came only Noah and his family were saved. God reminds us he has done it to Adam, to the people of Noah's day, to the Israelites to the people of Judah and it will even be worse with hell fire. Not a root or a branch will be left to them. All will be burned. Yet that is not the only purpose of the Day of the Lord.  This serves as warning of judgment.

  

Pastor Dale

Sermon Nuggets Weds Feb 22 Rejoicing

Verse Mal 4:2-3 . ² But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. And you will go out and leap like calves released from the stall.³ Then you will trample down the wicked; they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day when I do these things,” says the LORD Almighty.                           

Rejoicing the Day of the Lord

     Not only is there warning regarding the Day of the Lord as depicted by fire, but then there is also rejoicing. There are two more figures and symbols used in this prophecy. There is the symbol of the sun of righteousness.

       Sometimes the sun is looked upon as gentle rays quietly overshadowing the righteous. The effect of the sun is determined by that upon which it shines. It hardens clay and melts wax. The gospel has the same effect. It is the means of condemning and hardening unbelievers, while it liberates and softens those who believe (2 Cor 2:15-16)

    But at the Day of the Lord there will be the defeat of the wicked. That will also be an occasion for great rejoicing.  The purpose of this chapter is to also bring comfort to the people of God. When the day of the Lord comes they will enter into their reward.  As the newness of the warmth of sun comes so the righteous await the dawning of a new spiritual day of peace.

        After the storm there is a new day when the sun comes out and hope is renewed. There is healing in its wings. How does the sun have wings? Wings are for birds. Wings are for flying. As the sun rises and flies up into the sky again (from our natural observations) there is once again brightness and newness again. The prophet speaks of the healing which means the sick and injured and made right again.

     I visit a lot of people in the hospital. It is no fun to be sick or injured. Health comes in many ways. Prayer and confession brings spiritual health. It can also bring physical health. God has provided doctors and medicine and rest and proper food and balance they can help in the healing process also. There is peace available among people and truth that has an effect on mental and emotional health. When righteousness rises again it is like wings that causes the sun to come out again.

       As if he had wings Jesus rose and ascended up into the heavens, so in like manner he will return and bring righteousness, hope and healing.

        There is yet another symbol and this is the prancing calves which have been penned up and now released into the pasture where they can rump and run. This symbolizes the joy, freedom and exuberance like what is felt when the calves are released into freedom warmth and light of the sun.  They joy will be a result of complete victory of the righteous over all wickedness and evil.

    It is fun to be with new Christians, or see people come together in the Lord like in Russia or India who are newly saved. Listen to their songs, and words. It is fun to listen to the worship in prison when those who were in darkness have seen the light. They sing and come with joy. Now they have this freedom they don't know what to do with it. There is joy, but a pleading for more Biblical truth.

     There will be joy in the day of the Lord. There will be victory much like the victory of the Allied forces coming to release the prisoners of war.  It is not a day to fear and run from, but pray for and anticipate that all my trials Lord will soon be over. There will be dancing and jumping and expressions of celebration. Jesus is coming again.

    That's why John in the Island of Patmos to pray so Lord Jesus, come quickly. We seek to have the day hurried up as believers in Christ so we see and experience joy without Satan, sin, and evil.

            That is the way Malachi describes the day of the Lord. We see its purpose to judge and reward. What if it were today?

Pastor Dale

Sermon Nuggets Thurs Feb 23 Preparation

Mal 4:  ⁴ “Remember the law of my servant Moses, the decrees and laws I gave him at Horeb for all Israel.      

Preparation for the Day of the Lord.

   The prophet concludes by calling the nation of Israel and all people to be ready. It is now a time of preparation for the Day.  There will be a time when all preparation is done.  Now is the time to revere the name of God and the prophet comes to prepare the people.

   How can we ever escape the fires of hell unless there is a way to prepare for God? That is the Good News of the gospel.

   Malachi says remember the law of my servant Moses, and remember Elijah who is coming before that great and dreadful day of the Lord. Moses is the great bearer of the Law of God and Elijah a symbol of the prophets of Lord. The law the prophets is what God calls mankind to remember.

     The law constitutes the means by which sin is challenged. It is a call to obedience.  What is mankind's response to the Law of Moses?

     The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania a few years back vacated a convicted murderer's death sentence ordering a new sentence hearing, because the prosecutor quoted the Bible in closing arguments. The accused was convicted of beating to death 70 year old Anna Mae Morris while robbing her. The jury that convicted Chambers agreed on the death penalty. But during the penalty phase of the trial District Attorney H. Stanley Rebert told the jury, “The bible says, "And the murderer shall be put to death."

     I read last week the same thing happened in another court of law. They do not allow the Law of Moses to be quoted and so influence the jury.

 The judge warned prosecutors that they could be subject to disciplinary action if they cited the Bible or other religious works

in support of a death penalty.

    If you teach others to keep His commands you are not being politically correct. I am so sick of the way our society dictates what is right and wrong that is so contrary to God's ways. Be warned- The most righteous of all judges will look into the soul of our nation and the souls of all people and judge us based on his word.

    Ecclesiastes concludes his book by saying, “The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man." All else is pure vanity and emptiness.

    Part of preparation is taking heed to the law and its purpose, to convict us of our sin and point us to the one who is our sin bearer.

    I read this morning from Billy Graham’s latest book, “Nearing Home”, if an elderly woman whose daughter kept witnessing to her to repent of her sins and trust Jesus for her salvation. The problem was the mother saw herself as most people saw her. She was very kind, good, and loving to all. She did not seem to do anything wrong in her eyes. She lived a good life.

    When the daughter received the call that Mom was dying she flew home from Europe to her deathbed in Florida. Mom took her hand and said, ‘My dear, when I’m gone, take heart. The Lord has saved me. When I could no longer do for myself and was committed to this bed of infirmity, I realized I had come to the end of myself; I had no more control over my life. I felt lost inmy own house. The home health care attendant would read to me from the Bible, “There is none righteous, no not one.” 1 Chron 22:19 “Now set your heart and your soul to seek the Lord your God” and Luke 19:10 “for the Son of man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

   Her mother came to understand there was nothing she could do to earn salvation. It was already done by Jesus and she needed to accept by faith that gift.

    This is a time to prepare for the Day of the Lord.

Pastor Dale

 

Sermon Nuggets Fri. Feb 24 Promise

Verse Mal 4: ⁵ “See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the LORD comes. ⁶ He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers; or else I will come and strike the land with a curse.”

The Promise of the Day of the Lord

     In addition to the law of Moses is also the prophets.  Many times in the O.T the law is symbolized by Moses and the prophets by Elijah. They were the two who appeared on the Mountain of Transfiguration. The law and the prophets emphasize the fact of sin, the necessity of repentance in the conversion of sinners, and the ushering in of the Day of the Lord.  The offices of the law the prophets were fulfilled in Christ.

       We read in Matthew 5:17 "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them."

     Jesus Christ is the good news. His is the Promised One. We have heard how Jesus bore our sins in His own body on the tree. By His stripes we are healed. Therefore a sinner can stand in the presence of God and live because the Lord Himself took our sins and bore our iniquities. That is Good News. The Lord cannot be just and rescind the punishment. He cannot be holy and righteous and let us go without correction. But the Lord has come down from heaven to take our punishment and He understands.

   John the Baptist was the preparer of the Messiah Jesus. So he is referred to my Christ as the one who fulfilled the role of Elijah. He would come and stand in the spirit, courage, and power of Elijah to arrest a godless people and cause them to seek God in repentance and faith. (Mat 11:10, 17:11)

   Then we notice a most unusual phrase. We notice that the purpose of the coming of Elijah was” turning the hearts of the father to the children and the hearts of the children to their fathers.”  What does that mean? What was John the Baptist doing?  He was preparing the

people for God and calling the people to train and teach their children righteousness.  The most important thing is to think of your children so they will walk in the ways of God.

   Turning the father’s hearts to the children and the children to the fathers is I believe in the context the importance of seeing the teaching of the Lord of God within the home. Parents are often seen as responsible now for teaching the things of God and are responsible to God for religious teaching.

   I talked to someone who said her husband was Catholic, and she was Protestant. She said,    “we will not influence our children either way, We don't take them to any church. We will let them make up their minds."

       Well they are influencing them saying the things of God are not important. You'd never say that about education of science, math and literature, but things of God are far more important. When the ways of the fathers will become the ways of the children this will produce an obedient, covenant keeping community that will do justly love mercy and walk humble with God (Mich 6:6-8).

    I attended a conference where Gary Dalby spoke. He writes on importance of  Christian issues for men and fathers. He quoted this verse in Malachi. He asked about 200 men if their fathers ever gave them personal advice when they had their first children. Only 9 men raised their hands.  The point was vivid. Fathers have abducted their training responsibilities to churches, to Mothers, to schools.

       The Native American Indian missionary was mentioned if we can only get the men to respond to Christ their families would come. We can say all we want about the feminist movements, but here it is in the Bible, a prophecy. The purpose of John the Baptist the one who comes in the name of the Lord is for revival, Fathers, and men, to let God prepare your hearts and then pass that on to your children and grandchild. If you don't there will be a curse. There is lots of debate regarding family issues in the campaign, but it does not come from secular votes, it comes from the Word and Spirit of Almighty God. Turn your hearts to home.

     The final verse of Malachi is a fitting conclusion to the book. For his message is like the last rays of the setting sun which brings the era of the Old Testament of divine love to a close and awaits the bright radiance of the rising of the sun of the New  Covenant of the divine love revealed in the person and work of Jesus Christ.

    Norman Macleod wrote a poem,

     "Some will hate you, some will love you.

      Some will flatter, some will slight.

      Cease from man, and look above you,

      Trust in God and do the right. "

  

     At the heart of the universe is the inescapable punishment for sin, but the heart of the gospel is that where sin abounded, grace abounded much more. God moved with pity and love, became not only our creator God, but also our Redeemer and Savior. He is our promise.

Pastor Dale

Complaints against God Malachi 3:13-18

Sermon Nuggets Mon Feb 13 Complaining Against God

Verses - Mal. 3:13-18 “You have said harsh things against me,” says the LORD.

   “Yet you ask, ‘What have we said against you?’

 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? 

¹⁵ But now we call the arrogant blessed. Certainly the evildoers prosper, and even those who challenge God escape.’”

 ¹⁶ Then 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 possession.^[a] I will spare them, just as in compassion a man spares his son who serves him. ¹⁸ And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.

Complaints

   The story is told of a monk from a Christian order who explained the distinctive quality of his group in this way: When it comes to good works, we don't match the Benedictines; as to preaching, we are not in the same class with the Dominicans; the Jesuits are way ahead of us in learning; but when in comes to humility, we are tops."

   As we have been meeting Malachi we see the dialogue between God and the people. So far there have been improper aspects of the religious life of Israel: improper attitude, improper worship, improper religious leadership in their sacrifice and commitment, improper marriage relationship, improper truth and improper stewardship. If there is one accusation today it would be pride.

    Some deal with accusations against God as if they are His judge. Some are facing sincere questions and doubts in their faith. With the various trials, temptations, and doubts in our Christian walk the passage is one that calls us to face God squarely and honestly. Who is going to be in control of your life, regardless of all the problems, all the joys, all the doubts and all the fears, regardless if you know the answers or still have doubts, What are you going to do with the Lord? 

   You remember that 2:17 the accusation is given to those who put themselves as judges of God even though their own lives do not reflect godliness.  They are only look for blessing and fulfillment of promises of God without regard to their own spiritual relationship with an Almighty and Holy God. The accusation is God you are not acting the way you are suppose to act. Do you really care?

   The response of God is he is getting ready to set things straight by sending a messenger, and then the purifier. We saw how that prophecy was fulfilled in John the Baptist and Jesus Christ our redeemer. God is setting up the plan to bring justice and then you will see how he will judge with complete justice, and not just to satisfy our own wants and wills.

    Now then, after talking about worship, marriage, leadership, sacrifice and priorities, there is another matter that you aren't even being right with your offerings and tithes. Repent.

    Now he comes back to the criticism by the people. We will look at the accusations and God’s responses to criticism.

Pastor Dale

Sermon Nuggets Tues Feb 14 Critical of God 

Verses Mal 3:13-15

Critical of God

      As Malachi addresses the Israelites he reveals two sources of critical complaints toward God. There are rebellious sinners on the one hand and believers who have become critical of the Lord on the other.  There is the pattern of skeptical murmuring that dates back to the Exodus and before. They were gossiping among themselves. They were thinking it was vain to serve God.

    This is the language of selfishness and arrogance, of self-pity and pessimism. What makes people complain against God and His work among us? What makes believers complain?

      Underneath lies the pride of the soul that needs correction. It creeps up in us all in various forms.  It is from pride criticism comes that we know better how things ought to be. Frustrated selfish believers often magnify what they do not have while closing their eyes to their rich heritage from the Lord. They reason that they have been faithful to God and his church. Their tithes and offering have been brought and they have sought to live above reproach in the world.

    Part of Spiritual pride is the feeling there is nothing wrong with us. We are very good in our own religious eyes. We don't worship idols, we keep the Sabbath, we give offerings, we pray we go to church. The problem is that God isn't keep his promises.

    I remember the conversation with a man in Wisconsin who lost a good friend in death to cancer. He was convinced the friend would be healed from his disease and instead God took him home. This man quoted the verse from the Psalms that said.  "a man's years is 3 score and 10 and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years...."  He concluded that Christian saints will not have natural disease until 70 years of age.  We are promised that by God.  Any other death would be because of lack of faith and obedience to God.

    When his friend died, he went through spiritual doubt. He complained, he wondered where God was and why He went back on his word. After all this man and his church and family prayed with faith believing, they sought supernatural forgiveness, supernatural healing, and a witness that would bring glory to the name of Jesus Christ. They were faithful in their giving in their church attendance. They reviewed and confessed any sin in their lives, and still the person died of cancer in the 50s.

   Now some made accusations that his man or his family was being judged of God for secret sin or doubt, otherwise there would have been healing.  That accusation hurt them deeply for they were as honest before God as they knew how. What hurt was the sense of superior spiritually for God answers their prayers and didn't answer his.

   Since many would never openly criticize God it must then be the fault of the victim or died or a family member.

   When we grieve it is normal to question and questioning can come in a form of criticism. Was David critical when his questionings came in real and heartfelt prayers to God or was he confused in trying to understand things that happened around him?

     I think there is a difference in the purpose of our expression of emotions. One is to attack and judge. The other is to question and wonder but persist in faith and love and obedience.

     The source of criticism mentioned here belongs in the first category and the prophet wants to point that out to us all.

Pastor Dale

 Sermon Nuggets Weds Feb 15

Verse Mal 3: 16

  

Committed to God

    When rebuked there are two responses. Reject the rebuke or accept it. When God confronts our sin some will judge God. Others will take a different route and fear the Lord.

    It appears that either this group which committed themselves to the Lord maintained their faith in God or through their doubting and questioning they developed a more mature faith in God. Regardless, believers came together, joined forces and sought to strengthen one another's faith and stop the spread of skepticism and criticism. Rather than accusing God they waited patiently for God's manifestation in his time. Malachi affirmed that God will remember those who are committed to him. God will work to provide restoration and renewal.

    Let the committed gather together and pray. Let us seek the face of God and say unashamedly, "Lord use me, Lord change me, Lord forgive me. Lord, may you send your revival and may it begin with me." The committed talked together about their situation and about their God. They wanted renewal. They wanted to be used. They gave themselves unto the Lord.  Then a remarkable thing occurs. The Lord listens.

     The committed are so regardless of the circumstances. Those faithful to God are not perfect but correct their shortcomings and continue to go for God. While all the others are living apathetic lives there are some who say they will be different. They will not worry about others. They will serve the Lord.

    "Though the fig trees do not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. God, the Lord, is my strength; He makes my feet like hind's feet, he makes me tread upon my high places (Hab. 3:17-19)

   However all religious persons should avoid the thought that simply in their going to a religious meeting all their spiritual needs are resolved. It simply does not happen. There is a need for the fellowship of other believers and the inspiration of corporate worship. But if we fail to seek an encounter with God in the sanctuary, and if we fail to seek a transformed way of life in the world, then our attitude is not

   The call to commitment isn't in new programs regardless of how popular they might be. I am not suggesting we don't consider new programs, but that isn't the heart of the matter. We can have a small group program,  Senior programs, contemporary programs, radio programs, visitation programs, tithing programs, men's programs, youth programs and women’s programs but that doesn't revive the church. In fact, all may be substitutes for revival of commitment. The Bible says it is in repentance and returning to God.

      The beginning of renewal is asking God to renew us with a right spirit, a right attitude, and a proper mode of living. We repent and return and we do that by asking God's forgiveness and restoration to his intention for us. We must do so on his strength. It isn't in trying harder as it is in yielding completely. Then the committed obey what God wants in our lives. That commitment is not based on feelings, but faith in the truth. And God listens.

Pastor Dale

Sermon Nuggets Thurs Feb 16 Consequences

Verses- Mal 3: ^16-18

Consequences from God

    The Lord listens.  The lord is not silent.  God does know what is going on. There will be distinction in the consequences between the righteous and the wicked. There will be a difference of judgment between those who serve God and those who do not.

     This passage is for the prideful sinner, the doubtful believer, and those who listen and obey the Lord. As a word of warning, stop judging God's acts by this temporary and limited world. His plan is far beyond our limited understanding. Can we confess that we do not know the mind of God, can we begin to humble ourselves enough to admit that we are his servants and not his master?

    Let’s beware of the ease by which criticism creeps into our minds and mouths. Criticism against God and God's people is a serious matter. The matter is that we set ourselves up as judge and jury, instead of leaving it up to Him. Ah there is the rub. Who is in the position of determining the mind of God, and the ways of his people?

    There are wicked who instead of looking at their own lives will even judge God’s acts and call the unfair. He is entirely fair in his judgments for he not only knows the actions, but the thoughts of each person. That is why the plan of salvation and forgiveness available through the cross is so important. But it involves accepting and dedicating ourselves to His grace and mercy.

    One person said, "Don't call the world dirty just because you have forgotten to clean your own glasses." There is another avenue God has.

     But be encouraged. The remembrances of God are also for what the righteous have done. He knows his faithful and the committed regardless of the circumstances.  The Lord said they shall be mine. He knows and will reward.  We are Gods' chosen possession.  He remembers his promises and his covenant.

   It is with a deep sense of awe, gratitude, and humility that we realized God's initial message to us is a call to repentance, not a weighty pronouncement of final judgment. Just as he did to Israel, God lovingly invites us to return to his way and walk with him. He says: “Return to me in love and obedience and I will return to you in loving kindness and mercy” (Mal 3:7b, Joel 2:12-14; Hos 14:1.)

       The prophet was not saying that God withholds judgment forever, but at the present time he still extends his mercy. There is the opportunity to us to confess our sins and repent. The day of God's judgment is certain, though the day has not been dated for us. Now is the time of repentance and renewal.

    I am glad for the love expressed in II Peter. “God is not willing that any should perish but that all may come to repentance.” He wants revival not judgment, but without renewal and repentance then there will be judgment. He keeps his promises for blessing and curse.

   The advantages of being a child of God will be manifested. There will be a distinction made between the righteous and the wicked when the wheat the tares are separated. The word, ‘returned’ may be translated ‘repent’. The prophet is saying that the time is coming when the people will repent of their conclusions and declaration about the advantages of the godless and the disadvantages of the righteous then you will see God is faithful and he will restore the faithful. There will be consequences according to the Word of God.

Pastor Dale 

Sermon Nuggets Fri Feb 17 courage

Verse- Mal 3:17-18

Courage for God

     When living among evil it take courage and faith to trust the promises of God. As we watched the movie, Courageous, I am reminded of this story that appeared in the Standard years ago. Our faith will be tried and we will have to decide if we will follow Christ regardless of the consequences.

     Rod Clark married Sandy who had diabetes. Their second son suffered a fatal heart attack from a congenital heart disorder. Doubts of faith emerged while they asked why God let this happen. Rod was considering the ministry. Is this the way God treats people who want to serve Him? Where was the promise of blessing?

  When Sandy was pregnant again she had to have her appendix out. She was also in labor for 3 1/2 weeks. Jeaneen was born weighing only 2 lbs 15 ounces. She had heart surgery at 2 weeks old and brain surgery at 2 months old. All her food was going into her lungs, and she had surgery to attach her esophagus to her stomach. Her parents fed her though a tube in her stomach for 2 1/2 years and born with only one ear. Before Jeaneen was one year old she had 13 surgeries.

    The Clarks were living in Eau Claire while their baby was at Children’s hospital in the Twin Cities. They could only see her every few days. They couldn't hold her because she was too sick, but they loved her.

   Because of a technicality in the insurance contract the insurance company they refused to pay her medical bills, totally $300,000 then.

  The parents discovered their little girl couldn't hear or understand them when they spoke to her. Further tests were done and experiments with the hearing aid which allowed her to tell when someone was talking but only 1 or 2 phonetic sounds.

    Rod sensing uneasiness at his job interviewed with the Dallas Police Department during his 2 week vacation. He was accepted into the program. While on the force he witnessed numerous civil rights violations and beatings of folks from minority races from the police officers. He saw the police brutality covered up, and record altered. After one incident Rod filed a report detailing what he saw but he training officer amended the report before it was placed into the official police record.  Then mysteriously the original report disappeared for his locker.

    Sometime after that this officer shot and killed a black man was also shot and killed. Another black man was accused of killing but many pieces of the evidence did not add up. Mysteriously Rod report resurfaced before the trial and he was called to testify.

    Days leading up to the meeting Rod was getting phone calls warning that if the defendant was freed, it would no longer be safe in the city of Dallas for him, if he knew what was good for him he has to change his testimony against discrimination by some police officers.

    He wrote, "I was confronted with a moral dilemma; should I allow an innocent man to get a minimum of life sentence and maximum of death row? I couldn't do that and look Christ in the face. As desperately as I wanted to be part of the police family, I couldn't, I wouldn't give into intimidation and threats even in my life. I couldn't deny my Lord that way.

    As soon as I had that interview with the attorneys, that evening I was told not to report to work; the official excuse was the due to the pressures of the trial I might make a mistake and get hurt. Later I learned there was a meeting held among the other officers and a vote was taken whether they would give Rod backup if he was in trouble. The fellow officers decided Rod would be on his own. They would not protect him.

    Yet he did testify and the defendant was set free. Rod was forced to pack his family and flee Dallas under cover of darkness. He had to run from those who were sworn to uphold the law. Fleeing because of telling the truth. He broke the code of silence, but according to Rod Clark he never took an oath of silence. He took an oath to uphold the law and to dispense justice where he could. He never thought it would have to be against his own police officers that justice would be dispensed.

    Sandy's health deteriorated. She had been comatose several times. The stress forced imbalance in her diabetic blood sugars. He worked for his family small business in Michigan and faced financial disaster.  He lost his house, income and almost his sanity.

    When they decided to go to Bethel seminary and live in Duluth and work in a church there. Shortly after Sandy awoke with a hemorrhage in her eye and couldn't see to get a part-time job. She couldn't drive, or shop for groceries or pay bills. She wanted to help but with blindness was only a liability. The retina detached and her sight was gone. the other eye followed the same pattern of deterioration.

   Where is God in this? Does He only let those who are evil find blessing and those who commit themselves to righteousness find cursing?  How can a blind mother communicate with her deaf daughter when she cannot see the sign language? There oldest son Nathan become the interpreter.

    They said in the article, "We've been married 18 years and gone through so many things we will need to deal with in a ministry setting. There isn't a whole lot we haven't experienced, poverty, blindness, deafness, death, persecution. We didn't have any great compassion for the poor until we didn't know where our next meal was coming from. We didn't have a sensitivity to people who walk into a store and can't find what they need or can't hear someone approaching them until it happens to me and to my daughter. You can't relate to someone until you've been there. And we've been there.”

    Rod said, “Although there have been times I've questioned past decisions. I'm constantly reminded that I couldn't have made any other choice. The application of Christian values and the principles into the setting in which the person lives transcend the dramatics of my Dallas situation. Those principles apply to life in an office where there's a time to speak up and time to be flexible.  That's the most significant part of my Dallas lesson. When life's circumstances present choices where you have to make fundamental decisions between your Lord and the authority over you, you have to approach them with prayer and working of those things out the Lord."

    What causes one to be among the committed? It is courage and faith to follow Jesus. Jesus Christ keeps his promises and our faith is based on the reality of Malachi 3:  ¹⁷ “They will be mine,” says the LORD Almighty, “in the day when I make up my treasured possession. I will spare them, just as in compassion a man spares his son who serves him. ¹⁸ And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.”

     It may be for a time that evil may reign, but it will not be forever. God has something else planned forever. That makes our choices lots easier. Will you be one ready to be renewed and awaiting God's work in your life regardless of the temporary cost, for the eternal consequence?

Pastor Dale

    

Robbing God - Malachi 3:6-9

Sermon Nuggets Mon Feb 6 – Robbing God

Verses- Mal 3:  ⁶ “I the LORD do not change. So you, O descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed. ⁷ Ever since the time of your forefathers you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you,” says the LORD Almighty.

   “But you ask, ‘How are we to return?’

 ⁸ “Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me.

   “But you ask, ‘How do we rob you?’

   “In tithes and offerings

ROBBING GOD                    

    A Baptist minister was asked to make a call on a sick lady late one evening. She lived in a dangerous part of town on. As he left his car and headed toward the apartment building, he was accosted by a man with a gun. That man told him to hand over his wallet. He did so. Then the pastor said, "I should tell you that you will not find much. I am a Baptist pastor."

       “Well”, the man's face lit up. “I'm a Baptist myself. I don't normally do this." Then he decided to give him his wallet back.

    Well it shows you there are Baptist robbers. In fact, there are many more Baptist robbers than you might think. For although we may not be going around robbing people at gun point, we are robbing God when we do not give as we are instructed to in the Word.

    A priest once asked one of his parishioners to serve as financial chairman of his parish. The man, manager of a grain elevator, agreed on two conditions: No report would be due for a year, and no one would ask any questions during the year.
     At the end of the year he made his report. He had paid off the church debt of $200,000. He had redecorated the church. He had sent $1,000 to missions. He had $5,000 in the bank. 

    "How did you do all this?" asked the priest and the shocked congregation. 

        Quietly he answered, "You people bring your grain to my elevator. As you did business with me, I simply withheld 10 percent and gave it to the church. You never missed it." 

       Preachers who talk about money are often accused of talking too much about money. If a minister is preaching the Bible the subject should come up as often as it is mentioned. There are some 500 references to prayer in the Bible, and there are 2,300 references to money and possessions in the Bible. So, for every sermon preached on the subject of prayer, 4.6 sermons would be preached on the subject of money and possessions. For one Sunday sermon on prayer, there would be a month’s worth of sermons on money and possessions.

     Why are we so afraid to talk about money? Perhaps it’s because there are some TV preachers who have tainted our thinking about money. They beg and plead with people to send in their money, and people who can’t afford it do it. Perhaps it’s because the world sees the church as greedy.

    The truth is, however, that what the Bible says about money and possessions is related to who is number one in our life. Is God number one, or is the self number one?

     Our finances are an important part of our faith and commitment to Christ. As Malachi presents the issue of tithing, it teaches us some important things which we will look at this week.

Pastor Dale

Sermon Nuggets Tues Feb 7 

Verses- Mal 3:  ⁸ “Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me.

   “But you ask, ‘How do we rob you?’

   “In tithes and offerings. ⁹ You are under a curse—the whole nation of you—because you are robbing me. ¹⁰ Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. 

Tithing teaches us Submission

  The Old Testament practice of tithing was to give 10% of your goods for the work and worship of the Lord. To do so as part of the first fruits and sacrifices of animals make God one’s first priority, not last.

  Tithing teaches us to submit everything unto theLord. This relates to the place that God has in our lives.

      Are we willing to see our relationship to God as one in which he is in control? Are we willing to obey the teaching of His word and submit ourselves to His sovereignty? It never fails to amaze me that people often talk openly about their faith, but when it comes to their personal money and giving then there is an amazing silence.

     When the Lord discusses with the people the problem of their worship the first thing that needs to be changed is the heart. There were sacrifices, there were things that cost the people, but He did not have their heart.

   In the Bible the verse says, "Where you treasure is, there is your heart also." There is no question about it. Where do you spend your money? If you look at the check book and see where the bulk of your discretionary giving, you will see things you really love. Do you love God the most? When you discover in tithing it feels great to be getting things right with God.

   "I do not change." says the Lord. We like to think he has. In the New Testament there are many who will try to tell you the concept of the tithe has changed and therefore we don't have to kill animals for sacrifice and we don't have to give a tithe any longer we are under grace not under law.

   If we are under grace does that mean that we do not worship or express our love? Indeed we are to express it even more. The attitude of worship is here I am Lord, all that I am and have. I offer myself to you. Well, Says the Lord, if you mean that then lets start with 10% of your income. Are you submitting yourself to God to honor Him with your tithe?

    If there is a spiritual blockage to your faith walk one of the first places to look is your tithes and offerings.  Malachi was written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. If you want to know from the Spirit of God what you should give then start here and pray about the rest. This is a matter of submission.

    The point of the submission is simple. Are we or are we not going to obey the Lord? Will you give him what he asks or not. Scripture, God's word, says to give a tithe or you are robbing God. But it is more than a legalistic act. It is a desire to put yourself under His leadership and have a willing heart to worship in giving as well as living.   

    You can give and not worship, but you cannot have true worship and not give.

Pastor Dale

Sermon Nuggets Weds Feb 8 

Verses- Mal3:  ⁶ “I the LORD do not change. So you, O descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed. ⁷ Ever since the time of your forefathers you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you,” says the LORD Almighty.

   “But you ask, ‘How are we to return?’

 ⁸ “Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me.

   “But you ask, ‘How do we rob you?’

   “In tithes and offerings. 

Tithing teaches us Selflessness

    I am aware that the addiction to materialism and riches has plagued mankind since the fall. We are hoarders. I am a hoarder. I see that every time I go into a room and all the things that have accumulated over the years. I am far beyond having my needs met. I have been working long and hard on having over abundance.

    One of the plans of God is to help us with our addiction problem with a regular pattern of giving to the Lord first and not to ourselves first. It is not only submission to His will and to His worship but a restriction to our selfish addictions.

      Of course we have daily needs and trust is seeing how God makes provisions through a variety of sources. Most commonly work is used to help us meet those needs. Most will receive salaries, social security, retirement, or gifts. The temptation is to think we earned it. It is ours to do with as we wish. Therein is the seed of selfishness or self sufficiency. It is not ours. It is the Lords who out of his grace allows us to work, or receive benefits of savings for when we are unable to work. Insurance and health benefits have not been part of the culture for most of the history of mankind. Welfare by the government has been for the poorest of people unable to care for themselves. God’s plan was for his people to share of their bounty firs to Him and then to others who have needs. Giving is one of tools of God to turn from our accumulation to our blessing others at important times in their lives.

      Satan will cause us to doubt the Lord and convince us that we will financially go under if we tithed. I am aware that  Satan will remind us of all the unethical ministers and ministries that have abused givers by taking their money falsely and living lavish lifestyles.  Some pile on all kinds of guilt and shame making you think that if you don't give to this or that ministry you really don't love Jesus. Many are masters at manipulation. Such actions are indeed an offense to God and selfish on the part of those who seek riches at the expense of those who desire to give unto the Lord.

      God does provide through the offerings of his people. In this way we become a tool of the Lord and find blessing in sharing.

    I heard Rev. Bruce Theilman tell of an old lady in Tennessee who was very poor and when they had a mission drive they asked for people to make promises. She wrote down $10.00. When the committee went over the pledges the chairman said, “I know Mary she cannot afford her offering. She does some laundry for us to help with her meager income. I will pay it for her.”

     When she came in to give some pennies she collected toward her promise she was told that it was already paid. She wept, and then said, "The gospel is being proclaimed, the glory of Jesus is being announced and men are hearing of him and people are being saved and accepting Jesus as Lord and I have no part in it." That is a sad thing not to have a part.

      She understood that regardless of how little she had her heart was reaching out to others and not just thinking of herself. Even in her little she learned to share what little she had and not be selfish.

      As you pray for God’s guidance ask who you might be used to help in their need. Ask what it is that grabs your heart? Tithing helps us to fulfill the great commandment to love God with all your heart, soul, and spirit and to love others as yourself. It is taking the attention off of self and onto others. It is for our own good and combats greed and selfishness.

Pastor Dale

Sermon Nuggets Thurs Feb 9 

Verses- Mal 3: . Return to me, and I will return to you,” says the LORD Almighty.

   “But you ask, ‘How are we to return?’

Tithing teaches us Sacrifice

    It is not easy to tithe. It is not easy to give offerings.  There are situations that come up that challenge our commitments and I am aware of that. If we don't give the determined amount the Sunday after I get paid, then it magically disappears. Giving is our sacrifice to God which is what worship is.

    We can think of all kinds of reasons not to tithe.

     Because of the great abuses of the subject of giving to God there is a suspicion on the part of people to give. Can they be sure the money is handled in a proper manner? I have said this often.  Giving to the local church is our first responsibility. Giving to the local church is our Jerusalem. It is the Biblical means by which God calls us to work together to influence our world around us.  Without the local church there would be no missions, nor any Judea. We must give to the work here.

   There is no other Christian organization period where you have more say in how your money is handled than in the local church. There are no books as open as the books of a local church in most cases. There is no body of people who you can most question than the people of your church. You also have a vote as to who you want on the church finance board.

   Now since a church is made up of people in various economic situations and salary variables the Bible comes up with an equal plan. Make a plan to tithe. I do not like church budgets that are so big it puts pressures on people to give above and beyond. I am not sure it is wise to just make the church budget to match last year’s giving records. There is no element of faith and trust and modest budgets remove the faith and guarantee victory on past history even if is mediocrity over excellence.

    The earliest forms of tithing took place in the Old Testament as people offered to God their first fruits of the harvest. It was not so much the size as it was the insistence that what God got came first. For the ancient Israelite, the first was always the most important because it symbolized the totality of what would follow. It indicated his willingness to give God everything.

      As soon as a young child learned to understand monetary values a tithe is 10%, for every 10 pennies it means 1 should be given to God. For every 10 dimes which makes a dollar, a dime goes to God. For every 10 dollars one goes to God. 10 of every 100 dollars goes to God.

    Unlike the secular world that has so many inequities between the rich and the poor, the Word of God treats each exactly alike. The widow with her mite and the tycoon with his millions may experience the same sense of fulfillment of sacrifice if both contribute the same percentage of their respective incomes.

    This means that tithing is not simply a mathematical formula for computing how much, but fundamentally it is a system for putting God first.

      There is another observation regarding sacrifice. We do not kill the literal sacrifice of animals. Jesus was the perfect sacrifice. In today’s economy money become an extension of who we are. When giving was discussed also in the Bible it included food, it was grain, it was meat it was money. Why would God want these things? Was it to make the priest rich?  No. However, giving was God's way of meeting the needs of the priests since their whole life was serving in the temple. Was their giving to adorn the facilities? It was for the temple, but now there are many places where the work of God is done.

     I am not in favor of elaborate buildings, but we have building to gather so that we can do together as the body of Christ what we cannot do alone. Such a building dedicated to God requires heating bills, electric bills, expenses also related to snow removal, lawn mowing, equipment, kitchen supplies, janitorial duties and equipment and anyone can ask for a quarterly report to see exactly what we spent and how it is spent and even the salaries from music staff to lead pastor. We don’t keep secrets.

     Believe it or not there was a time at Stanchfield when an annual list was published as to how much money each person gave to the church. It was dropped because of wrong motives for giving.

    When do you think there was more tithing? In the past or presently?  It seems in the past. Why? Because there was accountability.

    I do not wish those days back. It is wrong to think, people give out of expectation by other people or embarrassment. That is not worship. Nor does it follow Jesus teaching, Matthew 6 “But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing”? It is the desire of God to have people focus on Him and see the sacrifice of Christ. We need to remind ourselves all that God has done for you and me. What ought our response to be? To give Him our hearts, and service and offering. Will you be a sacrificial giver?

   With right sacrifice unto the Lord the greatest blessing of giving is not the financial side of the ledge but on the spiritual side.

Pastor Dale

Sermon Nuggets Fri Feb 10

Verses – Mal 3: . ¹⁰ Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. ¹¹ I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit,” says the LORD Almighty. ¹² “Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land,” says the LORD Almighty.

Tithing teaches us Sovereignty.

   Who is it that is in charge? God. We acknowledge that when we submit to him in obedience. God will do what He desires. God owns and controls the whole material universe and therefore every part of it. Everything is the Lord's. So whatever things we possess, we are the keepers of a trust. That is what stewardship is. We control of Gods' resources. He plans for us to financially take care of His work on earth. If we do not then the work suffers.

     However, let me make something clear. The tithe was not a bill or a payment due the church- it was a confession of faith. It is admitting that God is ruler over all my life even the remaining 90% and the 10% is a portion of that worship and commitment.

     One of the things He asks then is that we put him to the test so he can show us His glory.  He wants us to know that He desires to bless us and show how he will meet our needs and many times our desires if they are in keeping with his will. The implication is also we are the ones who suffer the most when we are unfaithful.  We advance the kingdom of God when we are faithful, but we advance our own sense of joy and peace with God when He works in and through us.

     People pray for revival.  Will you pay for revival?  People pray for a fresh movement of the Spirit of God among us that we see folks saved.  Are you willing to pay for that?

   God says he wants to throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. Is that seen often? No. Why not? We are not letting God have sovereignty in the matters of money. If God is to open His windows, we must open ours.  Tithing is a real adventure into spiritual blessing.

    I am not saying like some preachers would have you think that if you tithe you will become financially rich.

     I was talking a lady from our church a few years ago who heard a message on tithing. She and her husband suffered financially. They decided to tithe for two months. Now she told me there was nothing that so helped them in their personal faith and trust in Christ as that experience. He has proved faithful to them. Some people have yet to discover that.

    When this lady was honored at her 90^th birthday party by many family members, when all the tributes were made, she told to her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren the importance of knowing Jesus Christ in a personal way and then tithing their resources. She was never considered rich. But she certainly was in her faith and love. God kept his promise.

    It is not God's plan that we have bingo parties, or cake sales or put on carnivals to carry on the mission of the church. Yes, there may be groups who carry on projects for above and beyond ministry, but regular budgeted ministry of the church is given as part of worship and love from hearts that are desirous of letting God be sovereign in their lives and in the life of the church. 

      There might be many other ways to finance a program but then you will have a dead church. In many European countries there are taxes that support state church, they are not alive in the Lord, they don't trust God daily for their needs, they know whether people come or don't' time there will be money for they are required to pay.

     But in God's sovereignty He is the one who decides how much you can handle. You are not being asked to give one dollar more to God until he has first blessed with you 9 more. What could be more generous?  If we return to the biblical simplicity we never ask for anything more.  Will you let God be sovereign and show you what he wants to do by your being faithful to Him?

    John Westly said: The Christian who begins to tithe will have a least 6 surprises: 1) At the amount of money he has for the Lord's work. 2. At the deepening of his spiritual life. 3. At the ease of meeting his own obligations with the 9/10th. 4. At the ease of going from 1/10 to larger giving. 5. At the preparation this gives to be a faithful and wise steward over the amount that remains for himself. 6. surprised at himself for not adopting that plan sooner.

     “Test me in this”, says the Lord.

Pastor Dale

Righteous Judge- Malachi 3:1-5

Sermon Nuggets Mon Jan 30 - Righteous Judge

Verses- Mal 2:17-3: 5 You have wearied the LORD with your words.

   “How have we wearied him?” you ask.

   By saying, “All who do evil are good in the eyes of the LORD, and he is pleased with them” or “Where is the God of justice?”

3: ¹ “See, I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,” says the LORD Almighty.

 ² But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap. ³ He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver.

 Then the LORD will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness, ⁴ and the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to the LORD, as in days gone by, as in former years.

 ⁵ “So I will come near to you for judgment. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers and perjurers, against those who defraud laborers of their wages, who oppress the widows and the fatherless, and deprive aliens of justice, but do not fear me,” says the LORD Almighty.

The Righteous Judge

    There was a family that had some contact with the previous church I pastored, but the father was abusive; he was alcoholic. He was living a lifestyle that certainly wasn't keeping with anything biblical. He cursed; he hated preachers; he didn't have very many good things to say about the church even though he visited once or twice a year when he wife made him.

    When He had an accident I paid him a visit on him in the hospital. It was ok for me to do so, but I didn't have a lot of patience with him as he really wanted me to know how unfair God had been allowing him to have that accident. He was bitter against God for not dealing with him kindly.

"If this is the kind of God we have why should I even bother getting to know him." I had hoped that through the accident God might soften his heart. That happens a lot you know. He certainly can use circumstances in our lives to draw to himself and teach great spiritual lessons if we let Him.

     But instead of being drawn closer to God this man's accusations proved his already hard heart. As far as he could see all of his church going, maybe 5 times in 5 years were suppose to impress God and give him protection from accidents.

    I remember being very angry that he would have the audacity to accuse God of wrong doing with his life so filled with sin and selfishness, abuse and egoism. If I were God I would have punished him on the spot for I was weary with his words. I thought, but didn’t say it "What favors have you done for God lately?  Why should he be impressed with you? Give God a reason why he shouldn’t do away with you right now? "

    He didn't deserve mercy, he deserved justice.

    I wonder how God must have felt. After all it was His name that was being slandered.  Doesn't God get weary of people who expect blessing while they themselves are living selfish, ungodly lives?

      Well, Malachi tells us what God thinks.

    The theme begins in chapter 2 with God being weary of the windbags. We was worn out with all the belly-aching, and complaining from people who needed to be judged and had no business whining to God as ones who deserved his blessings. Indeed, they deserved his judgment.  They claimed God was the cause of their trouble. God was helping the unrighteous in their opinion be blessed and God was not showing justice. Their thought was, "I deserve better than this." How often do we secretly complain and think, "God I deserve better treatment than this, What are you doing up there?"

        God addresses areas that are important for each person to consider. Maybe God has something you can learn this week from Malachi.

Pastor Dale

Sermon Nuggets Tues Jan 31- Prepared

Verses- Mal 2:17-3:1 You have wearied the LORD with your words.

   “How have we wearied him?” you ask.

   By saying, “All who do evil are good in the eyes of the LORD, and he is pleased with them” or “Where is the God of justice?”

3: ¹ “See, I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,” says the LORD Almighty.

Consider Spiritual Preparation

    The Jews were complaining that God was not being fair. In Malachi's day there was the situation where nations like Assyria, Babylonia, Persia, and later Greece were being used as part of God's discipline tool. It isn't that God is being a blessing to people that are evil but that he uses evil nations and sometimes evil people and situations to discipline his own, or to teach them or punish them until his appointed time.

     They had seen cities destroyed, they've been held captive; they believed they were God's chosen people and now they weren't being blessed. Their accusation against God was He is not a God of justice or bad things wouldn't be happening to them.

It was the custom for messengers or runners to be send to towns and villages to announce the coming of the kings and other dignitaries who would be passing by. This enabled the people to have notice so they could get ready. The preparation sometimes required the literal removal of rocks, filling holes and the cleaning of trees so the road can be made straight and smooth.

    The first response to that false accusation is God has already begun to prepare the way for his coming, like one prepares for the king. Real justice which they are asking for is on its way.  The clock is ticking for his appointed time to arrive.

    The use of the present active participle "am sending" - indicates that something is being set in motion that will keep on going without interruption until it is accomplished. It is a continuous unfailing thing that God is doing. The coming of the Lord is imminent. He is sending a messenger to prepare the way for the King's coming. Only if they want justice, justice is exactly what they are going to get.

    One called "My messenger" is being sent in advance of the coming of the Lord. Sunday I preached from Luke 3 about John the Baptist being chosen to prepare the way of the Lord. It is talked about in Malachi. John the Baptist identified himself as the voice in the wilderness.  The angel of the Lord declared to Zacharias the father of the John that his son would go before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah. Luke 1. Jesus identified John the Baptist as the one who fulfilled the prophecy of Malachi in this verse.  Luke 7:26-28."But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes I tell you and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written: I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you: I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he."

   John sought to prepare the way for the Christ by calling the people to repentance. This was spiritual preparation. To change their actions and attitude was moral preparation.

   How can we be spiritually prepared for the Lord? We prepare ourselves, by letting God examine our hearts and our motive, or jealousies, and bitterness, our actions, and our attitudes, and like the Psalmist prayer, "Search me, O God, and see if there be any wicked way in me." Being prepared is desirous of holiness and confession of sin.

   How could the people of Malachai day be prepared? By right worship, not going through the motions, by giving to God their best, not the least, or the last, or the cast always, by having the religious leaders review their part in preparing the people by speaking the truth and calling them to an awesome and great God.

      We come desirous to have our roads prepared by having the stones and rocks of sin and self removed so the King can have his perfect way within your heart.

Pastor Dale

Sermon Nuggets Weds Feb 1

Verse Mal 3:2-3a

 ² But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap. ³ He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver.

Consider Spiritual Purification

    Just as John helped call people to repentance and forgiveness of sins, he was doing so in order that the people would let Jesus control their wills and their ways. For now the purifier for sins came. It wasn't through John's ministry whereby they had forgiveness; Forgiveness was possible because of Jesus Christ. Jesus came to earth the first time to redeem mankind for God. He was to suffer for sins, whereby the penalty can be paid. The cross is the means of purification. It was the means by meeting the just and righteous requirement for holiness.

    How can unholy people come to a most holy God? Only by having the death for their sins occur. We must die to ourselves and by faith give our hearts and our wills over to the Savior. The only one righteous to take our place was the son of God. This message is told in the Old Testaments words of Malachi in this way.

    When justice comes it comes in two ways. Making right the wrong, and correcting, or punishing the offender. The people saw the day of the Lord as a time of prosperity and deliverance from oppression and from their enemies.  Yet God said when he comes to purify the land no one could be able to stand.

      If God was to judge those who are evil and harmful and unjust we would all suffer for He judges purity differently than we do. If he caused all tongues to stop of people have sinned with their mouths this room would be silent for I couldn't talk, nor could you. If he caused strokes to occur to all whose minds were impure, we all would be victims of such an act. But God's judgment for sin is even more sobering. It is eternal separation from God in Heaven. It is the judgment of hell. For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.

    But Malachi saw God's purpose to clean and purity rather than destroy so he uses the figures of gold, silver and soap. The refiner’s fire is a means to heat up the impurities so as to cause them to burn out and leave the pure unadulterated gold and metals.

    When the Lord came it was to reveal the impurity and helplessness of all who are brought into his presence. It is to make us pure by the blood of Jesus Christ. It was the act of the atonement that brings to us forgiveness to all who come in true repentance. Jesus purpose for his first coming was our salvation that we might be made right with God.

   Zechariah says, "And I will put this third into the fire and refine them as one refines silver, an test them as gold is tested. They will call on my name, and I will answer them. I will say, 'They are my people' and they will say, "The Lord is my God." 13:9.

Pastor Dale

Sermon Nuggets Thurs Feb 2 Righteous offerings

Verse Malachi 3:3b-4 Then the LORD will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness, ⁴ and the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to the LORD, as in days gone by, as in former years.

Consider Righteous Offerings

      After going through the refiners fire, after having clothing cleaned by a launderer, what is the outcome? Purity? Cleansing? Usable again.

      What Malachi presented was the way in which God was going to purify his people through fire. It is in testings and trials and sufferings when our faith is made strong, or we give up on God. As one person said, “This is enough to make me lose my faith.” To which his friend responded, “This should be enough to make you use your faith.”

      You and I resist being crushed, and sifted; we want to run from the fire. We ask God to change our circumstances, "God it hurts; the fire burns take it away!" In God’s wisdom adversity and painful circumstances fulfill His divine purpose in our lives.
       Brokenness and humility enable God to remove the impurity of sin from our lives. God refines us like silver so the world can see the image of Jesus in us. God’s purpose is to cleanse our lives of sin; to purify our hearts so His holiness and glory can be seen through our lives. God’s goal is to make us like Jesus.
       Humility opens the door for God’s grace to forgive us of our sin. Humility further enables us to accept God’s purpose in our lives to reflect Him to the world. You may not realize it - but God has a plan for you. He wants you to become just like Jesus. God has a purpose for us. He wants us to be holy. He wants us to be pure. He wants us to be Christ-like.

      We are purified by the blood Jesus shed on the cross; we are purified by the Holy Spirit; and we are purified by the Word of God - the bible. The Scriptures says, “And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” Hebrews 10:10 NIV. And “For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.” Ephesians 1:4 NIV

     Think of it this way. You wouldn’t spend money to get your favorite suit or dress or shirt dry-cleaned if you didn’t plan on wearing it. In the same Jesus doesn’t just purify us so that heaven can be ours; he’s purified us so that we can serve God.  

      Romans 12:1 “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.” That is what is means to be a righteous offering. We are now presentable to God when sin is forgiven and we have humbly responded to being His servant, His disciple. He is the potter and we are the clay. All we are and have belongs to Him. Then comes the joy of the filling of the Spirit and the blessings to God and others.

      Someone wrote” We are being made to be like Jesus, to reflect His glory and holiness with greater clarity and distinction. In everything we do, from the big issues of life to the mundane everyday routine, we reflect Jesus.
  Being in a hurry gives way to patience.
  Procrastination becomes perseverance.
  Harsh words have the edges cut off and are gentle.
  Bitterness and resentment turn into forgiveness.
  Envy and covetousness becomes contentment.
  Boastfulness and conceit learn humility.
  The clenched hand of stingy selfishness opens with generosity.
  An angry short fuse is replaced with self-control.
  Deception and half-truths melt away and are replaced with honesty and integrity.
  Doubt and fear are transformed into faith and confidence.

      God wanted His people to serve faithfully in the work that he had already given to them. For the priests this meant that they should take their duties seriously and look at it as a privilege, not a burden. For you it may mean to serve God by being a faithful father and husband. Love your wife unconditionally and lead your household as God wants you to lead, with gentleness and patience. If you are a wife and a mother, serve your husband and family faithfully as if you were serving God himself. If God has made you a student, apply yourself diligently to your studies. Don’t put homework off, or do it to get done as quickly as you can, instead do it to the best of your ability and when God blesses your work give him credit for your success.
      Of course there are other ways in which we can serve our God. In the book of Malachi God says that we can serve him by bringing him the best of our income. Unfortunately the Israelites during Malachi’s time were bringing anything but their best. They were sacrificing animals that were sick and diseased and not worth selling on the market any way. That hardly showed devotion and respect to the King of Kings! In fact you remember in chapter 1 God dared them to bring that same gift to their governor in Jerusalem.
      How are we doing in our giving? Are we giving the King of Kings the best of our income, or whatever we can afford to part with? Giving God our best is a way for us to show that he truly has captured our heart and remains number one in our life, so that you could serve him with your whole life, including your treasures. 

Pastor Dale

Sermon Nuggets Fri Feb 3 Judgment

Verse Mal 3:5 ⁵ “So I will come near to you for judgment. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers and perjurers, against those who defraud laborers of their wages, who oppress the widows and the fatherless, and deprive aliens of justice, but do not fear me,” says the LORD Almighty.

Consider Spiritual Judgment

   Hope for those who have been purified by the works of Christ are now offerings of delight to the Lord. We serve Him and are blessed in doing so. But there is another side to the picture. For those who go their own way, to other idols and gods, will be judged for their sins. For those who go through motions, but hearts are far from Him there is warning.

    The New Testament talks about another Day of the Lord, when the righteous one comes as king, and not the savior, to judge the world not to redeem it. The day of the offer of Salvation will be over. Now is the time for salvation, now is the time for confession and now is the time to devote yourselves to the things of God for when Christ returns it will be too late.  There is no way to escape the judgment. 

Revelations is clear that the coming of the Lord will be to redeem and to judge. There will be a place in the presence of God and a place separated for eternity from God. There will be ultimate reward and punishment. There will be heaven and hell.

    God has given to us a warning. Why do we harden our hearts against Him? What do we continue in sin as adulterers, liars, cheats, abusing the poor, ignoring the needy, and do not make God Lord of their lives?

    We are used to the courts of law that are imperfect, where many do not believe they will ever get caught. We like to think we are smart and can outsmart God. Indeed, there are some that think there will be some celestial loop-hole and they will somehow squeak on in. Or they are blinded by their own doctrine that everyone will someday make it to heaven. That is not the teachings of the Bible. As much as we might not like the truth- truth does not change based on our approval.

   Perhaps we live too long in a democracy where we think the will of the people ultimately prevail and the vote will be against God and in favor of salvation for all sinners. We are responsible to God for telling people of God's love in Christ and the good news there is a way of salvation. However, if they turn their back, are not interested, if the pressures of their friends, or fear of laughter, or rejection by significant others gets in the way of the place of God, God's word say there is judgment from which we cannot run and hid and get away.

    According to a Gallup Poll over 70% of Americans agree with this statement- "There are few moral absolutes: what is right or wrong usually varies from situation to situation." Yet most of them said they were religious and the Bible was important to them. What we say and what we do are two different things.

      Have we so insulated ourselves with the quality of the love of God that we forget holy love also brings about ultimate judgment and some day the warnings will stop and justice and judgment prevail. I fear many are not prepared. Many do not take this word seriously. Many are lost and many are living for the comforts of this world and ignore the fact it will quickly be gone. This is not just the day for salvation, it is also the day for confession, repentance, and renewed zeal for God and His ways.

       Fear of the Lord is understood as godly awe and wonder. It relates to reverence for God. When one is no longer concerned about God then he is liable to become the victim of all kinds of evil passions and lusts. Neglect and defiance of the will of the Lord always have met with chastisement and disaster.

   Malachi preaches because God wants people to turn. And the good news is "All who come unto me I will in no wise cast out." says Jesus.

Pastor Dale