Wearied Lord

That is an interesting title I know. "Wearied Lord." does the Lord get weary? Why would he get weary if he does? Malachi tells us why the Lord gets wearied. We weary him with our actions and our words. He does get tired of how people can twist the Word to fit their style and their own selfish desires.

Malachi 2:17 is where we are told You have wearied him by asking "Where is the God of Justice?" We always ask where is God's justice when something bad happens in our lives we like to turn the truth around to meet our needs instead of turning ourselves around to meets God's needs. We often ask where is God when bad things occur. How many people asked where was God when the tragedy of September 11th happened? We don't see that God's justice is everywhere within the bad things. We don't put all our faith in him.


Earlier in the chapter in verse 10 in Malachi God says Are we not all children of the same Father? Are we not all created by the same God? We neglect the fact that we are God's children. That we serve GOD not the other way around. God does not serve us, yet we always try to make it that way. When we pray, we ask for things that we want. When someone needs our help we tend to think about what WE can get out of it instead of thinking we can show the glory of God through love for others. When we do things like this we make God weary of how we continue to act this way and treat people this way.

We need to stop trying to make God serve us and serve God. We need to think about how we can glorify GOd through our actions and not try to twist the Word of God around to fit our needs and desires. We need to change to fit God's needs.

Too Hard??

The book of Malachi is full of God speaking to Malachi the prophet. Much of which deals with the love of God and the actions of his people. We looked at chapter 1 verse 2 where we saw that God loves us deeply yet we still wonder. Farther in the chapter God talks more of respect and honor.

"A son honors his father, and a servant respects his master. I am your father and your master, but where are the honor and respect i deserve. You have despised my name!" Verse 6 God's saying we fail him because we don't honor and respect him as we should. We don't follow the Bible, we judge others, we lie (little fibs count), some cheat. We fall very short of honoring God the way we should. But he still loves us and still sent Jesus to die for us. Who needs proof of how deep his love is? It's right there.

The chapter goes on to say in verse 13 "You say 'It's too hard to serve the Lord," We always think it is too hard to serve God because it seems like a bunch of rules, or hardships and "no fun" as some people would say. No one said being a Christian will be the easiest thing to do. In fact it is hard, yet we still serve God and need to honor him in all we do. We need to give praise through the good times and the bad, we need to repent (and be sincere in it), we need to fight temptations, pray, go to church and fellowship, read our Bibles. It is hard, but it's worth it.

Some people say it's hard keeping God the center of your life, with everything else going on. In fact keeping God the center is one of the easiest things to do. Before eating say a prayer of thanksgiving. Instead of watching an hour of reruns get into the word and read what he has said, pray. Talk about him don't just ask Jesus in and then leave him in the corner. Let the world see that Jesus Christ is living in you.

God's Love

We are going to venture into the book of Malachi. It is the last book of the Old Testament. Malachi like many of the other books are conversations he had with God. There are parts of God speaking and then Malachi speaking. The book opens very powerfully and sets the stage for what it will fully be about.

"I have loved you deeply," says the Lord. But you retort, "Really? How have you loved me?" That is what verse two says. How often do we ask God how have you loved me? To often we want God to prove his love to us instead of us proving our love to him. God says he loves us and sends his son to die for us and yet we still ask for proof! We still want to know how he has loved us. We still want proof of his love. When something bad goes on in our lives we assume God doesn't love us or worse doesn't exist. God constantly says I love you deeply. Yet we want proof.

We should be the ones working to prove our love to God. The way we treat others, the way we treat ourselves, how we act and react. Just many things go into showing how we love the Lord our God. How can we honestly say we love God, yet won't help someone in need? Or say "we can't bring drug addicts into our church." Isn't the point to show God's love through our actions? How can we say we love God yet judge those around us, yet sometimes we have the gull to ask God how do you love me.

I understand asking WHY. I admit I am unworthy of his love, but he still loves me. Instead of trying to find proof of God's love, why not try proving YOUR love.

Soldiers Of Christ

Sometimes Christians refer to themselves as Soldiers of Christ. In reality we are because we are fighting the good battle against evil. The Bible tells us to put on the armor and take up our shields and swords against evil attacks. We need to realize we are soldiers and need to fight the battle to win.

2 Timothy 2:4 tells us about being a soldier of God. And as Christ's soldier do not let yourself become tied up in the affairs of life, for then you cannot satisfy the one who has enlisted you in his army. We are all a part of the same army. We tend to get caught up with various things going on in our lives that we get distracted from the true cause. We get distracted from our walk with God. When we don't make God the focus point, don't you think it dis-satisfies God?

He has enlisted us into his army, and we accepted when we accepted him into our lives. We need to work and fight like it. Like our lives depend on it, because in a sense it does. It's ok to get worried about a few things, but we need to trust God for the various affairs of our lives. We need to train hard and follow the guidelines of the Bible as a soldier would. No doubt we will see suffering, but we will also see many miracles.

It's easy to imagine battles today because of the war in Iraq, but it can sometimes put a damper on our thoughts. We do need to pray for our men and women in the military. I recently found out a friend I care dearly about is going back for a month. While it's only a month still we pray for his safe return. Not only is he protecting our country, but part of his purpose in life, his purpose according to God's plan is to serve our country and I couldn't be prouder of him. He's one of my heroes. But I degress...

We are all a part of the same army. Fighting the good fight, but we need to be prepared.

Death

Death is a funny thing. Even though it is inevitable, we still never expect it. Even when someone is sick, we aren't prepared to lose them. Death comes in different ways like an illness, suicide, murder or just simply naturally. No matter the circumstances, it is always hard to handle the death of someone we care about even someone we know through passing.

Psalm 23 is notorious for being read at funerals. Verse 4 tells us: Even when I walk through the valley of death, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me. We always seem to be afraid of death and the unknown aspects of death. We want to know what happens to someone when they die, though that is another thing that remains a mystery to us. But we need to remember is that God is there protecting and comforting not only us but the ones we have lost.

Even if we meet a person for only a moment in time, you never know the impact you may have had. Everything is life including death is a part of God's plan. God is there protecting us and comforting us throughout life, he continues to do so through death whether it be our own or the death of a loved one. He is our protector and comforter, He'll be there when we need him the most.

Trust In God

The book of Habukkuk talks a lot about trusting God. It's Habukkuk praying to God and then God's responses to him. It's not a very long book, but it is a very meaningful book, and we Christians can learn a lot from Habukkuk and how he response and talks to God. He doesn't talk as if it were a formal conversation, but as if he was chatting with a friend. That's how we should pray to God, but this post isn't about prayer. It's about trust. We have looked at Habukkuk 2:3, now lets look at the next verse: Look at the proud! They trust in themselves and their live are crooked: but the righteous will live by their faith. When we try to trust in ourselves and our own devises we fall short of course. Our lives become crooked and soon fall. But the righteous who trust in God will find the strength to endure. Christians must trust God for all things, not just the bad things in life. We need to trust that God;s plan will happen and he will take care of us and provide as he said he would. Farther in the chapter God says to Habukkuk: How foolish to trust in something made my your own hands! (verse 18). Why should we trust in ourselves, new age books. We try to trust things that lead us no where and only cause us to fall. The only thing we need to trust is God himself! We need to depend on God for all things in life.

Strength

I have been look a lot into rejoicing in the Lord when depression seems to sink in. It's when depression rears it's ugly head that it seems so incredibly hard to rejoice in the Lord. We feel so down, and couldn't imagine God hearing our praise and prayers when we think so little of ourselves. When we read scripture with depression, it seems like the words aren't hitting the way they normally do, and worship/praise songs don't seem to have the same effect they do otherwise. Throughout the Bible there are scripture and stories about people who struggle with depression in one way or another: Job, and David are two of the most thought of. Many of David's Psalms where written in a fit of depression calling out to God. Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vine, even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty.....yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my Salvation. The Sovereign Lord is my strength! Habukkuk also knew the pains one can feel during times of trials. Chapter 3 verse 17 through 19 show us that Habukkuk wanted to be joyful in the Lord. Don't we all want to be joyful? We just find it hard sometimes. Habukkuk didn't want to let the elements around him effect his relationship with God, and we shouldn't either.


Granted our emotions effect how we think and feel at times, but we need to push through the depressive thoughts. Though the scriptures may not seem helpful at the time, deep inside they are. They help rid your mind of depression as you think about what you've read. Habukkuk and many others throughout the Bible have said that the Lord is their strength. God is our strength and refuge. We need to lean on him and rely on his strength to life us up on wings and Isaiah said.


Rely on God the Father and make him your strong tower in times of need. Rejoice in the Lord always, rely on him for the strength you need. Rejoice when things seem, lost because with God we have everything!