JMD Devotional 182 Malachi 3:13-18 The Less Obvious Test
Your words have been strong and hard against Me, says the Lord. Yet you say, What have we spoken against You? You have said, It is useless to serve God, and what profit is it if we keep His ordinances and walk gloomily and as if in mourning apparel before the Lord of hosts?
And now we consider the proud and arrogant to be happy and favored; evildoers are exalted and prosper; yes, and when they test God, they escape [unpunished].
God has ordained that this life will be full of tests of various kinds. People tend to just look at the surface of a situation and compare it to their past experiences and rubber-stamp it without investing very much thought into it; but that may be a gambit. Many times there are less obvious tests within tests; we sell ourselves and God short when we settle for a superficial resolution. The test here in Malachi makes it look like the wicked have it better and God's people restrain themselves for nothing. The deeper, more significant test of their character is to see if they will continue in righteousness for righteousness' own sake, for that is the quality of people God wants to be with Him in Heaven.
Vs 16 Then those who feared the Lord talked often one to another; and the Lord listened and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him of those who reverenced and worshipfully feared the Lord and who thought on His name. And they shall be Mine, says the Lord of hosts, in that day when I publicly recognize and openly declare them to be My jewels (My special possession, My peculiar treasure). And I will spare them, as a man spares his own son who serves him. Then shall you return and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him who serves God and him who does not serve Him.
Dear God,
Life is not what it seems to be on the surface; please train my eyes and my mind to look deeper; continue to give me spiritual insight. May I respond well to Your work in my life and be renewed in my thinking. Give me a godly perspective on the trials and tests of life. I do so want to be special to You.
Amen
All (but*) quotes are from The Amplified Bible, published by
the Lockman Foundation. (AMP)
Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation
*New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society
**Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. (Eugene Peterson's easy-to-read, contemporary Scripture translation)
If you know of someone who would like to subscribe to
my daily devotional, please forward.
jamesdinsmore_32907@yahoo.com
Short, concise, thought-provoking.
More features:
http://SaintJamesPoetry.blogspot.com
http://recoverydevotional.blogspot.com/
http://jamesezadventures.blogspot.com/
And now we consider the proud and arrogant to be happy and favored; evildoers are exalted and prosper; yes, and when they test God, they escape [unpunished].
God has ordained that this life will be full of tests of various kinds. People tend to just look at the surface of a situation and compare it to their past experiences and rubber-stamp it without investing very much thought into it; but that may be a gambit. Many times there are less obvious tests within tests; we sell ourselves and God short when we settle for a superficial resolution. The test here in Malachi makes it look like the wicked have it better and God's people restrain themselves for nothing. The deeper, more significant test of their character is to see if they will continue in righteousness for righteousness' own sake, for that is the quality of people God wants to be with Him in Heaven.
Vs 16 Then those who feared the Lord talked often one to another; and the Lord listened and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him of those who reverenced and worshipfully feared the Lord and who thought on His name. And they shall be Mine, says the Lord of hosts, in that day when I publicly recognize and openly declare them to be My jewels (My special possession, My peculiar treasure). And I will spare them, as a man spares his own son who serves him. Then shall you return and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him who serves God and him who does not serve Him.
Dear God,
Life is not what it seems to be on the surface; please train my eyes and my mind to look deeper; continue to give me spiritual insight. May I respond well to Your work in my life and be renewed in my thinking. Give me a godly perspective on the trials and tests of life. I do so want to be special to You.
Amen
All (but*) quotes are from The Amplified Bible, published by
the Lockman Foundation. (AMP)
Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation
*New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society
**Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. (Eugene Peterson's easy-to-read, contemporary Scripture translation)
If you know of someone who would like to subscribe to
my daily devotional, please forward.
jamesdinsmore_32907@yahoo.com
Short, concise, thought-provoking.
More features:
http://SaintJamesPoetry.blogspot.com
http://recoverydevotional.blogspot.com/
http://jamesezadventures.blogspot.com/
posted by James M. Dinsmore at 6:27 AM
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