In Malachi 3 It talks about the coming of Christ and the covenant he brings and how his Holiness will purify the Levites (applies to us.) When we make that covenant with Him, we become his children. That covenant with God, accepting and believing in him and his son, Jesus, and receiving the holy spirit. When one makes this convenent, the door opens for God to work in our lives, redeem us, change us, and allows us to have a relationship with Him.
It is very easy to be distracted from God, and forget to spend time with him in his word and in prayer. It is also very easy to begin to conform to the world when we don't focus on God. I have been distracted and to tired at times to seek God and continue to build a relationship with him, only to find myself making excuses. Thankfully...""I the Lord do not change. So you O descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed. 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" Malachi 3:6-7. What does this mean to you and me? It means that when we stray or break his laws and decrees, he is the same forgiving and redeeming God that he always was. God, the Father, waits for us to return to him so he can return to us.
Although Malachi 3: 8-11 talks about tithing, it applies for much more then tithing. When we give to God a portion of our wages just like he asked of us, we open the door for more blessings, especially when its the hardest to give. More specifically, "'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'" Malachi 3:10. When we give God all of us we allow him to work in us and work through us like we can't imagine. Sometimes we forget how great our God is and become selfish with our time, with our things, and with our hearts. Over and over again in Malachi it states "says the Lord ALMIGHTY," he is mighty to do miracles in the areas we lack. You might struggle in giving your tithes because the money is not enough for the bills, but continue to give to him what is his and he will give to you the blessings he promises. You struggle to read your bible because your too busy to take an hour for him, but continue because his blessings will rain down. "'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. 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" Malachi 4:2-3.
God will redeem those who look to be redeemed. He will give extra blessings to those who fear and honor him. Don't be discouraged just continue to seek and pray because you will see the fruit of your harvest in the right season.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Monday, January 25, 2010
A Day of Fasting
My name is Wendy Almeida and I decided to start writing about my quite times with God with the purpose of trying to understand them more. Well, today I read Zechariah 7. I didn't need to write about this chapter because it spoke so clearly to me and even made me laugh when I saw what it was about.
My church started a fast today so yesterday night the meeting was about fasting. Our leader started with explaining "what is fasting?" Fasting is when you abstain from physical nourishment, but not spiritual nourishment. "When to fast?" When you need to hear from God or receive from God his word/an answer. "How to fast?" By not eating for a period of time, by spending time in his word instead of eating, and by applying this verse (that I read this morning) "This is what the Lord Almighty says: ' Administer TRUE justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor. In your hearts do not think evil of each other.'" Zechariah 7: 9-10.
Zechariah 7 starts of with the people of Bethel sending their men to inquire of the priest to ask God if they should mourn and fast like they have done over the years (Zechariah 7:2&3) and this is when I started to laugh. I realized that this is something God wants me to do, but the right way. God's first answer to them was by saying that all those years that the have fasted and mourned was not for God, but for themselves (Zechariah 7:4-7). I could imagine that when they fasted it was to either keep up with tradition, to impress their neighbors, to say that they have completed their duty with God. OUCH, to hear that from God must hurt. Then God gave Zechariah a second answer, telling them that when they fast they have to show justice, compassion, mercy, love, and care for one another (Zechariah 7:8-9).
When we are fasting we are making a sacrifice, and fasting is pleasing to God. (When we fast for the right reasons.) Pslams 51:17 says "My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise." We need to be humbled, we need to practice what God has put us on earth to do, and we need to pray. Pray for our needs, pray for ourselves and our loved ones, and pray for our church. This is what its all about.
If you fast and see nothing its because you were doing the right thing , but the WRONG way. If you fast and do nothing you will NOT see God's blessing. If you fast and are not humbled it will NOT be pleasing to God. We learn as we go and search for Him. When we search, knock, and ask God will answer.
My church started a fast today so yesterday night the meeting was about fasting. Our leader started with explaining "what is fasting?" Fasting is when you abstain from physical nourishment, but not spiritual nourishment. "When to fast?" When you need to hear from God or receive from God his word/an answer. "How to fast?" By not eating for a period of time, by spending time in his word instead of eating, and by applying this verse (that I read this morning) "This is what the Lord Almighty says: ' Administer TRUE justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor. In your hearts do not think evil of each other.'" Zechariah 7: 9-10.
Zechariah 7 starts of with the people of Bethel sending their men to inquire of the priest to ask God if they should mourn and fast like they have done over the years (Zechariah 7:2&3) and this is when I started to laugh. I realized that this is something God wants me to do, but the right way. God's first answer to them was by saying that all those years that the have fasted and mourned was not for God, but for themselves (Zechariah 7:4-7). I could imagine that when they fasted it was to either keep up with tradition, to impress their neighbors, to say that they have completed their duty with God. OUCH, to hear that from God must hurt. Then God gave Zechariah a second answer, telling them that when they fast they have to show justice, compassion, mercy, love, and care for one another (Zechariah 7:8-9).
When we are fasting we are making a sacrifice, and fasting is pleasing to God. (When we fast for the right reasons.) Pslams 51:17 says "My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise." We need to be humbled, we need to practice what God has put us on earth to do, and we need to pray. Pray for our needs, pray for ourselves and our loved ones, and pray for our church. This is what its all about.
If you fast and see nothing its because you were doing the right thing , but the WRONG way. If you fast and do nothing you will NOT see God's blessing. If you fast and are not humbled it will NOT be pleasing to God. We learn as we go and search for Him. When we search, knock, and ask God will answer.
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