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Observations from today’s readings and today’s S-WOD, Friday, 29 December 2023:
Malachi 2:2 – If you will not listen, if you will not take it to heart to give honor to my name, says the Lord of hosts, then I will send the curse upon you and I will curse your blessings.
Worship starts with the heart, not with empty actions. You must set your heart to honor and love God.
Malachi 2:5-7 – My covenant with him was one of life and peace, and I gave them to him. It was a covenant of fear, and he feared me. He stood in awe of my name. True instruction was in his mouth, and no wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and he turned many from iniquity. For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts.
Christians are called to be Priests who fear and follow God wholeheartedly and who speak truth to others from a life of integrity.
Malachi 2:6 – He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and he turned many from iniquity.
Walking with God involves turning away from iniquity and leading others to do the same. Peace is found in unity with Jesus and uprightness. Ungodly people talk about peace all the time, but peace starts and ends with peace with God – forgiveness, worship, and obedience. God is The God of Justice, Mercy, Peace, Love, and Joy. Apart from Him, none of these things are possible. The religion of humanism preaches that through enough education and effort, man can achieve these things apart from God. However, our Founding Fathers reminded us that truth is “self-evident,” that we rely on Divine Providence (God), and that God defines our Liberty (the obligations of freedom to obey His Supreme Law above human laws).
Malachi 2:9 – I make you despised and abased before all the people, inasmuch as you do not keep my ways but show partiality in your instruction.
God does not honor the lukewarm or halfhearted Christian who intentionally only obeys some of the commands some of the time.
Malachi 2:13-16 – He no longer regards the offering or accepts it with favor from your hand. But you say, “Why does he not?” Because the Lord was witness between you and the wife of your youth, to whom you have been faithless, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant. Did he not make them one, with a portion of the Spirit in their union? And what was the one God seeking? Godly offspring. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and let none of you be faithless to the wife of your youth.
The most important earthly institution to God is the marriage, and the purpose of marriage is not to simply bring fulfillment to the husband and wife but to raise godly children. God expects marriage to be holy and pure and to be the schoolhouse of Christlike character development for the next generation of His people. God does not bless His people while they are dishonoring this most sacred institution. If the church lacks power, look at the families. If you are a parent, your most important ministry or occupation on this earth is to raise up godly children.
Revelation 22:1-4 — Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.
Revelation 22:17 — The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.
Both Zechariah and Revelation describe the living waters which flow from the throne of Jesus, also described by Daniel and Ezekiel. This is the “water of life,” spiritual life, eternal life. Living water is the Holy Spirit received by grace through faith in Jesus – “Jesus stood up and cried out, ‘If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, “Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”‘ Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.” (John 7:37-39)
Also, both Zechariah and Revelation describe the Lord’s second coming and reign on earth. However, the living water is available now to anyone who is thirsty – “And let the one who hears say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price. (Revelation 22:17) What did Jesus say to the woman at the well? “Jesus answered her, ‘If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, “Give me a drink,” you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” (John 4:10)
– John 17:3, 13, 15-17 — And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent…. and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves…. I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.
God’s will for us is we experience eternal life and the fullness of joy now, drink from the living waters of the Holy Spirit now, and go into the world and share the Gospel now so other may experience eternal life in Christ and drink from the living waters. As we go into the world to make disciples (Matthew 28:18-20) we must be very careful not to be deceived by the lies of the world and start drinking dirty, lifeless water –
– Jeremiah 2:13 — …for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water.
– Ezekiel 34:18-19 — Is it not enough for you to feed on the good pasture, that you must tread down with your feet the rest of your pasture; and to drink of clear water, that you must muddy the rest of the water with your feet? And must my sheep eat what you have trodden with your feet, and drink what you have muddied with your feet?
– Proverbs 25:26 — Like a muddied spring or a polluted fountain is a righteous man who gives way before the wicked. “Cross” Fit S-WOD (Spiritual Workout of the Day) – 29 December 2023: Today, be refreshed by the living water of the Holy Spirit, and help the thirsty around you find living water by sharing the Gospel.
Defenders Bible Reading Plan 