December 3

Malachi 3
There is so much of the glory of the Lord in this chapter! In the last chapter we ended with the people complaining too much. Their complaint was, “Where is the God of justice?” In this chapter He warns them that the God of justice is coming. Before He comes He will send His messenger to prepare the way for Him. Before He comes we must prepare ourselves through repentance. That was John the Baptist’s message. It remains true today that if we want to know the God of Justice we must repent. That is, we must bring our thought processes in line with His thoughts. He demands that we return to Him. How have we strayed away? We have robbed Him. How? In Malachi’s day it was the keeping back of the tithes and offerings. Today Jesus calls us to leave it all at His feet.
What does it mean to leave it all? The last time that I checked, “all” did not mean 10%; it meant 100%. I have heard so much preaching and teaching that we must give the Lord our tithe or our 10%. That teaching is so miserly with the way we treat God. It is no wonder that we are so anemic in our spirituality. Jesus makes it plain. He wants it all. Why don’t we test Him with it? Why not give it all? I am so stingy with Him. His glory is that when I release it all to Him, He meets my need. Why am I stingy? It is because I have my focus on my glory and not His glory. If I really saw His greatness, I wouldn’t have a problem with leaving at His feet. Indeed, we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john