10-14-20   THOUGHTS

The following is sobering to a preacher-elder.  It should be sobering to all.  As human beings we tend to SLIP and WANDER.  The direction is always away from God.  We move TOWARD GOD ON PURPOSE, WITH RESOLVE AND EFFORT!  The words REVIVE and RESTORE are words of coming back to a former place or mind.  It’s the story of the bible.  Prophets were used to send a WAKE UP call.  Bad times came to stir the heart.  It was all about RETURN TO GOD!
From the Message Bible.  Please read it from a good translation also.
Mal 2:1-9     "And now this indictment, you priests! 2  If you refuse to obediently listen, and if you refuse to honor me, GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies, in worship, then I’ll put you under a curse. I’ll exchange all your blessings for curses. In fact, the curses are already at work because you’re not serious about honoring me. 3  Yes, and the curse will extend to your children. I’m going to plaster your faces with rotting garbage, garbage thrown out from your feasts. That’s what you have to look forward to! 4  "Maybe that will wake you up. Maybe then you’ll realize that I’m indicting you in order to put new life into my covenant with the priests of Levi, the covenant of GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies. 5  My covenant with Levi was to give life and peace. I kept my covenant with him, and he honored me. He stood in reverent awe before me. 6  He taught the truth and did not lie. He walked with me in peace and uprightness. He kept many out of the ditch, kept them on the road. 7  "It’s the job of priests to teach the truth. People are supposed to look to them for guidance. The priest is the messenger of GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies. 8  But you priests have abandoned the way of priests. Your teaching has messed up many lives. You have corrupted the covenant of priest Levi. GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies says so. 9  And so I am showing you up for who you are. Everyone will be disgusted with you and avoid you because you don’t live the way I told you to live, and you don’t teach my revelation truly and impartially."

If God put me on display today for who I TRULY AM... ?    I cringe at the thought.
Wasn’t it Lincoln who said “You can fool some of the people all of the time, and you can fool all of the people some of the time, but you can’t fool all of the people, all of the tme!”?
Loved Ones...  Let’s get out of the FOOLING BUSINESS, and get into the REAL!  
1Pet 2:5  you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
1Pet 2:9  But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God’s OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

My Prayer:
Oh God, help us to examine ourselves and find you most holy and high.  Renew our reverence for your great name.  Help us to stand in Awe.  Fill us with your Spirit that we may rejoice as we teach your truth.  Make us light Oh Lord.  May we never be stumbling blocks to those who need you.  Revive our spirits Lord.          In Jesus name                      Amen