Happy Thanksgiving | Thankful Thursday

Welcome to my Thankful Thursday blog post! The LORD was impressing on my heart to carve out a section on my blog to share what I am thankful for. I call this my Thankful Thursday blog posts. I think it is fitting, since here in the USA we celebrate Thanksgiving today. I will continue to share what I am thankful for, each week, so be sure to come back to my blog and we can count our blessings together.

Praying you have a wonderful Thanksgiving Day!

You are all as sweet as pumpkin pie to me!

Praying you are surrounded with family and friends you love!

I am thankful for God's goodness and mercy that never ends! Thank You, Jesus!

Everyone needs a little sparkle in their holidays!

My niece sent me this cute little turkey!

Friends, my heart is so full of thanksgiving and gratitude. God has blessed me and my family with so many wonderful things! He has sustained us for these three months without jobs. He has given us a wonderful home that we love. We have our health and even though my children are fighting sinus issues and viral stomach bugs, we are grateful that we have overall good health. I am thankful for the job the LORD has given to me! I start next Monday! I am thankful for the job my husband is getting soon. They are calling him Monday to talk about it! I am thankful for provision and protection as we traveled to and from Indiana to see our families. I am thankful for two Thanksgiving feasts there. I am thankful for time spent laughing and talking with them. I am thankful that God called our family to live here in Mobile, Alabama! We are so blessed to have this wonderful opportunity to live and work for the LORD together here. I am thankful for all the kindness that we have been shown, the new friends we have made, the money given to us, the bills paid on our behalf, and the peace in our hearts.

I received word this morning from my dear friend that God is answering a BIG prayer we have been praying and believing God to move on for a LONG, LONG time! God is so faithful! Never give up! God is working and His time is never ours. We don't always like to hear that, but when we realize it's true, we will have an easier time waiting patiently for our blessings.

I am thankful that Jesus was born, lived on this earth that I now live on, and walked among us. He came to love, heal, and forgive. He gave His life's blood as the supreme sacrifice, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. He died once for all and His blood paid the price for my sins, so I can go free! Isn't God so wonderful to have sent His only Son? I am so thankful! I am thankful Jesus was willing to obey His Father and do this extremely generous act of love for all mankind. I am thankful Jesus is my LORD and Savior! He has redeemed me and I am His! He is my King and my heart rejoices in knowing so many of you are His children, too!

Whether you live in the United States of America, or are abroad, I want to wish you a wonderful day, a season of being thankful and grateful for the many blessings we have, and I pray this is a joyous time for you. If you are not with family, friends, or loved ones, I pray a special blessing on you and that you might meet up with others who are alone during the holidays as well. I pray for all those sweet men and women in the nursing homes and shut in their homes. I pray they will feel God's love and experience joy in their hearts today. I pray for those in the hospitals, institutions, jails, and prisons. I pray for all of those working in the healthcare industry, fire and rescue, police, military, and service workers to keep the roads clean and nice. I pray you all have a wonderful day. Remember there is ALWAYS something to be thankful for! 

God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

Malachi Chapter Four Bible Study

We are in our third consecutive month of weekly Bible studies. I hope you enjoyed them as much as I have. Ruth was exciting to watch the love story unfold between Ruth and Boaz, as we watched the hand of God provide for Ruth and Naomi during hardship, grief, and loss. First John was a great book to study on the heels of Ruth because First John was all about demonstrating God as love, light, and life. We were warned about sin, discord, and idolatry. I enjoyed seeing the multi-facets of God's love, grace, mercy, and goodness.

This month, I want to study the book of Malachi. This is the very last book in the Old Testament. Once God stops speaking four short chapters later, He is silent for 400 years! I want to dig into God's Word and find out what God wanted to say in the final chapters of the Old Testament, gain insight on what made God stop talking to His people, and hopefully gain a better understanding of the scriptures. Whether you do this study alone, or with a small group, please let me know in the comments below, or via email if this is something you enjoy on my blog. If you have a particular request of a book or topic to study, please let me know and I will prayerfully consider including it.

As with other studies, I like to include the introduction my Bible has for the book we are studying. Here is the introduction to The Book of Malachi:

MALACHI, a prophet in the days of Nehemiah, directs his message of judgment to a people plagued with corrupt priests, wicked practices, and a false sense of security in their privileged relationship with God. Using the question-and-answer method, Malachi probes deeply into their problems of hypocrisy, infidelity, mixed marriages, divorce, false worship, and arrogance. So sinful has the the nation become that God's words to the people no longer have any impact. For four hundred years after Malachi's ringing condemnation s, God remains silent. Only with the coming of John the Baptists (prophesied in 3:1) does God again communicate to His people through a prophet's voice.

The meaning of the name Mal'aki ("My Messenger") is probably a shortened form of Mal'akya, "Messenger of Yahweh," and it is appropriate to the book which speaks of the coming of the "messenger of the covenant" )"messenger is mentioned three times in 2:7; 3:1). The Septuagint used the title Malachias even though it also translated it "by the hand of the messenger." The Latin title is Maleachi.

Read through the fourth and final chapter of Malachi. It is only 6 verses. Grab a notebook or journal, pen or pencil, and keep your Bible open as we break the bread together. I will be asking questions throughout today's study. Record your answers in your book. If you are participating in this study with friends or a small group, use the questions for talking points. The purpose of this study is to dig deeper into the Word of God and to apply the lessons to our own lives. Feel free to leave a comment below. I would love to hear from you!

To conclude our study of Malachi, I will break down each of the six verses so we can focus on each. Let's begin in verse one.

Verse 1

The fourth chapter begins with a warning. Dooms day is coming! The Bible says that the day is approaching when every single person who is proud, or arrogant, and doing wicked things will be burned like stubble. Have you seen someone start a fire with some sticks and newspaper clippings and things? It will burn quickly and completely. This is the fate of those who do not wish to serve the LORD Jehovah. The proud and arrogant are self-reliant. They believe they make their own way. The Bible says that God resists the proud (James 4:6). They are not relying on Him or trusting Him to meet their needs, and they have a foolish idea that somehow they are making their own success. It is God that gives us what we need. 

Joshua 1:8

This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

James 1:17

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with Whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

If we believe the scriptures are true, then we cannot read these two verses and still believe we make our success, we make our own destiny, we make good things happen. It is God and God alone that does these things!

Verse one concludes with the scary truth of what will happen when these people are burned up. The Bible says there will not be left any root or branch. No future generations will follow these people. They are cut off from the earth forever. The seed is gone. This should get our attention as we study the Word of God. This is a serious warning and we all must take heed that we do not do those things that are wicked in God's eyes and we must not think we can do anything in life without God (John 5:30).

Romans 12:3

For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

1 Corinthians 8:2

And if any man think that he knoweth anything, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know.

Friends, let's do a heart check and make sure we are measuring up to what God expects from us. His Word is very clear and He does not leave us to our own devices. He helps us and if we reject His help and rebel against His law, we will find ourselves on the burn pile and we will be consumed and destroyed.

Questions: What do you think of when you read verse one? How do you reconcile a loving God with this picture of a God of judgment? What can you do to help someone you know that is not living according to the scriptures, so they can escape the punishment described here?  What changes can you make in your thought process about how you become successful? How can you keep God in the center of your life when it is so counter-cultural to believe that God is responsible for the good in your life?

Verse 2

What about the people who are living for God? Verse one does not apply to them, but verse two does. What a beautiful promise for those who strive to live in a way that pleases God. This verse is for that remnant God always has for Himself. This is for those who heed His warning, tremble with fear, revere His name, and walk humbly with God. The Sun of righteousness is Jesus! He is the One with healing in His wings. He is our sun and our shield. He gives the church warmth/heat and light. He has healing virtue for every believer that obeys His Word. By His stripes we are healed! (Isaiah 53)

1 Peter 2:24

Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by Whose stripes ye were healed.

The promise is that the people who obey God and follow close to Him, will grow up as calves of the stall. We know that those calves are well cared for, fed, protected, and provided for. God is promising these things to those who walk upright before Him. We see evidence of this as we experience peace the world does not have, the calm state of your mind when the world's thoughts are racing, when you feel the love of God in your heart as you commune with Him; a love the world cannot know and does not understand; and the evidence of hope of salvation from these judgments. The world has no hope. We have hope when we have Jesus!

Questions: What do you think of when you read verse two? How does this picture of a loving God contrast with the God of judgment in verse one? What can you do to encourage other believers, who are getting weary in this sinful world, to hold on their faith and claim this promise for themselves? What can you do to hold on to your faith tighter and encourage yourself with this verse of hope and healing and redemption?

Verse 3

Verse three continues with the blessing of God for those who love Him. He said that they would tread over their enemies. In this time we live in, it seems that evil is every where and getting worse. People of God are stripped of their rights of religious freedom, and in countries where that is not a thing, they are persecuted heavily; locked up in prison, tortured, and killed all for the name of Jesus Christ which they bear. God says the day is coming when they will be under the feet of the believers and they will overcome their enemies.

Psalm 110:1

The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit Thou at My right hand, until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool.

Father God said to Lord Jesus to sit at His right hand until Father God made King Jesus' enemies to become His footstool. This is so important to remember: God did not say sit there until He hoped to make the enemies a footstool, or if He could make the enemies a footstool. God said, "Wait right here and I AM going to do this thing!" Be encouraged, God is in control! God has all the power over the enemy and God wins! We win when we are in Christ Jesus!

2 Corinthians 2:14

Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of His knowledge by us in every place.

Questions: What do you think of when you read verse three? Does this give you hope? What kind of anticipation or expectation do you have after reading this passage? What feelings does it give you to think that one day you will not have to fight against evil, suffer in pain or sickness, nor struggle through trials and temptations?

Verse 4

Do you remember Moses? He was the servant of the LORD who was given the law to take back to the people. God wrote the Ten Commandments on two tablets, not once, but twice, and gave them to Moses. Do you remember the law? There were rules and consequences with those laws. This verse is asking us to remember them. To think back and remember that God has always given us instructions on how we are to live our lives. We do not have to guess what He might like, and walk on egg shells thinking we are going to mess up because we are confused about what He might want. No, God gives us clear direction and instruction. 

Exodus 19:9

And the LORD said unto Moses, Lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with thee, and believe thee for ever. And Moses told the words of the people unto the LORD.

Deuteronomy 4:10

Specially the day that thou stoodest before the LORD thy God in Horeb, when the LORD said unto me, Gather Me the people together, and I will make them hear My words, that they may learn to fear Me all the days that they shall live upon the earth, and that they may teach their children.

There will be no prophets to come, no messengers to bring God's Word, and no speaker on the LORD's behalf until the forerunner of Jesus Christ comes, which we know is John the Baptist. God's going to give the world the ultimate silent treatment!

Questions: What do you think of when you read verse four? What do you think it would feel like to not have a message from God for a long period of time? How do you think the people who loved God, and was that remnant He spoke of, felt about those who brought so much pain and dishonor to God? Are you glad you have the written Word of God to reflect on and refer to?

Verse 5

This verse says that Elijah the prophet will be sent before Jesus the Messiah is revealed. Many Jews are still waiting for Elijah to come and they do not believe that Jesus is the Messiah. In the book of Matthew, John the Baptist is in prison, and he sent his disciples to Jesus to question if He was the Messiah or should they look for someone else. Jesus answered them and when they left, Jesus told the people about John the Baptist and look at what He said.

Matthew 11:7-10

7 And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind?

8 But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses.

9 But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet.

10 For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send My messenger before thy face, which shall prepare Thy way before Thee.

If Jesus said John the Baptist is the one Malachi prophesied would come before Messiah, then we know Jesus is the Messiah. Remember what John the Baptist said about Jesus?

John 1:29
The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

This tells me that Jesus is the Messiah and I have my trust in Him for my salvation. I worked with a Jewish girl and she told me she believed Jesus was a good man and maybe a prophet, but not the Messiah. It makes me sad because Jesus is more than a good man. He is the Son of the Living God.

Questions: What do you think of when you read verse five? Have you ever questioned that Jesus is the Messiah, the Redeemer of the world? Do you know of others in your life that have questioned this? What can you say to help others know Jesus is the Messiah and John the Baptist is the Messenger referred to in Malachi?

Verse 6

Verse six is not a stand alone verse, it actually goes with verse five. This is a continuation of the previous verse about the Messenger, John the Baptist. It says that he shall turn the hearts of the father and his children to one another, so that God does not curse the earth. Let's look at what the angel said to Zacharias, John's father, before her son gave birth.

Luke 1:13-17

13 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elizabeth shall bear thee a son.

14 And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth.

15 For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb.

16 And many of the children of Israel shall he return to the Lord their God.

17 And he shall go before Him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

We know that John the Baptist did that. He was a great messenger of God and heralded Jesus as the Lamb of God who would take away the sin of the world. His life was cut short because he was beheaded. His life was spent proclaiming the truth of God's Word and calling sinners to repentance.

Questions: What do you think of when you read verse six? Aren't you glad that God did not put a curse on the earth? What do you think Zacharias thought about having a special son be born to him and his wife? Aren't you glad that when the Jews rejected Jesus, He offered salvation to the Gentiles?

I am thankful that Gentiles were offered salvation because I am a Gentile. I am a Jew by adoption, grafted in, and by circumcision of the heart. This is a special book we have studied this month. It is the precursor to the New Testament. We see John the Baptist is born and Jesus is, too. Both Elizabeth and Mary were given the news by angels that they would have such special sons. I am so glad we looked closer at Malachi this month.

Thank you for joining me this month. I am going to do a special Bible study for December. I am looking forward to it and I hope you will join me once again. I am thankful for all of you that study the scriptures with me and I appreciate the emails and comments that I receive.

May God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

When Life Interrupts | Fuel For The Weekend

God  told me to share my faith on Fridays and call it Fuel For The Weekend. I wanted to do it. I thought about it. I tried coming up with ideas on my own, but I just came up short, so I put the idea toward the back of my mind, but the Holy Spirit continued to nudge me in this direction. I am going for it and it's my desire that the posts I put up on Fridays will give you something to think about, ponder, consider, and reflect on throughout the weekend.

I woke up in the early morning hours to hear my 12 year old son getting sick in the bathroom. I went to check on him and do whatever I could for him. He stands at 5' 8.5" tall and yet in that moment he was just my baby boy and I was going to do whatever I had to do. As a mother, I hate it when my kids are sick or hurt. I don't want them to ever have pain, disappointments, sickness, or rejection. My heart hurts for them and if I could have switched places with him and took the sickness so he could be well, I would have.

I thought about how many times our Heavenly Father stands over us in love and compassion as we go through a trial, a heartache, an illness, or tragedy. He stands beside us, loving us, pouring His healing salve into the wounds in our souls. He is a loving and wonderful Father who not only hated the state we had got ourselves into, but actually sent His only Son Jesus to switch places with us. The perfect, spotless Lamb of God, became the supreme sacrifice for our sins and we did not have to pay the penalty for our sins. It was paid for with the precious blood of Jesus Christ.

My son was weak throughout the day. The child who cannot sit still long, is hopping and running and bouncing through the house and off of furniture, talking a mile a minute, just spoke few words and laid still on the bed. The waves of nausea overtook him and any sudden movements did not end well. He wanted to get up and play and do the things he always did but he did not have the strength. He was forced to lay still and rest.

Sometimes we get upset when we have to go through hard times. I know we have gone through so many challenges this year that I often did not know what to do. I felt stuck. I felt too weak to push through the tough trials and I would find myself so weak and only able to rest in Jesus. I could only rest in what I knew about Him and the things He said. I was unable to move quickly, take action, or even build my faith in a big way. God was there. He understood. He knew what I was facing. He knew it was hard. He knew it was the biggest challenge of my life and He was with me, encouraging me with His Word and with remembrance of times He had proved Himself faithful.

Javan's little pale face was marked with petechiae, those little circles under the skin around his eyes from forcefully vomiting. He felt so bad and I prayed for him and kissed his sweet little face and told him that I was there and I was going to help him.

When Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane and He was praying just before the men came to take Him away, Jesus was praying and seeking God to see if there was some other way. He said, "Not My will be done, but Thine." He wanted to do His Father's will because He knew His Father was loving and good and would never ask Him to do something He did not need to do. There was no other way! Luke 22:44 says, "And being in agony He prayed more earnestly: and His sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling to the ground. The suffering He was going through as He knew what He was about to face caused Him to have such a violent reaction, the strain broke blood vessels under the skin, and drops of His precious blood fell to the ground.

I am so thankful my son is going to get over this sickness. He is going to be healed in Jesus' name and he is going to run and play again. He is going to have a great Thanksgiving and he is going to enjoy time with loved ones soon. I am grateful that by Jesus' stripes Javan is healed! Jesus paid for that healing. He already made sure Javan could be healed today.

I am so thankful for the suffering Jesus endured for me. It should have been my payment. It should have been my death sentence. It was my penalty and Jesus paid it all! I am so thankful and I dare not live my life in a way that takes any of the work of the cross for granted. I must be intentional about living my life in a way to please the Father so I do not hurt Jesus again.

It is painful to see a lost and dying world reject the Savior. Jesus hurts when others turn away from Him. He wants to love, heal, and forgive. He wants to set free, restore, and renew. There is nothing but beauty and love and new life waiting in the arms of the Savior. Do not reject Him. Don't run from the only one that ever loved you enough to lay down their life for yours. Please don't continue to rebel and do things your own way because you don't want to let Jesus be the Lord of your life. You want saved from hell, but not someone to guide your footsteps. Let go of the wheel, turn it over to Jesus, and let Him steer you into the right paths for His name's sake.

No matter what you are going through, I promise you, Jesus will be enough. He will pay the bills, heal the disease, repair the relationship, mend the brokenhearted, make a way where there seems to be none, and open doors you never knew could be opened. He is a God of miracles and power and love. He has great and wonderful things waiting on the other side of your obedience. Trust Him. He is so faithful! You will never find another friend so true.

This month is a time to reflect, remember, and offer thanksgiving for the blessings in our lives. May we open our hearts to receive God's love and mercy and grace. Let Him change your heart and your outlook on life. You will never be the same and I guarantee you won't want to be! He is a life-changing God. This is the experience of a lifetime and you don't want to miss it for the world!

God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

Psalm 95 | Thankful Thursday

Welcome to my Thankful Thursday blog post! The LORD was impressing on my heart to carve out a section on my blog to share what I am thankful for. I have started it and will call this my Thankful Thursday blog posts. I think it is fitting, since here in the USA we celebrate Thanksgiving this month. I will continue to share what I am thankful for, each week, so be sure to come back to my blog and we can count our blessings together.

O come, let us sing unto the Lord: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto Him with psalms.

Psalm 95:1-2 KJV

I am enjoying this psalm! O come, let us sing unto the LORD. That is so inviting. Let's make a group effort to come together with singing as we praise our King of kings and LORD of lords. Can you just imagine, gathering together and the voices blending in perfect harmony as the melody floats up toward the throne of God?

Let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. He is not just worthy of our songs, but all joyful noise as we lift our voices and celebrate our great God Jehovah! He is not sinking sand, shifting sand, or quick sand. He is the ROCK of our salvation. He won't move. He won't break. He won't fall apart with all of our concerns, worries, problems, and prayers. He is steady and strong and holds us up.

Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving. May our hearts overflow with thankfulness as we begin to praise Him for the things He has done. God we magnify You now for the miracles You have performed in our lives. We thank You for the breath we breathe. We thank You for the healing touch. We thank You for the joy You give so freely. We thank You for food to eat, clothing to wear, shelter to keep us dry and safe and warm. God we glorify Your great name, the name of Jesus, the name that is above every other name, the only name given among men whereby we might be saved. I thank You for the way you make when there seems to be none. I thank You for reversing the bad report we were given. I thank You for opening doors no man can close, and closing doors no man can open. I thank You for Your great love and tender mercy that is new every morning. Thank You for all the wonderful ways You have blessed my life. Thank You for this blog and for every reader that stumbles upon it, God, as they did not come here by accident.

Friends, let's make a joyful noise to Him with psalms. Let's lift our voices high and magnify our great God and King. Let's tell Him how much He means to us. Let's not be ashamed. We tell others how much we appreciate them. We compliment total strangers on their outward appearance. We are not ashamed to lift our voice and speak our minds about many things, so let us use our voice for good. Let's glorify our God now. Let's use this time on this Thankful Thursday to make a joyful noise as we celebrate the marvelous God who loves us so much and has done so much on our behalf.

If He has done anything at all, ever answered a prayer, ever wiped away a tear, ever fed you when you were hungry, comforted you when you were lonely, been a friend and a Father to you, lift up your voice and thank Him. Tell Him how much you love Him. Tell Him how worthy He is to be praised. There is no God like Jehovah! There is NO GOD like JEHOVAH!!! There is none like Him!

I am thankful I know who He is and I am so thankful that He knows me, too. He knows my name. He knows the very number of hairs on my head. He knows me inside and out. He has great plans for me. He has plans and dreams and hopes for me that are for good and perfect gifts with my name on it, straight from His throne. He gives me mercy, grace, peace, love, forgiveness, joy unspeakable and full of glory. I would not trade anything on this earth for my relationship with Him. Do you love Him, too? Let Him know. He deserves to be told. He needs to hear from you today. No matter how good or bad the day started, just thank Him and praise Him for all He is and all He has been and all He will ever be because He is the God that does not change! He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He is righteous and true! He is worthy of praise!

I exalt You God. I lift nothing above You. I place nothing in Your place God. I lift You high and magnify Your great name. You are my Abba Father. You are my Jehovah Rapha. You are my Jehovah Jireh. You are my Jehovah Shalom. You are my all in all. You are the lifter of my head. You lift me up and set my feet on the high places. You raise me higher and higher in You and I desire to be where You are. I want to sit near You, at Your feet, and just thank You that You would even find me worthy to love me and care for me like You do. You pursue me. You love me. You never leave me. You are always there.

Oh God I love You so much! I thank You for being You! I thank You and love You. I cannot tell You enough.

Just keep praising Him, friends. He is worthy. If we can hoop and holler and shout for our favorite ball team or singer or whatever else we scream about, we can surely give our highest and best praise to the One and Only Almighty God!

~Bridgett Owens

Malachi Chapter Three Bible Study

We are in our third consecutive month of weekly Bible studies. I hope you have enjoyed them as much as I have. Ruth was exciting to watch the love story unfold between Ruth and Boaz, as we watch the hand of God provide for Ruth and Naomi, as they face hardship, grief, and loss. First John was a great book to study on the heels of Ruth because First John was all about demonstrating God as love, light, and life. We were warned about sin, discord, and idolatry. I enjoyed seeing the multi-facets of God's love, grace, mercy, and goodness.

This month, I want to study the book of Malachi. This is the very last book in the Old Testament. Once God stops speaking four short chapters later, He is silent for 400 years! I want to dig into God's Word and find out what God wanted to say in the final chapters of the Old Testament, gain insight on what made God stop talking to His people, and hopefully gain a better understanding of the scriptures. Whether you do this study alone, or with a small group, please let me know in the comments below, or via email if this is something you enjoy on my blog. If you have a particular request of a book or topic to study, please let me know and I will prayerfully consider including it.

As with other studies, I like to include the introduction my Bible has for the book we are studying. Here is the introduction to The Book of Malachi:

MALACHI, a prophet in the days of Nehemiah, directs his message of judgment to a people plagued with corrupt priests, wicked practices, and a false sense of security in their privileged relationship with God. Using the question-and-answer method, Malachi probes deeply into their problems of hypocrisy, infidelity, mixed marriages, divorce, false worship, and arrogance. So sinful has the the nation become that God's words to the people no longer have any impact. For four hundred years after Malachi's ringing condemnation s, God remains silent. Only with the coming of John the Baptists (prophesied in 3:1) does God again communicate to His people through a prophet's voice.

The meaning of the name Mal'aki ("My Messenger") is probably a shortened form of Mal'akya, "Messenger of Yahweh," and it is appropriate to the book which speaks of the coming of the "messenger of the covenant" )"messenger is mentioned three times in 2:7; 3:1). The Septuagint used the title Malachias even though it also translated it "by the hand of the messenger." The Latin title is Maleachi.

Read through the third chapter of Malachi. It is only 18 verses. Grab a notebook or journal, pen or pencil, and keep your Bible open as we break the bread together. I will be asking questions throughout today's study. Record your answers in your book. If you are participating in this study with friends or a small group, use the questions for talking points. The purpose of this study is to dig deeper into the Word of God and to apply the lessons to our own lives. Feel free to leave a comment below. I would love to hear from you!

Let's begin!

Verses 1-6 The Messenger of the Covenant
Malachi begins the third chapter of this short book introducing the one who would prepare the way before the LORD. We know the one who prepared the way is John the Baptist. Let's read the words of Jesus recorded in Matthew 11:10-15.

MATTHEW 11:10-15

10 For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send a messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.

11 Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.

13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.

14 And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come.

15 He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

The Old Testament prophet, Malachi, the last to contribute to that great section of the Bible, has proclaimed the day when the messenger would come and prepare the way before Jesus. This happened. This is prophesy fulfilled a few pages over in Matthew. Jesus, Himself, declares it to be. The messenger was to herald the ministry of the Messiah.

In verses two and three, it talks about the refiner's fire and the fullers' soap to refine and purify. There needed to be a refining process. There had to be some cleaning up and purification take place before they could offer an offering to the LORD in righteousness. Then, verse four says, the offering will be pleasant unto the LORD, like in the old days and former time. It will be the way He said it should be.

Verse five spells out the things God's judgment is coming against. The book of Nehemiah mirrors this sentiment. Often God would put forth His commands, the children of Israel would disobey and harden their hearts, punishment would come, then the same command would come forth, and after much hardship and tribulation, they would soften their hearts to obey. Why not just obey the first time? Let's compare Nehemiah to Malachi in verse five.

• Perversion of the priesthood. Malachi 1:6 through Malachi 2:9
• Perversion of the priesthood. Nehemiah 13:4-9
• Mixed marriages. Malachi 2:11-16
• Mixed marriages. Nehemiah 13:23-27
• Problems in society. Malachi 3:5
• Problems in society. Nehemiah 5:1-13
• Disobedience of principles governing giving. Malachi 3:8-11
• Disobedience of principles governing giving. Nehemiah 13:10-14

Verse six sums it all up. God does not change. He does not say one thing and do another. He does not set a standard and then lower it if we do not meet it. He does not change! He says what He means and He means what He says. God is full of love and mercy and that is why the sons of Jacob are not consumed. Their existence rested upon the covenant promises of the unchangeable God.

Questions: Aren't you glad God does not change? Aren't you glad our sins were forgiven and we did not have to pay the penalty? What does it mean to you that God does not change? How is that a comfort to you? In a world of changes, how can God remain the same? Do we see some of the same problems listed in verse four in our world today? How so? What do you struggle with from that list?

Verses 7-18 Robbing God of His Offerings
In verse seven, God said that they had strayed away from His laws since the time their fathers were alive. This was a continual, habitual behavior of not obeying God's laws. Return to Me, said God, and I will return to you. That sounds like a beautiful promise. Their response was How shall we return? God tells them exactly how they can return to Him and it is by doing what He told them to do in the first place!

Verses eight through twelve are God's explanation of what exactly they were doing wrong and He throws down a challenge for them to prove Him, if He won't bless them so much they cannot even imagine if they would obey His Word. He had already provided specific directions about how to handle the tithes and offerings. 

Numbers 18:21-24

21 And, behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance, for their service which they serve, even the service of the tabernacle of the congregation.22 Neither must the children of Israel henceforth come nigh the tabernacle of the congregation, lest they bear sin, and die.23 But the Levites shall do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they shall bear their iniquity: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations, that among the children of Israel they have no inheritance. 
24 But the tithes of the children of Israel, which they offer as an heave offering unto the LORD, I have given to the Levites to inherit: therefore I have said unto them, Among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance.

The tithes were animals and produce and were used to support the Levites and their families who were the ministers under the covenant. They were robbing God because the tithes they were bringing were of such poor quality it reflected a poor attitude on their behalf. By robbing God they were actually robbing themselves. 

In verses 10-12, God tells them to prove Him because they questioned His integrity and character. If they would go back to the original ordinance and follow it exactly the way it was written they would experience the blessing in their obedience. He would restore their crops, bless the work of their hands, cause other nations to observe the favor of God over their nation, and they would please God. 

In verses 13-15, God's people had come to believe that the wicked and proud were blessed and excelled and even were exempt from God's punishment they no longer saw the value in serving God. 

God always has a remnant, we see in verse 16 there were people who feared the Lord and listened to Malachi's warning. God was not far away and distant but we see from this verse that He was so close He overheard them talking and kept a book of remembrance for them that thought upon His name. In verse 17 God declared these people his special jewels.

The chapter ends by telling them there is a difference between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and don't. It may not always be clear that the wicked are going to be punished and the righteous will be blessed but we cannot look at things the way they are perceived in the natural. 

Questions: Based on what we've learned today, do you think this passage is a requirement to tithe today? Do you give a tithe to God, why or why not? Do you see similarities in our society and churches today where we are calling evil good and good evil? What do you think the solution is to getting back to holiness? What can you do personally? 

"We cannot expect the Church to exhibit more godliness than its leaders."

-Mary Lou Whitlock

I know this was a lot to think about but I feel like it's important to dig deep into these few short chapters to understand the meaning behind 400 years of silence from God. May we have open hearts and open minds as we dive into the word together. Next week, we will finish the book of Malachi and it is my prayer that we will all have a richer understanding of what God expects from each of us. May something shared today be strength for your journey and light for your way.

God bless you! 

~Bridgett Owens

Reminisce | Fuel for the Weekend

God has been telling me to share my faith on Fridays and call it Fuel For The Weekend. I wanted to do it. I thought about it. I tried to come up with ideas on my own, but I just came up short, so I put the idea toward the back of my mind, but the Holy Spirit continued to nudge me in this direction. It's my desire that the posts I put up on Fridays will give you something to think about, ponder, consider, and reflect on throughout the weekend.

Have you ever planned on things to happen in a certain way, and when you get down the road a little bit, you start to see the plan unraveling? That is sort of how my life is right now. I had imagined that my husband and I would be in a much different season of life by now. Our children are growing up so fast, and Kadesia turns 18 next month. I really thought our lives would be so different. My life now is nothing I ever imagined or asked for, and yet I am living it as I ask God to direct my steps, so I know this is His plan for my life. I just don't always understand everything.

Once I gave my heart to Christ, I did my best to live in a way that would please Him. I was so thankful for everything He had done for me, saved me from, and brought me through. I just wanted to honor God with my life and even though I failed so many times, I kept trying, and God's grace kept covering me. He helped me grow in my faith, in my spiritual being, and in all areas of my life. He never gave up on me.

I have a really big project that I am working on. I had always wanted to have a lot of scrapbooks for Kadesia at her graduation party, so she could reminisce about different milestones, events, and situations that occurred through the years. I started scrapbooking when Paul and I were dating and that has been 19 years ago now. I taught a lot of scrapbooking and faithbooking classes and have helped so many people complete their albums. I used to go with the same two friends to a scrapbooking retreat every year and I loved it. We had the best time and I got a lot of layouts completed over the course of those few days.

As I look at the calendar, it's mid-November, and my daughter graduates in early May. I do not have a lot of time. I have pictures in three big Rubbermaid totes, pictures on discs, pictures on my computer, pictures on my phone, pictures on flash drives, an external hard drive, and ..... you get the idea! So how can I accomplish such a big goal in such a short time? I have a plan!

The first thing I thought I would do is go through all of my planners. I have a large stack of planners and they are every size and color you can think of. I have color-coded some, decorated some with washi and stickers, used kits on some...just had a fun time with it. The problem is that each of those planners represents one year, so I have a lot to go through. I love to journal in my scrapbooks so when I am gone or not around to explain who the people are in the photos, my children can enjoy the pictures and remember the stories. So I am going through these planners and journals to write down important things I want to remember and capture in my scrapbook journaling.

I told you that this is a big project!! So, I started with a journal and a few planners. I started writing in a brand new notebook. It was so neat to remember things that I had truly forgotten about. I am so glad I kept notes about some of the little moments because they are precious. I read it and I am transported back in time to that moment and it is neat to relive it. This part of the process is probably going to take the longest time, but I want to do it because I desire to preserve those memories.

This post is not going to be how I break down each step of the scrapbooking process. I can do that for anyone interested another day, but for now I want to just encourage you to look back! Look back on your life. Do you have an old journal or calendar? If not, do you have a friend or family member you can talk about old times with? It's fun! I know we should not look back at the past in a way to want to live there, go back to old behaviors, or relive bad memories, but it is nice and therapeutic to have a really nice memory to visit again.

The biggest take-away from today's post, is that it is good to plan for the future. It is wise to look ahead and be prepared for what might come up. The Bible tells us to watch the ants store up, without anyone telling them to do it, making sure they do it, or watching over them as they do it.

Proverbs 6:6-8

6 Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:

7 Which having no guide, overseer or ruler,

8 Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.

God knows that we plan our life according to the season we are in. We may think we will do certain things, have a specific amount of money to retire on, travel to various locations, but if it is not going to fulfill God's perfect plan for your life, you may find your plans are derailed!

Proverbs 16:9

A man's heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.

You may wonder what good it is to plan ahead. We have to look at the scripture from a different angle. It isn't that planning ahead is bad, but whose will are we seeking? Are we planning things we want to do for our own pleasure and happiness, or are we truly making plans that glorify God in everything we do? Remember last week's scripture?

You see, God knows the end from the beginning. Our lives are such a short dot on the span of time that it's all we know. God sees way behind us, all our forefathers and the things they have done and not done to further the Kingdom of God. God sees far beyond us, long after we are gone and no one knows our names. He has a plan for the short time we occupy the planet. I have some good ideas, but to be honest, when some of the plans didn't turn out how I hoped, it's not been that bad, and sometimes it was a really good thing my plans failed. Other plans, I still don't understand, but I trust Him, so I know it will be okay. We just need to seek Him to find out His perfect will for us and live like He says to live.

Jeremiah 29:11-13

11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

12 Then shall ye call upon Me, and ye shall go and pray unto Me, and I will hearken unto you.

13 And ye shall seek Me, and find Me, when ye shall search for Me with all your heart.

I won't tell you that once you find out God's plan for your life that everything is perfect and you never have any fears, doubts, or trouble. I am telling you life will still be hard, life will still be unfair, and life will still be peppered with trouble and hardships, but knowing you are in the capable hands of the Master that orders your steps, will give you a peace that passes all understanding. You won't be able to explain it. You will just look ahead and say, "God I don't see it, but I am so glad You can! Lead me and I will follow. I trust You!"

I hope this weekend, you will take some time to reflect on past good times. It seems to help me, especially in the times things don't always line up to my way of thinking, or when I just simply do not understand what God is doing in the moment. Look back and remind yourself of all the times He has come through before and remember if He did it before, He'll do it again!

May you find strength for your journey and light for your way this weekend! God bless you, friends!

~Bridgett Owens

Psalm 92 | Thankful Thursday

Welcome to my Thankful Thursday blog post! The LORD was impressing on my heart to carve out a section on my blog to share what I am thankful for. I am calling this my Thankful Thursday blog posts. I think it is fitting, since here in the USA we celebrate Thanksgiving this month. I will continue to share what I am thankful for, each week, so be sure to come back to my blog and we can count our blessings together.

The Bible says it is a good thing to thank God and to praise Him for all the wonderful things He has done for us. He is so loving and kind to us each morning, waking us up, clothing us in our right mind, and keeping His hand of protection on us throughout the day. He provides all of our needs and orders our steps, leads and guides us, gives us ideas and hopes and goals. Each night He is so faithful to send angels to guard us as we sleep and to watch over us as we rest. Has God made you glad through the work He is doing in your life? He sure has made me glad!

PSALM 92:1-4

1 It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto Thy name, O Most High:

2 To shew forth Thy lovingkindness in the morning, and Thy faithfulness every night,

3 Upon an instrument of ten strings, and upon the psaltery; upon the harp with a solemn sound.

4 For Thou, LORD, hast made me glad through Thy work: I will triumph in the works of Thy hands.

In January this year, God told me in my prayer and fasting time that He was sending my family and me to live in Mobile, Alabama. I did not want to go. I did not want to move to Alabama, a place I had never gone before, where I knew no one, and where I would not even begin to know how to find a job, a place to live, or schools for my children. I was honest with God and I told Him that I wanted to obey Him but my heart was not in it. He did not give up on me. He kept working on my heart and helped me through seven fasts to see that moving was His plan for us.

I had the 2019-2020 school year planned out for my children. We were going to spend the end of July decorating school lockers, teaching Javan his locker combination, and orienting him to a new school layout. I was so excited for him to start sixth grade in the same junior high school that I went to, and Kadesia went to. I was excited to see if he would be interested in band or maybe sports. He was hoping to try out for the basketball team and he loved playing baseball in the summer. None of that happened. My plans, hopes, and dreams were shattered and I truly mourned this. Javan was excited about starting a new adventure in Alabama. He said he would miss his friends and grandparents but he was excited to be near the ocean.

My baby girl, Kadesia Shae, would be a senior. We have had a graduation party Pinterest board for years! We had great plans for senior photo opportunities, college ideas, and just all the fun milestones that are so bittersweet. She was class president in her junior year. She had lots of friends. She was a leader in Fellowship of Christian Athletes. She was active in her school throughout various clubs and organizations and after school events. She was liked by her teachers and the faculty at her school. I could not wait to see what the year held for us, but as the months went by, and with the prayers and fasting my heart softened and I was able to say yes to the Lord and goodbye to the hopes and dreams I had for my baby girl's last year of high school. I truly mourned this. Kadesia was excited for a fresh start, a chance to make new friends, and the chance to finally have a birthday where it wouldn't be a winter wonderland. She was excited for the future God was waving in front of her and though she knew she would miss her friends and family, our church family, and the teachers she had grown to admire and respect, she was excited about the future.

I knew what I would be missing. I would miss my Moms In Prayer friends. I would miss my children that I taught in Children's Church. I would miss my friends at church who prayed with me and cried with me when they learned that we were moving. I knew I would miss my mom and my family that lives in Indiana. I knew I would miss my job, the fall weather, and the things that I had in my head could be possible.

You know what I miss? I miss my prayer circle, but God gave me a church full of praying people who love me and lift me up. I miss my friends from Moms In Prayer, but God gave me a wonderful friend, Fran, who is over the Mobile area MIP group. I miss my mom, but we talk several times a week, share pictures and texts, and she sends us letters often. I missed the fall weather, but we had some nice fall temperature days here in Mobile and I was content. I miss my job, but God showed me I can still care for people right where I am and my biggest priority in this moment is caring for my husband and our children.

You want to know what I gained? I gained a wonderful home that we can spend time as a family in. No rushing out the door and living in our cars more than at home. No being too busy for conversation and checking in. I gained a new understanding of His plan for my life and the life of my family. I gained more empathy for the homeless population and the troubled youth. I gained a new church family with children I love and adore, who sit in my lap, play with my hair, write me little notes, and rummage through my things. I gained new friends in different races than me and it is a beautiful thing. I am richer for these friendships. I have gained more trust and faith as I walk this journey NOT by sight, but definitely by faith. Sometimes I have to crawl, but He is increasing my faith. I gained more time one-on-one with my husband, sharing in conversation, sight-seeing, exploring, and just hanging out. We still like each other after all these years!!! I have gained more table time with the family as we cook at home and not eat in restaurants. We sit and have a meal together and share where we have seen God that day. I have gained more knowledge of God as I blog more now than I ever have. I gained an opportunity to speak at a Breakthrough service, which I had not done in Indiana in years!

I miss a few things about Indiana, but I never want to go back to live there. I truly cannot imagine living anywhere else on earth. I love the ocean. I love the weather. I love the people. I love how big it is and how small it can be at times. I love how people are so friendly and quick to share. I love that I can ask questions and folks are eager to teach me about their life, their culture, and their way of doing things so I can better understand them. I love that even though I am different on the outside than most people around me, it does not stop some of them from being helpful and loving.

I am thankful for so many things. I thank God that He is continuing to meet our needs even though we have not had jobs since we moved here. I thank God for all the job opportunities that are coming at me this week. I thank God to be licensed as a nurse in Indiana and Alabama. I thank God for being with us, helping us, providing, protecting, promising, hearing and answer our prayers, and never leaving us on our own.

What about you? What are you thankful for?

~Bridgett Owens

Malachi Chapter Two Bible Study

We are in our third consecutive month of weekly Bible studies. I hope you have enjoyed them as much as I have. Ruth was exciting to watch the love story unfold between Ruth and Boaz, as we watched the hand of God provide for Ruth and Naomi when they faced hardship, grief, and loss. First John was a great book to study on the heels of Ruth because First John was all about demonstrating God as love, light, and life. We were warned about sin, discord, and idolatry. I enjoyed seeing the multi-facets of God's love, grace, mercy, and goodness.

This month, I want to study the book of Malachi. This is the very last book in the Old Testament. Once God stops speaking four short chapters later, He is silent for 400 years! I want to dig into God's Word and find out what God wanted to say in the final chapters of the Old Testament, gain insight on what made God stop talking to His people, and hopefully gain a better understanding of the scriptures. Whether you do this study alone, or with a small group, please let me know in the comments below, or via email if this is something you enjoy on my blog. If you have a particular request of a book or topic to study, please let me know and I will prayerfully consider including it.

As with other studies, I like to include the introduction my Bible has for the book we are studying. Here is the introduction to The Book of Malachi:

MALACHI, a prophet in the days of Nehemiah, directs his message of judgment to a people plagued with corrupt priests, wicked practices, and a false sense of security in their privileged relationship with God. Using the question-and-answer method, Malachi probes deeply into their problems of hypocrisy, infidelity, mixed marriages, divorce, false worship, and arrogance. So sinful has the the nation become that God's words to the people no longer have any impact. For four hundred years after Malachi's ringing condemnations, God remains silent. Only with the coming of John the Baptists (prophesied in 3:1) does God again communicate to His people through a prophet's voice.

The meaning of the name Mal'aki ("My Messenger") is probably a shortened form of Mal'akya, "Messenger of Yahweh," and it is appropriate to the book which speaks of the coming of the "messenger of the covenant" )"messenger is mentioned three times in 2:7; 3:1). The Septuagint used the title Malachias even though it also translated it "by the hand of the messenger." The Latin title is Maleachi.

Read through the second chapter of Malachi. It is only 17 verses. Grab a notebook or journal, pen or pencil, and keep your Bible open as we break the bread together. I will be asking questions throughout today's study. Record your answers in your book. If you are participating in this study with friends or a small group, use the questions for talking points. The purpose of this study is to dig deeper into the Word of God and to apply the lessons to our own lives. Feel free to leave a comment below. I would love to hear from you!

Verses 1-7 The Punishment of the Priests
Malachi begins chapter two addressing the priests. The priests were supposed to be the example for the people, leaders of Holiness unto the LORD, and to demonstrate the way the people were to live in order to please God. They were not doing this. The priests' hearts were far from God, so how could the people learn to have a relationship with God if the priests are not living that out?

God gives the priests a choice. He tells them if they will not obey Him and take to heart the warning He is giving them, He is going to curse them. He even said they are already cursed because they refuse to do what He has asked of them. God says in verse seven, "For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts." The priests were clearly not doing this and God is angry. He is warning them of what will happen if they continue to err.

Questions: Do you think God is being unfair to the priests by cursing them? Does that seem too harsh? Is it harsh enough? Why do you think the priests are only going through the ritualistic motions and not putting their heart into their work? Why even sacrifice to God if they are not going to sacrifice according to the Law?

Verses 8-9 The Corruption of the Priests
God says the priests have departed out of the way. They are not walking in Holiness. They have strayed away from the right path. The statement God makes next is scary to me. He says they have caused many people to stumble at the law. I never want to be the cause of someone compromising or being misled by something I do or say. What a horrible image to picture all those people who follow after the priests' manner of doing things, thinking they are in right standing with God, and yet they are breaking God's law and His heart.

Instead of exalting the priests, the way God wants to for those who walk upright, He has caused them to become common. They are not keeping God's ways. They have only been performing sacrifices in part. The corruption of the priests is being called out by God through the prophet Malachi. He is telling the priests that the show is over. Now it is time for judgment to begin because they are not following God's rules or acting in a way that would please Him.

Questions: What would you do or say if God told you that you had caused many people to stumble in their walk with Him because of things you were doing? What changes, if any, would you make? What do you think the priests will do in response to this message? Have you thought of the impact your actions can have on others watching you? 

Verses 10-16 Judah's Treacherous Dealings
To get a proper perspective, we must understand that God made a covenant with His people, and God kept His part of the covenant. He fulfilled His promises. He did what He said. The priests have broken the covenant. There are mixed marriages which is prohibited in the Mosaic Law. Divorce was a problem in Israel that God hated. In verse eleven, the Bible says, "Judah hath dealt treacherously, and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah hath profaned the Holiness of the LORD which he loved, and hath married the daughter of a strange god."

Mixed marriages were prohibited because it mingled idol worship with God's people who were commanded to have no other gods before Him. God is the true God. He is all they need and they do not need to worship a false god, an idol. God's rules were for a reason, not just to be exclusive. There were major implications by introducing idolatry to His people. Foreigners could join the nation of Israel if they would forsake their idolatry and worship God alone, much like Ruth did when she came out of Moab and followed Naomi to Bethlehem.

Ruth 1:16, 17

16 And Ruth said, Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people will be my people, and thy God my God:

17 Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.

In verse twelve, we see that God makes no exceptions for breaking this rule. The LORD said He will cut off the person who does this whether they have education and influence, or they are just an observant follower, God will not tolerate this disobience.

The next verse God said they cover the altar with tears and crying but God is not moved by their tears or crying out. He knows what is really going on. He sees the hidden things that no one thinks He knows anything about. They think they outsmarted God and have kept their sinful acts from God, but He is all seeing and all knowing and all powerful. He knows what has been going on and He is angry.

In verse sixteen, God says He hates divorce. It tears up families. It destroys the union that He has blessed. It destroys the work He has created in forming a bond between a man and his wife to raise a family according to the will of God. He warns them to pay attention and take heed that they do not do this thing.

Questions: Do you have hidden sin that you have not confessed to God? Are you hoping that He hasn't found out about something in your life that you don't want to stop doing? Are you harboring unforgiveness in your heart to someone who caused you pain? Why do you think God cares if His chosen people marry someone who worships idols? Why was mixed marriages and/or divorce so detestable to God?

Verse 17 Wearied With Words

The last verse of chapter two says this:

Ye have wearied the LORD with your words. Yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied Him? When ye say, Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and He delighteth in them; or, Where is the God of Judgment?

The LORD God is tired of the priests words. They wonder when they wearied God and by what words does He get tired of hearing. The culture in those days is much like America today. They are saying that the individuals that are doing evil are good in God's eyes. This is against the very word of the LORD. They also ask where the God of judgment is. They claim that God is unjust. They are so blind to the truth because their hearts have been hardened by the lies they believe. The people have drifted so far away from God and His Truth that they are morally confused.

In times like these, so much of our culture is confused and morally decayed. The truth is hard to find and underappreciated. The pastors and teachers of our day find it easier to share a feel-good sermon than an undiluted message from the passages of God's Holy Word. We should not call evil good. We need to call sin what it is: SIN. It separates us from God.

God is weary of hearing that He is unjust. He is a just and Holy God. He is a righteous judge. He is not corrupt. He is longsuffering so He does not immediately make us pay for our sins. He gives us a chance to deal with the sin in our lives and ask Him to remove it. He loves us so much that He wants us to be clean and Holy, not to die in our sinful state. He loves us too much to want us to go to hell. He has sent His messengers to tell the people the truth, and time and time again the people of God rebel and do what they want. They constantly disobey His commands and ignore His call for them to repent and turn back to Him.

Questions: What similarities do you see in the times of the corrupt priests and in today's times? What do you think God will do if the world continues the pattern of disobeying God's Word and doing whatever makes them happy? How would you feel if you were in the priests' situation and God said the words you spoke have wearied Him? Would you want to change and stop sinning? Why do you think the world does not want to hear God's opinion on sin? What changes do you think the church needs to make to become more Holy unto the LORD?

Friends, that is the second chapter of the book of Malachi. It was not a lengthy study, but definitely a deep study. The important thing to remember is who is being addressed and why, but realize we are still seeing similar patterns today. We are still seeing those in authority and leaders or influencers professing to be Godly leaders and yet so much corrupt behavior abounds. Many water down the message of God to gain appeal and popularity, but leave out the crucial information that sin is wrong and leads to eternal separation from God if not dealt with.

I hope that you will reflect on this week's Bible study and check your heart against the message found in God's Word. Let's look at ourselves in the mirror of the text to see how we measure up, and where we fall short. We are all striving to make it, and no one is perfect. With the help of God, we will all make it Home. Don't give up and do not let your heart grow hard and cold.

Thanks, again for joining me. I will share the things I am thankful for on tomorrow's post, and we will kick off the weekend with another Fuel for the Weekend blog post on intentional living. Invite a friend to check out my blog and feel free to leave a comment, question, or request.

May something shared today be strength for your journey and light for your way. God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens