Malachi 1:6 – “A son honors his father, and a servant his master…”

As I read, prayed, and pondered, my mind exploded with whispers of the Holy Spirit, making the Word alive.  The veil was being lifted, and I was challenged on several fronts.

In Malachi, God began by asking a chastening and challenging question: “A son honors his father, and a slave his master.”  Then, he came to the point. He took their own words and challenged them—and he still does today.

He said, “If, as you declare, I am your Father, where is the honor you should be giving me?” He was not looking for words but commitment of heart and obedience.   Words have power but can be empty if the heart is not in the words.  They continually said the words but kept back their hearts.

Next, He said, “You call me Lord (master); IF I am, then why don’t you have fear and respect for Me?”  They were dumbfounded.   After all, they attended church and said all the right things, wasn’t that what was required?

What is God talking about when He says defiled food on the altar?  It is giving God the second best and leftovers.  Spare Change (money and heart).  I call it “Tipping Living.”

They were allowing the profane to thrive and not shutting it out.  Feasting at tables, they should be overturning.   God accepts no offering that is not pure-hearted commitment.

In Malachi 2:17, God said, “You have wearied Me with your words.”  His following statement is penetrating, “You say evil is good, and everybody and everything is okay.”  Calling evil good and good evil incurs God’s disfavor, not blessing.

In Chapter 3, the matter of the tithe surfaces, and it is more than just the tithe. It is about obedience, commitment, love, faith, and revelation. God invites us to put Him to the test and prove to ourselves and the world His faithfulness.  Obedience in faith produces an open heaven.

The blessings promised are “until it is Beyond Enough.”  Beyond enough indicates abundance and even lavishness.

The Promise becomes even better as He promises that the devourer will be rebuked and restrained.   What you have and do is protected from corruption.   That means you have pure offerings to give that invoke more blessings and greater protection.   It becomes a perpetual cycle.  It is for His Glory.

• Money is not the object God is! 
• Fulfilling the purposes of God is! 
• The harvest is! 
• Functioning in power is.

Paul told Timothy to fight the good fight of faith through the personal prophecies he had received.  He later spoke of imparted gifts through the laying on of hands and prophecy.  We have a commission, and Malachi reveals a pathway to God’s person, provision, and power.  Timothy shows how to function in that.

I heard: “Give Me Your Whole Self, all you are and have, and I’ll give you Myself, all that I am and have.  I will open heaven, and NOTHING will be impossible or withheld from you.”  What is our part?  It is obedience and faith.   We must train ourselves to expect God’s promises to become realities Now!

God will not receive or accept superficial offerings but bless and multiply pure-hearted offerings.  Therefore, I urge you to begin speaking to your problems.  Speak the Word and Promises of God.  Give God your best, and He will do the rest.

May today be a day of overwhelming victory for you!