IT PAYS
MALACHI 3:16-18
INTRODUCTION:
THE PEOPLE WERE SPEAKING AGAINIST GOD, THE PEOPLE WERE SAYING IT DOESN’T PAY TO SERVE THE LORD. THEY SAID, WHAT GOOD DOES IT DO TO SERVE THE LORD?
THE PEOPLE CHALLENGED THE LORD, SAYING IT DOESN’T PAY. MALACHI GIVES 3THOUGHTS, 3 TRUTHS, 3 PRINCIPLES THAT IF ANYONE HERE EVER THINK IT DOESN’T PAY. IF IT SEEMS LIKE EVERYONE IS HAVING A GOOD TIME EXCEPT YOU, INCASE YOU WONDER SOMETIMES WHEN YOU LOVE AND GIVE AND SACRIFICE, TITHE, GIVE OFFERINGS, AND SERVE GOD, IN CASE YOU WONDER IS IT REALLY WORTH IT.
I PRAY THAT THESE 3 THROUGHTS THAT MALACHI GIVES WILL BRING YOU BACK TO REALITY:
(1)GOD REMEMBERS HIS OWN.
(2)GOD REJOICES OVER HIS OWN.
(3)GOD RETURNS UNTO HIS OWN.
GOD REMEMBERS HIS OWN
(VS 16) THEN THEY THAT FEARED THE LORD SPOKE OFTEN ONE TO ANOTHER: AND THE LORD LISENTED AND HEARD IT, AND A BOOK OF REMEMBRANCE WAS WRITTEN BEFORE HIM OF THOSE WHO REVERED AND WORSHIPFULLY FEARED THE LORD AND WHO THROUGHT ON HIS NAME.
IN THAT BOOK, THE BOOK OF REMEMBRANCE, GOD’S ANGEL IS WRITING THINGS, ABOUT YOU AND I; LET ME TELL YOU:HE’S WRITING DOWN CHARACTER:MORAL OR ETHICAL STRENGTH, INTERGRITY, FORTITUDE.
GOD REMEMBERS HIS OWN.
HE’S WRITING DOWN CCONTEMPLATION:THOUGHTFUL OBSERVATION MEDITATION.
GOD NOT ONLY RECORD YOUR DEEDS.
GOD RECORDS YOUR THOUGHTS.
GODS KNOWS YOUR SACRIFICES
GOD KNOWS YOUR DEEDS
GOD KNOWS YOUR THROUGHTS
HE REMEMBERS: ITS PAYS!
CHARACTER:WE FEAR THE LORD
CONTEMPLATION:MEDITATION WE REVERENCE WE THINK ABOUT HIS NAME.
CONVERSATION: WATCH WHAT WE TALK ABOUT. THEY SPOKE ONE TO ANOTHER.
THEY SPOKE ONE TO ANOTHER-THEY ASSEMBLED, THEY FELLOWSHIPED, AND THEY TALKED ABOUT THE LORD GOD.
YOU ASK DOES IT PAY TO SERVE JESUS, WELL WHEN THE BOOK OF REMEMBERANCE IS OPEN, AND READ, YOU WILL KNOW THAT IT PAYS TO SERVE JESUS.
THE TEARS THAT YOU HAD TO SHED.
THE PRAYERS THAT YOU PRAYED.
THE TESTIMONY THAT YOU GAVE
THE LORD REMEBER HIS OWN AND HE REJOICES OVER HIS OWN.
(VS17)AND THEY (THOSE WHO FEARED THE LORD) THEY SHALL BE MINE IN THAT DAY WHEN I MAKE UP MY JEWELS,(HE CALLS US HIS JEWELS WE ARE HIS PECULIAR TREASURE.)
A JEWEL IS A PRECIOUS STONE. THOSE THAT FEAR HIM HE SAYS YOU ARE MY JEWELS.
YOU ARE THE APPLE OF GOD’S EYE.
YOU ARE THE DARKING OF HIS HEART.
HE LOVES YOU HE LOVES ME, HE SACRIFICED HIS SON FOR US, DOESNIT THAT SUGGEST THAT IT PAYS TO SERVE JESUS. WE ARE GOD’S TREASURE, THE QUESTION IS IS GOD OUR TREASURE? IF HE IS THAT’S WHERE OUR HEART IS. THAT CAN ONLY BE PROVEN BY SACRIFICE AND SERVICE. YOU CAN’T TALK IT YOU MUST DO IT.
(VS18) THEN SHALL YE RETURN AND DISCERN BETWEEN THE RIGHTEOUS AND THE WICKED, BETWEEN HIM THAT SERVETH GOD, AND HIM THAT SERVETH HIM NOT.
BETWEEN THOSE WHO WILL SERVE AND THOSE WHO WILL NOT SERVE. THOSE WHO SAYS IT PAYS TO SERVE JESUS AND THOSE WHO SAYS IT DOESN’T PAY TO SERVE JESUS.
I AM CLOSING WHEN I TELL YOU NOW:JESUS CHRIST IS COMING AGAIN MALACHI PROPHESIDED IT, BUT THE APOSTLE PAUL FILLED IN THE BLANKS.
FOR THE LORD HIMSELF SHALL DECEND FROM HEAVEN WITH A SHOUT, WITH THE VOICE OF THE ARCHANGEL, AND WITH THE TRUMPET OF GOD, AND THE DEAD IN CHRIST SHALL RISE FIRST, THEN WE WHICH ARE ALIVE AND REMAIN SHALL BE CAUGHT UP TOGETHER WITH THEM IN THE CLOUD TO MEET THE LORD.
IT PAYS TO SERVE THE LORD.
IT PAYS TO SACRIFICE FOR THE LORD.
IT PAYS TO PRESENT YOUR BODIES A LIVING SACRIFICE.
IT PAYS TO GIVE WILLINGLY TO THE LORD.
IT PAYS TO PUT GOD FIRST IN YOUR LIFE.
IT PAYS TO HONOR GOD WITH YOUR LIFE.
GOD REMBERS HIS OWN, HE REMEMBERS HOW YOU SERVED HIM, HOW YOU SACRIFICED FOR HIM, HOW YOU LIVED FOR HIM.
A NEW YEAR ANEW AND FRESH COMMITTMENT
HE IS WORTHY OF OUR SACRIFICE.
