TEXT: ‘Yet you say’ (Malachi 1:2) THOUGHT: Malachi, last book of the Old Testament, is a warning from God to His own people, the Israelites, and may have been written during Nehemiah’s absence when he returned to report back to King Artaxerxes.1 How quickly the Israelites had departed from God’s ways and degenerated into wickedness, for when Nehemiah came back from Persia, he found God’s house neglected and the Levites and worship leaders working in the fields in order to survive because God’s people had stopped giving their tithes and offerings.2 Also, instead of keeping the Sabbath holy for the Lord, it had been reduced from a day of rest to just another day of the week for buying and selling.3 This is similar to when Moses went up the mountain to receive the Ten Commandments from God and stayed for forty days. In his absence the Israelites soon persuaded Aaron to make the golden calf and cast off godly restraint celebrating, totally unaware of their true spiritual condition. Likewise the Laodecian Christians thought they were, ‘Rich, wealthy and in need of nothing’ but in God’s eyes they were really, ‘Lukewarm, wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked’ (Revelation 3:16-17). They were in denial just like in the time of...
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TEXT: ‘Looking unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith’ (Hebrews 12:2) THOUGHT: Elijah asked Elisha what he wanted. “A double portion” was his reply.1 Elijah said, “If you see me when I go you will have it”. From that moment, Elisha never let Elijah out of his sight, and as a result received that double portion. Hundreds of years later, the disciples were staring up at Jesus as He ascended into heaven.2 Two angels suddenly appeared and asked, ‘Why are you gazing up into heaven?’ I wonder if those disciples were thinking of Elisha. Jesus had promised them power from on high through the baptism of the Holy Spirit and that they would go on to even do greater works than Jesus did.3 So they kept looking expecting to receive, and they did just ten days later!4 Direction What direction are you looking in, Godward or man-ward? ‘I look up to the mountains;does my strength come from mountains? No, my strength comes from God, who made heaven, and earth, and mountains’ (Psalm 121:1-2 MSG). What is your need? What are you wanting help for? Who do you believe will be the source of supply? Is it the doctor, banker, employer or God? The Bible says, ‘Look and live’...
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TEXT: ‘Giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ’ (Ephesians 5:20) THOUGHT: As this pandemic continues and lockdown measures, instead of being further eased, have remained or even been re-imposed, one could be forgiven for thinking, “What is there to be thankful about?” With millions of views on what the Government should or should not have done reacting to Covid-19, it’s little wonder that many feel they have much to complain about, especially when experiencing the loss of a loved one, employment, holidays and personal liberty. Yet our text urges us to, ‘Give thanks always for all things’. The same message was sent to the Thessalonian Christians, ‘In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you’ (1 Thessalonians 5:18). The church at Philippi was reminded, ‘Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done’ (Philippians 4:6 NLT). Certainly life was not easy at that time, especially with the added problem of persecution for being a Christian, but the importance of being thankful today is the same as it was back then. Today’s Teaching highlights four reasons why thankfulness is so...
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