GOODNESS is a Contentment with the Commandments

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Topic: Fruit of the Holy Spirit & God’s Promises for All Our Every Needs

Love God, Love People, and Make Disciples,

Pastor Elias Aguilar Busuego Jr PhD DTM

Founding Pastor – Home Fellowship Churches – https://homefellowshipchurches.org

The Fruit of the HOLY SPIRIT

Podcast Episode: The Fruit of the HOLY SPIRIT – GOODNESS #6

“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS, AND SELF-CONTROL. There is no law against these things.” [Galatians 5:22-23 NLT]

We need to understand that love is the first characteristic of the fruit of the Holy Spirit. It is well placed at the head of the list, for it permeates all the rest of the attributes. Somehow, if we live a life of love, the other virtues will attend us all the days of our lives. Love is the key that unlocks the entire fruit basket of Galatians 5:22-23, as well as permeating 1 Corinthians 13.

The Rich Man

In Luke 18:18-30 NLT says, “18 Once a religious leader asked Jesus this question: “Good Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?” 19 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked him. “Only God is truly good. 20 But to answer your question, you know the commandments: ‘You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. Honor your father and mother.’” 21 The man replied, “I’ve carefully obeyed all these commandments since I was young.” 22 When Jesus heard his answer, He said, “There is still one thing you haven’t done. Sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 23 But when the man heard this, he became sad, for he was very rich. 24 When Jesus saw this, He said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God! 25 In fact, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!” 26 Those who heard this said, “Then who in the world can be saved?” 27 He replied, “What is impossible for people is possible with God.” 28 Peter said, “We’ve left our homes to follow you.” 29 “Yes,” Jesus replied, “and I assure you that everyone who has given up house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the Kingdom of God, 30 will be repaid many times over in this life, and will have eternal life in the world to come.”

This leader sought reassurance, some way of knowing for sure that he had eternal life. He wanted our Lord Jesus Christ to measure and grade his qualifications, or to give him some tasks he could do to assure his own immortality. So, our Lord Jesus Christ gave him a task – the one thing the rich man knew he could not do.

This religious leader addressed our Lord Jesus Christ as good teacher (not the more common “rabbi”) and eagerly asked a question about what he should do to get eternal life. He viewed eternal life as something that a person could achieve or earn through certain works or good deeds, and he wanted to make sure that he did everything necessary.

Instead of answering the man’s question, our Lord Jesus Christ first took issue with the way the man addressed Him. This may have been no more than a flippant attempt at flattery, but our Lord Jesus Christ forced the man to think about it. Because only God is truly good, the man had made a statement about our Lord Jesus Christ that he probably did not even realize. By asking this question, our Lord Jesus Christ was saying, “Do you really know the one to whom you are talking?” The man was correct in calling our Lord Jesus Christ good for He was good, all the time, and also very good God.

Regarding the man’s question, our Lord Jesus Christ at first pointed him back to the commandments (meaning the Ten Commandments). Our Lord Jesus Christ listed only five of them – those dealing with human relationships. He did not list any of the first four commandments that deal with a person’s relationship to God. All of the ones listed could be easily identified – the man probably could honestly say that he had not committed adultery or murder, had not stolen or lied, and had honored his parents. To keep the letter of these laws would be relatively easy for a wealthy young Jewish man. Yet he still felt strongly that something was lacking in his life. So, he asked if there were more, he should do. The point is that even if a person could keep all these commandments perfectly, which this man claimed to have done, there would still be a lack of assurance of salvation.

The man saying that he had kept all the commandments led our Lord Jesus Christ to focus on the man’s relationship to his material possessions (alluding to the last commandment not to covet) and on his relationship to God (the first four commandments that our Lord Jesus Christ had not mentioned). Our Lord Jesus Christ perceived an area of weakness – his wealth – and so said that it was the money itself that was standing in the way of his reaching eternal life. So, our Lord Jesus Christ told him to sell everything he owned, give away his money to the poor, and then follow Him. This challenge exposed the barrier that would keep this man out of the Kingdom: his love of money. Ironically, his attitude made him unable to keep the first commandment: “Do not worship any other gods besides me” (Exodus 20:3). The young man did not love God with his whole heart as he had presumed. In reality, his many possessions were his god.

The task of selling every possession would not, of itself, give the man eternal life. But such radical obedience would be the first step. The emphasis was not so much on “selling” as on “following.” Our Lord Jesus Christ’s words to this rich young man were a test of his faith and his willingness to obey. The man thought he needed to do more; Our Lord Jesus Christ explained that there was plenty more he could do but not in order to obtain eternal life. Instead, he needed an attitude adjustment toward his wealth; only then could he submit humbly to the lordship of our Lord Jesus Christ. By putting his treasure in heaven and following our Lord Jesus Christ along the road of selflessness and service to others, the man could be assured of his eternal destiny. But the young man became sad when he heard this.

Our Lord Jesus Christ does not ask all believers to sell everything they have. He does ask each person, however, to get rid of anything that has become more important than God. If our basis for security has shifted from God to what we own, we may need to get rid of those possessions.

Offered discipleship, the man chose to return to his possessions. Our Lord Jesus Christ sadly pointed out to His disciples that it is hard for rich people to get into the Kingdom of God. This was contrary to conventional wisdom. Most Jews believed that wealth was a sign of God’s blessing on people. Here our Lord Jesus Christ explained that riches can often prove to be a stumbling block. Rich people often don’t feel the deep spiritual hunger needed to seek out and find God. They can use their money to buy possessions, trips, and helpers so that they don’t perceive any needs in their lives. With all their advantages and influence, the rich often find it difficult to have the attitude of humility, submission, and service required by our Lord Jesus Christ. Because money represents power and success, the rich often miss out on the fact that power and success on earth cannot provide eternal salvation. Even if they use their money to help good causes, they can still miss out on God’s Kingdom.

Our Lord Jesus Christ used a well-known Jewish proverb to describe the difficulty faced by the rich; He said, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God.” The Greek word refers to a sewing needle. Our Lord Jesus Christ’s image was for hyperbolic effect. The camel, the largest animal in Palestine, could get through the eye of a sewing needle easier than a rich person could get into God’s Kingdom. These are indeed sobering words for those whose money and possessions are extremely important to them.

Because the Jewish people saw riches as a sign of God’s special blessing, they were astounded when our Lord Jesus Christ said that riches actually worked against people finding God. So, they asked, “Then who in the world can be saved?”

“Then who in the world can be saved?” the bystanders asked. “No one can, by his or her own achievements,” our Lord Jesus Christ’s answer implied. “What is impossible from a human perspective is possible with God.” Salvation cannot be earned – it is God’s gift (see Ephesians 2:8-10).

Our Lord Jesus Christ answered that what is impossible from a human perspective is possible with God. People cannot save themselves, no matter how much power, authority, or influence they buy. Salvation comes from God alone. Both rich and poor can be saved, and human impossibilities are divine possibilities. The rich need to hold their riches loosely, remembering that every penny comes from God. And they should willingly use what God has given to advance His Kingdom. This does not come easily for anyone, rich or poor. Money can be a major stumbling block, but God can change anyone.

Peter and the other disciples had paid a high price – leaving their homes and jobs – to follow our Lord Jesus Christ. They had done what the rich man had been unwilling to do. They had abandoned their former lives.

In most of our lives, there is contentment with grace. We needed it so badly when it found us. But having been saved by grace, we spend the rest of our redeemed lives walking around the law. The commandments seem so severe in our thinking. Before I was born-again and experienced the love and forgiveness of God, I have this belief, the “big” mortal, and “small” (immortal) sins, but now I understand whether it’s big or small, we are all sinners and come short of the glory of God. The “big” commandments – killing, stealing, committing adultery – give us less trouble than the “small” ones – like bearing false testimony and coveting.

We all want to be saved with logic like this and cash in on grace by confessing some general sins while not getting too specific with regard to any of the commandments.

Goodness is a hard word with which to feel comfortable. Is anyone really “good”? Still, if we could keep the commandments, we would be good – or at least we’d be better. But the commandments were not given to help us to be good or better. They were given to make us more righteous so that we could build a relationship with a holy God. If we are not comfortable with the commandments, are we really comfortable with the idea of wanting to be righteous? If we turn from righteousness, can we ever really relate to the holiness of God?

Our Lord Jesus Christ reminded Peter that following Him has its benefits as well as its sacrifices. Any believer who has had to give up something to follow our Lord Jesus Christ will be repaid in this life as well as in the next. For example, if we must give up a secure job, we will find that God offers a secure relationship with Himself now and forever. If we must give up our family’s approval, we will gain the love of the family of God. For each person the sacrifice may be different, though no less difficult. No matter how much or how little you have, no matter how difficult the sacrifice may be, are we willing to do whatever it takes to have eternal life? Amen!

A Father’s Wise Advice

In Proverbs 4:1-4 NLT says, “1 My children, listen when your father corrects you. Pay attention and learn good judgment, 2 for I am giving you good guidance. Don’t turn away from my instructions. 3 For I, too, was once my father’s son, tenderly loved as my mother’s only child. 4 My father taught me, “Take my words to heart. Follow my commands, and you will live.”

One of the greatest responsibilities of parents is to encourage their children to become wise. Here Solomon tells how his father, David, encouraged him to seek wisdom when he was young (see 1 Kings 2:1-9 and 1 Chronicles 28–29 for David’s charge to his son). This encouragement may have prompted Solomon to ask God for an understanding mind above everything else (1 Kings 3:9).

Wisdom can be passed on from parents to children, from generation to generation. Ultimately, of course, all wisdom comes from God; parents can only urge their children to turn to Him. If your parents never taught you in this way, you can learn from the Scriptures and then create a legacy of wisdom as you teach your own children. Amen!

“Keep my commands and you will live” is counsel that can add years, as well as quality, to our lives. This can be demonstrated with a very practical illustration: American tobacco companies have been sued within a few trillion dollars of their existence. Most of the lawsuits have been brought against the tobacco companies by smokers who have contracted some smoke-related disease such as lung cancer.

Some of us would be squarely in favor of the diseased suers except that these sick and dying people invited their diseases by pulling their cigarettes out of a pack one a time. Each time they drew out a cigarette, they were greeted with a stern warning printed on the package: “Cigarette smoking can be hazardous to your health” or “Cigarette smoking can cause cancer.” There it was, the incontrovertible law: Smoke and die! But they smoked and became ill and sued.

God has His own labels and warnings. They appear in Exodus 20. Proverbs 4 says that if we keep His laws, we will live. Amen!

Our Lord Jesus Christ is the Sinless Son of God

In Isaiah 64:1-7 NLT says, “1 Oh, that You would burst from the heavens and come down! How the mountains would quake in Your presence! 2 As fire causes wood to burn and water to boil, Your coming would make the nations tremble.
Then Your enemies would learn the reason for Your fame! 3 When You came down long ago, You did awesome deeds beyond our highest expectations. And oh, how the mountains quaked! 4 For since the world began, no ear has heard,
and no eye has seen a God like You, who works for those who wait for Him! 5 You welcome those who gladly do good,
who follow godly ways. But You have been very angry with us, for we are not godly. We are constant sinners; how can people like us be saved? 6 We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags. Like autumn leaves, we wither and fall, and our sins sweep us away like the wind. 7 Yet no one calls on Your Name or pleads with You for mercy. Therefore, You have turned away from us and turned us over to our sins.”

On behalf of the faithful remnant, Isaiah asks God to punish their enemies. Before making these requests, Isaiah recited the Lord’s past favors, reminding Him of his compassion in former days (Isaiah 63:7-14).

God’s appearance is so intense that it is like a consuming fire that burns everything in its path. If we are so impure, how can we be saved? Only by God’s mercy. The Israelites had experienced God’s presence at Mount Sinai (Exodus 19:16-19). When God met with Moses, there was a thunderstorm, smoke, and an earthquake. If God were to meet us today, His glory would overwhelm us, especially when we look at our “filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6).

Sin makes us unclean so that we cannot approach God (Isaiah 6:5; Romans 3:23) any more than a beggar in filthy rags could dine at a king’s table. Our best efforts are still infected with sin. Our only hope, therefore, is faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, who can cleanse us and bring us into God’s presence (read Romans 3).

This passage can easily be misunderstood. It doesn’t mean that God will reject us if we come to Him in faith, nor that He despises our efforts to please Him. It means that if we come to Him demanding acceptance on the basis of our “good” conduct, God will point out that our righteousness is but filthy rags compared to His infinite righteousness. This message is primarily for the unrepentant person, not the true follower of God.

Our goodness must come from our contentment with the commandments. We must open our hearts to God when He says, “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:2-3). We are truly a nation in need of falling in love with God’s commandments. We love fun. We love indulgence. We love comfort. We love marketing lies to pad our sales charts. We love fast food, fast banks, fast drugs, and the fast lane. But we do not love God’s laws. And nations that do not love His laws will, in time, be consumed by lawlessness.

Do we see sin in this vile way? It sometimes seems that we do not even believe in sin anymore. We believe in “live and let live.” We believe in “safe sex” and “safe cars,” and we see things that are unsafe as sin. We have lost our contempt for sin. We not only fail to honor the Ten Commandments; we don’t even know what they are. We need to return to a goodness based on a love of God’s law and close walk with our Lord Jesus Christ. If we follow our Lord Jesus Christ, if we make the choices He would make and choose the path He would follow, we will be drawn ever closer to the goodness of God. Amen!

The Most Important Commandment

In Matthew 22:34-40 NLT says, “34 But when the Pharisees heard that He had silenced the Sadducees with His reply, they met together to question Him again. 35 One of them, an expert in religious law, tried to trap Him with this question: 36 “Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?” 37 Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”

We might think the Pharisees would have been glad to see the Sadducees silenced. The question that the Sadducees had always used to trap them was finally answered by our Lord Jesus Christ. But the Pharisees were too proud to be impressed. Our Lord Jesus Christ’s answer gave them a theological victory over the Sadducees, but they were more interested in defeating our Lord Jesus Christ than in learning the truth.

Next an expert in religious law stepped up to trap Jesus with another question, “Which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?” The legal expert was referring to a popular debate about the “more important” and “less important” of the hundreds of laws that the Jews had accumulated. The Pharisees had classified over six hundred laws and would spend much time discussing which laws were weightier than others. Our Lord Jesus Christ’s definitive answer about the resurrection caused this man to hope that our Lord Jesus Christ might also have the final answer about all these laws. Our Lord Jesus Christ quoted from Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18. By fulfilling these two commands, a person keeps all the others. They summarize the Ten Commandments and the other Old Testament moral laws.

Our Lord Jesus Christ referred to Deuteronomy 6:5 to show that a person’s total being must be involved in loving God. Nothing must be held back because God holds nothing back: We must love the Lord our God with all our heart, all our soul, and all our mind. The word for “love” is agape, totally unselfish love, a love of which human beings are capable only with the help of the Holy Spirit. The heart is the center of desires and affections, the soul is a person’s “being” and uniqueness, the mind is the center of a person’s intellect. To love God in this way is to fulfill completely all the commandments regarding one’s “vertical” relationship.

There is a second and equally important law that focuses on “horizontal” relationships – dealings with fellow human beings. Our Lord Jesus Christ quoted Leviticus 19:18: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” The word “neighbor” refers to fellow human beings in general. The love a person has for himself or herself (in the sense of looking out for oneself, caring about one’s best interests, etc.) should also be directed toward others. In answer to the man’s question, our Lord Jesus Christ explained that all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments. By fulfilling these two commands to love God totally and love others as oneself, a person will keep all the other commands. Amen!

Our Lord Jesus Christ said that we should love the Lord our God with all our hearts and love our neighbors as ourselves. If we love God, we will keep His Sabbath, have no other gods before Him, and never misuse His name. In short, we will honor the first commandments. If we love our neighbor, we will not lie, covet, steal, kill, or commit any sexual sins that would hurt our neighbor. In short, we will honor the last commandments. The key to goodness is not a moral attempt at being good, but a genuine practice of love.

Our Lord Jesus Christ grieves over a city that knew the commandments. The people of Jerusalem were good at identifying sin, but they were not good at spotting the Messiah. They could tell when God’s law was being violated but not when God Himself was in their midst.

What is to be said of the Savior’s overcoming love? Does He want to destroy these religious purists who were so good at stamping out sin but so poor at loving others? No, our Lord Jesus Christ testifies that He would have gathered them together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but they would not come to Him (see Matthew 23:37).

 A very fine preacher friend of ours said that when he was a boy, his father gave him a new BB gun for his birthday. They lived on a farm, and he took his new rifle into the barnyard for some target practice. Before long, an old mother hen with her brood of little chicks came wadding across the barnyard. He confessed that, without giving it much thought, he pointed his BB gun at the old hen and fired. The air-driven pellet caught her in the neck. The old hen’s head flopped oddly to the side as she began to die. But even as she died, she tucked her little ones under her wings, giving them the last bit of her body’s warmth. Her confused little ones huddled there, taking in all the warmth she had to give them.

So, it was with our Lord Jesus Christ. He desired to gather the great city of Jerusalem under His wings, to impart to its inhabitants His last bit of life. But they were stiff-necked and proud, refusing the life He offered.

Our Lord Jesus Christ, the sinless Son of God, soon died. His goodness was then made available to all of us through the Cross. Because of our Lord Jesus Christ’s commitment to the moral requirements of God, because of His righteousness, we became righteous in the sight of God, and our own goodness is a possibility that we may share with others. Amen!

Come and Reason Together with God

In Isaiah 1:18 NLT says, ““Come now, let’s settle this,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool.”

In Isaiah 1:18 KJV says “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”

Crimson was the color of a deep-red permanent dye, and its deep stain was virtually impossible to remove from clothing. The bloodstained hands of the murderers are probably in view here (see Isaiah 1:15, 21). The stain of sin seems equally permanent, but God can remove sin’s stain from our life as He promised to do for the Israelites. We don’t have to go through life permanently soiled. God’s Word assures us that if we are willing and obedient, our Lord Jesus Christ will forgive and remove our most indelible stains (Psalm 51:1-7).

The most wonderful aspect of goodness – especially the goodness that produces holiness – is experiencing forgiveness, which brings the elation of feeling washed and clean. Goodness comes when God scrubs us up. But sometimes we are like the child who runs from the bathtub because of some childish agenda. But scarlet sins that are washed away leave us white as snow.

Come now, let us reason together … ‘Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow … though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.” In this passage, wool and snow are held up as standards of the redeemed life. General William Booth of the Salvation Army longed to bring this white-as-snow, white-as-wool forgiveness to those outside of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen!

Now, let’s talk about “Prayer and “Salvation”.

Prayer is the key that unlocks and reveals faith. Effective prayer needs both an attitude of complete dependence and the action of asking. Prayer demonstrates complete reliance on God. Thus, there is no substitute for prayer, especially in situations that seem impossible.

So, let our hearts and minds in tune with God, in the power of God, the Holy Spirit. Let’s continuously and persistently pray for God’s perfect will be done. We as Born-Again Christians have been tried and cleansed, we have moved freely into a relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ that is more powerful than it was before our trials. We are at home in the presence and fellowship of God, for we are heirs with our Lord Jesus Christ, more like Him that we could ever have dreamed possible. So, let’s continuously and persistently pray for God’s perfect will be done. Amen!

The principle is that no one has anything of value to bring to God in order to deserve salvation, mercy, justification, or even a second glance from God. The proud will be humbled, but the humble will be honored. Acceptance before God cannot be achieved by good deeds, piety, or any amount of self-proclaimed righteousness.

Let’s never get over the effect of God’s saving transformation on people’s lives. People who were lost in sin, filled with anger and bitterness, give up their hatred and become approachable as we have studied and learned last time. That is, of course, why we minister to others. Those of us who minister are not people to whom (fruit of the Holy Spirit) love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control comes naturally. We are people who have been remodeled by grace. We thankfully leave our old natures far behind as we embrace the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, the first of the list > agape love of God, and in our treatment of others. Amen!

Sunday by Sunday as we come to worship, let me encourage our brothers – and sisters-in-Christ, and I want my readers and listeners to be both strong in the faith and sensitive to others’ needs. Because all, we as Born-Again Christian believers are strong in certain areas and weak in others. We constantly need to monitor the effects of our behavior on others.

In these GOODNESS Series of Podcast, we will learn the following PURPOSES of this fruit of the HOLY SPIRIT:

• We learned to care how God feels about our morality
• Received and to have the desire for holiness
• Knew that God implanted righteousness into our lives through our Lord Jesus Christ
• Learned to imitate Jesus Christ
• Learned and Knew the Virtue of the Written Word of God
• We are contented with God’s commandments

On every Podcast, I always have three (3) questions we can answer from only these two (2) Sources: The Bible and the Guidance of the Holy Spirit. The following are:

First is about our > Observation: What do these passages or Scriptures say to you?

Second is about our own > Interpretation: What do these passages or Scriptures mean to you?

Third is about how we can apply > Application: How do the meaning of these passages or Scriptures apply to you or to your situation?

If you are not sure that you are Born-Again Christian believer or you have relatives, loved ones, friends, neighbors, and people in your circle of influence, please take a look and/or guide them to one of our ministries, “An Invitation to Meet Our Lord Jesus Christ” at https://homefellowshipchurches.org/an-invitation-to-meet-our-lord-jesus-christ/

Let’s give an opportunity for the lost souls to experience on being Born-Again Christian as explained by our Lord Jesus Christ in the book of John 3 in the New Testament of the Bible.

It is as simple as A, B, & C > Admit, Believe, & Confess. All Born-Again Christian believers prayed this simple prayer, we called “Sinner’s Prayer”

“Father God, I come to you in the name of Jesus Christ. I acknowledge and admit that I am a sinner and I need a Savior. I believe and have faith in Jesus Christ who was born of Virgin Mary, died on the Cross for the penalty of my sins, and rose again that I may have the eternal life. I confess and declare Jesus Christ as my personal Savior and Lord of my life. Please comfort, guide, and help me Holy Spirit to live and grow in my spiritual life according to Your Words, purpose, and perfect will of God, in my Lord Jesus Christ name, Amen!”

If you prayed this, “Sinner’s Prayer” sincerely in your heart, you are Born-Again Christian believer. However, you are a spiritual baby who needs to grow up. (See 1 Peter 2:2). You need to find a church or fellowship to grow spiritually. We are glad to establish or bring the fellowship to your own home if it is safer by appointment.

Now, let me pray for all of you:

Father God, we come into your presence in our Lord Jesus Christ name, and in the power of the Holy Spirit. Thank you, Lord Jesus Christ for Your agape love and forgiveness you have done on the Cross of Calvary, and continue to intercede for us in prayer. Thank you, Holy Spirit as our Helper and Comforter. Thank you for the wisdom, knowledge, understanding, courage and strength. We cling, yield, plug-in and tune-in to you Holy Spirit to help us understand God’s Words, obey them, receive Your divine revelation, know the Truth that sets us free, and apply them in our lives, in our Lord Jesus Christ name, Amen!”

Let’s praise and worship God in Spirit and in Truth. Give all thanks to God for all answered prayers.

Please send your > Praise Reports (answered prayers) and New Prayer Requests via email to: trinityblessings@homefellowshipchurches.org. God bless you all and our families!

A Message to be Blessed:

A Call to Repentance and Be Blessed

In Malachi 3:7-15 AMPC says, “7 Ever since the days of your ancestors, you have scorned my decrees and failed to obey them. Now return to me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. “But you ask, ‘How can we return when we have never gone away?’ 8 “Should people cheat God? Yet you have cheated me! “But you ask, ‘What do you mean? When did we ever cheat you?’ “You have cheated me of the tithes and offerings due to me. 9 You are under a curse, for your whole nation has been cheating me. 10 Bring all the tithes (the whole tenth of your income) into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and prove Me now by it”, says the Lord of hosts, “if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” [Malachi 2:2.] 11 “And I will rebuke the devourer (insects and plagues) for your sakes and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground, neither shall your vine drop its fruits before the time in the field,” says the Lord of hosts. 12 “And all nations shall call you happy and blessed, for you shall be a land of delight”, says the Lord of hosts.

If the people would obey God, giving as they should, God would flood His people with blessings. There would be an overabundance of God’s blessing if He was given what He requested.

Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse – See 2 Chronicles 31:11; cf. 1 Chronicles 26:20; Nehemiah 10:38; 13:5, 12. If the temple storehouses were empty, it was the people’s fault. God had already blessed them with enough to give a little back to Him.

Instead of destroying our crops (blessings), God would make them come in greater abundance than we had ever imagined possible (Amos 4:9; Haggai 2:19; Zechariah 8:12). The devourer – probably referring to locusts, though the word here is general in meaning (Baldwin). In the Near East, locust swarms are known for their ability to damage huge tracts of agricultural land (see note on Joel 1:4).

A delightsome land – All of the blessings promised to Jacob would come to pass if the people would obey God (Deuteronomy 33:29; Zechariah 8:13). Their land would be a delight to all who saw it (Daniel 8:9).

The problem in Malachi 3:7-12 was the people’s departure from God as reflected by their neglect of tithes and offerings. Two annual tithes were required according to Israelite law – one for the Levites (Leviticus 27:30; Numbers 18:21), and one to be used in worship at the annual feasts in Jerusalem (Deuteronomy 14:22). A tithe was required every three years to provide for the needs of the poor (Deuteronomy 14:28-29). There is debate as to whether this tithe for the poor was in addition to or served as a substitute for the tithe used in worship.

The New Testament pattern for tithing is proportionate giving – a person is to give “in relation to what you have earned” (1 Corinthians 16:2). Certainly a tithe should be given proportionate to one’s wealth, but not all proportionate giving is a tithe.

The anticipation of blessing for obedience to God’s command to tithe was based on the Mosaic covenant, which promised blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience (Malachi 3:10; cf. Deuteronomy 28:15-68). Generally, God will meet the needs of His own people (Psalm 34:9-10; Philippians 4:19), but that is not an unconditional guarantee. There certainly were and are exceptions. Yet, where God chooses not to provide physically, He gives sufficient grace to go without (2 Corinthians 12:9).

The problem in Malachi 3:14-15 was that the people were guilty of arrogant words against God. They were saying, “There is no prophet who is serving God,” and “God is not concerned about justice.” God responded by showing that He did distinguish between the wicked and the righteous. The righteous would be blessed, and the wicked would be judged.