The Battle for Truth
Saturday, May 18, 2013, 7:49 a.m. - the Lord Jesus woke me with the song "May Christ Be Seen in Me" playing in my mind. I prayed, "Speak, Lord, your words to my heart," and then I read Malachi 1 (NIV):http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Malachi 1&version=NIV. Then, we had a wedding to attend.
When we got home from the wedding, I sat down to complete my QT from this morning. I read an introduction to the book of Malachi, and it was there the Lord spoke to me concerning a new tune he had given to me, and for which I did not yet have words. I knew the song was to be about truth, but that is all I knew. Then, in the introduction to Malachi I read about the battle for truth, and then I knew the words to this song were to come from this book in the Bible, so I prayed, asking the Lord Jesus to show me the words, and he did.
God loves us so much, he sent his Son Jesus Christ to die on a cross for our sins so we could be free from eternal punishment in hell; free from slavery to sin day-to-day; and free to walk in daily fellowship with him, listening to him, and doing what he teaches us (see John 9:23-25). Yet, many people who profess his name do not give God the honor due his name. They do not show him proper respect.
Even many of the leaders in our churches show contempt for his name. How do they do this? They do this through teaching a false gospel absent of the cross, i.e. absent of death to sin and obedience to Christ’s commands. They also do this through empty praise and worship to God, for truly they are followers of humankind more than they are followers of Christ, and they live to please humankind more than they live to please Jesus Christ with their lives and ministry.
So, God is displeased with these disingenuous forms of worship. He would rather the doors of our churches be shut than for us to offer shallow forms of worship and praise to him, which may stir the emotions, but do not produce changed hearts, minds and lives for Jesus Christ. What the Lord desires of his people is that we turn from our sin, that we walk in obedience to Christ’s commands and to his teachings, and that we practice truthfulness and faithfulness in all we do, but especially in honoring him as our only God and husband. He desires that we worship him through the giving of our lives to him on the altar of sacrifice, living lives holy and pleasing to God. This is true worship, and this is the kind God requires.
The Battle for Truth / An Original Work / May 18, 2013
Based off Malachi 1-4
I love you. Honor me.
Tell the truth. You’ll be free.
Sing My praise all your days.
I will give all you need.
Turn from sin; cleansed within.
Stand in awe of My Name.
Teach what’s true. Walk in peace.
Follow Christ, in His ways.
Show to God faithfulness.
Do not be adult’rous.
Do not shed shallow tears.
Do not be insincere.
I have sent messengers,
Who have giv’n my address.
They call for repentance,
And they warn of judgment.
I, the Lord, do not change,
So return – blessings gain:
Healing comes; joyfulness;
Freedom from your distress.
http://originalworks.info/the-battle-for-truth/
http://youtu.be/vxeCtMQKbpc
Saturday, May 18, 2013, 7:49 a.m. - the Lord Jesus woke me with the song "May Christ Be Seen in Me" playing in my mind. I prayed, "Speak, Lord, your words to my heart," and then I read Malachi 1 (NIV):http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Malachi 1&version=NIV. Then, we had a wedding to attend.
When we got home from the wedding, I sat down to complete my QT from this morning. I read an introduction to the book of Malachi, and it was there the Lord spoke to me concerning a new tune he had given to me, and for which I did not yet have words. I knew the song was to be about truth, but that is all I knew. Then, in the introduction to Malachi I read about the battle for truth, and then I knew the words to this song were to come from this book in the Bible, so I prayed, asking the Lord Jesus to show me the words, and he did.
God loves us so much, he sent his Son Jesus Christ to die on a cross for our sins so we could be free from eternal punishment in hell; free from slavery to sin day-to-day; and free to walk in daily fellowship with him, listening to him, and doing what he teaches us (see John 9:23-25). Yet, many people who profess his name do not give God the honor due his name. They do not show him proper respect.
Even many of the leaders in our churches show contempt for his name. How do they do this? They do this through teaching a false gospel absent of the cross, i.e. absent of death to sin and obedience to Christ’s commands. They also do this through empty praise and worship to God, for truly they are followers of humankind more than they are followers of Christ, and they live to please humankind more than they live to please Jesus Christ with their lives and ministry.
So, God is displeased with these disingenuous forms of worship. He would rather the doors of our churches be shut than for us to offer shallow forms of worship and praise to him, which may stir the emotions, but do not produce changed hearts, minds and lives for Jesus Christ. What the Lord desires of his people is that we turn from our sin, that we walk in obedience to Christ’s commands and to his teachings, and that we practice truthfulness and faithfulness in all we do, but especially in honoring him as our only God and husband. He desires that we worship him through the giving of our lives to him on the altar of sacrifice, living lives holy and pleasing to God. This is true worship, and this is the kind God requires.
The Battle for Truth / An Original Work / May 18, 2013
Based off Malachi 1-4
I love you. Honor me.
Tell the truth. You’ll be free.
Sing My praise all your days.
I will give all you need.
Turn from sin; cleansed within.
Stand in awe of My Name.
Teach what’s true. Walk in peace.
Follow Christ, in His ways.
Show to God faithfulness.
Do not be adult’rous.
Do not shed shallow tears.
Do not be insincere.
I have sent messengers,
Who have giv’n my address.
They call for repentance,
And they warn of judgment.
I, the Lord, do not change,
So return – blessings gain:
Healing comes; joyfulness;
Freedom from your distress.
http://originalworks.info/the-battle-for-truth/
http://youtu.be/vxeCtMQKbpc