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God, since the creation of man, has never kept him ignorant of His will for all.\u00a0 Even when man goes astray, He still seeks his return to Him, because it is really not His will that anyone should perish but get repented, Genesis 3:15; Matthew 4:10.<\/p>\n
Though man has always wanted to go his own way to his hurt, God always desires and puts all possible machinery in place to bring him back to the way of life.\u00a0 So many ways which seem right to man are destructive at the end, Proverbs 14:12.\u00a0 Hence, this all-important and sovereign call by God unto man to return to Him.<\/p>\n
Israel as a nation and all spiritual Israelites by rebirth, have always been given this benevolent call from Him \u2013 \u201cReturn unto Me and I will return unto you\u201d, vs.7.\u00a0 A good heed to this glaring call gives peace and abundant life.\u00a0 No matter the level or gravity of man\u2019s sins, God is always able and willing to set him free by cleansing him of them all if a sincere intention and action is exhibited by the sinner, Isaiah 1:18.<\/p>\n
Prophet Malachi was used at a time when the Israelites were caught in the web of ungodliness having put off the word of God.\u00a0 At that time, they even had deceivers bearing big titles in God\u2019s house, but telling them lies in the form of messages they intend to hear and not the truth from the Almighty god.<\/p>\n
Similarly, among the spiritual Israelites of today are some lying prophets, but there are still a remnant like Elijah who will not bow down to Baal; they are rather busy telling us the truth from God, to enable us retrace our feet from when we fell.<\/p>\n
This lesson presents a good chance of retreating back to the way, that narrow way back to God, such that one will make it to heaven if the individual remains in faith till the end.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The entire people of Israel in the days of Malachi no doubt have gone astray from the way of the Lord, and followed their own way contrary to the will of God.\u00a0 They failed to see God as their maker, who deserves all the honor they can give Him.\u00a0 They did not treat God as their Master and Father who gave them grace to be whatever they were.<\/p>\n
The priests failed to teach the people the truth from the word of God. The priests whose zeal for godliness had dwindled, saw no reason to make enough result-oriented effort to enable them know the truth that sets free and restores godly living.\u00a0 Thus everyone did what seemed right in his sight to the detriment of their spiritual well-being.<\/p>\n
The resultant effects were that:<\/p>\n
-No one was interested in seeking the truth.<\/p>\n
-They all disrespected the Creator and worshiped the creatures they had.<\/p>\n
-They put God secondary instead of in the right place as real Father.<\/p>\n
-They neglected God and His house.<\/p>\n
-They failed to fear and worship God in sincerity and in truth.<\/p>\n
-They gave unworthy offering to God as if God was a beggar.<\/p>\n
-They failed to pay complete tithe.<\/p>\n
-They lived in comfortable houses but neglected the places where God is worshiped; procrastinating building them at their convenience that never came.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
In those days, the synagogues were neglected and abandoned because people were not zealous.\u00a0\u00a0 In these last days also, people are after their own personal aggrandizement (self-enrichment).\u00a0 Some have left God and are now following after self-pursuits both as shepherds and sheep in this our time.\u00a0 Today, some, who care to teach, select their type of teachings which only make their followers to be happy and remain in the church as congregational members even when they know that they cannot make it to heaven as they are.\u00a0 They are not bothered as far as they can flow in their affluence in ungodly and camouflaged joy.<\/p>\n
Many prophets of old prophesied to gain fame, some sought after Baal having lost the Spirit of God.\u00a0 Some also took bribes to speak contrary to God\u2019s word.\u00a0 So have some pastors of our days been distracted from focusing on the Lord.\u00a0 Many have left teaching their people the truth that gives eternal life and make quotable quotes to encourage their flesh and in ecstasy, remain as members of their church group even when the preachers know their hopeless spiritual bankrupt state.\u00a0 Such pastors are after earthly positions and titles, instead of manifesting the Holy Ghost power to the Glory of God.<\/p>\n
Disobedience to the word of God is even worse off in our time, among the leaders and the led.\u00a0 The believers\u2019 primary allegiance and obedience should be to the LORD and not to man, irrespective of title, position or possession.\u00a0 An example is in the dressing style of some of our church members which is not better than of some insane persons. Most painful of it is that some pastors are in support of this shame.\u00a0 Some supposed enlightened ones even see half naked type of dressings as proof of exposure, not minding the effect on people around them.\u00a0 Attempting to correct them brings one to ridicule.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Tithe is one tenth of a person\u2019s total income that should be paid into the Lord\u2019s house.<\/p>\n
Offering on the other hand is anything or the amount one gives cheerfully to the Lord according to ones enablement.\u00a0 It should be given bountifully unto the Lord, to attract blessings from Him \u2013 the giver of all good things in life.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
God\u2019s promises abound to everyone that is faithful in tithes and offerings.\u00a0 The class should reflect on the following scriptures: Malachi 3:10-12; Luke 6:38; 2 Corinthians 9:6.<\/p>\n
God does not only give for our earthly usage but also eternal things.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The Lord does not despise a repentant heart.\u00a0 He wants sinners to return to Him for forgiveness and re-absorption into the sheep-fold.\u00a0 For one to return to the Lord, he has to realize himself, by identifying his real sinful spiritual state like the prodigal son.\u00a0 He needs to tell himself the truth regarding his insecure ungodly state.\u00a0 Such a one needs to make a resolve to come back to God who forgives at any time.\u00a0 He needs to make deliberate efforts to repent of all his sins and accept Christ to save him.<\/p>\n
Thus, one should despise shame, scorn, fear, arrogance, threats and intimidation and any other distraction to return to God.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Sincere return in repentance to God will bring about the following:<\/p>\n
-There\u2019s joy in heaven.<\/p>\n
-The repentant sinner\u2019s name gets written in the Book of Life, as he now has peace with God, and is guaranteed answered prayers.<\/p>\n
-The individual has grace to live a victorious Christian life on earth, and has hope of eternal life.<\/p>\n
The class should mention other benefits.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
God always makes provisions for salvation and for backsliders to return again because He is not willing that any should perish.\u00a0 It will be too painful for one to deliberately remain in sin, despising the grace available for his redemption, and still go to hell.<\/p>\n
Once we hear His voice we should not harden our hearts but humble ourselves in repentance that enables salvation.\u00a0 Anyone of God suffers condemnation having thrown away God\u2019s provision for eternal life.<\/p>\n
Have you take advantage of this rare privilege to return to God from your sinful state?\u00a0 One\u2019s position, title and family background is not relevant in this matter but a humble, earnest search for godliness.\u00a0 Accountability is required of every one of us some day.\u00a0 It is only a genuine return to the Lord and stay with Him in righteousness that can provide man a place in the kingdom.\u00a0 Therefore, let us come back to our first love for God, Revelation 2:4, in all our ways daily.<\/p>\n
Please avail yourself of this opportunity and return to the open forgiving hands of your maker and start to enjoy the abundant life in Christ with the unprecedented peace that comes along with it as evidence to smile all your life.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Isaiah 1:18 \u2013 \u201cCome 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.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Return Unto Me Central thought: God accepts and establishes anyone who earnestly returns to Him. Text: Malachi 1-4 (reading 3:1-18) God, since the creation of man, has never kept him ignorant of His will for all.\u00a0 Even when man goes astray, He still seeks his return to Him, because it […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-550","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sundayschool"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mzgtiglobal.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/550","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mzgtiglobal.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mzgtiglobal.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mzgtiglobal.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mzgtiglobal.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=550"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/mzgtiglobal.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/550\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":561,"href":"https:\/\/mzgtiglobal.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/550\/revisions\/561"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mzgtiglobal.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=550"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mzgtiglobal.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=550"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mzgtiglobal.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=550"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}