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Are You Honoring God?

"A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If I am a father, where is the honor due me, If I am a master, where is the respect due me?" says the LORD Almighty. "It is you, O priests, who show contempt for my name. "But you ask, 'How have we shown contempt for your name?”
Malachi 1:6

When the Israelites asked God, ‘How are we dishonoring You?’ He replied through Malachi: a) by cheating Me out of your finances; by taking your prize animals to market for the highest price, but bringing blind, lame and half-dead ones to My altar (Malachi 1:7-8 paraphrased) b) by cheating your fellow man - paying absurdly low wages, making life economically impossible for single parents, and treating illegal immigrants unjustly (Malachi 3:5 paraphrased) c) by cheating on your mate. Divorce was rampant. Listen: ‘‘You weep because [the Lord] no longer pays attention. You ask, ‘Why?’ because you have broken faith with her, though she is the wife of your marriage covenant’ (Malachi 2:13-14). God told them in essence: ‘You rebel against Me, then expect Me not to be affected. Well, excuse Me, I am deeply affected. Your sin breaks My heart. It is betrayal. The barriers you put up have to come down. We can have no real fellowship unless you are willing to obey Me - totally.’ (Paraphrased) The amazing thing is, God Himself wants to help pull down those barriers. Today He holds out His arms to us saying, ‘Come now, let us reason together,’ says the Lord. ‘Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow’’ (Isaiah 1:18). The Good News is that you can come back into fellowship with God right now. All you have to do is pray: ‘Father, forgive me. I want to turn from my sin and rebuild my relationship with You.’ The moment you pray that prayer, God will restore you and you will be back on track again.

Prayer
Father, forgive me. I want to turn from my sin and rebuild my relationship with You. Amen