SOMEBODY GO GET THE GOVERNOR!

Malachi 1:6-9

I - THE PROBLEM

-Polluted bread on the table of the Lord (7)
-Blind sacrifices (8)
-Lame sacrifices (8)
- Sick sacrifices (8)
-See Leviticus 22:19-25
-The crux of the problem was that they had disesteemed the things of the Lord (7)
-It doesn’t matter. God doesn’t care. God understands.

If you had lived 2,422 years ago would you have tried to get away with bringing a sick, wounded animal to the temple for sacrifice? (you most likely would have gotten away with it as it seems that the priest didn’t care what you brought)

No?

-Then why are you trying it today?
-Why do you give God less than your best?
-Why is your prayer life powerless?
-Why is your Bible study slipshod?
-Why is your church attendance arbitrary?
-Why is your worship weak?
-Why is your praise pathetic?
-Why are your offerings on-again-off-again?
-Why is your singing spiritless?
-Why are your testimonies tenuous?
-Why is your laboring limited?
-Why is your soul winning stagnant?

Have YOU disesteemed the things of the Lord too? Have you convinced yourself that it does not matter? That God doesn’t care? That God understands?

II - THE RESULT

-God is not honored (6)
-God is not feared (6)
-God’s name is despised (6)
-God is not pleased (8)
-God will not accept what we offer Him (10)

If you won’t give God your best – he doesn’t want any part of it.

-Ecc. 9:10, Rom, 12:11, 1 Cor. 9:24, Col. 3:23, Mk. 12:30

III - THE TEST

-How do you know if you are giving God your best? (I think we already know if we are giving & doing our best for Christ).
-Go get the governor. (8)
-Go ahead and try this powerless, slipshod, arbitrary, weak, pathetic, on-again-off-again, spiritless, tenuous, limited, stagnant junk with the important people of this world and see where it gets you!
-Try this with your boss. Try this on the job. Try this as you pursue your career. Try this with your spouse. Try this with your teachers/professors. Try this with the governor and see where it gets you.
-If what you offer the important people of this world is better than what you offer Christ... then you are in trouble!

IV - THE FIX

How do we fix this matter?
-Beg God to show you mercy & grace (9)
-Beg God to once again take you serious