"Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts. But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the LORD.

Malachi 2:17-3:5

"Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts. But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the LORD. Malachi 3:1-3

I continue my study of the last four books of the OT using the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary volume for this book as my focus remains Malachi, the last book of the Old Testament. Today my focus is a commentary-assisted review of Malachi 2:17-3:5. The commentary emphasizes the main idea is one where God's people question Him whether He is a God of justice as they perceive His delight in wickedness (3:17).  God of course, in the same verse, shares how He is annoyed and frustrated by such a perception.  The commentary then shares how he will send His messenger (Christ) to "purify the priesthood and judge Israel."  Here are excerpts from the following divisions provided for the text:

• Israel Accuses God of Injustice for Allowing the Wicked to Prosper (2:17): "Basically, the people are becoming impatient with the rampant immorality and the political corruption in Israel. They say, in essence, “God, why are you making the wicked prosper? Do you find joy in their transgressions? Where is your justice?"  Of course, believers should understand that God alone is judge and His justice both perfect and in His time (see also Romans 12:19, Deuteronomy 32:35). Believers should also be careful in accusing God of lacking justice because we all sin and the wages of sin are death so Israel would have been justifiably wiped out if God was not a God of grace and love and patience with Israel's questioning.    
  
• God Defends His Justice, Promising Vindication through His Appointed Messenger (3:1): Christ is described as God's Messenger: "So, who is the approaching “Messenger of the covenant?” He is the Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, God incarnate. Jesus’ entry into the temple precincts during the week of His passion is the fulfillment of this prophecy. John the Baptist prepares the way of the Lord by summoning the people of Israel to repentance. With the scene set, God, in the form of man, enters His temple and evaluates His people."  The text alludes to Christ's judgement of how in the temple He judged the money-changers in the temple (see also Matthew 21:12-13, Mark 11:15-18, Luke 19:45-47, John 2:14-16).  
  
• God’s Promised Vindication Begins with the Purification of Israel’s Priestly Leadership (3:2-3): God's people are molded into His image, often through trials and suffering - see also Hebrews 12:5-6, 11, 1 Corinthians 3:11-15).  Although Malachi's messages was intended primarily for the priesthood, we as believers are also urged to examine our own lives for sin and to assess our spiritual condition. The commentary shares: "praise God for purging us through suffering. The goal of God is to conform us into the image of His Son. It is not to make us happy. It is not to keep us healthy. It is not to make us wealthy. It is to conform us into the image of His Son (see also Romans 8:29)."  
  
• God’s Promised Vindication Culminates with the Judgment of His People Israel (3:4-5):  God makes explicit how He will judge all, not just the priesthood.  The commentary shares: "the fear of the Lord preserves us for the Day of Judgment. It teaches us to live in light of God’s grace and mercy. Without this proper fear, we are prone to forget the radical nature of the good news of the gospel and to wander from our covenant God. If we lack fear, we may be judged through fire to be lacking worth, showing that we had never truly surrendered to God in the first place." 
  

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My Prayer: Father God, thank You for providing scripture to help reveal sin in my life.  I want to please honor and glorify You.  You are worthy!  I, on the other than, remain broken and sinful, and undeserving of my salvation and grace - which You pour out daily.  Thank You Jesus for my salvation and for the grace You pour out daily that never ceases.  Please forgive me and help me turn from and overcome such sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering. For my name will be great among the nations, says the LORD of hosts.

Malachi 1:6-14

For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering. For my name will be great among the nations, says the LORD of hosts. Malachi 1:11

I continue my study of the last four books of the OT using the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary volume for this book as my focus remains Malachi, the last book of the Old Testament.  Today, I complete an unassisted review of Malachi 1:6-14.  Here, God specifically calls out the priesthood - right away calling them by name in v6. They don't believe they are despised or polluted God's name - God responds rhetorically in vv-7-8 by offering not spotless, perfect or unblemished sacrifice, but instead blind animals or animals that lame or sick.  God shares how He will not accept offerings from the priesthood, implying there is sin that must be repented before approaching God. V11 shares God declaration that His name will be great among the nations and that offerings to Him will be pure or holy. Vv12-13 describes once again God's judgement of the priesthood for not just their imperfect offerings but also their lack of awareness of their sin. The text closes with God sharing once again how He is great and His name will be feared among the nations.  We should be careful with how we approach God - certainly not arrogantly thinking we are without sin - all of us sin...daily, and should ask God to reveal our sin, either through scripture, the Holy Spirit, or through others that point this out to us.  Often times it takes someone to do this as God appoints someone to do this for us.  Nathan stands out as an example of someone appointed by God to point out David's sin (see 2 Samuel 12).  We should be encouraged to have brothers and sisters in our lives to do this for us - God intends for us to live in fellowship not just with Him but also with fellow believers who can support and encourage us in our walk with Christ. 

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My Prayer: Father God, You are an amazing God full of grace and love and Your mercies are both new every morning and they never cease!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of my salvation nor of any of the mercies You continue to pour out for me.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me turn from and overcome my sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with my heart, soul and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.  

[God] raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 3

[God] raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. Ephesians 2:6-7

I maintain a pause of my deep dive of Isaiah, based on the Precept Upon Precept study series, to continue my study of Ephesians for 3 days per week as I participate in a Discipleship (D) Group that is part of my church. Today, I move on to my study of Ephesians 3 Day 2 - with a specific focus on v8-13.  For those inclined (I recommend it), John Piper provides a 9-part series on this text via his Lab videos on DesiringGod.com. This morning, I use part 1, which Piper names "Gospel Ministry Before Angels and Demons".  Piper's core point in this video is how Paul had a cosmic purpose to reveal "the manifold wisdom of God" not just to and within the church (Jews and Gentiles - all nations), but in heavenly places so that even angels and heavenly bodies would stoop down to see God's glory and lift Him up in worship and praise. There is also a larger, eternal purpose: that our understanding of the wisdom of God would then lead us to be bold and confident in our faith, and so that - using v13 that in light of v1-12 - believers would not look at how Paul is imprisoned (or any suffering for that matter) and be strengthened and not lose heart.

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God - thank You for revealing the gospel to me, for giving me a heart of flesh so that I could be saved!  I am not deserving of course of this nor any blessing You pour out for me.  My sin is great and it continues....daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.   

For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, "Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them"....Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.

Leviticus 26-27

For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, "Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them"....Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith. Galatians 3:10, 13-14

This evening, I completed my study of Leviticus using the Christ-Centered Exposition series commentary for this book - wrapping up the last chapter twenty-three (the final chapter) - Either-Or - covering Leviticus 26-27, looking specifically at the fourth and final theme for the chapter - God Invites Us to Return to Him.  Here, the commentary focuses on Leviticus 26:40-45 where, despite Israel's repeated sin and God's punishment where He sent most of Israel into exile into the hands of their enemies, God STILL demonstrates grace for Israel.  If Israel confesses its sin (v40), and if their "uncircumcised heart is humbled and they make amends for their iniquity," (v41) "[God] will remember [His] covenant with Jacob, and...will remember [His] covenant with Isaac and [His] covenant with Abraham" (v42).  God does not say that Israel will avoid punishment (v43), but He says that even in spite of this punishment grace awaits those who return to to Him (v44-45). 

Yet for all that, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not spurn them, neither will I abhor them so as to destroy them utterly and break my covenant with them, for I am the Lord their God. But I will for their sake remember the covenant with their forefathers, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the nations, that I might be their God: I am the Lord. Leviticus 26:44-45

The commentary writes about God's grace based on the covenant He made with Israel and how Jesus perfectly expresses God's grace.  We are referred to Galatians 3:10, 13-14 where Paul writes about how everyone who sins (everyone does sin - see Romans 3:23 and 1 John 1:8) deserves death and Jesus took on death on the cross redeeming us from the punishment we deserve - amazing grace indeed!

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who has amazing grace for me - thank You Jesus but I am completely undeserving of course!  I sin daily...conforming to the patterns of this world, worry, etc.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Romans 5:1-11

Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Romans 5:2

This morning, I continued my study of Romans.  Using my commentary - Exalting Jesus in Romans (eBook) - I continued my study of chapter six The Blessings of Justification By Faith, which covers Romans 5:1-11.  My focus today is Romans 5:2. As a result of our justification by faith we have a blessing of grace. My commentary refers to this grace as having a "warm relationship to God" and favor with Him. We are also encouraged to see how we are to "stand" in this grace and to live out this grace-based relationship daily. Scripture uses the word "access" and my commentary highlights use of this word to discuss how believers are children of God, that we depend on Him, and we can go to Him for all our needs big and small.  My commentary writes: this grace "should prompt praise and communion with God.  We can go to our Father all the time with our worries, problems, concerns, and fears and present them to him, knowing that he not only hears us but also welcomes us."

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of grace for me - I know that You are always with me and that I can always go to You with anything and You welcome me with open arms. Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such blessings.  My sin continues - daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day. 

Peter replied, “Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him:remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.

Matthew 26-27, Mark 14-15, and Luke 22, John 18

Peter replied, “Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him:remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly. Luke 22:60-62

Day 318 of my chronological study of the Bible with The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) (available by purchase through Amazon - author F. LaGard Smith) continues as I move further into the New Testament - this morning focusing on Jesus praying in the Gethsemane, Judas' betrayal and arrest, Jesus' trial before the Sanhedrin, and Judas' suicide. Particularly striking in the scripture reading today is the anguish Jesus feels as He knows his death is imminent and He asks God "if you are willing, take this cup from me".  Luke 22:43 records how an angel appeared to Jesus and strengthened Him.  Jesus is also full of grace for the disciples as they fall asleep three times although He requests they "keep watch".  He requests in John 18:8 that His captors not arrest them. 

The most striking this morning, however is how only Luke's account includes how "[t]he Lord turned and looked straight at Peter....Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him..." Matthew and Mark's accounts describe how Peter remembered how Jesus foretold of how he would deny Jesus, but only Luke's account does so in vivid detail with Jesus looking "straight at Peter".  Different versions of Luke 22 also include this detail, including the KJV, and NLT. 

I am reminded of how study and reflection on scripture reveals sin in our lives.

What shall we say, then? Is the law sinful? Certainly not! Nevertheless, I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.” Romans 7:7

All believers seek to become more like God and this transformation occurs as we draw close to Him in prayer, Bible study and reflection, obedience, acts of faith/service, etc. (spiritual disciplines).  That is my hope for myself and my family and I do see Jesus at work in my heart and life - more work has yet to be done but He IS at work.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who has transformed my heart and life - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such blessings.  My sin continues...including worry, etc.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Romans 5

The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. v20-21

I recently posted how scripture reveals to us our sin and the depth of our sin.  Similarly, scripture reveals to us the depth of God's grace (although we will never fathom the true depth and breadth of God's love).  See also post from DesiringGod.com on these verses in Romans - the author indicates that scripture should drive us into the arms of our Savior Jesus Christ. 

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”  Matthew 11:28-30

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God who loves me and knows all about all of my sin - even the sin I have yet to commit - yet You love me and forgive me all the same.  Thank You Jesus!  I am undeserving of such love and grace.  I daily miss the mark.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.