7-6-22 - Unfaithful Leadership

Look over the book of Malachi's.

If you have your Bibles. You're welcome to turn there if you're not familiar with were Malachi is it's the last book of the Old Testament. So when you find Matthew slid backwards and you will run into it, but in reverse. But don't run into anybody.

I Malachi chapter 1 and then we'll go to chapter number two in reverse one down to verse number nine check number two Malachi chapter 2 verse one through nine, and you're welcome to stand in honor of God's word tonight as we read these nine verses study through the book of Malachi, and that's where will you be at through the summer here. Malachi chapter 1 verse chapter 2 verse one am sorry says, and now OU priests. This commandment is for you if you will not hear and if you will not lay.

It's hard to give glory unto my namesake Lord of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you and I will curse your blessings. Yeah, I have cursed them already, because you do not lay at the heart.

Behold, I will corrupt your seed and spread dung upon your faces.

Even the dung of your solemn feasts one shall take you away with it and you shall know that I have sent this commandment unto you, that my covenant might be with Levi say the Lord of hosts, my covenant was with him of life and peace, and I gave them to him for the fear wherewith he feared me he was afraid before my name lost.

Truth was in his mouth and iniquity was, not found in his lips. He walked with me in peace and equity did not turn many and did turn many away from iniquity, the priest lips should keep knowledge and they should seek the law at his mouth for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts. Your departed out of the way.

You have caused many to stumble by at the law yet corrupted the covenant of Levi say the Lord of hosts, therefore, have I also made you contemptible and base before all the people according as ye have not kept my ways but have been partial in the law.

Father, we thank you for your work tonight. It is our joy, we come tonight because you are worthy Lord I thank you for the work you're doing in the lives and hearts of your people got, I think you that even the many folks I talked to throughout the week and the days that either that are going through challenges just to trust the faith in the hope they have in you and I thank you for the encouragement from those dear folks, and will be with those that are sick and not able to be with us tonight. Bless all that are here you with the men's in the ladies class the teens the kids department.

Thank you for the great turn out throughout the summer that you give the church and that you would bless as we study your word may we apply what we read and follow you faithfully be obedient in Christ name we pray and God's people said Amen.

You may be seated.

This evening I don't want to talk about unfaithful leadership, and that's really what we find here in Malachi chapter number two leadership is a big deal. All of us. I think have been affected in many ways by people who've been leaders in our life. If you think about for a moment, who has been the most effective leader in your life. Just consider who has been the most effective person who's been a leader in your life and what were the qualities that make them so impactful. Why were they effective in influencing you the way they did.

Usually it's because the days they had integrity, they show you the truth, but they didn't just simply verbalized the truth. They live the truth out there was physical follow-up with what they said in and who has God allowed to utility there's I think everybody here today is affecting someone in some way. There is people underneath us, whether workers, teammates, children, grandchildren's people in our lives that God has put underneath our influence wing. If you would our shadow of influence in and so it's important. I've no matter what your position is you're going to be influencing someone and in really many people they say the most introverted person in the world will effect a least 10,000 people in their lifetime that we touch a lot of folks and soak.

I think it's important understand our leading of other people will be in direct alignment with what is leading us if our lives are being not being led the right way. How can I ever lead anyone else right so I've got to be led to lead, I gotta be someone who is drawn to the Lord tonight.

I know over and Joshua in the class tonight with the men's class there doing a devotional. Joshua 18 and God told Joshua he says let not this word depart from your mouth, thou shalt meditate on it day and night, that you may observe the things are written therein. Then shalt thou have good success then shalt thou make thy way prosperous, and so God says you have to meditate on the word of God to find your life to be successful to be lined up with what God would have you to do now in this section of Malachi focuses on the failure of the spiritual leaders of the nation of Israel, the priests in Jesus. According to the Bible has become our high priest to say why don't we have priests today should we call you a priest and the answer is no, you call me a pastor nor pastor just means a shepherd and in unruly and under shepherd the Bible calls Jesus, the chief Shepherd but we are a shepherd is just a caretaker, someone who over sees a group they are in so use a parent, which shepherd your family and so the Bible calls God a priest though and and and and and and Jesus is taken that priestly position. So there is no high priest anymore in a physical sense like Aaron was in the Old Testament we have Jesus as our high priest. The Bible tells us that we are all priests of God and in there's two main spiritual roles in the Old Testament you had a prophet you had a priest, a prophet would speak the word of God to the people in behalf of God were the priest would go to God on behalf of the people and the priests were the ones who would read the word of God, study it, and they would also be teachers of the law to the people they were the great influences spiritually of the people they were the Levites. The tribe of Levi was one of the 12 tribes of Israel and you had what was known as the Levitical priesthood. The book of Levi Leviticus I should say was written with the focus of of of God's systematic way of living out the holiness of the law was given in the book of Exodus chapter number 20 and in the sacrifices and and really focuses on the how important is to be holy. But we are all priests first Peter 29 says this year a chosen generation, a royal priesthood is talking to the believer in first Peter 29 he says, a holy nation, a peculiar people, you should show for the praise of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. So just understand tonight you you are in in many ways. In this position.

There are spiritual leaders in our lives. Pastor's teachers spiritual leaders in the church, but also at home, your parent or grandparent if you're a Christian at any level you're going to influence other people. So this message will line up with everyone here tonight but that God's message is in chapter 2, but he makes a statement in chapter 2 verse one he says, and now he priests this commandment is for you. This is God speaking directly to a group of people that are inside of the nation of Israel.

This is like Revelation 2 and three very very comparable or God comes and says here's a letter to the church at Ephesus. I'm writing unto you church. Could you imagine if Jesus had a specific letter written to the lighthouse Baptist Church of Xenia you think you chose that Sunday when I was read God saying this letter specifically for you and in and in the things that he would commend for and things he would say these things are things it would review for and these are areas that need to be changed, and repented of and so forth, that would be a heavy and wonderful yet challenging day to examine our lives and that would be so so purging and and you see that this is what's happening in the book Amalekites always is writing this letter to them just as a reminder in chapter 1 God's message was again directed at the priests, it is critical to understand that God is not honored and you see this in chapter 1 simply by Christians going through some external motion. You can come to church and honor God and you can come to church and dishonor God. You can read your Bible and honor God and you can read your Bible and dishonor God right so you have to know that you have to realize that just doing the work of the action or some external thing in no way in and of itself is honoring to God priest were called here and in and rebuked because they were going through the motions of sacrificing for God and and in doing what God asked him to do what they were also violating the word of God and doing it.

God had called them to really be the standard for the people to. He said when you guys bring an offering to me, it can have illness and sickness.

You can have the coded blemishes and like ailments and the animal effect defects and and so what would happen is in those days you would bring say a lamb or goat for an offering that that the priest would examine that in an and all of those offerings. The Old Testament foreshadowed Christ to come and be our ultimate sacrifice, the Lamb of God to take our sins away. But the priest would evaluate that if it had gangrene if it's got this got some some illness if it's not healthy. If it's not good. The priest would say listen, this is an unacceptable sacrifice. You need to go back and get a better sacrifice. And you know what we would people be like in our day. How dare you not accept you, but they wouldn't care.

They would say this is for God, you need to bring your best and so they would rebuke that and they would have to go back as it was no other church while I got offended, so I'm leaving will that's a terrible reason to leave the church I met if that's the case you should leave the church you and stay married, you would stay in your family either write all of this is been offended before everything in with or so universal as I got offended at Walmart.

I'll never go back. Your right, I'll be there next week and so so he's telling them hereto to uphold the purity of the commands that he gave them but instead of telling people how you need to bring right offering they themselves were offering for sacrifices animals that were sickly. The ones they didn't want themselves. The left so they were basically honoring God the leftovers and they were dishonoring God in worship. I you need to hear what God says to the nation of Israel in Isaiah chapter 1. This is very reflective of Isaiah chapter 1. Listen to what God says to Isaiah, the nation of Israel in Isaiah chapter 1 verse 11 God says to what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices under me safe. The Lord, I am full of burnt offerings of Rams, the fat of fed beasts. I have I had. I it says and I delight not in the blood of blocks and of lambs and of goats, and when you come to appear before me who had to require this of your hand to treadle my courts what he says bring no more vain that were just means empty useless oblations and since is an abomination in the me the Newman Sabbath. The calling of assemblies.

I cannot away it with. It is iniquity, even the solemn meeting God is calling the solemn Sabbath when they gathered together. He said it is like sin when you come together. Verse 14.

Your new moons.

Your appointed fees. My soul hated God is hating the religious setting of of what they're doing. The system it's making him sick. He said they are a troubling to me.

I am weary to bear them and when you spread forth your hands. I will hide mine eyes from you again when you make many prayers, I will not hear your hands are full of blood washed you. You say, what should they do resist watch you make you clean put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes cease to do evil, learn to do well seeing judgment relieve the oppressed judge the fatherless, plead for the widow listen to the heart of God. Come now and let us reason together say the Lord though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow. Though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

If you be willing and notice obedience. You shall eat of the good of the land, but if you refuse a rebellious shall be devoured with the sword for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.

It God is extremely clear friends that when we come to worship God. We need to do it with sincerity need to do it. In truth we need to not come and say well I'm going to give external obedience to God but internally I'm I'm I'm disobedient. God examines our hearts and in our lives. We can't we can think that we honor God one hour a week and hundred 67 hours a week. We dishonor him right that's the that's the idea. We need to be a people of integrity and faithfulness. So in chapter 1 God rebukes them for complaining about their worship there saying. Also in chapter 1 to sing like what a weariness it is that they were worn out serving God lives just chapter 1 verse 13. He also said, behold what a weariness it is you stuff that is safe, alert, and instead of coming to the house of the Lord. Psalms 100 says make a joyful noise of the Lord serve the Lord with gladness come to his presence with singing.

That's why when we come to church. We come singing we come worshiping because that's what were supposed to do were to come with a joyful heart.

The Bible says in Psalms 100 verse four enter enter into his gates with thanksgiving into his courts with praise be thankful under him, and bless his name for the Lord is good his mercy is everlasting in his truth endures all generations.

That's the spirit that we are to come in. We have to make sure that we prepare our hearts, and I fear, sometimes as Christians we show up out of breath. What happens if I show up to church out of breath.

Better to show about a breath and not to show up. I would say but but to show up and say you know what I've I'm so exhausted from the world I give God my left over of my mind. My thinking. My energy my time, my resources I just give him all the leftovers and I can tell you what that does is it reflects on how we truly see God. If we don't value him. We won't give him what's valuable if I if I if I don't value God I'll give him what I can afford give him my leftovers I give him what's comfortable and easy for me and I'm so thankful to Jesus didn't do that for us. A man and so this day when you get to chapter 2. This is a day of reckoning for the praise the Lord had known they had no love for God.

The reason they didn't love God was they love themselves. They were giving God the leftovers because they gave themselves their best no desire to worship God. They had no love and value forgot.

That's why when Christians come in here the word of God within. They go out. They don't live the word. They don't read it for themselves. They don't pray I can tell you that you're saying God the level of value than placing on you is not where it needs to be. If I value this but guess what I'm going to do with it and read it and if I value what I read him going obey it enough.

I value souls to share Christ in a fight value God will spend time in prayer and in all of those things are true, we just think about a husband-wife relationship. If you never spent time with each other what to say probably I'm valuing something else more importantly to you. I never spent time together never talk everything out. I can tell you where your value is not in each other and so this is essential. This is important not to be just three points tonight. First of all we see God's warning.

Look at verse two, he said he will not hear and if you will not lay at the heart to give glory under my name say the Lord of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you and I will curse your blessing yeah I have cursed them already because you have. You do not lay at the heart God highlights to faults in their worship notice due to false if you can see them in verse number two. First of all, he says, if you will not what you don't hear they were not listening. Anybody read a child he didn't listen. Anybody ever been a child. I didn't listen guys, some of us to pay all of it, we we we been given two years and one mouth to you. We use our mouth twice as much than our ears. Unfortunately I the teenager asked me last week as he said, what does the Bible mean when it says don't be stiffnecked.

I doubt what a great question 13 will get estimate. Yes me about a dozen different questions like you in the Bible.

I thought this is so good, you know, that tells me he studies he studies only people that study ask questions people that don't study, don't ask questions. That's one essential thing you can tell, you know, if you study the Bible and I can see, what US questions and the other is a great question. I thought immuno domains don't be obstinate, don't be. Don't be hardhearted and have a bad attitude. Listen to review sure all the snow was like to try to talk to somebody who's not willing to listen and Jesus made it clear in Matthew 13 he said this over and over again. He said it in Matthew 13 verse nine who have ears to hear, let him hear.

If you have years he saying you need to use them and the disciples came in verse 10 of that chapter and said in them when you speak to them in parables you know Jesus but to the people in parables for two reasons why he spoke to him in parables to blind their eyes from the truth. And then he spoke to the disciples in parables to reveal truth to them so he answered and said, because it's given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom, but to them.

It's not different. Jesus would preach at times to keep the message from people that shocking look what he says. He says verse 12, for whosoever hath them shall be given, he shall have more abundance, but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he had God will be the taker. If you don't want. Verse 13 therefore I speak of in parables because they seeing see not in hearing here not, neither do they understand and in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, saying, by hearing ye shall hear, and shall not are dancing, you shall see and not perceive this people's heart is waxed gross, there ears are dull of hearing their eyes they have closed was at any time they should see with their eyes herewith.

There is should understand with their heart should be converted, and I should heal them and he closes by saying but blessed are your eyes for they see in your ears, for they hear you get it you get it the day when you got it member the day when you're like manages like the word of God just turned on ivory.

You probably sits on like this.

I've read the Bible before, but now I finally like understand it. It's idolizes like I've it's like I'm alive now. I like get what the Bible says and you're always going have questions but it just it's it's like it starts coming clear to you, and that's the work of the Holy Spirit, God enables the mind to understand. It was only says why can never understand the Bible, one of two problems.

One either you are not safe or to not put the effort in somebody sits down for five minutes.

Try to rebut Welch is hard to understand, and they go off to get a new phone and they study everything in the world for hours to figure out how to use it. Value is just been shown so listen to what God said to the churches in Revelation Ephesians 27 he that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit safe and of the churches. He said that the church at Ephesus Revelation 211 the church of Smyrna. He had that have ears to hear leading the Spirit safe to churches. Revelation 217 he that have ears to hear that in here with the Spirit safe and serves he said this seven times that each one of the seven churches.

If you have ears listen to what God has to say in any church. There will always be people who hear it and know always be people who don't hear will always be people who are like I get what you're saying there'll be other people whose minds are wondering who are not that they didn't get that they're there so consumed with other things. Not only does the world have their heart through the week but it hasn't even in church they can get off their phones.

They can't get off the like no preacher makes read my Bible right now, so don't get on the soap but friend do you have a university here would God conclude that you have ears to hear what he said you know what if if if I said God this person in our church today have ears to really receive the word of God. Would God say about you specifically consider that I can tell you three ways that evidence that you have ears to hear, ready number one you make a priority to God's word you pursue it. Just being here tonight is is is an evidence of that, and those who are forced to come. Secondly, you ask questions to yourself or a teacher and you seek the answers. I can tell you friends.

I don't know if that's convicting or not, but it's just the truth. Only people who study ask questions. Only people who study you don't study the Bible you ask silly questions that don't make sense like it. That shows you don't study, but if you really said alive you come up with questions like what you know what is it mean to be stiffnecked is Rena what is it were me was that mean you just go through all kinds of stuff. Thirdly, you're obedient to what God says if you have ears to hear. You will not only pursuant to study it and then you'll obey what it says a second fault in their worship was. Not only they didn't have ears to hear, but notice the second fault in verse number two. He says if you will not hear you will not lay at the heart to give glory onto my name safe Lord of hosts. The second fault was they were robbing God of glory.

The word glory comes from the Greek word doc cellular doxology demeans the splendor, majesty and excellent sleeve that belongs to God that God is God simply doesn't do glorious things.

God is what glory is glorious excellence, majesty, splendor, and God alone is worthy of glory. Psalms 2229 verse two says give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name, worship the Lord, or Yahweh in the beauty of holiness like we owe God worship when you see creation you use it. It resounds to the glory of God. You see a baby you save God's glorious. He creates life in first Corinthians 131 says he that glory is let him glory in the Lord and and I've mentioned this before. Through the years, but we have been engineered by God to be worshipers. The only things on earth were the only creations on earth that did worship nothing else worships. We we we say what that means is we celebrate greatness. We respond to greatness.

We get excited about the greatest things.

That's why we were sports jerseys with people that we really admire. We we we like to keep stats. We do all this and were the only things that do that and that and so we are created were engineered by this and the problem is is man creates idols both in their heart and in the world to replace God.

So instead of worshiping God man begins to worship the creation instead of the creator begin to sell it because because God created in creation should reflect the glory of God, but at times that reflection becomes the object of worship. It's like worshiping the moon hey guys, the moon didn't generate its own light.

It's the sun right in and were trying to direct the world to the glory of the son, Jesus Christ, and in a way from the smaller lights, but every problem that comes in the world is always a problem of misplaced glory.

You need to know that every problem in your life and mine is a is a problem of misplaced glory.

Romans chapter 1 tells us this is says because that when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful became emptier vein and imagination a foolish heart was darkened and in and they professing himself wise, they became fools, but at the beginning of verse number 21 it says that they they knew it was God but they glorified him not. By the time you get down to verse number 23 is says they change the glory that word is there, it just means they exchanged it instead of worshiping God exchange God's glory for the glory of of an image made like to corruptible man the birds and forfeited bees gripping the coming when you look at look at other false religions. When you look at Native American's and their faith.

All that stuff was worship of creation wasn't 300 study under is a little bit on a Buddhism it's a safe say worship of of creation and so pure worship stems out of a heart and life that seeks to glorify God and so ask yourself do you seek to glorify God. First Corinthians 110 31 says, whether you eat or drink whatever you do, do all to the glory of God to give you just a couple things that can glorify God. The Bible tells us that confessing our sins glorifies God. Remember when a can send in.

In Joshua chapter number seven.

The Bible says when Joshua came to him, he said in Joshua 719, my son, give I pray the glory to the Lord God of Israel and make confession on him and tell me now what thou hast done hide it not for me. When we confess our sins, you know, sometimes you like well you and I just feel so distant from God. I'm embarrassed to come to God because I know I got cinema heart.

God says that will glorify him. When you coming. Confess your sins because you're recognizing God is holy and you're not so confession glorifies God. Also repentance glorifies God. Revelation 69 says during the tribulation.

Men were scorched with great heat blasphemed the name of God, which have power over these plagues and they repented not to give him glory. People in the book of Revelation, a matter how severe the tribulation comes, many of them will never never repent to give glory to God and so repentance glorifies God and and a lack of repentance robs God of glory.

Also, remember when Jesus healed the 10 lepers. How many returned to come give him praise is rolled up one finger, but it's the right thing. So I thought to the story to which guy thing was I got I got the single digit going down the road and the it's amazing how the flesh comes out when his things have an is and then you get a real back and say you know it that's so silly I get irritated for even a moment of so it's nice that you have a more spiritual life in yourself. Anybody out one of those two guys, Joyce Kesey and Jack she expects you to live everything that you ever preached and so you got a line right of sex. Good you kick out of Luke 17, verse 18 it says there is not found the return to give glory to God, save this stranger and what happened was he came back and he thanked God thank Christ he fell down in worship of him and said thank you and he was thinking thinking Christ and in Jesus says that that act of thankfulness was giving glory got you know tonight when you were declaring thankfulness that was giving glory to God.

You're glorifying God.

Also, having faith glorifies God. Romans 412, 20, talking of Abraham, when he believed that God would give them a child that is old age is says he staggered not of the promise of God through unbelief but was strong in faith, giving glory to God just just understand when you have strong faith glorifies got I think many times you say why am I going to this hardship at this point my life. You know my my lights winding down will everybody the dice typically dies of an illness at some level just really gets like old enough, and then they just stop living that can happen sometimes, but it's it's rare. Usually it's something else. There's a comorbidity there something, but a lot of times you need to understand that God will allow us to face difficulties to give him glory, even in the trials because he went through that you let why did remember when Lazarus got sick. What Jesus said in John 11 he said, this sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God.

He was glorified in Lazarus dying and being raised that you say you would let Lazarus diary for his own glory. Yes, it is because two weeks later he would do it himself. Lazarus was a picture of what Christ would do himself and so two weeks after he raised Lazarus that Jesus Christ died on the cross and racism body at a great right so number two let's look at God's judgment with CM seeds God's judgment. In verse two through four. The second part she verse number two it says I will even send a curse upon you and I will curse your blessings is like a paradox, you know, your blessings are cursed day. I've curse them already because you did not later heart you'll see that name used over and over. The Lord of hosts, Lord of hosts its use.

Like 250 times in the Old Testament 24 times here and I think 249 times exactly in the Old Testament 24 times here in the book of Malachi, 10% of its uses in the Old Testament found in the book of Malachi, God desires. Blessings upon his people. He wants to bless his people. But when they sin willfully. God must dry up those blessings and that's an act of love because Proverbs 312 says, for whom the Lord loves he corrects he disciplines. Proverbs 1324, says he despairs his rod hates his son, and so discipline is an act of love never did. We had it here in our church in Chillicothe and she had a child it was so rebellious that he would not even sit in the room with the other kids and she was.

She had a lot of secular degrees in psychology in this kind of things and she said I totally disagree disagree with like disciplining my child never told them no ever never obviously's thinking or anything like that. He was so out-of-control that he could not sit in a room me just yet to be with them all the time because it was just as out-of-control and we are telling a child node doesn't hurt their self-esteem actually needed. Crucify their self-esteem on the cross of Christ given humility. Amen. Self-esteem is another word for pride we we don't want to build little prideful kids never buy your sure to get a shirt this is I am awesome.

I never get these 210-year-olds and look like the Raiders and and I know I'm awesome was with her church said and I thought you know that may be cute is apparent when your kids a I don't even think it's cute that, but once the 18-year-old kid that says I know I'm awesome. Anybody want to raise that kid. Anybody want to marry the guy who thinks he's awesome.

I know I'm also wants to work for that guy or hire the guy who thinks he's awesome.

What's funny to me as all these guys and and like this last 20 years. When the entrepreneurs write note study that's about were like use of months of the highest numbers of entrepreneurship came out in the last 20 years is because they all thought they could run their own business site. You might want to start with, like paying your car insurance. Cleaning your room managing your house like area you know it's only a 10 x 12 area. If you can't manage that. You probably can't run a business. If you can.

If you can't keep more than six dollars in your account, you're probably not going to be able to run a business. Just some some absolute blindness when it comes to that. Now some guys do well in and can pull that off at the probably for sure had apparently told him know at some point. Now listen to God's clear warning to the nation of Israel.

Deuteronomy 30 he says see, I've set the this day.

Set before thee this day life and good in death and evil in that I command thee this day to love the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways to keep his commandments, that uses judgment, dominates live and multiply in the Lord thy God shall bless thee in the land whithersoever thou goest to possess it says but if thine heart turn away so that thou will not hear what shall be drawn away, and worship other gods either not listening. Now they're not glorifying God. Verse 18 I denouncing to you this day that you shall surely perish.

You shall not prolong your days in the land with you present as over Jordan to go possess it. I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, and I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing. Therefore, look what he says choose life. Why, that both thou and thy seed may live. God presents before us, blessing and cursing like choose life. Do rights in and so he over and over, called the nation to this and that's what he did in Malaga. If you remember back to Malachi chapter 1 verse two he starts out by saying I have loved you, say, the Lord, there like when did you love us just questioning him. Look at verse three of chapter 2 is on it says, behold, I will corrupt your seed. That phrase behold like what W. Criswell says this verse begins with the first of five behold clauses in the book announcing something which will occur in the future. Anything I II behold, I will corrupt your seed talking about. I'm going to bring judgment not only upon you, but on your descendents, the curse will come upon you and your descendents, and in this is a pretty strong statement in verse three and spread dung upon your faces.

Even the dung of your solid fees and one shall take you away with it. Dung available in his days with Iraq for sacrifice, and you can stop the animal like a should do that in here, they would take that out of the city and Bernards that the that the feces that the dung of the animal. God says I'm going to take that dung and on her rub it in your face.

Can you imagine being these brace to rub it in my face and what he's saying is you're defiled and I'm going to defile you your corrupt anonymous show you how corrupt you are. You're like a pile of manure. I mean that's how God is rebuking them.

John MacArthur said this is very graphic language that shows how God viewed unfaithful priest is unworthy and of the most unthinkable disgrace me. This is this is severe review and it was intended to get their attention. Like wake up Janet's. I look across our nation, and I don't think this nation can wake up for anything. I so just in one month. We have it over 230,000 immigrants cross over our border in one month. Illegal immigrants 1/4 million friends in one month.

My heart looks at all that unlike Mentos guys need the gospel and I'm like man I like to get on and share the gospel is new, but it's I see beyond the physical realm of that in the way I see it as a nation as a sovereign nation that is the craziest thing every day that you've lost your mind. As a nation does that were worried about Ukraine's border and yet we don't even care about our own what nation does that that that's it. That is, that is.

And now both Republican and Democrat counties are calling a national like like they cut their calling it an invasion so that they can take some sovereign right of their own. They don't need federal permission to begin to start deporting people out of their like like to does that it it's it it's just interesting to see a nation that is is abandoned law in so many different ways were focused on the the slaughter of the unborn and let's just forget everything else. And I think God just I read stuff like this and like there's like you did that wake him up.

There's like the ruling I don't know what awake America up with what what what it would take and I don't know. It's like a nation falls asleep morally spiritually. Nothing shocks us anymore were being I just heard a two-year-old in Europe. They were trying to do sex change due to its two-year-old. Now he's changing genders that is child abuse that is child abuse. This is how insane the world is and yet people to sit back like well their choice, their body is indeed the level of insanity. It's wickedness it's it's wickedness. I will say that to the day I die. I don't care if they throw me in jail. I still say it God's purpose for this judgment, he says in verse number four. Look what he says. He says, and you shall know that I have sent this commandment unto you selling them the painful experience of this judgment to your face nation of Israel you will know that God was the one who sent it will be that painful that clear that direct that precise, they would not listen to truth and now pain would be their instructor is always either I listen to the word of God and listen to God's truth or I will listen to pain your choice you say will that's not fair.

Why would God send pain because if you don't walk in the truth, you can walk and Aaron, if I walk in the darkness, and not in the light and I can have a smooth life than the then I'm in God would want me to live in delusion so it's it it it if you're walking down the wrong path.

The blessing is if you bump into some stuff that you say hey I don't want to keep going down this path because it is destructive. So God will allow the pain of that pastor read move you from the error of that path and bring you back into repentance and a right relationship with God.

He goes on to say in verse number four that my covenant bite be with Levi say the Lord of hosts and here he selling them. That's the purpose to show them he was to restore faithful Levi the priestly tribe. I want to discipline you, not simply to punish you but I want my covenant to be with Levi.

I wanted to be with you. It was supposed to be with a faithful people friend you will never face discipline from God. That is wasted discipline any discipline from our loving heavenly father is done for both God's glory and the greatest benefit you and I can get out of it. Hebrews 1211 says no chastening for the present scene with joyous, but grievous.

Nevertheless, afterward it yields a peaceable fruit of righteousness under them. Their exercise and bite anybody ever enjoy the discipline you got from your mom and dad all my Eisai mom don't don't tell him until he is eaten dinner. You know, just my wife and she's she's she she must be getting forward.

I don't remember a day that I've really come home and my wife ever had to do that to me is not because my kids are so perfect all the time they were a lot better than I was. But it's but I was always like feed the beast until you telling the sins he will pacify him. You know, but but discipline is is not fun to endure. And I know that so all of us to face discipline from God over different things, but I think if if you went around this room tonight and said why are you here tonight. Tell me your story, your story I think in our stories were, you know, I knew these things when I was 10 years old these things, and of 16 knew these things and I was 20 that on different row got on the wrong path began to go down this way to begin a new God didn't want me to do but I did it anywhere got my own got my own will.

Got my own life. I began to get these relationships get gotten into these other things this that financially didn't we just begin to tell the story about how we became the Lord of our life and then ate usually comes to then I began to face him so there severity some pain, loss of relationships distance from God. The situation, that situation and then there's enough pain to awaken a person to where they say man.

What if I did doing and so just know that God's grace is allow those pains in her life guider church in Chillicothe.

He is parents were part of our church from the very beginning. Probably the first couple months church. The parents came dear friends of ours. To this day, and that they have a son, probably about my age and he was younger it how old I am sometimes and mid 30s and in this really went down the wrong road just nice guy but he just no spiritual desire, no, no not save not live for God and in man. He got he got cancer and in his in his head in and had to move this smooth respondent and I thought they got it all. He really woke them up really shook him often and ends up getting saved at a little baby girl. She's like nine months old now but that cancer literally has spread through his entire body.

He's got he's got tumors bulging off of him like hundreds of like the worst thing a brother sadist but is worse is you could even imagine just on leave. We can't, he's used to be real strong real strong guy really stand up anymore. It's gotta be carried and you know I don't know.

I don't know what all the reasons for those things are, but I do know that through this he gave his life to Christ. His daughter got dedicated he brought 40 people to his daughter's baby dedication because he wanted them to hear the gospel and I don't I don't want pain to have to waken us that you know what better better that I suffer physically and get safe spiritually and have a great physical life and go to hell why Jesus is better that you didn't have an eye right so tonight, listen and learn. Instead of living and learning to be a final thought will be done. God's standard is in verse five down the verse number nine verse five he says my covenant was with him of life and peace begins to talk about the standard that he would call of the tribe of Levi to what he was calling these priests to their priestly tribe.

He says in verse five.

I have given given them to him for the fear wherewith he feared me and was afraid for my name.

So we see that that Levi at the beginning that priestly tribe had a godly fear. The Bible tells us where to serve God acceptably with fear and godly reverence and fear. The Bible says in Hebrews 1228 and what is sad is the priesthood started so strong with a godly fear and reverence to God with a drifted so far in. And it's the same thing that can happen to us. We can have a reverence for God that would begin to drift in that drift can happen like you did to the church. It in Ephesus. In Revelation chapter 2 and so the verse six he says in the law of truth was in his mouth. You see, that the priest had to speak correctly. The truth had to be found in their mouth they had to be people who said what they meant and meant what they said they lived it out. The priest truth. But notice what else he did in verse six they walked.

The truth is, as he walked with me in peace or in shalom and in equity. Only a couple of people in the Bible are said to have walked with God. Remember Enoch. It said he walked with God and was not because God took him. Genesis 524 then it says in Genesis 69 these are the generations of Noah. Noah was a just man, perfect in his generation and Noah walked with God and so so they walked with God and it is as they had equity the word equity means like a level place, which means that it's the idea of justice and uprightness and notice the effect of the faithful priest that he spoke right he walked right and then notice what he does in verse number six and he says and he turned and did turn many away from iniquity, so it was his faithful teaching and preaching both with his lips in his life that cause people to turn away from their sin, Walter Kaser says the goal of all faithful proclamation of the word is to lead sinners to repentance, to turn many away from iniquity, faithful proclamation of God's word will turn many to righteousness. I think it's so essential to know this. The direction of your life will cause other people go in that direction you turn away from God's word because of the people to drift you turn to God were your God because other people go towards God work. Just know you're bringing the flow somewhere. He says in verse seven for the pre-slip should keep knowledge and they should seek the Lord his mouth, for he is the message of the Lord in that day you can have a lot of copies of the Bible. Imagine today if there's only two copies of the Bible that we had for lighthouse Baptist Church and all of our country. There's only two chapters 2222 Bibles if you were given the book of Malachi gets what you would do you go home and read it like crazy this week because you like it so valuable because we have so many copies. The average of three or four homes. We don't read it and I believe things that will of keeping the Bible from people causes them to crave it more. Maybe I'll just overflow them with the Bible, so they get worn out with it. What a weariness it is now the priests he says are the people that his his nation should turn to. They should come to them and have answers it says verse seven, the pre-slip should keep knowledge and they should seek the Lord his mouth, for he is the message the Lord of hosts. He's the one they turned to you priestly sink should be the one the people come to for the truth in your leading them in the wrong direction. And so I say dad mom if you don't know the Bible. How on earth are you going to be of the director family. That's if you don't know the word. Are you going to be able to point your life in the right direction.

Your kids mom's going to point your husband and your children the right direction.

I got a point anybody in the right direction. Listen, just as you anybody expect me to faithfully preach the word of God, we come to church anybody bothered was like you know what he really didn't study any of that outrageous. He didn't read anything you just showed up one day didn't have any notes he studied in labor over the world for hours just going to read a couple verses set a couple thoughts and then just began to talk of his own opinions for everything you say man I he's not even a notice on you. If you expect me to know the Bible for your sake, why, how much more should sin our families feel the same way about us generative so you know I expect my mom and dad to know the words they can share with me.

We need to be ready to give an answer not going to know everything like you should know that all the time. The more you read the Bible, we realize you don't know that you should be a student you should be reading every single day every day just if you retreat for chapters day 34 chapters that you can read about 1520 minutes, 30 minutes if you're not a very fast reader you read through the entire Bible every year. If you do that, how many do you watch a silly video for 30 minutes. You watch a TV show. You just turn it off and just spend time in the word of God set a waking up in the morning and opening your phone get into the word out and don't read the Bible on your phone.

Not the best option because you get buzzed get it you get a familial text or something like when you're totally forget and you will have ears to hear, getting silenced the world.

Now some yard like that, but that's my Bible say love you if you can figure it out and turn off all notifications that's okay but just keep the notifications off. My point verse 89 as we wrap this up. Notice the contrast God standard and the failing of the priest in Malachi's day, in verse eight, nine. He says that your departed out of the way. You have caused many to stumble to the law you have corrupted the covenant of Levi say the Lord would but there is a strong contrast these things stop and ponder what I'm telling you, you may look good in your own eyes, but your Aussies telling them they departed from God's truth. The fellow away from it. Notice God's punishment in verse nine. Therefore, I have also made you contemptible. That's the idea of little value little worth before the people God calls them to be seen as those who have little value in and in and notice the sin that they were involved in verse nine, according as you have not kept my ways are not living according to God's truth.

You're the priest are the ones you should be laying it out, he says, but you've been partial in the law and what they were doing as they were showing favoritism to people based on their social status based on their economic position. They were playing favorites in and he says you're being partial, you've not kept my lawn were picking and choosing what they wanted to preach what they wanted to hold to what they wanted to highlight and God says judgments going to follow. I read this and I just thing.this is this is the case of America.

This is the churches of our country. People who get up and I can tell you right now friends. There are pastors that would read certain places in this Bible, they would say yeah not going to preach on that you know why they don't go verse by verse through but because they're not going to preach on that Matthew 544 your right hand offend you cut it often better to be in having one hand and the nap to healthy hands and because the health are not going to preach that you know me this just one after another, and so when you preach verse by verse, you're forced to text. The text deserving determines God's message because it is God's message and so I conclude by saying leadership is a huge deal.

All of us are leading somebody all of us are influencing somebody for us to lead right.

We have to be led right external bleeding starts with internal leading when this truth is implanted in the heart of a person they can begin to live that out. Joshua 18. God says Joshua Moses my servant is dead but you take this law which you meditate on it day and night.

You may observe the things that are written therein, then shall you make your way prosperous, and show you have good success of how I commanded you, strong courage, be not afraid, for the Lord is with you always. Don't let this depart from your mouth and so tonight God spoke your heart. Maybe just need to make a commitment to really dive into the word of God being faithful to it may be theirs influence in your life you say man I need to be a better job of leading somebody else in your life.

Just know this. The greater influence you have from the word of God, the greater impact you will have another people. That's all stance and I is about nice closed, God spoke your heart tonight.

You're welcome to come if you don't know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior. We got men and women down front ticket share with you from the word of God. How you can know when your life sever your be in heaven other. We thank you for this day.

We thank you for your mercy for your grace for salvation that I pray tonight if anyone in this room doesn't know Christ as their Savior, they might come tonight and be safe. Less now as we reflect upon your word. We honor you with our singing that I pray that our hearts will be clean before you in Jesus name pain