“The Call to Love God Completely” 9/17/06
Have you wondered, Does God really love me? Where is the proof? Is my worship to the Lord acceptable? Do I really love God? Is God pleased with my marriage? Why aren’t I as excited for the Lord as I was before? Have I drifted from the Lord? Is my financial giving to the Lord pleasing to Him? Is it enough? Is serving God really worth it? Our study of Malachi will answer these questions!
POINT 1- To love God completely is to have zeal for His NAME Vv. 1-3
A. God’s command is for all who are in full-time MINISTRY
B. It is God’s desire that we have a love for bringing Him GLORY
C. He has promised to judge by taking away our BLESSINGS
Not giving glory to God: 1) Isaiah 42:8; 2) Rom 1:21; 3) 2 Samuel 12:14
Giving glory to God begins with an attitude of recognizing His Greatness:
1) Recognizing His might acts (Matt 9:8); 2) Verbal Praise (Ps 86:9); 3) Having faith (Rom 4:20); 4) Using gifts (Matt 5:16; 1 Pet 4:11); 5) Faithfulness in ministry service (2 Cor 8:19); 6) Sexual purity (1 Cor 6:18-20); 7) Persecution (John 21:19)
"But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” Matthew 6:33
POINT 2- To love God completely is to have zeal for His WORD Vv. 4-9
A. God’s desire was for his blessings to CONTINUE
B. They had no excuse because their ancestors were OBEDIENT
C. They had ignored God’s word and so they were JUDGED
Story of
Ways in which we dishonor God’s Word: 1) Ignore / Indifferent (Pres of Comp); 2) Twist it to say what we want; 3) Deny it’s authority; 4) Deny it sufficiency
Ways in which we can demonstrate zeal for His Word: 1) Study it (2 Tim 2:15);
2) Obey it (John 14:15, 21); STORY of Obedient DOG 3) Hide it in our heart through memorization (Psalm 119:11); 4) Share it (Romans 10:17)
“I will worship toward Your holy temple, And praise Your name For Your lovingkindness and Your truth; For You have magnified Your word above all Your name.” Psalm 138:2
“Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day.” Psalm 119:97
“Great peace have those who love Your law, And nothing causes them to stumble.” Psalm 119:165
A zealous man in his faith is pre-eminently a man of one thing. It is not enough to say that he is earnest, hearty, uncompromising, thorough-going, whole-hearted, or even fervent in spirit. He only sees one thing, he cares for one thing, he lives for one thing, he is swallowed up in one thing; and that one thing is to please God. Whether he lives, or whether he dies—whether he has health, or whether he has sickness—whether he is rich, or whether he is poor—whether he pleases man, or whether he gives offence—whether he is thought wise, or whether he is thought foolish—whether he gets blame, or whether he gets praise—whether he gets honor, or whether he gets shame—for all this the zealous man cares nothing at all; except that of pleasing His God.