12.30.11 "What's Left for God?"

"What's Left for God?"

Malachi 1:1-2:17
Revelation 21:1-27
Psalm 149:1-9
Proverbs 31:10-24

Over the course of the next few days we will hear a lot about resolutions. With the new year at the door, many people look at this as a time to evaluate where they are at, and what they are doing with their life, health, finances, etc. What about the year that has just gone by? What does that look like? What did you do for you? What did you do for God?

Malachi 1:6-8 declares: "'A son honors his father, a servant honors his master. I am your Father and Master, yet you don't honor me, O priests, but you despise my name.' 'Who? Us?' you say. 'When did we ever despise your name?' ' When you offer polluted sacrifices on my altar.' 'Polluted sacrifices? When have we ever done a thing like that?' 'Every time you say, "Don't bother bringing anything very valuable to offer to God!" You tell the people, "Lame animals are all right to offer on the altar of the Lord - yes, even the sick and the blind ones." And you claim this isn't evil? Try it on your governor sometime - give him gifts like that - and see how pleased he is!"

We don't offer sacrifices of animals, but we do offer God our time, talent and resources as well as lives of obedience. I was thinking about how so many people offer God what is "left" of these things.

"Well, we spent a little too much for Christmas, so we're going to have to wait to give in the offering." "Well, our family is really busy, so there's not enough time left, we're not going to be able to be involved in ministry."

Isn't it sad how backwards we have it? All of this belongs to God! He gets our best, not what's left over! When we live with this principle, WE can live on what's "left over". With our priorities in order, we will ALWAYS have more than enough, because we are living for HIS glory.

Some misunderstand and think that you can be a poor steward of your family for the sake of ministry involvement. That's not it at all. That is not the definition of healthy living. You need to integrate into your life and your family the proper understanding of what it means to put God's resources into service. In fact, the result of good stewardship of family is engaging them in ministry and making the church Body a significant part of life.

As we look at this new year, rather than making resolutions of how we can better ourselves, why not resolve to offer God the best of our best. Watch and see what happens when the obedience of the Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship and the responsibility of Active Ministry Involvement become a part of our being and a part of who we are. We will live in an exciting new dimension of life and fulfillment.


Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!

Pastor Greg Lathe

Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ