From: "Phil Rembleski" <PHIl@rescuechurchofchrist.org>

To: "1111RESCUEMEMBERS"

Cc:

Sent: Wed, Jul 9, 2025 at 6:02 AM

Subject: 7-9-25 THOUGHTS

7-9-25   THOUGHTS

Things are not good for the audience of Malachi.  They want to throw fodder at God and behave as they wish.  They want to argue with God and justify themselves before Him.  God’s solution for them is to “Get on your knees and pray...”!   That will work for any era and people.  God’s comment about “shutting the doors of the Temple and locking them...” is powerful.  Isa 1:13 "Bring your worthless offerings no longer, Incense is an abomination to Me. New moon and sabbath, the calling of assemblies —  I cannot endure iniquity and the solemn assembly.”  Mark 12:33   AND TO LOVE HIM WITH ALL THE HEART AND WITH ALL THE UNDERSTANDING AND WITH ALL THE STRENGTH, AND TO LOVE ONE’S NEIGHBOR AS HIMSELF, is much more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices."

Please read from a good word for word translation!  
Mal 1:6-12a  MB    "Isn’t it true that a son honors his father and a worker his master? So if I’m your Father, where’s the honor? If I’m your Master, where’s the respect?" GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies is calling you on the carpet:  "You priests despise me! "You say, ‘Not so! How do we despise you?’ "By your shoddy, sloppy, defiling worship. "  You ask, ‘What do you mean, "defiling"? What’s defiling about it?’  7  "When you say, ‘The altar of GOD is not important anymore; worship of GOD is no longer a priority,’ that’s defiling. 8  And when you offer worthless animals for sacrifices in worship, animals that you’re trying to get rid of—blind and sick and crippled animals—isn’t that defiling? Try a trick like that with your banker or your senator —how far do you think it will get you?" GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies asks you. 9  "Get on your knees and pray that I will be gracious to you. You priests have gotten everyone in trouble. With this kind of conduct, do you think I’ll pay attention to you?"  GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies asks you. 10  "Why doesn’t one of you just shut the Temple doors and lock them? Then none of you can get in and play at religion with this silly, empty-headed worship. I am not pleased. The GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies is not pleased. And I don’t want any more of this so-called worship!  11  "I am honored all over the world. And there are people who know how to worship me all over the world, who honor me by bringing their best to me. They’re saying it everywhere: ‘God is greater, this GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies.’    12  "All except you.

A Prayer:
O Father God, help us always to be real and pure in our worship and behavior before You.   Remove from us any tendency to be at ease and tepid as we approach You and the work of the kingdom.   Keep us praying without any ceasing. Help us to love and serve You with our ALL.  
Praise and honor and glory be to Jehovah, God.  We thank You in the name of Jesus,    Amen.