Malachi 3:16-17
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Good Morning, please turn with me this morning in your Bibles to the book of want you to look with me at a passage of scripture that I trust and pray will reach home to each and every one of you.
If there is one prayer that is always at the forefront of my mind for you ll is that you would make God a priority in your life. Let’s look at
Then those who feared the Lord spoke with one another. The Lord paid attention and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the Lord and esteemed his name. “They shall be mine, says the Lord of hosts, in the day when I make up my treasured possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him.
(Let’s pray)
I’d like to speak with you this morning on this subject… HOW TO GET GODS UNDIVIDED ATTENTION.
(Noah)
I’m sure all of us have thought about at one time or another, Cory I am sure all of us have speculated about it at one time or another.I’m sure that we have all reflected on it at one time or another.
It doesn’t matter whether you are a seasoned believer, a new believer or a maturing believer I promise you you’ve thought about it, I promise you, youve considered it.
It doesn’t matter youre position in the church, you can be a praying preacher, a devoted deacon, a useful choir member, a joyful greeter, a devoted Sunday School teacher, a marvelous musician, a mature member or glowing greeter…
I don’t care where you serve or where you are in your life right now you have thought about this and the thing you have thought about is whether or not we have gotten God’s undivided attention. Have you ever wondered do I have God’s undivided attention?
Out of all the people that God knows out of all the things that God does have I ever gotten all of God’s undivided attention?
As much as we depend on God and seek him, have you ever wondered if you have God’s undivided attention, especially when we do the things we do. When we participate the things of God we hope that He is aware of what were doing. The things that we as believers do, the things that we as beleivers participate in , Dont you hope god is aware of what were doing?
I can’t speak for anybody else but when I pray in my heart I want god’s undivided attention. When I worship I want God’s undivided attention,when I praise His name I want God’s undivided attention, when I fast I want gods undivided attention.
When I come into the Lords house I know there are other people in here but I hope that I have God’s undivided attention. Or do you think that God is like some of us, do we think that God is so preoccupied that we dont have His undivided attention?
Im sure this has happened to all of us at some point, I mean have you ever been talking to somebody I mean your right in their face your holding a conversation, and its obvious that you dont have their undivided attention, they are talking to other people while they are talking to you.
It’s clear that you don’t have their undivided attention, or maybe your trying to them and they are watching television or looking at a phone while they are talking to you, or doing a task and your trying to talk with them but they are preoccupied with something else, and can’t have a meaningful conversation with you?
Dont that just aggravate the mess out of you?
Like look man I’m talking to you look me in the eyes, and its obvious that you don’t have that persons undivided attention, we all make this mistake sometimes but i can hear someon saying right now wait a minute Kyle I can multitask, Iain’t saying you cant multitask, especially the ladies, ladies I know yall can multitask, I am amazed that you can drive and put on your makeup.
i’m amazed that you can do all that and still talk on the cell phone at the same time. I’m amazed and we all have so much going on I understand that we have all got a full plate, i understand sometimes we get in a rush I fail at this frequently… but I have to ask everyone in the room… are you more busy than God?
Are you busier than God?
One day God had to explain to Job about his schedule,
Job chapter 38-39 when Job began to explain to God everyting that was going on with him and god said hold up have let yuo talklong enoughand God began to answer Job’s questions:
Here’s what He said
Job where were you when I formed the Earth? Where were you when I said let there be light? Where were you when I divided the light from the darkness and i called the light day and the darkness night? Job where were you when I put stars in the sky, where were you when I put clouds in the sky? Job where were you when I told the sun to come out today and told it to shine, Job where were you when I divided the seas and the rivers?
Job where were you when I put the mountains in the valleys? Where were you when I decided when winter would come, summer would come?
Job where were you when I put sweetness in the peaches? Job where were you when I put sour in the lemon, and tang in the orange? Job where were you when I put the sugar in Krispy Cream donuts
Job where were you when I put the strength in the oak tree, when I gave the birds a song to sing, Job where were you when I created man from the dust of the ground and blew into mans nostrils and man became a living soul?
Job where were you when I created a woman from a rib that I took out of Adams side?
Job where were you when because of man’s sin I allowed it to rain for forty days and forty nights?
Job where were you when I divided the red sea and let the children of Israel walk through on dry ground, Job where were you when I did all that, and if that wasn’t enough Job dont tell me your busy!
I KNOW ABOUT BUSY
Yet in spite of all that, in spite of who He is, in spite of the fact that He holds the whole world in the palm of His hand the question from all of us who are trying to get God’s ear is how in the world can we get God’s undivided attention?
Or for that matter is it even possible to get God’s undivided attention, well according to it is certainly possible to get God’s undivided attention. Our text says that there are 3 types of people who get God’s undivided attention. The kinds of people who get God’s undivided attention are
Those Who Are Fearful
Those Who Are Fearful
Malachi 3:
Look at the first part of
“THE THOSE WHO FEARED THE LORD STOP RIGHT THERE
The type of person that will always get god’s undivided attention are those who are fearful, now fearful I’m not talking about those who are afraid of God like some ghost or like he is some mad man or some ruler or dictator, no I am talking about those who have a healthy fear of God. People that get God’s undivided attention are those of us that have a healthy fear of God. Where you honor God where you adore God, a kind of fear of God where no matter what your hearts greatest concern is thta you are obedient to the one who is worthy of all praise. you don’t want to do anything to grieve God you have a healthy fear of God that you want to do what God say in His word to do.
The type of healthy fear of god where God is not only Lord of your life but where God is the leader of your life, let me say that again, the type of fear where God is not only the Lord of your life but leader of your life.
I’m hear to tell you there are many people who do not have this right, there are alot of people who want Jesus to save them but do not honor Him by submitting to His word, why? because they dont have a healthy fear of God at all. There are many who have asked God to be their Lord but have refused to let God lead their lives, freind this means you dont fear God at all.
To fear God means that whatever you do whatever in word or deed you wanna do it to honor Go, you do everything in your life, everything in your being to give glory and honor and praise, the kind of fear that when God says go your going, when God says stop you stop, when God says wait you wait, when God says jump you say how high? In other words friends what Im talking about when I talk abut fearing God is that you want to do everything in your power to obey the Word of God and obey the will of God. The type of fear that Isaiah had in When God asked the question whom shall we send and who will go for us, and Isaiah said HERE AM I LORD SEND ME!
The problem that we have in the world today and the problem that we have in the church today is that we dont have enough people who have a healthy fear of God. Look at some of the things church folk are doing, preachers are doing and singers are doing. Ladies and gentleman what we need in the body of Christ today, what we need in the church today is people who have a healthy fear of God, so much so that it dictates everything you do everywhere you go, and it dictates your walk and your talk.
You cannot tell me you fear God when you will not submit to His word, you do not revere Him if you will not submit your life to His word.
I am telling you the first way to get God’s undivided attention is to fear Him in reverence and honor.
Those Who Are Followers
Those Who Are Followers
Will get god’s undivided attention.
Look at the second part of verse 1
“THEN THOSE WHO FEARED THE LORD SPOKE TO ONE ANOTHER AND THE LORD LISTENED AND HEARD THEM.”
(repeat)
Guys not only those who are fearful will get God’s undivided attention but also those who are followers will get God’s undivided attention. Dont read that too fast, those WHO FEARED THE LORD SPOKE TO ONE ANOTHER AND THE LORD LISTENED AND HEARD THEM.
The text says that God not only listens to His followers but He also hears His followers. You need to understand something right now child of God if you are not following the Lord He is not listening to you. I didnt say it the text says it.
NOT ONLY DOES HE LISTEN TO HIS FOLLOWERS BUT HE HEARD THEM
NOTICE GOD MAKES THIS STATEMENT CLEARLY
THE FOLK THAT GET GODS UNDIVIDED ATTENTION ARE THOSE BELIEVERS WHO FIRST SPEAK TO ONE ANOTHER
Uhoh
That may be a problem for some of us, god qualifies His statement He makes clear His statement He says the folk who get my undivided attention are those who first speak to one another.
(REPEAT VERSE !)
In other words God says HOW DO YOU EXPECT ME TO LISTEN TO YOU WHEN YOU DONT EVEN SPEAK TO EACH OTHER?
God says how do you expect me to give you my undivided attention if you dont even speak to your brother or sister? If you dont even talk to those who are in the body of Christ?
It’s funny but this makes perfect sense to me, teenagers at camp all of you were hugging and enbracing and things were great but now reality has set in and you aint talking to the same people who you were so close with not too long ago, adults things happen and life happens and people you used to be close with you dont find time to talk with anymore.
GOD SAYS HOW DO YOU EXPECT ME TO LISTEN TO YOU WHEN YOU WONT TALK WITH YOUR FAMILY IN CHRIST?
Yet you want god’s undivided attention
HOW CAN WE SAY WE LOVE GOD AND NOT SPEAK TO ONE ANOTHER?
HOW CAN WE SAY WERE SAVED WERE BORN AGAIN AND WE FEEL WITH THE SPIRIT OF GOD AND DONT TALK TO HIS OTHER CHILDREN?
Notice God did not say that yall have to hang out together God did not say yall have to have lunch everyday because God understands just like we do that some people are not easy to get along with.
Come on tell the truth, God understands that some people are not easy to get along with for some reason or another. There are some people who just kind of get on your last nerve. Can i get someone honest to say amen...
That’s why when He wrote to the believers in Rome thats why when Paul wrote to Christs followers in Rome He said
If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.
God understands that there are some people who sometimes will tick you off…
God understands that there are some who will stab you in the back, God understands that there are some folk that will make you lose the little religion you got. However if you are a true follower of the master if you truly have a healthy fear of God you must do your part and at least speak to your brothers and your sisters, you dont have to hang out with em, but at least as one who fears God you ought to speak to those in the body.
To live above above with those we love would be truly glorious, to live below with those we know thats a whole different story.
If we truly want Gods undivided attention we must give our undivided attention to each other. But theres another part to this verse before I move on.
the text says the Lord listened and Heard them.
Which says to me that if we want god’s undivided attention its not only important that his followers talk to one another but it also means that God is interested in what we talk about. In other words Gods ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts God doesnt mind His sons and daughters talking about different subjects, He listens when our conversations are about sports or politics current events or our family.
God dont mind us talking about things like that but if were really gonna get God’s undivided attention I DARE YOU TO START TALKING ABOUT THE THINGS OF GOD NOT THE THINGS OF THE CHURCH NOT THE THINGS WE SEE WRONG OR DONT AGREE WITH BUT THE THINGS OF GOD. START TALKING ABOUT GODS LOVE AND GODS GRACE AND GODS MERCY
START TALKING ABOUT GODS FORGIVENESS AND GODS GOODNESS
WHEN YOU START TALKING ABOUT THE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD AND THE CHARACTERISTICS OF GOD I PROMISE YOU NOT ONLY WILL GOD LISTEN BUT GOD WILL HEAR EVERYTHING THAT YOU SAY...
Because there is a difference between listening and hearing
We have 4 children and there is alot going on at our house. There are times when Amy will shout from one side of the house to the other Kyle will you bring me those clothes off the couch when you come or something like that. Im playing with the kids or watching a ball gamer and I say yeah!
then I walk into the bedroom… and she looks at me like (act it out) and I am like what?
She said I asked you to bring me this or that.... and i say when I didn’t hear that
You see I was listening but I didnt hear her.
God not only wants to listen to us he wants to hear us and I promise you He hears us when we talk about HIs attributes and His goodness and His word He hears us when we talk about HIs character and when we worship Him and give Him praise we can get God’s undivided attention when we talk abuot who He is and what He has done for us. How do we get Gods undivided attention? By revering and respecting Him, we get God’s undivided attention when we are followers those who hear and talk about Godbut then finally
THOSE WHO ARE FAITHFUL
THOSE WHO ARE FAITHFUL
Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another,
And the Lord listened and heard them;
So a book of remembrance was written before Him
For those who fear the Lord
And who meditate on His name.
“They shall be Mine,” says the Lord of hosts,
“On the day that I make them My jewels.
And I will spare them
As a man spares his own son who serves him.”
“They will be Mine,” says the Lord of Hosts, “a special possession on the day I am preparing. I will have compassion on them as a man has compassion on his son who serves him.
When you are faithful to God alone your life will be remebered…
Will you be remebered when you die?
God says if you fear me and meditate on my name yuo surely will be.
A BOOK OF REMEMBRANCE WAS WRITTEN BEFORE HIM FOR WHO?
THOSE WHO FEARED THE LORD AND WHO MEDITATE ON HIS NAME
Guys i dare you to be faithful to God, not to your freinds or your family but GOD ALONE
GOD SAYS AT THE END OF VERSE 16
I WILL REMEMBER THOSE WHO FEAR ME
I WILL REMEMBER THOSE WHO MEDITATE UPON MY NAME
THOSE WHO PONDER MY NAME
WHATS HIS NAME?
HIS NAME IS:
JEHOVAH JIRAH THE LORD WILL PROVIDE
MEDITATE UPON HIS NAME
HIS NAME IS JEHOVAH NISSI THE LORD MY BANNER
MEDITATE UPON HIS NAME
HIS NAME IS JEHOVAH SHALOM THE LORD MY PEACE
MEDITATE UPON HIS NAME
HIS NAME IS JEHOVAH SHAMA THE LORD IS THERE EVEN WHEN YOU DONT THINK HE IS
MEDITATE UPON HIS NAME
HIS NAME IS JEHOVAH ZEDKINU THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS
WHEN YOU WERENT RIGHTEOUS HE WAS AND IS RIGHTEOUSNESS ON YOUR BEHALF
I DARE YOU MEDITATE UPON HIS NAME!
What does HE promise to those who meditate upon His name
THEY WILL BE MINE!!!
Is there anything better than being God’s own possesion?
To know that God’s got your back no matter the schemes of men, God’s got your back, no matter how people try to hurt you to know GODS GOT YOUR BACK, NO MATTER WHAT TRIAL YOU MAY BE FACING TO KNOW THAT GODS GOT MY BACK!!!!!
I CAN FACE ANYTHING THIS WORLD MAY THROW AT ME WHEN I KNOW I AM ON GODS SIDE!!!!!
IF GOD BE FOR US WHO CAN STAND AGAINST US!!!
THE SHALL BE MINE SAITH THE LORD!!!
Then He says somethign else
ON THE DAY I MAKE THEM MY JEWELS!!!
HE SAYS A LIFETIME LIVED WITH THE FEAR OF THE LORD FOR THE GLORY OF THE LORD WILL RESULT IN YOU BEING HIS MOST PRIZED POSSESION!
There is coming a day when we will leave this old world and when we do if we have remained faithful to god if we have feared Him and not feared men then we shall become HIS JEWELS!!!!!
But not only that He says He will spare us.... spare us from what?
the wrath of the almighty!!!
How because those who fear the Lord revere and honor Jesus the one who came and bore the wrath of God in our place that we might become the righteousness of God.
I DARE YOU TO ALLOW THE LORD JESUS CHRIST TO DOMINATE YOUR MIND, TO MEDITATE, TO CONCENTRATE HIS HOLY AND HIS RIGHTEOUS HIS GLORIOUS NAME.
I dare you that during the business of your life I encourage you that you would have a healthy fear of God that you would be a follower of God that you would be faithful to God HE WIL BE FAITHFUL TO YOU AND HE WILL GIVE YOU PERSONALLY HIS UNDIVIDED ATTENTION.