Written by: John Sernaque
Call to Worship
Malachi 3: 1-3
3:1 Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.
3:2 But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he [is] like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap:
3:3 And he shall sit [as] a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness.
Truth a Continual Test—
[Malachi 3:1-3 quoted.] Everything in our character that cannot enter the city of God will be reproved; if we submit to the Lord’s refining, all the dross and the tin will be consumed. As the Lord’s chosen ones will receive the light appropriate for this time, they will not be led to exalt themselves. They will not manufacture a standard whereby to measure their own character; for the Lord has given one standard, by which every character is to be tested. There is not one standard for the poor, and another for the rich; for all will be tested by that law which bids us to love God supremely and our neighbor as ourselves. Those who win the treasure of heaven will be those who have laid up their treasure above. God gives us light and opportunities to learn from Christ; that we may be like Him in spirit and character; but we are not to conform to any human standard. We are to receive the truth of God into the heart, that it may regulate the life and form the character. {4BC 1181.4}
The Lord is looking upon men in the different spheres in which they move, and the character is tested under the different circumstances in which they are placed. The truth, pure, refined, elevating, is a continual test, to measure the man. If truth controls the conscience and is an abiding principle in the heart, it becomes an active working agent, it works by love and purifies the soul. But if the knowledge of the truth produces no beauty in the soul, if it does not subdue, soften, and recreate the man after God’s own image, it is of no benefit to the receiver; it is as sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal. The truth as it is in Jesus, planted in the heart by the Holy Spirit, always works from within outward; it will be revealed in our words and spirit and actions toward everyone with whom we are connected (Letter 20a, 1893). {4BC 1181.5}
For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps. I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name. Forever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven. The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. Thou
shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently. Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you. Order my steps in thy word. Do we begin again to commend ourselves? Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, trust have we through Christ to God-ward, not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God. Amen.
Our Father, which art in heaven,
We come into Your presence in thanksgiving, praise, and prayer. We thank You for giving us Your breath of life and the Word to live by. We are soever grateful for the sacrifice made on our behalf. You suffered for us, leaving us an example, that we should follow Your steps. Thank You for giving us Your truth, the truth that saves. Thank You for the gift of everlasting life to those who accept and receive it. Your words are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Every word of God is pure: You are a shield to us and we put all our trust in You. You never promised that life would be easy but that it would be worth it. We thank You for all the trials we face as we go through the fire, to be refined as pure gold. Thank You for always being there with us as we pass through the fire, purifying us and purging us as gold and silver, consuming all the dross and the tin. You have told us all will be tested by that law which bids us to love God supremely and our neighbor as ourselves. Thank You for being our example and teacher so that we may be like You in spirit, character, and truth. Thank You for putting Your truth into our hearts, that it may lead our life and form our characters. Thank You for the truth that purifies our souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit. We praise Your name for Your lovingkindness and for Your truth: for You have magnified Your Word above all Your name. Thank You for giving us newness of life, being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by Your Word, which lives and abides forever. We thank You for hearing and answering our prayers, in the name of Christ Jesus, we pray. Amen.
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