~Walking In The Light~
In this podcast, Elders Randall & DeBorrah K. Ogans share biblically based insight, guidance, and advice on Life & Living, Marriage & Relationships, Family & Parenting, Faith & Belief, Church & Religion, Spiritual Health, and more.
Weekly episodes encourage listeners to live life out loud, walking/living in the light, doing what the Lord requires of us in every area of life. What does the Lord require of us? To act justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with our God.
Jesus said "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life".
To walk in the light is to have a daily commitment to living out a righteous life. Blessed(happy) are those who walk in the light of His presence. His word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. For it is in Him that we live, and move, and have our being.
This then is the message which we have heard of Him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son, cleanseth us from all sin.
Always keep in mind, the transforming power of the Lord, is truth. Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and everything else will be added unto you.
If you haven't already, make a commitment today, to start Walking In the Light.
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~Walking In The Light~
Malachi - Will A Man Rob God?
Today we're focusing on the book of Malachi, its core message and contemporary relevance. Malachi's prophecy, delivered during a time of spiritual decline in Israel, condemns the people and priests for their hypocrisy, unacceptable sacrifices, and disregard for God's law.
We emphasize Malachi's warnings of impending judgment and the necessity of repentance, and the concept of "robbing God". Not merely through financial neglect, but also through a lack of genuine worship and obedience.
God was greatly displeased with the religious practices of the priests and people of Israel which had devolved into meaningless rituals and traditions, lacking genuine worship. Specific issues included spiritual abuses, disrespect, offering blemished and unacceptable sacrifices, polluted bread, and widespread disobedience to God's laws.
In many church services, generally right before the offering, we often hear the scripture in Malachi referenced "Will A Man Rob God?" Many times it is used to coherce or pressure congregants to tithe, or give 10% of their income. But that was not the intent of Malachi.
What does it mean to "rob God" according to the Book of Malachi?
The phrase "Will a man rob God?" goes beyond just tithing. It primarily refers to depriving God of the glory, honor, praise, and preeminence that He deserves daily.
While the misdirection of tithes was an issue, the heart of the matter was failing to acknowledge God’s authority and treating Him with contempt and disrespect. We still see that today. Disrespect for God, the people of God, and places of worship. Some think it's Ok to just give God the leftovers. It's not. He gave us His best, and we should in turn give Him our best.
Malachi's called for a return to true faith, and the significant consequences of spiritual complacency. The issues of spiritual complacency, moral decay, and disrespect for God that Malachi addressed are not unique to his time. We can draw parallels to modern-day societal issues, including societal unrest, moral decay, a decline in adherence to God's word, and also a lack of spiritual awareness of God's will.
Malachi's central message, and our message in this episode, is a call to repentance.
Send us your questions or comments about this episode.
Be sure to visit the following:
Alpha 7 Ministries website where you can find more guidance, spiritual insight, and advice on Life & Living, Parenting & Family, Marriage & Relationships, Spiritual matters, and more.
Elder DeBorrah K. Ogans Amazon Author Page - Review and learn more about books she has written, including her latest two books:
"Proverbs Daily Devotional - Goldmine of Spiritual Wisdom"
Learn how to make better decisions in every area of your
life.
"How Do I Love Thee - Food For Thought Before You Say I Do"
This is a mini-premarital guide to be used by couples, counselors, and clergy.
Elder Randall Ogans Sr. Youtube Channel
Smooth instrumental music that will calm the agitations of your mind, body, and soul.
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