Malachi: I Love & Don't Change
So often we can doubt God's love or take it for granted. God is love. All that God says and does is in love, and He does not change. Do we embrace God's definition of love or do we try to change it? God tells us clearly through Malachi, I Love & Don't Change. #malachi #2020
Starter
- Have you ever taken something that was not yours to take? explain
Pray
Lord we pray that you would teach us about your love. Help us to believe you over our feelings and opinions, not doubt that you are love, and not take you for granted. May we embrace your definition of love. May we see clearly how we have robbed you and that we are yours.
Study Questions
"How Have We Robbed You?...They will be Mine."
The book of Malachi reads like a text or social media conversation. As we continue our study of Malachi, the last book of the Old Testament, God's people have seen God continue to love them, discipline them, and explain to them clearly who He is. Yet, His people keep asking questions of Him as if they believe they have done nothing wrong. In Malachi's day, even though God's people were in slavery, God blessed His people to return to the land and city of His promise. He used pagan Kings to bless Ezra's rebuilding of the temple and Nehemiah's rebuilding of the walls. But, the people of God still won't admit to robbing God and refusing to commit to be His.
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- If you asked someone how you could return to right relationship with them and they told you what to do, would you do it? Why or why not?
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- In both passages, God says that the "fathers" and "ancestors" would not return to Him. How are these statements important for us to hear and take to heart if we are going to return to God?
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- In reality, everything is God's, but for some reason He asks His people specifically for the first 10th. God often tests people, but here he asks us to test Him! God could have asked Malachi to tell them to return to Him in a variety of ways, but God picks this.
- Why do you think God starts with this very practical issue as a measuring line when asking His people to return and BE HIS?
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- Discuss how the promises in Malachi 3:10-11 and Matthew 6:19-21 work together to help us properly understand God's heart, our heart, and our response to whatever we receive by obeying Him?
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- Many earthly health and wealth false teachers terribly misuse these passages. Discuss How?..Why?...What can be the result?
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- What is God's ultimate goal for our current earthly blessings and later heavenly blessing (3:12)? How might our lives look differently if we really believed 3:12 and the other scriptures that say a similar things?
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- How do you tend to ROB God and bring a curse on yourself? (4 T's)
- How can knowing that you can return and that He wants you to BE HIS help you in the midst of the curse?
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- Have you ever said harsh words like 3:13-15 to God? Why? Discuss what might be at the heart of these words?