Malachi 3:13-16

What you say can get you in a lot of trouble.

Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few. (Ecclesiastes 5:2 NIV)

Sin is not ended by multiplying words, but the prudent hold their tongues. (Proverbs 10:19 NIV)

We don't say everything we are thinking.

You can't talk gloom and doom and expect to experience sunshine and roses.

We succeed or fail by our words.

Who Is Jesus?

Malachi 3:1-4

You move toward God and he moves toward you.

When you are faithful in your giving, God pours out an abundance of blessings in your life.

It's an appeal to reconciliation.

Malachi is saying that god will make us ready for the harvest of blessings, if we're willing to be made ready.

We give with a new approach -- one that is not motivated by the threat of punishment, but instead by the promise of blessing.

Begin by sowing what you want to reap, starting in the direction you want to go.

Duane Parrish of Destined To Overcome Ministries

It's a daily process of making sure your spiritual tank is full and you're not running on reserves.

Direction means that we don't look back, we don't live in the past, we keep moving forward.

Determination means that we don't give up, not even when it's easiest to give up.

Discipline means that we don't sell out.

The Leader is Decisive

"Absolute power corrupts absolutely."

The greatest danger for the lack of accountability is in individual lives.

So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God. (Romans 14:12 NIV)