As a follower of Jesus, you are part of a royal priesthood. Like the priests of the Israelites, you have been given a responsibility to go into God's presence and make spiritual offerings to him through prayer on your behalf and on the behalf of others. In the second chapter of Malachi God reminds His priests that when this responsibility is done with honor and reverence for God life and peace follow. When the priests don't do this there are negative consequences. As modern day priests we are called to take up this responsibility to encourage life and peace for everyone.

Have you ever felt left out? Have you ever seen someone that almost felt like they had become less than human in the eyes of those around them? Jesus had a way of healing and speaking life into exactly these kinds of people. His lessons on how to treat those that the rest of society had forgotten or rejected unfortunately don't seem to be applied very often today even by his followers. Jesus had radical interactions with lepers, beggars, blind, lame, mute, diseased and broken. Today as his followers we should be taking on this example to give life again to those that feel like they have been forgotten.

Is your life honoring to God? This might seem like a loaded question, but it's worth asking. In the second half of the first chapter in Malachi God challenges the priests of Israel about the way they worship. The priests were more than willing to give perfect sacrifices to their human rulers, but for God they gave blind and lame animals. Today we don't sacrifice animals to God, but we He does still expect our best. To give God the honor He deserves, we should be willing surrender ourselves fully to Him as a living sacrifice.

Is your life honoring to God? This might seem like a loaded question, but it's worth asking. In the second half of the first chapter in Malachi God challenges the priests of Israel about the way they worship. The priests were more than willing to give perfect sacrifices to their human rulers, but for God they gave blind and lame animals. Today we don't sacrifice animals to God, but we He does still expect our best. To give God the honor He deserves, we should be willing surrender ourselves fully to Him as a living sacrifice.

Jesus took time to elevate and honor those who were vulnerable and powerless. When he was surrounded by children he encouraged his disciples that the kingdom of heaven belonged to children and to receive it like a child. When given the opportunity Jesus had women disciples and sent them out to evangelize and give instruction to men and women. Jesus didn't see status or personal gain in who he chose to spend time with. Instead he intentionally went after those that the religious leaders of the day had turned their back on. Jesus teaches us in his interactions with women and children how to elevate and give honor to the vulnerable and powerless.

Have you ever struggled to believe God loves you? You're not alone! In fact, throughout the Bible God's people have struggled with this same exact thing. The book of Malachi even begins by God addressing the Israelites about this exact thing. In response God reminds them of how He has been faithful to keep His word to them. He tells them that they will see his faithfulness and respond in worship. When we question God's love we can use this same method of remembering God's faithfulness and turning it back Into praise.

Have you ever struggled to believe God loves you? You're not alone! In fact, throughout the Bible God's people have struggled with this same exact thing. The book of Malachi even begins by God addressing the Israelites about this exact thing. In response God reminds them of how He has been faithful to keep His word to them. He tells them that they will see his faithfulness and respond in worship. When we question God's love we can use this same method of remembering God's faithfulness and turning it back Into praise.

Jesus came to seek and save the lost. He told a group of religious leaders that were upset with who he was eating with that he came for the sick. People who had made a profession out of immoral activity weren't avoided by Jesus. He wasn't afraid to be seen with them or to get to know them. The example Jesus shows us is that we should never count ourselves as too good to reach any group of people. Jesus came for everyone.

For many of us meeting someone new is a scary adventure. It's one of the things that can keep us from loving our neighbor and sharing the love of Jesus with them. Sharing a meal or beverage can be one way to help bring down those difficult walls. Jesus shared many meals with people from all different walks of life. Some of those he shared meals with didn't like that he ate with others. Most importantly though, Jesus knew that he had a message to share that was more important than any fear.

For many of us meeting someone new is a scary adventure. It's one of the things that can keep us from loving our neighbor and sharing the love of Jesus with them. Sharing a meal or beverage can be one way to help bring down those difficult walls. Jesus shared many meals with people from all different walks of life. Some of those he shared meals with didn't like that he ate with others. Most importantly though, Jesus knew that he had a message to share that was more important than any fear.