Week Two: Breaking Ground Day 14: Holy Ground April 9, 2016

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"Sow for yourselves righteousness, reap the fruit of

unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground;

for it is time to seek the LORD, until He comes

and showers righteousness upon you."

(Hosea 10:12)

Day Fourteen Devotions:

MORNING MEDITATION

AFTERNOON DEVOTION

EVENING PRAYER

MORNING MEDITATION

Glean the Word:

Malachi 3:1-5

Glimpse of Glory: "See, I will send My messenger, who will prepare the way before Me. Then suddenly the LORD you are seeking will come into His temple, the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come," says the LORD Almighty." (v. 1).

As we come to the end of our second week, we have broken ground and dug up, not only the root of all our problems, but also the solid foundation of our faith. As we looked back at the Old Testament prophets who foretold the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, we also listened in on their warnings to the people calling them to repent of their sin and to return to the Lord with wholehearted devotion and obedience. "Return to Me, and I will return to you,' says the LORD Almighty" (Malachi 3:7b). Malachi, means "my messenger" and he foretold the coming of the last of the old covenant prophets, John the Baptist, who would prepare the way for the great "Messenger of the covenant", Jesus Christ. "A voice of one calling: "In the desert prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken" (Isaiah 40:3-5).

The Old Testament is a highway that rises up and proclaims the coming Messiah. This highway was to be the way of holiness to welcome the coming righteous King. The ministry of John the Baptist, as well as all the prophets of the old covenant, was to call the people to repentance; the hearts of the people needed to be cleared of the obstacles of sin and debris, because in their hearts is where the Messiah-King would set up His kingdom. God is holy, He is absolute moral perfection, and His people are to "be holy, because He is holy" (Leviticus 11:45). Jesus came the first time in mercy and grace to save the world from sin and death. When He returns, He will purify His people and judge those who live in rebellion and sin. "For He will be like a refiner's fire or a launderer's soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; He will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then the LORD will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness..." (v. 3:2b, 3). Malachi gives us a clear picture of that great and terrible day of God's wrath. "Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace" (Malachi 4:1). God in His great mercy is giving us time to prepare and respond to His message of grace. May we not waste the time we have been given, but rather be good stewards of our time and allow the Lord to use His Word to wash and purify us so that we will become "living sacrifices", holy and pleasing to Him. Let us praise the Lord today for the blessing of His Word and the gift of His Holy Spirit, through which He sanctifies us and makes us a vessel of His mercy, an acceptable offering to Him.

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AFTERNOON DEVOTION

Glean the Word: 2 Peter 3:8-18

Gift of Grace: "The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." (v. 9)

God is infinite and eternal. He is not limited by time. He is a patient and long-suffering God, who does not want anyone to perish. Last night we spent our prayer time in praise of the great mercy of our God. He is a merciful God, who takes no pleasure in the death of anyone, but shows mercy to all. He "wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth" (1 Timothy 2:4). God has given His Word and the words of His prophets, to motivate His people to heed the warnings of the coming judgment, and experience the blessings that come with repentance and obedience.

As believers, we have been given the knowledge of the truth in order that we would "live holy and godly lives." We are to be living in expectation of the Lord's return, and to be living our lives in such a manner as to honor our Bridegroom when He comes for His Bride. "...what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming" (v. 11b, 12a). As His children, we have been called to be holy, because He is holy. This means we are to live separated from sin and the world, and set apart to Him and for His service. We are called to live our lives in total devotion and dependence upon the Lord. We are to walk in His love and to share His love. This afternoon, may we consider the time we have been given as messengers of His mercy and grace, and use that precious time to worship and grow in the knowledge of the One who we will spend eternity with, and to earnestly pray and seek to win lost sinners to Him. Let us never forget the great mercy and grace that has been shown to us, and may we guard and protect this great treasure we have been given. "Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and forever! Amen." (v.v. 17-18).

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EVENING PRAYER

Glean the Word: Psalm 2

Fruit of Repentance: "Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord." (Hebrews 12:14)

This evening will will offer up a prayer for a holy life (click on the image below for our evening prayer).

"Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming...So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with Him. Bear in mind that our Lord's patience means salvation..." (2 Peter 3:11-12a, 14-15a).

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