“I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; 2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. 5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. 6 For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.” 2 Timothy 4:1-6

Two of the things that come out in this peering into God’s Word are 1) the necessity of loving and faithful holding to the Word of God, and 2) walking in godly integrity, upright in the fear of the LORD.

Malachi 2:4-9

“And ye shall know that I have sent this commandment unto you, that my covenant might be with Levi, saith the LORD of hosts. 5 My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them to him for the fear wherewith he feared me, and was afraid before my name. 6 The law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips: he walked with me in peace and equity, and did turn many away from iniquity. 7 For the priest’s lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts. 8 But ye are departed out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble at the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the LORD of hosts. 9 Therefore have I also made you contemptible and base before all the people, according as ye have not kept my ways, but have been partial in the law.” Malachi 2:4-9 

Of verse 9 here, Adam Clarke writes:

“Therefore have I also made you contemptible (v. 9). – The people despised you because they saw that you acted contrary to your functions. This has happened repeatedly since, to several classes of priests. Not maintaining, by purity of life and soundness of doctrine, the dignity of the ministerial function, they became contemptible before the people; their meager preaching was disregarded, and their persons at last cast out as a general loathing to the universe!”

The Holy Spirit through the prophet Malachi exposed how that the servant leaders among God’s people in his day had backslidden and therefore perverted God’s Word or put it forth selectively or partially instead of teaching the whole counsel of it (Acts 20:20, 27, etc.).

“But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, 11 Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me.” 2 Timothy 3:10-11

Psalm 1

In the first three verses of the very first Psalm is the divine prescription for success and prosperity in this life and the next. Not prosperity and success as the world defines it but that which is truly success and prosperity – something God alone can define and give….

WANT EVERYTHING YOU DO TO PROSPER?
Here’s the divine prescription. Psalms 1:1-3

1  Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
2  But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
3  And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

v1 do not walk in the lies and philosophies of this fallen world.
v2 Delight in God’s Word – read, study, meditate on it day and night.
v3 Your roots are thereby going to be ever-deepening in Christ and His kingdom. Your life will be a fruitful tree to His eternal glory. Everything you do is going to prosper.

As we become one with the LORD, as our hearts are utterly infused with His truth – through and through – His divine will and desires become ours (Psalms 37:4; John 17). That’s when everything we do is under His direction and empowerment and blessed, and prosperous in His holy eyes.

Putting God First

“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Matthew 6:33

The cross. The resurrection grace of Christ is raising upward all of His, all who are bowed down humbly in the death and burial He calls us to.

“But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. 12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. 13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” Romans 8:11-14

“Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses.” Joshua 1:3

“This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.” Joshua 1:8

Build our Houses, our Lives, on the Rock

Read Matthew 7:19-29: ANY and ALL who are not first born again and not building their lives on obedience to God’s written Word are on sinking sand. The house on sand will be washed away from God when the waves of judgment occur – and they will occur. The life, the house built on sand instead of stone will be terminated into the bowels of eternal damnation, never to have a second chance. Death is final – and the spiritual state we die in stands irrevocably forever (Ezekiel 33:12-13; Hebrews 9:27; Revelation 22:11).

Fresh Start with God

Sin: Man’s Core Problem [podcast]

The Flesh will Never be Reformed it Must be Crucified [podcast]

Will You Hear “Well Done” or “Depart from Me”? [podcast]