It is Not Vain!

This past weekend, I went to a retreat with some friends from church.  It was a blessing to spend time at the lake, get away, and hear great preaching!

I am so amazed how God answers the needs of His children all the time.  The first message we heard preached this weekend was about how it is not vain to serve God.

The Lord knew I needed to hear this message! I had been discouraged for some time in a few areas and this message spoke to my heart and encouraged me so much.

The message came from Malachi 3:13-18.  I will share with you some of my notes and some of the thoughts that encouraged me!

There are Two Types of People:

1.) Those Who Say it is Vain to serve the Lord:  
Verse 14 says:  "Ye have said, it is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the LORD of hosts?

There are people who start their walk with the Lord and then when trials come, waiting gets long, or they have been hurt, they allow their flesh to give up.  They end up feeling it is vain and worthless to serve the Lord, because they don't SEE the working of God.  Verse 15 says:  "And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up;  yea, they that tempt God are even delivered."  We all could develop a negative feeling when we don't see the manifestation of God working in our lives.  We may even FEEL that it would be better to live again like the world, or that there would be no difference if we quit serving and walking with the Lord. However, we need to remember this is not truth.  Rebellion against God will not get you where you want to be.  Seek the Lord and His righteousness-then you will see things happen God's way, and there will be no sorrow added to it!

2.)  Those Who Trust and Fear the Lord and Will Continue to Serve Him:
Verses 16-18 say:  "Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another:  and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his nam.  And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels;  and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.  Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not."

Sometimes God just wants to see how committed we are to Him.  He wants to see if we REALLY trust him.  Our faith is put to the test in a dry and thirsty land and it is not always easy to keep walking with Him.  Just because we may FEEL a certain way does not mean God has changed!  God does not change!  It is my job to be faithful.  The rest is up to the Lord.  Job knew God, and there was no way he could say it was vain to serve the Lord.  Abraham waited a very long time to hear from God, but he didn't give up on Him, he just did what God told him, and God honored the promise He made to him in the end!  Don't ever come to the end of your faith and think God deserves to be given up on!  Don't cast away your confidence.  Sometimes, it's just the right time to wait and trust the Lord!

I needed this message so much! I have been through that dry and thirsty land where I have been hurt and discouraged at times. The Lord used this message encourage me to keep doing right, keep waiting on Him, and keep telling others about Him, and I know that in the end His blessing will be attached to it, and there will be no sorrow!  By God's grace, I hope my life is one of faith, and that even when I am going through that dry and thirsty land, that I will keep fearing Him, and serving Him no matter what!  May I never say it is vain to serve the Lord!

"The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it."  Proverbs 10:22