SPARE US, LORD!...Hopeful Friday (hope for the remnant)

Hopeful Friday...(he gives hope to his remnant...)
http://houseinroses.blogspot.com/2009/01/birds-view.html

Recently in my prayer group we discussed things we were seeing and hearing in the world, on the TV, changes in what people desire, concern for our nation and our children as time marches on and living grows harder.
It would be easy to become fearful talking of all these things...our hearts really hurt as we see and hear these various things. We agreed we want to be in the remnant of believers who rest on Jesus Christ and His grace for us.

Then, today I ran across this study on Malachi 3:13-18 in Everyday Light, Christianity.com
Malachi, a prophet of old, speaking to me TODAY...giving guidance FOR NOW, addressing many of the things we had discussed in our group.

Malachi confirms we must not blame God for our situations--losing faith in Him because we grow impatient with His timing. Studying His Word guides us to understand our gains from His perspective rather than from our humanly, worldy view.
We must go to Him and ask Him for His discernment in understanding His timing, being confident of His standing with us and wanting the best for us.
Every struggle must be met with the "joy of the Lord" knowing He wants the relationship with us first, and often in our deepest pit is when we're closest to Him.
Rather than mourning our perceived persecution in our daily walks, let's gather together and talk with one another, pray with one another, lifting our "mournful attitudes" to His blameless throne for His blessing and covering with His Holy Spirit. God, Himself, will handle those evil doers and those who speak untruthfully...in His time!

We are His, want to be His, so we will lift up His name, Jehovah Jireh, Jesus Christ, our high priest who intercedes on our behalf to the Father. When the world tells us "the Bible isn't literal" or "it's a bunch of stories" or "you are your own best authority as you work to know and love yourself"...may we continue to seek His wisdom, His understanding of right and wrong, His full compassion FOR us and THROUGH us.

Malachi reminded me again that we must continue to gather together, praise His name, let Him pour His love TO us and THROUGH his treasured possessions...this will give us discernment as we walk through this often-difficult world toward Holy eternity.

Malachi 3:13-18
"You have said harsh things against me," says the Lord. "Yet you ask, 'What have we said against you?' You have said, 'It is futile to serve God. What did we gain by carrying out his requirements and going about like mourners before the LORD Almighty?
But now we call the arrogant blessed. Certainly the evildoers prosper, and even those who challenge God escape.' Then those who feared the LORD talked with each other, and the LORD listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the LORD and honored his name. "They will be mine," says the LORD Almighty, "in the day when I make up my treasured possession. I will spare them, just as in compassion a man spares his son who serves him. And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not."

Are you in a small group, do you gather to share concerns and study the Bible?