Refuge Church Of San Antonio
Doubting God's Love
Life's circumstances come and go...they are painful and joyful...and yet...through both we often doubt God. Why? Because we lean to our own understanding and our own will. This sermon will help you understand why we should lean on God for what lies ahead and what is behind. When we trust and lean on Him...He always works it out for our good.
Locations & Times
Refuge Church Of San Antonio
8101 Eagle Crest Blvd, San Antonio, TX 78239, USA
Friday 5:00 PM
Wednesday 10:00 AM
MALACHI – WEEK 1
“DOUBTING GOD’S LOVE”
We can often look at our crazy and unfortunate circumstances that happen to us and question God’s love for us. The sheer fact that God chose to love us in the first place should cause us to not doubt…and yet many do!
This is the message that the Lord gave to Israel through the prophet Malachi. The Lord’s Love for Israel 2 “I have always loved you,” says the Lord. But you retort, “Really? How have you loved us?”And the Lord replies, “This is how I showed my love for you: I loved your ancestor Jacob, 3 but I rejected his brother, Esau, and devastated his hill country. I turned Esau’s inheritance into a desert for jackals.”4 Esau’s descendants in Edom may say, “We have been shattered, but we will rebuild the ruins.” But the Lord of Heaven’s Armies replies, “They may try to rebuild, but I will demolish them again. Their country will be known as ‘The Land of Wickedness,’ and their people will be called ‘The People with Whom the Lord Is Forever Angry.’ 5 When you see the destruction for yourselves, you will say, ‘Truly, the Lord’s greatness reaches far beyond Israel’s borders!’” Malachi 1:1-5 NLT
CONTEXT
A major theme of Scripture: When we disobey and ignore what God is telling us…we will always feel like we are distant from Him.
We have a hard time feeling or experiencing the power and presence of God when we disobey God.
During the time of Malachi, Israel had returned from exile and was still distant from God.
The book is comprised of God’s declarations, Israel’s objections, and God’s explanations.
God’s Word warns believers of the dangerous of sliding into spiritual apathy when we doubt and ignore God in our daily lives.
CONFLICT
Sharing exactly what God says in His Word can sometimes feel and be heavy on you and I.
This is the message that the Lord gave to Israel through the prophet Malachi. Malachi 1:1-5 NLT
When life turns upside down and we don’t understand why things are happening around us…we often doubt God and His love for us.
“I have always loved you,” says the Lord. But you retort, “Really? How have you loved us?”And the Lord replies, “This is how I showed my love for you: I loved your ancestor Jacob,… Malachi 1:2 NLT
If God’s pursuit of us and our rebellious daily lives isn’t enough proof of His love for us, there will never be enough proof for you.
This is the message that the Lord gave to Israel through the prophet Malachi. The Lord’s Love for Israel 2 “I have always loved you,” says the Lord. But you retort, “Really? How have you loved us?”And the Lord replies, “This is how I showed my love for you: I loved your ancestor Jacob. Malachi 1:1-2 NLT
The Bible often uses love and hatred to show the contrast in priorities rather than passions.
“I have always loved you,” says the Lord. But you retort, “Really? How have you loved us?”And the Lord replies, “This is how I showed my love for you: I loved your ancestor Jacob, 3 but I rejected his brother, Esau, and devastated his hill country. I turned Esau’s inheritance into a desert for jackals.” Malachi 1:2-3 NLT
From a worldly perspective, Esau deserved preferential treatment, but from God’s prerogative, He granted Jacob grace.
…but I rejected his brother, Esau, and devastated his hill country. I turned Esau’s inheritance into a desert for jackals.” 4 Esau’s descendants in Edom may say, “We have been shattered, but we will rebuild the ruins.” But the Lord of Heaven’s Armies replies, “They may try to rebuild, but I will demolish them again. Their country will be known as ‘The Land of Wickedness,’ and their people will be called ‘The People with Whom the Lord Is Forever Angry.’ Malachi 1:3-4 NLT
God’s ability to love and keep those who are His and punish those who aren’t both shows His greatness.
When you see the destruction for yourselves, you will say, ‘Truly, the Lord’s greatness reaches far beyond Israel’s borders!’” Malachi 1:1-5 NLT
CLARITY
When it comes to God choosing who He wants and calling them to Himself, like choosing the children of Israel over every other group…it’s because God is Omnipotent, Omniscient and Omnipresent…He can do what He wants, when He wants and how He wants.
1. If anyone has a relationship with God, it is because God was the initiator.
2. We shouldn’t be shocked that God has and will allow rebellious people to go to hell…we should be shocked that He permits rebellious people to go to heaven.
3. God’s sovereignty never negates or does away with our daily responsibility.
4. God’s love for you and I never has been or will be based on our performance for Him. We should live our daily lives for Him because we want to…not because we have to…cause we know His grace and mercy.
5. The most extraordinary part of how and why God chooses the way He does…is that God would choose any of us in the first place.
“DOUBTING GOD’S LOVE”
We can often look at our crazy and unfortunate circumstances that happen to us and question God’s love for us. The sheer fact that God chose to love us in the first place should cause us to not doubt…and yet many do!
This is the message that the Lord gave to Israel through the prophet Malachi. The Lord’s Love for Israel 2 “I have always loved you,” says the Lord. But you retort, “Really? How have you loved us?”And the Lord replies, “This is how I showed my love for you: I loved your ancestor Jacob, 3 but I rejected his brother, Esau, and devastated his hill country. I turned Esau’s inheritance into a desert for jackals.”4 Esau’s descendants in Edom may say, “We have been shattered, but we will rebuild the ruins.” But the Lord of Heaven’s Armies replies, “They may try to rebuild, but I will demolish them again. Their country will be known as ‘The Land of Wickedness,’ and their people will be called ‘The People with Whom the Lord Is Forever Angry.’ 5 When you see the destruction for yourselves, you will say, ‘Truly, the Lord’s greatness reaches far beyond Israel’s borders!’” Malachi 1:1-5 NLT
CONTEXT
A major theme of Scripture: When we disobey and ignore what God is telling us…we will always feel like we are distant from Him.
We have a hard time feeling or experiencing the power and presence of God when we disobey God.
During the time of Malachi, Israel had returned from exile and was still distant from God.
The book is comprised of God’s declarations, Israel’s objections, and God’s explanations.
God’s Word warns believers of the dangerous of sliding into spiritual apathy when we doubt and ignore God in our daily lives.
CONFLICT
Sharing exactly what God says in His Word can sometimes feel and be heavy on you and I.
This is the message that the Lord gave to Israel through the prophet Malachi. Malachi 1:1-5 NLT
When life turns upside down and we don’t understand why things are happening around us…we often doubt God and His love for us.
“I have always loved you,” says the Lord. But you retort, “Really? How have you loved us?”And the Lord replies, “This is how I showed my love for you: I loved your ancestor Jacob,… Malachi 1:2 NLT
If God’s pursuit of us and our rebellious daily lives isn’t enough proof of His love for us, there will never be enough proof for you.
This is the message that the Lord gave to Israel through the prophet Malachi. The Lord’s Love for Israel 2 “I have always loved you,” says the Lord. But you retort, “Really? How have you loved us?”And the Lord replies, “This is how I showed my love for you: I loved your ancestor Jacob. Malachi 1:1-2 NLT
The Bible often uses love and hatred to show the contrast in priorities rather than passions.
“I have always loved you,” says the Lord. But you retort, “Really? How have you loved us?”And the Lord replies, “This is how I showed my love for you: I loved your ancestor Jacob, 3 but I rejected his brother, Esau, and devastated his hill country. I turned Esau’s inheritance into a desert for jackals.” Malachi 1:2-3 NLT
From a worldly perspective, Esau deserved preferential treatment, but from God’s prerogative, He granted Jacob grace.
…but I rejected his brother, Esau, and devastated his hill country. I turned Esau’s inheritance into a desert for jackals.” 4 Esau’s descendants in Edom may say, “We have been shattered, but we will rebuild the ruins.” But the Lord of Heaven’s Armies replies, “They may try to rebuild, but I will demolish them again. Their country will be known as ‘The Land of Wickedness,’ and their people will be called ‘The People with Whom the Lord Is Forever Angry.’ Malachi 1:3-4 NLT
God’s ability to love and keep those who are His and punish those who aren’t both shows His greatness.
When you see the destruction for yourselves, you will say, ‘Truly, the Lord’s greatness reaches far beyond Israel’s borders!’” Malachi 1:1-5 NLT
CLARITY
When it comes to God choosing who He wants and calling them to Himself, like choosing the children of Israel over every other group…it’s because God is Omnipotent, Omniscient and Omnipresent…He can do what He wants, when He wants and how He wants.
1. If anyone has a relationship with God, it is because God was the initiator.
2. We shouldn’t be shocked that God has and will allow rebellious people to go to hell…we should be shocked that He permits rebellious people to go to heaven.
3. God’s sovereignty never negates or does away with our daily responsibility.
4. God’s love for you and I never has been or will be based on our performance for Him. We should live our daily lives for Him because we want to…not because we have to…cause we know His grace and mercy.
5. The most extraordinary part of how and why God chooses the way He does…is that God would choose any of us in the first place.