Book of MalachiSample

IT NEEDS TO BE CLEANSED

But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears?

For He is like a refiner's fire and like launderers' soap. (Malachi 3: 2)

We usually clean our bodies twice a day. Other than wanting our bodies to be healthy, we also want our bodies to be fresh. If we have this kind of desire to give the best to our physical body, then how about the things inside us—our souls and spirits? They are the most important parts of us that need to be cleansed. 

When we repent and come to believe and accept Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior, we submit ourselves to be baptized. John the Baptist said that water baptism is a sign of repentance; it is a sign that our old lives are buried and we rise to become new people.

Becoming a new man means that we are led by God to be perfected and conformed to the image of Christ. It is in the refinement process that our characters are eroded like a metal that is being cleaned. It might be an unpleasant situation. However, it is still possible for us to enjoy this refining and cleansing process if we ask the Holy Spirit to fill us. We need to surrender to God, submit to Him, and be willing to give ourselves to be cleansed by God.

John the Baptist said that Lord Jesus would come with the baptism of the Holy Spirit and fire. This message combines the message of Malachi with the work of the Holy Spirit which refers to God's holy fire which purifies. We must have a commitment to Jesus Christ by living a life that is ready to pay the price to reach the finish line. God knows who we are. He also understands the best kind of process for us. We might sometimes experience hardships in a process, but what results from that process worth much more and brings us new life, freedom, courage, joy, peace, love, and much more.

Our cleansing and repentance starts with our family or those closest to us. This is the restoration of our hearts to forgive and accept, humble, and love our families. The hearts of the fathers return to their children, and the hearts of the children return to their fathers. The process of transforming a family, neighborhood, city, and even a nation can occur from the seed of one person who is willing to give himself to be purified and cleansed by God.

Are we willing to submit to God's cleansing and sanctification?