How we spend money shows what’s important to us. So how is any faith we claim to have in God reflected in our spending habits? As we look at Malachi’s fifth conversation (Malachi 3:6:12) we discover the answer to this question makes more of a difference to us than we usually think. You can download the prayer sheet for today by clicking the 'download' button to the rightYou can watch the service on the 'Virtual Vicar' page on this website
This week we’re looking at the fourth of Malachi’s imaginary conversations between the people of Israel and their God. They may be ‘imaginary’ conversations but they cover topics that were very real to the people of God in his day, and they remain equally real for us today. In this fourth conversation we find God (the God of all power and might) wearied by his people’s complaints! They are complaining over a lack of justice in the world. Which of us has not complained like this? God’s answer is unsettling, because he makes the issues very personal. The problems of the world’s injustices don’t start with sorting out ‘bad’ people - out there in the world. It starts with sorting out my own attitudes and actions – my own sin - and doing something about that.You can download the prayer sheet for today by clicking the 'download' button to the rightYou can watch the service on the 'Virtual Vicar' page on this website
When we feel a friend has badly let us down in a time of need, we can begin to doubt their love for us. We can feel the same about God’s love for us when we feel badly let down by him in times of difficulty, like in this time of coronavirus when our jobs, health, and future hopes can all evaporate in the twinkling of an eye. Malachi offers God’s encouragement to keep trusting him when everything is not going according to plan. Today we are looking at Malachi 1:2-5, the first of six imaginary conversations between God and his people. The prophet presents them to give his people renewed hope and confidence in their great God.You can download the prayer sheet for today by clicking the 'download' button to the rightYou can watch the service on the 'Virtual Vicar' page on this website
As we live through this unusual era of coronavirus there is plenty to make us anxious. When this persists we can become disappointed with the God we thought to be all powerful and all loving. Our feelings gradually become evident in the way our behaviour changes towards him. We start offering him our second best. We discover what God feels about this in the book of Malachi. We also discover that no matter how bad things become, there is a real hope for the future. Today we start a new series in the book of Malachi, it is the last one in the Old Testament. The theme of our service today is: Disappointed with God – God responds. It is an introduction to the book of Malachi.You can download the prayer sheet for today by clicking the 'download' button to the rightYou can watch the service on the 'Virtual Vicar' page on this website