ARE YOU THROUGH (ISAIAH 43:18-19)

 

ARE YOU THROUGH?

BIBLE PASSAGE: ISAIAH 43:18-19

Picture taken from Google

Lesson Prepared by: Krisha of Solomon’s Wisdom FB page

JANUARY 23, 2022

 

MEMORY VERSE

 Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.

ISAIAH 43:19

 

INTRODUCTION:

When you were a child, you had no responsibilities to think about, you had no duties to fulfill, no deadlines need to pass, no bills need to pay, no relationship to work on it and no future to think more about but now you’ve a lot of responsibilities and thoughts and dreams need to fulfill. Sometimes these are some of the reasons why you raise the red flag indicating of surrender. These reasons make you set aside spiritual matters and do the work to fulfill your responsibilities. The question for today in your spiritual life is, “ARE YOU THROUGH?”

There are Christians thinking that when they were young, they did their best in the ministry and now in their middle age, letting others serve and thinking others can do that; I’M DONE! ARE YOU REALLY THROUGH IN THE MINISTRY?

Others think, when they are in senior years, there are no ministries for them because they are already weak and have bad memory. Of course, you cannot do the Bible Study in highlands, you cannot teach kids in the field that requires strong and big voice but there are some other ways. You can be a prayer partner; get involved in prayer ministry. Don’t say, “I CAN’T” COMMON! You mean you cannot talk to GOD? Be an encourager (huwag maging pasaway), that’s a great personal ministry in the body of Christ. Come to church and don’t be late in the ministry even in your senior years; that would be a great testimony to the young ones. Also, this is a great opportunity to apply God’s word in your life; be a wisdom seeker (pray for it). Just don’t live your life like you are through in the ministry.

Other scenario in Christian life wherein you are tired of the hectic schedules and your tiredness seems like above your head. Then you’ll say, “I’m tired of this, I’m done. It’s over!” Is the question, “Are you through?” fits you?

The passage tells that this was the time they were in captivity. Remember their situations, they were not at peace. Like Israelites, we are in captives of so many things, the work, relationship, and situations in life. Our work holds us back, relationship makes us to be a double-minded person; we consider their feelings and the time we spent with them, and this is the reason we don’t like to spend much on spiritual matters. Also, the situation in life, like financial issue - trouble in budgeting or no budget at all and a lot more. You know what, if we don’t fight for it; we’ll keep on troubling by these. The enemy will keep on giving us reasons not to involved in the ministry UNTIL WE ARE USED TO IT.  Whatever circumstances we are involved in, you are in pain right now, something troubles you, you have anxiety, and you want to give up, always remember… GOD’S NOT THROUGH WITH YOU YET! AMEN!

There are things holding us back from everything God wants to do to fulfill His desires for us. However, He promises great and marvelous works; doing ways we can’t even imagine but we need to discern the path to take with a God’s setting mindset by…

 

LESSON OUTLINE:

1.  SHIFTING YOUR FOCUS (ISAIAH 43:18)

Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old.

The children of Israel had failed God miserably, though God had been good to them, they return to evil ways. God gave a temple, but they gave Him idols worship, He gave the truth, but they live in proclaimed lie, he gave them wealth, but they used them to abuse. The Israelites did not deserve to receive anything from God, yet He still loved them; yet he earnestly wanted to help them and transform their lives. God charged Israel to do the exact same thing to telling us to do today: Forget about your past hurts, your pains, disappointment, the rejection, the shame, the memory; God wants us to be free. God wants to be free by shifting our focus by forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:13-14). We have to shift our focus. The long as we’ve been a slave to the past, focusing less to the future. It’s good to have future with God. It will be greater; Job 8:7 says, “Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end should greatly increase.”

2.  SHARPENING YOUR FOCUS (ISAIAH 43:19a)

 Once we shift our focus, we must sharpen our focus. Verse 19a says, “Behold, I will do a new thing…” The word, “behold” is an interesting word; it means to perceive, it means to know by see. God required the children of Israel to see it before they see it. Look I will do a new thing in your life; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? Though God will do a new thing, we can’t see it. In our journey of life, do you see the possibilities, or do you see your problems? We are not able to sharpen our focus.

 

Some of us or most of us have eye problem. I have a problem seeing in a distance; it’s blurry. According to Google, “A nearsighted person sees near objects clearly, while objects in the distance are blurred. Farsightedness is the result of the visual image being focused behind the retina rather than directly on it.” Others here have the same with mine or some are worse. I have searched that there’s a medical procedure to correct the eyes. We call it Laser Eye Surgery. What is it? Laser eye surgery is a medical procedure that involves the use of a laser to reshape the surface of the eye. This is done to improve or correct short-sightedness, long-sightedness and astigmatism. It can also be helpful in overcoming presbyopia (difficulty seeing up close as we get older). With this, we can see a 20/20 vision. But because we can’t afford that, we use eyeglasses. Using this, it eliminates all medium of obstructions that will hinder you from seeing what it’s really there (put glasses on). We’re talking here, not just on natural but spiritual. In order for us to see the bright future in our lives, which mentioned in Jeremiah 29:11, ^“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end,” we need to sharpen our focus. So that we may be able to see what to see. Sometimes you cannot see the need to minister because you have to do a lot of things. We need to remove the obstructions that cause us not able to see clearly; remove everything contrary to the plan of God. “I want to see.”

3.  STRUCTURING YOUR FOCUS (ISAIAH 43:19a)

Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.

The land of blessings, God promised Israel. God wanted them to shift, sharpen and also structure their focus. Bible said that He will even make a way in the wilderness and even in the desert- “I’ll bless you.” But no matter what situation you find yourself in, God is still able to bless you. Do what God is offering. If they refuse God’s leading, they would have been doomed to remain in their captivity. At any point, if Israel refused to be led by GOD to draw in the direction on which God was leading them, then they would have remained in their condition. That’s why there must be structure focus. Structure focus requires TRUST; it requires complete trust. Knowing that even in the wilderness, even in the desperate situation, even when it doesn’t make sense that GOD COULD STILL BLESS ME. GOD CAN STILL USE ME even when it doesn’t make sense.

 

CONCLUSION:

There is no greater example of the structure focus in our humanity than our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ was in the garden of Gethsemane. His wet so hard and his pores poured blood.

Jesus said, “O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me:” Three times; not one time, not two time but three times (Matthew 26:36-46) he prayed this prayer. The Father didn’t answer verbally; he answered with a silence then Jesus ultimately said, “NEVERTHELESS NOT AS I WILL, BUT AS THOU WILT.” (NEVERTHELESS, NOT MY WILL BUT THY WILL BE DONE.)

As the soldiers marched Him to the Calvary, He trusted God with His future. As they hang Jesus on high on the cross, He trusted God with his future. As before he died, he said, “Father into Your Hands I Commend My Spirit” (Luke 23:46) then He gave up the Ghost. Glad He didn’t stop right there; all day on the first day, he was on the grave and all day on the second day, he was on the grave but early on the third day, HE’S ALIVE. He can say, “I still have a plan for your life.” If he has power to raise from the grave, then he has all the power to do something great for you and me God declares, “I AM NOT THROUGH WITH YOU YET.” 

YOUR FIRST STEP

 

YOUR FIRST STEP

BIBLE PASSAGE: Psalm 51: 1-12; Rev.2:5; 3:3; MARK 15:19-20, 33-39

 

SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON

APRIL 28, 2019

Lesson prepared by: krisha of Solomon FB page

 

MEMORY VERSE

2 Corinthians 13:5 (KJV)

Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

 

INTRODUCTION:

If we were in a situation where we deeply need spiritual revival, and I’ll ask some of you today, “Do you find yourselves easy going back to your spiritual ministry?” (Allow responses) Why there are some we say Christians, we have known for so long, yet they’re having a very hard time going back or getting revived? What do you think the reasons?

 

I have been in the church for 28 years and personally I see people come and go. Some people left for economic purposes, some for spiritual decline, money issue (debts), relationship problem with other members and others personal reasons. I see that their desire of coming back are there, but they are entangled with the issues of life that they can’t move and stand all over again.

Some people say that it would be easy, just go to church. One example: one woman was in a relationship with her co-member in a certain church. They have been in relationship for six years and suddenly, he decided to break up with this woman. One day the woman heard the man he loved for six years has been dating a new member. If you were to place yourself in her situations, what would you do? Aren’t you affected? This is easy to say but hard to do. We can’t move on with our own; we need God, but we need to make our first step.  In our lesson for today is titled “YOUR FIRST STEP.”

 

LESSON PROPER:

1 1) YOUR FIRST STEP SHOULD BE TO HAVE THE RIGHT SPIRIT WITHIN YOU (Psalm 51:10; 2 CORINTHIANS 13:5)

There are several things involved in keeping a right spirit within us. David found that his sin had scarred and soiled his innermost being. He observed how an evil heart affected King Saul. He never wanted his life to become empty and meaningless. He never wanted the Holy Spirit to withdraw from his life. After you deal with the guilt in your life, you have to live a life that is free from offense. At one time David had lived with everything right between him and God. David would play his harp and the Spirit of God would come. He knew the peace, joy, power, and presence of God. When he sinned, David lost that and was filled with a guilt that he attempted to hide. David had been living with the pain of guilt for almost a year. He could find no way to suppress the mental image of his sin. Although he did not speak of his guilt, it was always present. He was covering up his sin. He knew he had transgressed the law and love of the Lord His God. Then came the day when Nathan confronted the guilty King of Israel. All of a sudden, everything he had been trying to cover up was exposed. David had taken Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah. He had committed adultery with her. Then to complicate everything, he tried to cover his sin by ordering Uriah to be killed. David was exposed. He had a reputation of being a man after God’s own heart. Yet, now, he stood guilty before the man of God. Psalms 51 is David’s prayer for forgiveness.

“Oh, God renew a right spirit within me.”

What are the affects of a renewed spirit?    

A renewed spirit is a spirit after God.

It is easy to become stagnant. We need our spirit stirred. We need our spirit renewed with a passion for Christ. A renewed spirit is a spirit of faith. Doubt, fear, guilt, and unbelief get into one’s spirit. We need faith renewed in our spirit to accomplish the things God has for us. Without a vital living faith we cannot please God. A renewed spirit is a spirit of compassion. The world and sin have a way of hardening us. If we live with the spirit of the world in us, we can become indifferent to the suffering of others. We need to be renewed in our spirit with the love of Jesus Christ. A renewed spirit is a spirit of holiness. The salvation that God provides through faith in Jesus Christ is the only solution for a heart and spirit that is defiled by sin. Holiness is to the soul what health is to the body. Holiness cannot be possessed if you are controlled by sin. The Holy Spirit’s within us changes the evil nature and gives holiness and righteousness. A renewed spirit is a spirit of joy. No one can experience true joy when their inner man is burdened and stained with sin. Only God, by Jesus Christ, can give you joy. How do you keep a right spirit in you? Follow these steps to keeping what you have gained.

-        First, maintain fellowship with God. Our spirit needs constant fellowship with God. Part of David’s prayer that dealt with the guilt of his sin said: “Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.”

David recognized the need to be with God. If you are going to keep what you have gained, you must stay in fellowship with God. At one point in David’s life, he became so wrapped up in the guilt of his sin that his conscience was completely eaten up by it. He had been engaged in lust over Bathsheba. Gradually temptation gained control of his life. He was drawn away by lust. His spirit and soul were darkened by sin. James 1:14-15 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin when it is finished, bringeth forth death. It is impossible to maintain fellowship with God and live in sin. Psalm 16: Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

Have you lost the joy of His presence?

If the joy is gone, there is only one way to get it back into your life.

 

Acts 3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord

Refreshing comes from the presence of the Lord. Most of us could stand some refreshing. God’s desire is for His people to be refreshed. He wants us to go from strength to strength. He wants to transform valleys of weeping into springs of rejoicing.

He wants to increase your strength from Him. David had been blinded by his sin. Sin can have that effect on your life. When Nathan told David what he had done, his eyes were opened. David did not become defensive. He recognized his need for refreshing. He knew he had lost his joy. He knew he had strayed from the presence of God. How do you keep a right spirit in you? First, maintain fellowship with God.

-         Second, you need the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is God’s gift to help you keep things right. Jesus knew that we would need the Holy Spirit’s help in our lives.

Acts 1:8 “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses...” Most of us in the church need some help in our daily lives. The Holy Spirit is God the Helper, Comforter, and Guide. We need His power to keep what we have gained. We need His power to live the life. We need the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. When the Holy Spirit comes upon you, He will demonstrate the power of God that changes the way you live. Many people are trying to do it on their own. They try to keep the joy. They try to keep the peace. They try to keep the love. They try to keep the kindness They try…Have you been trying? It is the work of the Holy Spirit that gives us the fruit, and the power. The Holy Spirit is God’s gift that maintains and sustains us. David knew he could not make it without the Holy Spirit. He had seen the effect of a life that was devoid of the Holy Spirit.  He witnessed the effect of the Holy Spirit leaving King Saul. Sin had robbed Saul of the presence and power of the Spirit of God. Have you noticed that the guilt of sin robs you of the evidence of the Holy Spirit? Life cannot be full, rich, or joyful without the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit brings peace, joy and love into your life. Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness. This is the natural product of the Holy Spirit in your life. Romans 15:13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

Romans 14:17 For the kingdom of God is… righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit God wants that to be the expression of your life in the Spirit.

He wants to establish you in that fruitfulness. Sin will rob you of that. Sin will deplete your joy, peace, and love. Sin will take the life out of you. Sin will take you farther than you want to go Sin will cost you more than you are willing to pay The Holy Spirit in our lives maintains the nature and character that is consistent with Jesus Christ. David knew that without the Holy Spirit, life would be miserable. When faced with his guilt David knew the answer to the sin in his life. With tear-stained brokenness before God, he repented of his sin. He repented for violating God and God’s nature. He cried out for pardon and purity. He wanted acquittal and acceptance. He wanted comfort and cleansing. He was willing to pay the cost. From a heart that was crushed by shame and sorrow over sin, he pleaded for God’s mercy and forgiveness. If he was going to maintain a life that was free from guilt, he needed restoration. He had known the darkness and void of a spirit that was depleted and devastated by sin and guilt. He needed God’s joy. He needed God’s presence He needed God’s Holy Spirit.

-        Third, keep control of your thought life.

          How can we control what we think?

We must learn how to apply a filter to the things that stimulate our thoughts. Before action come thoughts. It starts with our thought life. We all have good and bad thoughts. We must learn how to guard and control our thoughts. Some thoughts are negative thoughts, and some are destructive. Some thoughts are positive and constructive. We must learn how to control our thought life. Every thought must be controlled. This was David’s downfall. He allowed his carnal mind to run free. He was drawn away by his own lust.

How do you keep a right spirit?

We must bring every thought and purpose captive to the obedience of Christ. Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. This is preemptive aggressive action. Before negative thoughts take root…change your thinking. Before evil thoughts bring you into captivity… change your thinking. Make every thought conform to this rule. Your thoughts must be true. Think what is noble. Think what is right. Think what is pure. Think what is lovely. Think what is admirable. Think what is excellent and Think what is praiseworthy. If you do this, the God of peace will be with you. God’s desire for your life is joy and peace 

 

2 2) YOUR FIRST STEP SHOULD BE TO GET CONNECTED TO SPIRITUAL THINGS (REV.3:3)

Do you know how to revive yourself spiritually? If you are feeling depleted, you might be feeling disconnected and disempowered. Moving on from a state of disconnection and disempowerment is easiest when you have treated yourself well during your times of connection and empowerment. It is simple matter of learning the tricks – like how to revive yourself spiritually – and practicing them, so they are ready to go when you need them.

There are many ways to revive yourself when you are feeling depleted, but taking the spiritual route is one of my favorites. Connecting with your spirituality allows you to quickly access a strong, internal power source and bring your focus to what is most important for you. Strengthening this direct line to your inner core is a great way to decrease your “revival time” when you are feeling depleted.

It is important to remember that spirituality is a process more than a goal. Sometimes, even if you know how to revive yourself spirituality, the reality of feeling totally depleted and overwhelmed can make it hard to put this into action. If you find yourself in such a situation, try these easy steps to revive yourself spiritually, even when you’re feeling totally depleted.

 

Reconnecting with your spiritual self is a challenge in and of itself, but the work pays off when you know how to revive yourself spiritually, even when you feel completely depleted. By practicing pausing, breathing, and doing something small to connect with your spirituality, you will strengthen this connection, preparing you for a final step:

 

   3) YOUR FIRST STEP SHOULD BE TO REPENT FROM ALL THINGS THAT YOU HAVE DONE (1 SAMUEL 7; REV.2:5)

√ How does Samuel tell the people to return to the Lord?  (With all of their hearts.)  What does that mean?  This is what Samuel had been waiting for.  Only God can change the heart.  We make a move toward God and He will hear us and forgive us and change our hearts to be totally His. Why are our hearts so important to God? How do our hearts get divided?   What did Samuel ask them to “put away?”  (foreign gods) (Ashtoroth is the Canaanite goddess who was the wife of Baal.) Samuel knows that the people of Israel have accepted the Canaanite lifestyle and have allowed their worship of idols to seep into their home and hearts.  They need to put away or get rid of all these things. What did Samuel ask them to prepare?  (their hearts) How do you prepare your heart? How do you serve God only?  This speaks of whole-hearted love for God and to serve Him only!  No one else can be in the picture. When our hearts are right – what was the promise that God will do?  (He will deliver you from the Philistines.) Did the children of Israel “house clean?”  (1 Samuel 7:4) The children of Israel choose to obey God.  They choose to put God first and serve Him only.  That was a choice that they made.  For 20 years they had not obeyed God…this is an important moment in the life of Israel. 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10, says, “…how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.”

 

CONCLUSION:

Revival is not a scheduled event wherein for sure we experience revival. There are sermons preach but sometimes people don’t change the way we expect. Revival starts in us; we need the desire to be revived. Psalm 119:25 says My soul cleaveth unto the dust: quicken thou me according to thy word. We see in psalmist situation that he’s in desperate situation, he asks to be revived by God’s word. We need God’s word to be revived. If we don’t take our first step, we will be caught unaware; we don’t know how much time we have left on earth.

RETURN UNTO ME (MALACHI 3:6-18)

 

RETURN UNTO ME BIBLE PASSAGE: Malachi 3:6-18;          Lesson prepared by: krisha of Solomon FB page        APRIL 21, 2019        MEMORY VERSE:     Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between  him that serveth God and him that serveth him not. -        Malachi 3:18 -       INTRODUCTION: Do we need spiritual revival? How often do we need spiritual revival? These are  examples of questions we need to answer in our mind. With individual believers, as with the church, the need of spiritual revival is frequently not recognized until exceedingly low  levels of spirituality has reached. Actually, however, the need is almost continuous.   Physically, most of us need to be revived at least three times a day. Hunger and  weakness soon overtake us, and we feel the need of food to renew our strength. Spiritually it is not less so, for “man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth  out of the mouth of God” (Matt. 4:4). Sad to say, however, we are by nature prone to  neglect our spiritual welfare and lapse into carelessness and sin, so that repeatedly  the need for spiritual revival and restoration becomes acute.   Many feel that lack of prayer, failure to live separated lives, indifference (lack of  interest or concern) toward the lost, etc., are the real causes of spiritual decline. These,  however, are the effects, not the causes. The cause of spiritual decline today is always our departure from the Word of God in general and from the Word of God to us in particular.  There lies the root of our spiritual ills, though comparatively few as yet recognize or  acknowledge it.   Even from the days of people’s fathers they were already gone away from God’s ordinances.  They have been disobedient that’s why in the last major section of Malachi contains  God’s invitation for His people to return to Him.   7 Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances and have not  kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the Lord of hosts. But ye  said, Wherein shall we return?   The people said, “WHEREIN SHALL WE RETURN?” (SA ANO KAMI MANUNUMBALIK?). The lesson has three points to consider: Wherein shall we return?   LESSON POINTS: 1.  IN GIVING OUR TITHES AND OFFERINGS The Israelites were asking wherein shall they return; they didn’t realize and remember the commandments of the Lord. Based from the verses, Israelites were literally robbing  God of what was rightfully His. It was a failure in their stewardship of His material  property. God reminds us through these verses:   8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. 9 Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. 10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.   In the next verses we can see that God owns everything and He doesn’t need our money.  Let’s understand the truths about money.   Deu 8:18 "But thou shall remember the LORD thy God: for it is He that giveth thee power to get wealth…   Hag 2:8 'The silver is Mine and the gold is Mine,' saith the LORD of hosts.   Psa 50:10-12 10 For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. 11 I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine. 12 If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof.   God’s invitation to the people is to return unto Him in giving their tithes and offerings and there’s spiritual blessing waiting for them if they just return unto Him. If we don’t respond to God’s invitation there’s a potential that money will be your master because Bible says, “No man can serve two masters…” (Matt.6:24). Let’s fulfill the purpose of money by using it to turn to Him.  “Remember this—you can’t serve God and Money, but you can serve God with money.” — Selwyn Hughes     2.  IN GIVING OUR PRAISES TO GOD Though Malachi 3:13 has different meaning in some commentaries, we will this verse as  an example of some attitude of Christians in speaking “harsh” words against God.    “Your words have been stout against me, saith the Lord. Yet ye say, What have we spoken so much against thee?”   Ang inyong mga salita ay naging lapastangan laban sa akin, sabi ng Panginoon. Gayon ma'y  inyong sinasabi, Sa ano kami nangagsalita ng laban sa iyo?    In our own words, we can see that our view in life has been distorted by the world.  Malachi 3:14 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?”   “Inyong sinabi, Walang kabuluhan ang maglingkod sa Dios; at anong kapakinabangan nito na  ating iningatan ang kanyang bilin, at tayo'y nagsilakad na may pananangis sa harap ng  Panginoon ng mga hukbo?”   Let’s be careful with our mouth, it should proceed blessings and praises to the Lord.  James 3:10 says, “Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.” Wherein shall we return? Let’s return in OUR PRAISES TO OUR LORD GOD ALMIGHTY.  Let’s ask ourselves, when was the last time you praised God?   3.  IN OUR SERVICE TO THE LORD If we were asked, “Are you serving the Lord?” what would we answer? Most of us will  say a shout “AMEN” but like what we have said in our introduction Christians need  spiritual revival daily and to the most three times a day like spiritual food; this means  we are weak and lazy to fulfill the mandate given to us if we are not aware of eating our spiritual food to be strong. Let’s accept the fact that we are not always spiritual therefore we need to be fed spiritually. The question is how often we use and read our Bible compare to our cellphones?   Like the Israelites said in Malachi 3:14: 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?” The Israelites’ attitude toward their service to the Lord changed: vain to serve the Lord,  what profit of keeping God’s commandments and walking His will makes you unhappy.         Discernment of what is right and wrong does not exist to those who are not returning to the Lord or those who are gone away from Him. Malachi 3:18, our memory verse today says, “Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that  serveth God and him that serveth him not. “  TAGALOG: “Kung magkagayo'y manunumbalik kayo at makikilala ninyo ang matuwid at ang masama,  yaong naglilingkod sa Dios at yaong hindi naglilingkod sa kaniya.”   This verse answers why Christians are sometimes can’t discern the right and wrong in  some situations in life. This lesson point urges us to focus and be serious in serving the  Lord. Most of us think that worship and service just happen on Sundays. This could be possible at some point, but the question is how we can prepare ourselves in worship  and service on Sunday if our weekdays are full of unimportant routines. For example, how  can you share the Sunday School Lesson if you don’t do anything about your lesson  during weekdays like reading your Bible and many things. Let’s remember we are not  strong; we are just strong by the grace of God.   CONCLUSION: One of the good lessons we can see in this lesson is the urgency of revival in our lives and like the physical food that we need three times a day, spiritual food is the same to make us  strong and revive from spiritual declining. We need to be observant in our ways and  thoughts so that we can see if we are starting to have a stony heart and then move away  from spiritual atmosphere. Let’s remember that having a spiritual decline is not  instant situation of our spirituality; it’s gradual. When Israelites asked, “Wherein shall we return?” it’s a question which we can see that  they don’t have the discernment of their present situation; they were already far from the Lord. Some Christians when asked about considering going back to church, they  would answer, “I’m on that way or darating din tayo diyan” But this answer is hard to lean on; most of the times months and years would take before a Christian realize they need  to go back. Don’t wait for the time to have miserable, full of pressures, struggles,  entangled situations of life before we realize that we can’t live in this world without God.  Let’s remember it’s hard to go back, the enemy would give everything to hold us not to  serve the Lord and let our light shine.