In James 3:2 it says, “We all stumble in many ways.” I have found that because we are so prone to stumbling it is extremely hard for us to believe that we are of any value to God, that we are special to him in any way. In this article I’d like to share with you a passage that has helped me immensely to understand our value to the Lord.
(Mal 3:16-17 NIV) {16} 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. {17} “They will be mine,” says the LORD Almighty, “in the day when I make up my treasured possession.
There are a couple of really special promises here:
1. First he says verse 16:
(Mal 3:16 NIV) {16} 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. In those days the judge hearing testimony in a court case would have scribes standing by and when person did good job of testifying the judge would turn to that scribe and say, “make note of that,” and a note was made in the scroll of remembrance to reward that person for making a good testimony!
God says in his word that he’s making scroll of remembrance concerning those who fear the lord and honor his name. In other word’s he’ll remember on judgment day who has made a good testimony concerning him! When I think of all Jesus has done for me: saved my soul, healed my body, cured my depressions, softened my heartaches, I want to take minute right now and make a good testimony about him! Can I tell you that he has never left me or forsaken me, can I testify that greater is he that is in me than he that is in the world, can I proclaim him to be a friend that sticks closer than a brother?
I want to make a special testimony to you right now because in that “day of the Lord” he’s promised me that a scroll will be brought out and my name will be on it because I’ve made a good testimony concerning my Lord and King! O’ friend of God, taste and see and then tell that the lord is good!
2. Then in verse 17 he says:
(Mal 3:17 NIV) {17} “They will be mine,” says the LORD Almighty, “in the day when I make up my treasured possession…”
The real beauty of this verse is found when you know the meaning of words “treasured possession.” The word in the original is segula. This word comes from a time when the kings owned everything in the land. Did you know that when you own everything, nothing seems very special? Isn’t it true that the more things we acquire, the less they mean to us? God owns everything! He owns this world, the cattle on a thousand hills, every rat, cat, bat, every piece of art work, even your very life is in his hand. So since God owns it all, just like those kings who owned everything in the land, it’s hard for him to feel special. Nothing seems special when you own it all, and not only own it all, made it all!
So those kings of Malachi’s day kept a box of gems, precious stones, by their throne. And at times the king, when he needed to be reminded that he was special, would call for his segula, the kings special treasure. And he’d open that box and feel and look at those gems, and he would remember he was honored and special and blessed. One morning, years ago, as I was working on this message, I awoke and had a vision in my mind. God showed me a picture of the king of kings and the Lord of Lords sitting in a heavenly place. He owns every thing. He owns the universe. So he says to himself, “I need something to remind me how special I am. Something that will glorify my name!”
Then he says, “I know! I’ll make up a special treasure (segula) to sit near my throne. I’ll call it the church. It’ll be made of people. They will be living gemstones to bring honor & glory to me and I’ll put some fire in them, The Holy Spirit and they’ll shine like sun!”
As the vision continued I saw the hand of God reaching down into our lives like a king would reach into his segula (special treasure) and when he does we feel his hand, his presence and as we feel him we lift our hands and praise him and we remind him how special he is!
Don’t miss this: You’re God’s special treasure that glorifies him and When God looks for something to remind him he’s blessed and he’s wonderful, he doesn’t look at the fact that he is all powerful or all knowing. He doesn’t look at the earth and everything in it. He doesn’t look at the angels that obey him or the vast universe he has created. No, he looks at us, those who have, of our own free will, chosen to serve him and he feels us and we feel him and both of us know he’s saving the best for last, because the best will be an eternity of being with one who loved us & saved us by his grace and considers us to be his own special treasure
