These 9 lessons stress the distinction in the scripture between salvation, which costs a person nothing and comes as a result of trusting in Jesus Christ as Savior, and Discipleship which costs a person their daily life as they yield themselves in faithful obedience to Christ and His Word and results in eternal rewards at the Judgement Seat of Christ.
Scripture References: Malachi 2:21
Good things often come in small packages. That is especially true of the Bible, which we have seen in studies of books such as Jude and Philemon. Many times the smaller books seem to be the most packed with information, history, theology and doctrine. The Minor Prophets in the Old Testament are no exception. We will find that there is a lot to be gained from a study of these books, including God's love and His judgment, the future of the nation of Israel, and how God often times chooses and uses ordinary people to accomplish His goals. As we will see, God often used people to do big things, even when they were doubtful, uncooperative, lacking in talent, and sometimes downright disobedient. In all of these cases, God shows that He is sovereign, and able to accomplish whatever He desires with the tools of His choice. This can be an encouragement to us, that we can be useful to God, despite our problems and past failures.