Monthly Archives: June 2023

Abuse, Affection, Bible, Blessing, Comfort, Commands, Deceit, Family, Friends, Goodness, Mercy, Scripture

DOING GOOD TO OTHERS

ZECHARIAH 7:10

“‘and do not oppress the widow or the orphan, the stranger or the poor; and do not devise evil in your hearts against one another.’”

When I read this verse today, I thought Who would hurt a widow or orphan? Who would mistreat a stranger or a poor person? However, I am very aware of the evil in this world. The intentions of man are not normally in tune with God’s principles. It’s a dog eat dog world, and some people will take anything from anyone at any time just to get ahead.

The Lord, through Zechariah, continues his instructions to the people. In verse 10 He expands His commands to include how to treat the widow, orphan, stranger and poor. The Hebrew word for “oppress” can be translated as deceive, defraud or violate. In other words, He is saying do not treat these people badly. All through Scripture we read how God cares for these individuals.

APPLICATION

I spent over thirty years caring for the “orphans.” My years in the child welfare field had me involved in residential care, foster care and adoptions. Nothing stirs the heart strings of people like sharing stories about these children. Is there a children’s home near you where you can volunteer? They always need volunteers. You will be blessed.

James 1:27 is one of my favorite verses. “Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.” Our good treatment of these individuals is pleasing to our heavenly Father because they are near to His heart.

Look around you. There are tons of opportunities for you to minister to this population. Widows and widowers need friends they can talk to. Orphans need loving families. The strangers and the poor need a hand up. Just ask the Lord how He could use you. You might just be surprised at His answer.

Open my eyes to people around me who need some love and compassion.

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Abiding, Bible, Compassion, Friends, Justice, Kindness, Neighbors, Obedience, Scripture

HOW TO TREAT OTHERS

ZECHARIAH 7:9

“This is what the LORD of armies has said: ‘Dispense true justice and practice kindness and compassion each to his brother;’”

We have all heard about the “Golden Rule.” You know, do unto others as you would have them do unto you. I have to admit – that is easier said than done. It is easy when dealing with a kind person. But when you have to deal with a real troublemaker, that is a little bit harder. These words in today’s verse really are convicting.

Zechariah pulls from Ezekiel and some other prophets and complies this list from the Lord. He says to show justice, kindness (mercy) and compassion. Easy enough, right? Wrong! But these are the Lord’s words, not Zechariah’s. It is God who is telling us how to treat others. Obviously, this was not being done by all the people. They needed a reminder.

APPLICATION

Jesus told us in Matthew 22 how to treat our neighbors. In verse 39 He says, “‘The second is like it, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.”’” This comes from Leviticus 19:18 which reads, “‘Take no revenge and cherish no grudge against your own people. You shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.’”

It both cases, this is the Lord speaking – Jesus and God. Just like in Zechariah, God is giving us direction on how to treat our neighbors. Treat them right (justice). Show them mercy. The Hebrew word here is hesed, which is a key word in regards to our relationship with God. And also show them compassion. This is a tender love often used to describe a mother’s love for her child.

Just this week I told my wife that I wanted to get to know our neighbors better. And now I read this verse. Coincidence? I don’t think so. I haven’t done a very good job of doing these three things to my neighbors. Will you pray that I will be able to do that better? I will pray that you can also.

Show me how to show justice, mercy and compassion to my neighbors, Lord.

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Bible, Commands, Direction, God's Will, Inspirational, Messages, Obedience, Scripture

GOD’S WORD TO ME

ZECHARIAH 7:8

“Then the word of the LORD came to Zechariah, saying,”

I just realized something this morning. I began supervising people back in 1987 when I went to work at a children’s home in South Carolina. When I moved to my current ministry with Every Man A Warrior in January 2022, it was the first time in thirty-five years I was not supervising employees. Call me slow, but I just figured that out. I am not telling others what to do. I have to admit – it’s kind of nice.

God keeps speaking to Zechariah and telling him what to do. Why was that? What made Zechariah so special? God was delivering to his chosen prophet a message. This message wasn’t meant just for him. These words were meant to share with the people of Israel. They needed to hear God’s words, not just Zechariah. Zechariah could have kept all God’s words to himself, but he didn’t. He wrote them down and also shared them with the people. We can learn a lesson here.

APPLICATION

Who are God’s words intended for? Certainly not just for us, right? The last part of the Great Commission tells us what to do. Matthew 28:20a reads, “‘teaching them to follow all that I commanded you;…’” The Greek word used here for “follow” is tereo which means keep, guard, observe or watch over. It’s much more than just follow.

We are to teach others His Word. We are to share with others the importance of observing, keeping and guarding His Word. God’s Word is important. Well Carl, God isn’t speaking directly to me like He did to Zechariah. Oh really? What do you call it when you read His Word and you receive instructions for daily living? That’s God talking to you – just as clearly as He did to Zechariah.

I have mentioned before how I love to hear God’s voice. I hear that in my prayer time as He directs me who to pray for and what to pray. I hear His words when I pick up my copy of His Word and read. I hear Him speak to me through other believers as they share what God has done in their lives. God is still speaking. Are you listening?

The B-I-B-L-E, yes, that’s the book for me. I stand alone on the Word of God. The B-I-B-L-E.

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Advice, Battles, Bible, Commands, God's Will, Leading, Obedience, Preparations, Scripture, Wisdom

YOU SHOULD HAVE LISTENED

ZECHARIAH 7:7

“‘Are these not the words which the LORD proclaimed by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and carefree along with its cities around it, and the Negev and the foothills were inhabited?’”

I can’t recall the number of times I have been given good advice which I ignored in favor of doing something my way. I knew the person giving the advice knew what they were talking about. They had been there and done that. They spoke from experience. But I thought their idea was outdated or too simplistic. I usually had to come back around to their way of thinking to deal with the issue at hand.

The Lord, in this verse, is telling Zechariah basically that. He was saying, “Didn’t Isaiah and Jeremiah tell you all this? They gave you My words, which you ignored. You were all fat and sassy and thought nothing could touch you. You didn’t heed my advice.” The Hebrew literally says, “Should you not have obeyed the words I declared?”

APPLICATION

In Luke 6 Jesus tells us the parable of the two houses. One was built on a firm foundation. The other on sand. You know the story, right? The storm comes and dashes against the houses. The one built on the firm foundation stood while the other one collapsed. But do you know the verse that set up this story?

Luke 6:46 says, “‘Now why do you call Me, “Lord, Lord,” and do not do what I say?’” Obedience to His words, to His advice, to His commands is so important. Why? He is trying to help us prepare for the storms of life. He can see what we cannot see. He knows exactly when the storm will arrive. We would do well to heed His words.

My wife hates thunder and lightning. Anytime it is forecast for our area she watches it closely on the weather app. On that app you can look at the weather radar and can predict when those storms will arrive and how long they will last. What you can’t predict is the damage they will do. So, you must prepare, right? Try applying that to your spiritual life. God has that radar and knows the storms are coming. Get ready. He wants you prepared. That is only done when we listen to His Word.

I know Your Word can show me how to prepare for the storms of life. I will look to it for my guidance.

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Accountability, Bible, Blessing, Drinking, Eating, Life, Provision, Scripture

EATING AND DRINKING

ZECHARIAH 7:6

“‘And when you eat and drink, do you not eat for yourselves and drink for yourselves?’”

One of my favorite past times is eating and drinking. Can I get an Amen? Lol. Seriously though, I do enjoy that. I have always pursued it with gusto. Give me a large stuffed crust meat lover’s pizza anytime. But today’s verse isn’t criticizing this necessary part of our life. We all must eat and drink to sustain life. No, God is going to address something else here.

This verse is in direct contrast to yesterday’s verse about fasting. He moves from not eating and drinking to just the opposite. The people would have their feast and pretend to make it all about God. In reality, it was all about them. They would gorge themselves and drink to excess. It wasn’t a feast to celebrate God. It was simply a hedonistic practice to please themselves.

APPLICATION

Can you guess where I am going with this? In Luke 12, Jesus tells a parable about a rich man who built bigger barns for his crops. Verses 19-21 say, “‘“19 And I will say to myself, ‘You have many goods stored up for many years to come; relax, eat, drink, and enjoy yourself!’ 20 But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your soul is demanded of you; and as for all that you have prepared, who will own it now?’ 21 Such is the one who stores up treasure for himself and is not rich in relation to God.’”

Our life is not about pursuing earthly pleasures. It’s not about making ourselves feel better. Our life in Christ is all about a relationship with God. We don’t have to obey to please Him. We obey because WE want to please Him. There is a subtle difference. Do you see it?

Sure! You can eat, drink and be merry. There is nothing wrong with eating and drinking or being merry. But if those are your life’s pursuits, you have a problem. I have found that when I strive to live for Christ, He provides all I need to be happy. He wants me to live a life full of joy and excitement. He truly does. That can come in all sorts of ways, some of which the world would never understand.

O Lord, I know You have my best in mind at all times. I will enjoy Your presence.

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Asking, Bible, Denial, Fasting, God's Will, Listening, Sacrifice, Scripture

JUST WHY DO YOU FAST?

ZECHARIAH 7:5

“‘Say to all the people of the land and to the priests, “When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months these seventy years, was it actually for Me that you fasted?”’”

Fasting is a sacrificial way of hearing God’s voice. I have not done a lot of fasting, but when I have, it’s been a sweet time. During those first several hours, all I could think about was food, lol. But as I started concentrating on those hunger pains as a reminder of Christ’s sufferings, they became less and less noticeable.

God is questioning the motives of the people’s fasts during their captivity. He asks, “Was it actually for Me that you fasted?” Or was it all about them. The word used here for “mourned” is the word used to describe dreadful mourning including tearing your hair out and wailing loudly. What was that all about? Was that a way to draw attention to themselves? Fasting for God should be a worshipful experience and should be done with reverence.

APPLICATION

I am not trying to guilt you into starting a fast. That is not my intention. I do want to encourage you, though, to consider a fast when you need to engage in some deep conversations with the Lord. Denying yourself food (if you are able to do that physically) can draw you into His presence in a way that is not normally experienced.

We rarely engage in self-sacrifice. We are usually more inclined to indulge ourselves. Prayerfully consider this option. Don’t fast to prove anything. It’s not about looking more spiritual. Remember in Luke 5:33 Jesus was asked why His disciples didn’t fast like the Pharisees and John’s disciples. Jesus didn’t put fasting up as a priority. But He also didn’t negate it.

Paul and Barnabas practiced fasting. Acts 14:23 says, “When they had appointed elders for them in every church, having prayed with fasting, they entrusted them to the Lord in whom they had believed.” Do you have an important decision you need to make? Seek the Lord through a fast if He leads you that way. But make sure you are doing it in order to hear Him. When you do that, He will speak.

I want to hear You, O God. Speak to me as I bear my soul before You.

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Abiding, Bible, Direction, Following, Obedience, Scripture, Submission

THE LORD OF ARMIES

ZECHARIAH 7:4

“Then the word of the LORD of armies came to me, saying,”

Titles can be important. I had the privilege to work closely with Governor Jeb Bush when I was in Florida. I was part of a group that lobbied on behalf of the child welfare system there. I always addressed him as Governor Bush, never as Jeb. Why? Because he had earned that title. He was filling that office and deserved that recognition.

This is the first time in Zechariah when “the word of the LORD” had come to Zechariah that he addresses the Lord as “the LORD of armies.” The term “armies” is used elsewhere but this is the first time it is used as he receives His word. The Hebrew word is tsbadah. It can mean a mass of people organized for war, company, host, service, soldiers, waiting upon, or war(-fare). The point is that the Lord is the commander of this group. He has the authority.

APPLICATION

Do you recognize God’s authority in your life? You may be saved but still living your life in the manner you see fit. You are not submissive to the Lord’s guidance. You shrug off any commands in Scripture that direct you to live differently than the world. After all, you want to “fit in.”

In Matthew 7 Jesus spells it out pretty clear. It is not just about declaring Him Lord. Our actions speak louder than words. “21 ‘Not everyone who says to Me, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. 22 Many will say to Me on that day, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?” 23 And then I will declare to them, “I never knew you; LEAVE ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.”’”

It is not just our words. Obedience to His commands. Submission to His Lordship. Those are the things that determine our allegiance. Are you acknowledging Him today as the “LORD of armies” in your life? Does He have complete control? Will you follow His orders? Good! That is pleasing to the Father.

Follow, follow I will follow Jesus. Anywhere, everywhere, I will follow on. Follow, follow I will follow Jesus. Everywhere He leads me I will follow on.

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Asking, Bible, Fasting, Obedience, Prayer, Questions, Scripture

A GOOD QUESTION

ZECHARIAH 7:3

“speaking to the priests who belong to the house of the LORD of armies, and to the prophets, saying, ‘Shall I weep in the fifth month and fast, as I have done these many years?’”

Have you ever gone to a pastor or preacher to ask for advice about a spiritual matter? Maybe you have a question about praying or fasting. You could be confused about a certain passage of Scripture and need their insight. Seeking the advice of our spiritual leaders is a good thing. This is what we see in today’s verse.

Sharezer and Regemmelech had come seeking the Lord’s favor and had this question for the priests. This may sound like a strange question, but you have to know what was going on. During the fifth month, the people fasted and prayed in remembrance of the destruction of the temple by the Babylonians. But now that the temple was being rebuilt, these two men were asking if they should continue that or pray with joy. In other words, do we keep doing this or not?

APPLICATION

Malachi 2:6-7 says, “6 True instruction was in his mouth and injustice was not found on his lips; he walked with Me in peace and justice, and he turned many back from wrongdoing. 7 For the lips of a priest should maintain knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth; for he is the messenger of the LORD of armies.” I just love that passage. I have put it to memory, mainly because my boss told me to, lol.

As a pastor and minister of the Gospel, it is my job to dispense knowledge and wisdom to those who seek it from me. Let me say quickly that I have no knowledge or wisdom outside of the Lord’s. That is why I always point people to His Word. It is the true source of wisdom.

If you haven’t read Psalm 119 lately, take a few minutes and do that. Notice that just about every verse has a reference to God’s Word. It may be called commands, law, precepts, statutes or something else, but all those descriptions are pointing us back to the Word. If you have a question, go to the Word or go to someone who can direct you where to look there. It has the answers.

I praise You for giving us Your Word to guide us and answer all of life’s questions.

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Advocate, Asking, Attitude, Bible, Blessing, Humility, Prayer, Scripture, Seeking

SEEKING FAVOR

ZECHARIAH 7:2

“Now the town of Bethel had sent Sharezer and Regemmelech and their men to seek the favor of the LORD,”

There have been a few times in my life when I had to go to someone to ask a favor. Maybe it was to ask a work colleague to swap days off with me so I could go to an event. Perhaps it was to ask someone to borrow something. Each time I have done that I have gone with a sense of humility, knowing that I was the one doing the asking. The other person had the power to grant me the favor. It was not up to me.

The phrase “seek the favor” in the Hebrew is literally “pray before.” These two men, Sharezer and Regemmelech, are unknown to us except that they represented the people before the Lord. The people knew that to truly seek God’s favor, they had to come before Him in prayer and humility. The Hebrew word used here can also mean sick or weak. The word picture here is one who comes before someone with no power of their own – humble and lowly.

APPLICATION

There is a perfect picture of how we are to come before the Lord when we pray – humble and lowly. Most of my prayers are accompanied with a certain posture. I bow my head or get on my knees as I pray. Occasionally, I will even lay on the floor. It is not about my body position. It’s about my heart position.

Perhaps the best way to show what I mean is to share the story Jesus told in Luke 18:9-14. “9 Now He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt: 10 ‘Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood and began praying this in regard to himself: “God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, crooked, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.” 13 But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to raise his eyes toward heaven, but was beating his chest, saying, “God, be merciful to me, the sinner!” 14 I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other one; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.’”

As you pray today, remember Who it is you are approaching. He is the God of the universe, the One Who created all things. He gave His Son to die for you, so that you can spend eternity with Him in glory. He deserves our praise and is welcoming of our prayers. Yes, come before Him with praises and singing, but do that with a humble and contrite heart. He is worthy.

Lord, I approach Your throne with a humble heart, asking You to hear my pleas.

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Abiding, Advocate, Bible, Direction, Faithfulness, Following, God's Will, Obedience, Scripture

HALFWAY THERE

ZECHARIAH 7:1

“In the fourth year of King Darius, the word of the LORD came to Zechariah on the fourth day of the ninth month, which is Chislev.”

Often when I travel, I will look up the halfway point of the trip. I like to plan where I can stop and lodge for the night or check out any cool landmarks. If the trip is several hours long, this halfway spot will give me a chance to stretch my legs and maybe get something to eat. I also like knowing that I am halfway to my destination.

What you may not can tell from the dates mentioned in verse 1 of chapter 7 is this marked about the halfway point from the beginning of the temple rebuild until it was finished. It had been two years since they started. The temple was taking shape, and the people were probably getting more excited about its completion, which was still two years away. But progress was being made.

APPLICATION

Spiritually speaking, how far along are you in your growth? One tenth? Halfway? Philippians 2:13 says, “for it is God who is at work in you, both to desire and to work for His good pleasure.” How far along we are spiritually has a lot less to do with us than it does with God. As Paul said in that verse in Philippians, “it is God who is at work in you.”

Just like in my physical journeys, I won’t get to my destination unless I continue on my path. Spiritually, I don’t want to stop halfway. I want to go all the way with Jesus. I want Him to work in and through me to make me exactly what He wants me to be. That may require me to change the direction I am going. That’s okay because I want to be on the path the Lord is on.

Let me ask you another question. Where do you WANT to be on your spiritual journey? Have you given that much thought? God has. He wants you right by His side and He leads you each step. He will not force you to take this journey, but He promises to be with you if you do. Come on, let’s get going.

Wherever You lead I’ll go, Wherever You lead I’ll go!

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