Monthly Archives: July 2023

Bible, Commands, Evil, Godliness, Goodness, Hate, Rebuke, Scripture, Truth

THINGS I HATE

ZECHARIAH 8:17

“‘“Also let none of you devise evil in your heart against another, and do not love perjury; for all these things are what I hate,” declares the LORD.’”

Hate is a strong word. I know, I know. But there a few things in this world that I hate. I hate searing, hot days when you can’t get any relief. I hate it when my truck breaks down, and I can’t fix it. I hate brussel sprouts and spinach. Yep, I said it. Sorry, moms out there. Most of all, I hate sin.

The Lord listed a couple of things He hates in today’s verse. He says He hates hearts that have devised evil against another, and He hates perjury (telling lies). Of course, the God of truth is going to hate those things. We should hate the same things God hates. If He hates them, they are worthy of hate. The Hebrew word here for “hate” can also mean something that is odious, that stinks.

APPLICATION

In the first part of Amos 5:15 the prophet says, “Hate evil, love good, and establish justice in the gate!” That’s good. Then Paul says this in Romans 12:9. “Love must be free of hypocrisy. Detest what is evil; cling to what is good.” I think you get the picture. There are some things that it okay to hate. In fact, we are commanded to hate evil.

The problem today is that the world has totally changed the definition of what is evil. That can be confusing if you are not in the Word and spending time with the Lord every day. If you listen to the Social Media influencers, you will definitely be led astray. Most of them applaud the things the Word says is evil.

Let me encourage you today to be a hater. Yep, a hater. Hate those things that pull people away from God. Notice I said things, not people. We need to love everyone because God does. But He hates the sin. So should we. We need to be bold and point out those sins without demeaning the person. You’ve heard it said, “Hate the sin but love the sinner.” Practice that today.

Father, I do hate those things You hate. Help me be bold to point out those things to others.

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Accountability, Bible, Commands, Direction, Exhortation, God's Will, Judgment, Peace, Scripture, Truth

CLEAR COMMANDS

ZECHARIAH 8:16

“‘“These are the things which you shall do: speak the truth to one another; judge with truth and judgment for peace at your gates.”’”

I remember many years ago, when I worked at the Georgia Baptist Children’s Homes, that I gave one of the boys in my cottage permission to wash my car to earn a little extra money. The kid was about fourteen, so I just assumed he knew how to wash a car. (A word to the wise – never assume anything, lol). Let’s just say the car wash had a lot to be desired. But he was so proud that he had done it. I didn’t have the heart to tell him how bad it was. So, what did I do? I decided the next week when he asked again that I would help him and direct him. It turned out a lot better, and he learned a new skill.

Clear directions are important. They help us walk with the Lord better, don’t they. Well, in today’s verse we see the Lord telling the people of Israel some pretty clear commands. He says, “These are the things which you shall do.” That’s pretty clear. Then He tells them to speak the truth to one another and to judge with truth and peace. If we could all do that, life would be so much less quarrelsome. God knew that. They were returning to their land. They were completing the temple rebuild. They were starting again. Here were some simple, clear commands to follow.

APPLICATION

Years ago, I was a trainer in Crisis Intervention. One of the skills I taught in that was for the staff to always give clear and concise instructions to the kids they were dealing with. Doing that would often prevent a kid from getting upset and confused. Most crises can be prevented if we practice those things. Our Father in heaven knows that. He gave us just ten commandments to follow, not a thousand. Man took those ten commandments and stretched them into hundreds. Jesus narrowed it down further when asked which was the most important commandment. I have referenced this passage before, but it bears repeating.

Matthew 22:36-40 says, “36 ‘Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?’ 37 And He said to him, ‘“YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.” 38 This is the great and foremost commandment. 39 The second is like it, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.” 40 Upon these two commandments hang the whole Law and the Prophets.’”

Can you follow that? Obviously, you can if Jesus told us to do it. He would never tell us to do something that He would not enable us to do. So, today, strive to follow the clear, simple commands of our Savior. It is total agreement with our verse from Zechariah today. Speak truth, practice justice and peace with all men. That’s my goal today. I hope it’s yours.

Father, I am not able on my own to do anything You ask of me. But through Your power and Your Holy Spirit I can.

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Abiding, Attitude, Bible, Choices, Commands, Evil, Goodness, Kindness, Love, Promises, Scripture

DETERMINED FOR GOOD

ZECHARIAH 8:15

“‘“so I have again determined in these days to do good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. Do not fear!”’”

I have to admit that my heart has not always been determined for good. In my B.C. (Before Christ) days, I was rebellious and only wanted my own way. I would use people to get what I wanted. My heart was prone towards evil. I put on a good outward expression, but my heart was evil. I only did good if it would help me in my own pursuits. That’s a horrible way to live.

I love this little phrase in today’s verse. God says, “I have…determined…to do good.” He purposed. He decided. He planned. His goodness was not an accident. This same verb is used to describe the woman in Proverbs 31:16. “She considers a field and buys it; from her earnings she plants a vineyard.” The word “considers” is the same word used here in Zechariah 8:15. God desires good for us. He is even planning and considering it for us now. That’s awesome.

APPLICATION

Guess what? You can “determine to do good” as well. Through Christ, you can do good for others, even those whom you don’t particularly like to be around. Just follow Christ’s example. He did good to all. He showed now preference. He reached out to the Samaritans, the publicans, the rich, the poor. He showed no prejudice. Paul tells us in Galatians 6:9, “Let’s not become discouraged in doing good, for in due time we will reap, if we do not become weary.”

Over in 2 Thessalonians 3:13 we see Paul use the same exhortation to the Thessaloniki church. “But as for you, brothers and sisters, do not grow weary of doing good.” All through Scripture we are told to do good. We even quote the Golden Rule, don’t we? You know that. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Those words aren’t exactly in Scripture but do refer to the words of Jesus in Matthew 7:12 and Luke 6:31.

The bottom line is do good to others. Be like God. Let others see Jesus in you. Share the love of Jesus. Let it permeate you so much that it just “leaks out” on others. If you have someone in your life who does not like you or even hates you, pray for them. Lift them to Jesus. He can handle them a lot better that you can. And when He gives you the opportunity to bless them, do it. Do good, not evil. Be Jesus to someone today.

Give me the chance to do good today, O Lord. I want to be like You.

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Abiding, Bible, Change, Confession, Dependence, God's Will, Goodness, Relationships, Scripture

I HAVE NOT CHANGED

ZECHARIAH 8:14

“‘For this is what the LORD of armies says: “Just as I determined to do harm to you when your fathers provoked Me to anger,” says the LORD of armies, “and I have not relented,”’”

Boy, things sure change in life, don’t they? I am in my hometown of Pelham, Ga this week teaching at a Children’s Camp. This camp is at the same location of a former club my parents were members of. We used to fish and water ski out there. But wow! This place has changed so much. New buildings. New pool. New roads on the property. It is so different. I am just glad I haven’t changed that much. Lol

God does not change. One of His attributes is immutability, which means unchanging. God tells the people in Zechariah 8:14 that He has “not relented.” That means He is not sorry for His actions. He would not change them. His actions are true and right. Now, before you feel sorry for the Israelites, God goes on in the next verses and tells them how He is now going to bless them because they have repented. That will change God’s response to us.

APPLICATION

How does this attribute of God affect us? I’m glad you asked. God’s unchangeability (I made that word up) is so key to our theology. Malachi 3:6 says, “‘For I, the LORD, do not change;…” What a promise! Our God does not change. He is not wishy washy. He doesn’t react to us and shift His thinking. He says He is the same yesterday, today and forever. We may change our minds. We may try to adapt our faith to situations. Not God! We can always depend on Him to be the same.

So, we know if we are walking in His promises, He will bless. If we are walking in sin, He will rebuke us. That’s just the facts. We can rely on that. How many people do you know who are always the same? They never change. Not many, if any. I want to live that way. My prayer is this, as found in Hebrews 13:18. “Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a good conscience, desiring to conduct ourselves honorably in all things.” Man, if I could always live that way!

If you are like me, you struggle sometimes to live that way. But it is not up to us. We have a Savior Who is unwavering. He does not change. Amen? That is something to hold on to. You can always come to Him. He will always be there. He is always ready to hear you when you pray. He is there! Call on Him. Lean on Him. Hallelujah, what a Savior!

Father, I praise You because You are unchanging. I will turn to You.

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Bible, Blessing, Eternity, God's Will, Uncategorized

JUST BE A BLESSING

ZECHARIAH 8:13

“‘“And it will come about that just as you were a curse among the nations, house of Judah and house of Israel, so I will save you that you may become a blessing. Do not fear; let your hands be strong.”’”

You have probably known people that just appear to be too good to be true. You may not have heard this expression, but it’s one we use down south. We say, “They are so sweet, butter wouldn’t melt in their mouth.” This means that they appear to be so nice and kind but are really not. Those kind of people can be hard to deal with. 

God doesn’t want you to be that way. Never had, never will. In today’s verse, He is urging the people of Israel to be a blessing. In fact, He says that is why He is saving them. He had a purpose behind His actions. He has been giving them all these promises in chapter eight. However, He expects them to behave in a grateful manner, not just to Him but to others as well.

APPLICATION

How can you do that? How can you be a blessing to others? Let me tell you something. If you try to do this in your own power, you will fail miserably. You will be doing just find until someone comes along who “butter won’t melt in their mouth.” They will try your last nerve. Try as you might, you can’t be a blessing to them. They just won’t let you. Jesus faced the same kind of people. The religious leaders of the time gave Jesus that attitude. What did He call them? You brood of vipers!

Oh, but listen! Jesus died for them too. Yep, His sacrifice was for all mankind, the Sadducees and Pharisees too. Jesus said in Luke 6:28, “Bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” Paul goes on to say in Romans 12:14, “Bless those who persecute [you], bless and do not curse them.” Hmmm! Those two said almost the exact same words. That is our command. To bless others, even those who persecute or curse you.

Of course, the ultimate example we have of this is Jesus on the cross when he said, “Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.” Wow! Even those who crucified Jesus were blessed by Him. He asked the Father to forgive them. Whomever has harmed you the most, you should bless. That’s a hard pill to swallow, isn’t it? That is why I said at the beginning that you can’t do this on your own. But Christ can do it through you. Will you let Him?

Father, make me a blessing to others, even those who persecute and curse me.

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Abundance, Bible, Blessing, Eternity, Heaven, Inheritance, Scripture, Treasures

ALL THESE THINGS

ZECHARIAH 8:12

“‘“For there will be the seed of peace: the vine will yield its fruit, the land will yield its produce, and the heavens will provide their dew; and I will give to the remnant of this people all these things as an inheritance.”’”

When my mom and dad had both passed into their eternal glory, whatever they possessed on this earth belonged to their offspring, me and my three siblings. We divided all their things among us. Why? Because my dad had put that in his will. He instructed us how to divide his earthly possessions. He had already decided this before he died. It was a legal decision.

Why do I bring that up? Because in today’s verse, God tells the people what their inheritance is going to be. He promised them the seed of peace, fruitful vines, productive lands and abundant rains (dew). That all sounds great, doesn’t it? But notice something. It may have slipped past you. He says, “the seed of peace.” There is a definite article there. THE seed of peace. God is pointing ahead to the Messiah, His Son, who would come and bring peace to mankind.

APPLICATION

We have an inheritance in the Lord also. We are told as much in Romans 8:14-17. “14 For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons and daughters of God. 15 For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons and daughters by which we cry out, ‘Abba! Father!’ 16 The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.”

The difference between my inheritance from my dad and from God is huge. I had to divide my dad’s inheritance with my siblings. But with God, I am a fellow heir or a joint-heir, which means I get to enjoy all the inheritance equally with His Son. That’s a big difference. I get to enjoy all of heaven, not just my little section. All His riches belong to me, along with all believers.

So, don’t think you are lacking in your inheritance. God has a huge inheritance waiting for you. The question is if you are deserving of it. Are you His child? If you are, you are set. If you are not, you will not receive any of it. Do you want to inherit heaven? Come to Him today.

I cannot wait to see Your face, Lord, and to experience all You have waiting for me.

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Abiding, Abundance, Battles, Bible, Change, Deliverance, Direction, God's Will, Maturity, Scripture

BUT NOW

ZECHARIAH 8:11

“‘“But now I will not treat the remnant of this people as in the former days,”’” declares the LORD of armies.

Don’t you just love the part of a suspense movie or book when everything changes? The bad guys are about to get what is coming to them, and the good guys are wining. It’s that “but” moment. All this has happened, BUT NOW this is about to happen. A change of fortune has taken place. A cosmic shift just occurred.

Our God says in verse 11 that He will not treat the people as He had treated them before. The literal Hebrew reads, “But now not as in the former days, I, the remnant…” The verb in today’s verse, “will…treat,” is not in the text. The action is implied, based on the previous action of God. I like that because God’s ultimate good treatment of His people is always implied. His good intentions are always there.

APPLICATION

What are the “but now” moments in your life? I could name dozens of them in my life, beginning with the change in my life at salvation. And there was the moment He called me to full-time ministry. There were the seasons of ministry that shifted from one place to another. I could go on, but you get the picture.

Write down those moments you can think of and let me encourage you to keep doing that as they occur. I promise you there will be times ahead when you will need to reflect on your “but now” moments. Those moments shift you from one phase of your Christian journey to another. God is doing something. He is saying, “But now, see what I am going to do in your life.”

I am thankful for those “but now” moments in my life because I know each of those moments brought me closer to God. Colossians 1:22 (CSB) says it perfectly. “But now he has reconciled you by his physical body through his death, to present you holy, faultless, and blameless before him —” Isn’t that a great “but now”?

But now, Lord, I am Yours to do with as You see fit. Use me, Lord, according to Your will.

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Affliction, Battles, Bible, Jobs, Provision, Satisfaction, Scripture, Works

NO WORK

ZECHARIAH 8:10

“‘“For before those days there was no wage for man nor any wage for animal; and for him who went out or came in there was no peace because of his enemies, and I sent all the people against one another.”’”

Last Fall I was in an East African country that was struggling economically. The unemployment rate was extremely high. People were suffering due to high food costs and the lack of fuel for vehicles and their homes. It was hard to hear the stories of families suffering and having to make difficult financial decisions. There was no work and no prospects for new jobs.

In today’s verse God is reminding the Israelites how bad it was before. Nobody was working. There wasn’t even any work for the animals due to poor crops and the damage of war. Sometimes, you just have to be reminded how bad it used to be so you can appreciate the present. Obviously, God felt the people needed that little reminder.

APPLICATION

Have you forgotten God’s blessings in the past? Better yet, have you forgotten how you were before Christ? Think back to that day. Before Christ came into my life, I was wandering aimlessly. I was pursuing all the wrong things. I was spiritually bankrupt. I need God to work on me, and He did. He gloriously saved me when I was sixteen. Now, that did not solve all my issues. I have still made mistakes since then. But it is so much better now.

I have never gone through a time for very long when I did not have a job. My dad taught me to never leave a job until you have another one lined up. I have pretty much always done that. So, it’s hard for me to relate personally to someone who has struggled for months or even years without a job. I have friends who have gone through that and have watched them struggle. I have prayed with them and even wept with them about this.

I want to remind you today of a passage in Colossians 3. Verses 23-24 tell us, “23 Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord and not for people, 24 knowing that it is from the Lord that you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.” You see, that is the key. Whatever we do!

Take a minute and list all the jobs you have ever had. Now, thank God for each one. Yes, each one. Every job you have ever had has been used by God to teach you and train you for the next one. I am not sure what job I will have in heaven. But whatever it is, it will be glorious to serve my Master. Don’t you agree?

Thank You, Father, for “employing” me in Your service. I want to always work to bring You glory.

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Abundance, Bible, Perseverance, Scripture, Strength

STRONG HANDS

ZECHARIAH 8:9

“‘The LORD of armies says this: “Let your hands be strong, you who are listening in these days to these words from the mouth of the prophets, those who spoke in the day that the foundation of the house of the LORD of armies was laid, so that the temple might be built.”’”

I never met my great grandfather, Mack Willis. He died long before I was born. My dad told me that he could take an 8-penny nail (which is about 2 ½ inches long) and bend it only using his middle finger and thumb. That’s a strong hand. My dad said you never wanted to get caught by that hand, lol.

The Lord was referring to the people’s hand strength somewhat in today’s verse. He was saying that they needed to finish what they had started – building the temple. Haggai had begun to exhort the people, and Zechariah was continuing that. They were going to need strong hands to continue the work. Stone and timbers must be laid. It was going to be hard work and take time, but they could do it with the Lord’s help.

APPLICATION

What task has the Lord given you that requires you to have “strong hands”? What task do you need to complete? As believers, we have all been called by God to do His work. 2 Timothy 2:15 says, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.” The Greek word for “workman” literally means someone who toils or labors.

No one ever said serving God would be a simple task, but it’s so rewarding. I don’t mean monetarily. The rewards we receive for a job well done all go back to the One who gave them. We work to glorify Him. Just as the laborers on the temple gave all the glory to God, we do the same as we labor in His service.

I know my task is to grow men into disciple makers. I have been charged by God to train men to be leaders in countries so they can change their culture for Christ. What a glorious task He has given me. I thank God for the privilege. Do I get tired sometime? You had better believe. It is during those times that I pray for strong hands to continue the labor.

Oh, praise You, Lord, for the gift of strength for the task at hand. The fields are white for the harvest.

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Abiding, Belief, Bible, Comfort, Deliverance, Justice, Righteousness, Scripture, Truth

HE WILL BE OUR GOD

ZECHARIAH 8:8

“‘“and I will bring them back and they will live in the midst of Jerusalem; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God in truth and righteousness.”’”

I was raised in church. My family attended every Sunday when I was growing up. It’s just what you did. If you didn’t go to church, then you didn’t fit into the community. It didn’t matter whether you went to the Baptist church or Methodist church or whatever. You just needed to be in church. However, I knew many people (myself included) who did that but did not live like they knew God or that He was their God.

Here in verse 8 of chapter 8, Zechariah finishes God’s fifth promise in this chapter by saying that they will be His people and He will be their God. How consoling! The people probably felt protected once again. God had welcomed them home with open arms. They were secure in His embrace. They had been redeemed from exile to return to their resting place.

APPLICATION

Is God your God? Well, of course, Carl. I pray that is true. I pray you know Him fully. Jeremiah 9:24 says, “‘but let the one who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises mercy, justice, and righteousness on the earth; for I delight in these things,’ declares the LORD.” It is interesting that the last part of today’s verse and this verse in Jeremiah include the same references to righteousness and truth (justice).

Why is that important? Why is it important that we recognize God as the God of righteousness and truth? Because without that, anything goes. There is only one right thing and one truthful thing. I was watching an old episode of “Touched By An Angel” on tv recently where one of the characters was a shady lawyer who bent the truth to get what he wanted. You can’t bend what is right. You can’t shade the truth.

We serve a God today who promises us the same thing He promised the Israelites in Zechariah’s day. He will be our God in truth and righteousness. That is made possible through His Son, Jesus. 1 John 5:12 says it clearly. “He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.” Isn’t that what you want?

I am so thankful You are my God in truth and righteousness. Help me live in the same way.

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