Monthly Archives: October 2023

Bible, Chosen, Covenant, Emotions, God's Will, Heart, Love, Relationships, Scripture

I LOVE YOU

MALACHI 1:2

“‘I have loved you,’” says the LORD. ‘But you say, “How have You loved us?” Was Esau not Jacob’s brother?’ declares the LORD. ‘Yet I have loved Jacob;’” 

I honestly don’t remember the first time I told my wife, “I love you.” Before you start sending me emails (lol), it was a quick courtship. She knew she was going to marry me after our first date. I knew after the second, and I asked her to marry me on the third. God told us both to commit to each other. Our love blossomed quickly. I tell her daily that I love her because she needs to hear it and I need to say it.

I just love how the Lord starts his message to Israel by saying, “I have loved you.” In the Hebrew that is only two words, but two finer words could not have been written. The Hebrew word for “love” used here is the same word used in Deuteronomy 6:5. “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” Just as He loves, we are to love.

APPLICATION

1 John 4:19 tells us, “We love, because He first loved us.” Of course, we love Him. Look what He has done for us. He created us in His image. He gave us the Law to point us toward loving Him and loving others. He sent His only Son to die for us to show His love. What else do people need to see in order to see His love.

You have probably heard people say, “How could a loving God send anyone to hell?” The bottom line is – God does not do that. He is loving them and offering them a way of escape. Only their unrepentant hearts lead them to hell. God is love, we are told in 1 John 4:16. “We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.”

Do you know His love today? I pray you do. If you have not experienced the depths of His love, come to Him. Perhaps there is someone in your life who needs His love. Show them His love by the way you love them. God still uses people to perform His works. Love well.

God, You are love, and I want to dwell in it.

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Bible, Eternity, God's Will, Messages, Scripture, Surrender

THE MESSENGER

MALACHI 1:1

The pronouncement of the word of the LORD to Israel through Malachi:”

I remember the days when it was such a privilege to be asked by a teacher to take a message to the principal’s office. That meant they had trust in you. They believed you could handle the task. They knew their message was safe in your hands. They knew you would make sure the principal got your message. Hmmm.

This is exactly what we see in today’s verse, the very first verse of the minor prophet Malachi. This isn’t a long message given by the LORD to Malachi. The whole book is only 55 verses over 4 chapters. But it is a powerful book that will be fun to explore. Did you know the name Malachi means “messenger”? Yep, pretty cool, huh?

APPLICATION

Some scholars say that the name Malachi may have been made up. It may have just as easily read, “The pronouncement of the word of the LORD to Israel through a messenger:” For whatever reason, it is translated as a proper name – Malachi. So, tell me something. Could the Lord have just as easily sent you to give this pronouncement? Would you have been as willing?

This isn’t an easy message to deliver. But notice the words used. It does not say “against Israel.” No, it says, “to Israel.” That makes the words more palatable. Still, the role of a prophet had always been precarious. You never knew how the people would respond. They may humble themselves and confess or they may rise up in anger and stone you.

Listen, we have a message to give. It does not matter how we think the world will respond. We have to be God’s messenger. We must tell them that God loved them so much that He gave Hs only Son to die for them and give them eternal life (John 3:16). Will you be His messenger today? The world needs to hear from you.

O Father, You are the only message giver we can trust to give us the truth, no matter what. Thank You, Lord.

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Abiding, Bible, Eternity, Idols, Scripture

NO MORE IDOLS

ZECHARIAH 14:21

“Every cooking pot in Jerusalem and in Judah will be holy to the LORD of armies; and all who sacrifice will come and take of them and boil in them. And there will no longer be a Canaanite in the house of the LORD of armies on that day.”

I know I have talked about this before, but today’s verse calls for another discussion. I want to know what you worship. Carl, of course I worship the Lord.  That’s great. That is my prayer. But what else do you worship? Some people (not my wife, of course) think I worship Georgia football. Not really, but I can put too much emphasis on a game.

Today’s verse is the conclusion of Zechariah. We close the book on this minor prophet with this blog. So, how does Zechariah close his book? What did the Spirit say to him? Pretty simple, final words. The Canaanites he mentions here are long gone, but there remained idolaters. They were worshipped the wrong thing. Now they would all be gone. No more idolaters. Can you imagine?

APPLICATION

One day, folks, we will have no other object of our worship. Every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess. Jesus is Lord and will reign forever. Hallelujah! Revelation 21:27 says, “and nothing unclean, and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into it, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.”

Where is your name written? What is your focus of worship? Who are you bringing with you? Are you allowing the “idolaters” around you die without the saving knowledge of Jesus. That phrase “there will no longer be a Canaanite in the house of the LORD” includes all those unbelievers on this day.

I will admit that in the past I was an idolater. I worshipped the wrong things. My focus wasn’t on the Lord. But now…it is. My whole heart is given to Him. I know in whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able. Amen? Amen!

We praise You, Lord. We worship only You. You are the King of kings and Lord of lords.

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Bible, Blood, Chosen, God's Will, Holiness, Holy, Offering, Scripture

HOLY TO THE LORD

ZECHARIAH 14:20

“On that day there will be inscribed on the bells of the horses, ‘HOLY TO THE LORD.’ And the cooking pots in the LORD’S house will be like the bowls before the altar.”

It seems everyone is trying “normalize” everything. Things we thought were abnormal a generation ago are now mainstream. Same sex marriage has been made equal with normal heterosexual marriage. Pregnancy before marriage is now accepted. Nobody bats an eye. We have “dumbed” down society to a level that is hardly recognizable.

That is not what is happening in today’s verse. In verse 20 of Zechariah 14, Zechariah is bringing these everyday items up to a level of holiness. Holiness isn’t brought down to their level. They are lifted up. That is exactly what the Lord does for us, isn’t it? He lifts us up out of the mirey clay, cleanses us and places us in the heavenlies.

APPLICATION

We need to do the same. We need to reach down and pull up the things that are unholy, change them through Jesus and declare them holy. 2 Timothy 2:21 says, “Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work.” Whew! Wow! “Useful to the Master.”

Let me ask you something. Are you useful for the master? Just like the bells on the horses and the cooking pots will be made holy, you may also be made holy through the blood of the Lamb. He wants to use you for His special tasks. He has plans for you. And He needs you to be a holy vessel, worthy of Him.

The great thing about us being holy is it is not up to us. We don’t have to do a bunch of works to earn it. We don’t have to keep 613 laws, drawn up by fallible men. We only have to rely on His holiness. We simply submit and let His holiness pour over us. Are you ready for some holiness on you?

Father, You are holy so I want to be holy. Use me as Your vessel.

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SIN IS SIN

ZECHARIAH 14:19

“This will be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all the nations that do not go up to celebrate the Feast of Booths.”

How many times have you tried to justify your sin? Oh brother, I cannot count the times I’ve done that. That person was mean to me. That person cut me off in traffic. She cheated on me, so… I could keep naming how we do that. But listen closely – sin is sin – plain and simple. We cannot sugarcoat it. Sin stinks.

Zechariah uses a word which has been translated as punishment. The better translation is sin, which also included the punishment. This word sometimes inferred habitual sinfulness. Get the picture. Egypt and the nations were not guilty of one sin. This has been their pattern. So, why would they go up to the feast? Their hearts were sinful.

APPLICATION

Oh boy! You could drive a truck through the hole this verse causes in our lives. We cannot declare ourselves sinless. Our whole life is full of sin. Romans 3:23 says that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Our righteousness is just filthy rags in comparison. God will not excuse us. We must do something about these sins.

I love Ephesians 2:8-9. It says, “8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” There is hope for the vilest offender. Sin is sin. Sure! But forgiveness is forgiveness. Don’t spend too much time trying to figure out God’s forgiveness. Just accept it.

I have shared my salvation experience many times on this blog site. I never get tired of telling the story. I saw my sin at age 16. Before that I gave every reason in the book to explain away my sin. God had to show me the filthiness of my sin, and He did. He will show you how dirty you are, if you will let Him. Are you ready? He is.

O Lord, You have taken the filth of my sin and purified my heart. Praise the Lord.

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Abiding, Bible, Dependence, Drought, Faith, Scripture

SELF-SUFFICIENT

ZECHARIAH 14:18

“And if the family of Egypt does not go up or enter, then no rain will fall on them; it will be the plague with which the LORD strikes the nations that do not go up to celebrate the Feast of Booths.”

As parents we push our children to become self-sufficient, to be able to take care of themselves. We teach them how to potty, how to get dressed, how to make their bed, how to brush their teeth and other essential life practices. Those are important and should be taught. However, we must also teach the necessity to be all dependent on God.

The people of Egypt, mentioned in today’s verse, had always saw themselves as self-sufficient. They didn’t need the late and early rains. They had the Nile River to supply all the water they needed. The words used by Zechariah implies that will suffer the same drought as the other nations due to the drying up of the Nile, their source. One can never say they don’t need God.

APPLICATION

I am reminded of Matthew 11:28-30 which says, “’28 Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. 30 For My yoke is comfortable, and My burden is light.’” Jesus offers us dependence on Him. He does not withhold it from us.

Have you made your spiritual life self-sufficient? Go back to Him. You cannot live worthy of your calling without total dependence on Him. Only He can give You what you need. You cannot achieve it on your own. It’s just not possible. Believe me, I’ve tried.

But when we rest in Jesus, when we take His yoke upon us and allow Him to lead, it is so much easier. He guides. He directs. He is the one accountable for where we go. We just have to trust Him. Do you trust Him? Do you want to let Him lead? Step into the yoke, beloved. The Master awaits.

Oh Lord, I praise You for making me dependent on You for every breath I take.

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Abundance, Bible, Blessing, Consequences, Dependence, God's Will, Judgment, Rain, Scripture

JUST AND UNJUST

ZECHARIAH 14:17

“And it will be that whichever of the families of the earth does not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of armies, there will be no rain on them.”

Rain is so essential for life. Plants must have it to grow. Crops must have it to produce. Lakes and streams need it to stay full. Animals in the wild need it or they will perish. I have seen firsthand the result of no rain in Kenya, where I travel each year. They have been in a period of drought for many years now in parts of the country. Without this precious rainfall life grounds to a halt.

God promises the withholding of this precious resource to those who oppose Him. This is nothing new. We see this throughout the Old Testament. Deuteronomy 28:23-24 shows this. “23 The heaven which is over your head shall be bronze, and the earth which is under you, iron. 24 The LORD will make the rain of your land powder and dust; from heaven it shall come down on you until you are destroyed.” Bottom line is this – God controls the rain. It falls where He desires.

APPLICATION

I am not implying that those people in the world who are suffering from drought conditions are all sinners. Even Jesus said this in Matthew 5:44-45. “‘44 But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may prove yourselves to be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.’”

What I want you to see in today’s verse in Zechariah is this – God is in control. He measures the rain by each and every drop. He knows who needs it and who doesn’t. Man does not control the weather. Neither can we make it react a certain way. We have heard far too much about climate change, in my opinion. The climate changer is God Himself. After all, didn’t He create the climate?

In today’s verse, God is changing the weather to drive people to Him. What is God having to change in your life to get you to draw yourself to Him. James 4:8 tells us, “Come close to God and He will come close to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” Come close now!

Father, I know You send the rains, and I praise You for them. Help me draw close to You.

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Abiding, Allies, Battles, Bible, Choices, End Times, Following, God's Will, Repentance, Salvation, Scripture

SECOND CHANCES

ZECHARIAH 14:16

“Then it will come about that any who are left of all the nations that came against Jerusalem will go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of armies, and to celebrate the Feast of Booths.”

God is a God of second chances. If you don’t believe that, just ask me. God has given me and others that second chance. Mine came at age sixteen, after living a lie for the previous eight years. I had been baptized at age eight but did not know Christ. At age sixteen, I was given new life in Christ when I truly repented and asked Jesus to be my Lord. Second chances are great.

It is pretty clear in today’s verse that the remnant from the defeated ones will repent and worship Jesus on the great and awesome day. They will come to Jerusalem, the very city they were trying to destroy, and worship Him there. The Feast of Booths (Tabernacles) is a daily event in the life of the Christian. We are continually “tabernacling” with Jesus.

APPLICATION

Have you thanked the Lord for your second chance? Maybe you are still running in rebellion. Maybe you have not yielded to Him and received that second chance yet. Don’t wait too long. You may miss out. But for those of us who have received it, we are continually celebrating Who He is. Amen?

I am thankful God gave David a second chance after he blew it with Bathsheba. He gave Saul (Paul) a second chance after he was guilty of jailing and even killing Christians. He gave Peter a second chance after he denied Him three times. How has the Lord given you that second chance? What has He rescued you from?

Oh, I can’t begin to tell you how grateful I am for second chances, even third and fourth chances. My God has never failed me, and He never will. He is watching over me. He is ready to catch me when I fall. He will never give up on me. He won’t give up on you either. Celebrate second chances and give God the glory.

Thank You, Lord, for second chances. You desire for me to live in them.

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Affliction, Bible, Children, Innocent, Protection, Rescue, Scripture

THE INNOCENT

ZECHARIAH 14:15

“And just like this plague, there will be a plague on the horse, the mule, the camel, the donkey, and all the cattle that will be in those camps.”

Most people want to protect the innocent. We don’t like to see them suffer for someone else’s choices. What immediately comes to mind for me are the unborn, those babies still in the womb. They are the ultimate innocent. Yet, we slay them mercilessly year after year in the womb through abortion. May God forgive us for this.

In today’s verse, we see the animals owned by the enemies of Israel suffering the same fate as their owners. How sad to know that thousands of innocent animals will die just because they are the property of these people. Now, understand something. I am not an animal lover to the extent that I want to rescue every stray cat or dog. But I do recognize in today’s verse the severe loss of these animals.

APPLICATION

So, how do you apply this verse to your life? Look out for the innocent. Protect them if you can. I’ve already mentioned the babies. How about the children? What did Jesus say in Luke 17:2? “‘It is better for him if a millstone is hung around his neck and he is thrown into the sea, than that he may cause one of these little ones to sin.’” That is what I call swift justice.

Jesus also said in Mark 10:14, “But when Jesus saw this, He was indignant and said to them, ‘Allow the children to come to Me; do not forbid them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.’” The innocent! We must protect them. We must see that they are brought to Jesus.

I have a five-year-old granddaughter that I pray for every day. I pray that she will come to Jesus. It burdens my heart. I want so desperately for her to love my Jesus and realize what He has done for her. That goes for every child, every unreached people group. Will you look out for those who are in need? The Lord can use you today.

Father, show me those to whom I must go. Help me protect the innocent.

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Allies, Bible, Chosen, Enemies, Fighting, God's Will, Purpose, Scripture

ME TOO

ZECHARIAH 14:14

“Judah also will fight at Jerusalem; and the wealth of all the surrounding nations will be gathered, gold, silver, and garments in great abundance.”

Being included is important. No one wants to be left out and alone, right? When your teenager goes to the school dance, they don’t want to go alone. They want to be part of a group or with a date. When you go to a ballgame, you normally go with someone. You want to be included and not left out. It’s just a normal, human desire.

The same will hold true on the day described in Zechariah 14. Here in verse 14, we see Judah coming to the fight at Jerusalem. Of course, they want to be included in this fight. After all, the Messiah came through the line of Judah. They have a vested interest in this fight. And for their efforts they will be rewarded with the spoils of war, the verse says.

APPLICATION

You are included! You are not left out. You are part of God’s overarching plan. 2 Peter 3:9 tells us, “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not willing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance.” He wants you to come to Him. He wants all to come to Him.

You play a part in that. Just as soon as you come into the family of God, you have a part to play. Just like Judah will come to fight on behalf of Jerusalem against all its enemies, you have a role in the army of God. He may send you to some remote location in the world to help reach a lost people group. Or He may send you across the street to reach your lost neighbor. Either way, you have a part to play.

I remember my freshman year in high school playing on the varsity football team. Mind you, all freshmen dressed out for the game, but none of us were guaranteed playing time. I, however, was a big kid, so I actually got to play in a few games, enough to letter. I would stand by the coaches, hoping to hear them call my name. Put me in coach. I want to play. Are you saying that to Jesus?

I am so thankful to be included in Your family and Your army. Put me in Jesus.

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