Author Archives: gonelikeashadowatevening

Abiding, Belief, Bible, Commands, Commitment, Devout, God's Will, Mentoring, Passion, Scripture

THE ONLY ONE

ZECHARIAH 14:9

“And the LORD will be King over all the earth; on that day the LORD will be the only one, and His name the only one.”

I have been married almost 38 years. That’s a long time, but not nearly long enough. My wife is truly the only one for me. No other woman fills my thoughts. No other woman has my heart. There is only one for me. (I’m hoping she’s reading this, lol).

Aren’t the words of today’s verse exciting? The LORD will be King over the whole earth. He will be the only one. The Hebrew literally says “It shall be Yahweh one and His name one.” There is no need to say “only,” because it is implied with the word “one.” There is only one – the LORD.

APPLICATION

When are we going to start living that way? When are we going to stop putting all these other things above Him? What are you talking about, Carl? I don’t do that. Really? Take a look at your calendar. Take a look at your bank account. Where do you spend your time and money? What do you prioritize?

We are all guilty at times of not making Him first in our lives. We get so caught up with life that we forget Who is first. I am not throwing stones. I am just as guilty. Too much time in front of the television. Too much time on the computer or phone. We are all obsessed with worldly objects.

Can we all agree to make Him first this week? I want to spend more time reading His Word. I want to spend more time encouraging other believers. I want to invest in the lives of more men to make them better husbands and fathers. What will you prioritize this week? Make Him number one. Deuteronomy 6:4 says it best. “Hear, Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one!”

You are the only One for me, dear Lord. Forgive me when I fail to recognize that.

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Abundance, Bible, End Times, Flowing, Holy Spirit, Messiah, Refreshing, Scripture, Water

LIVING WATER

ZECHARIAH 14:8

“And on that day living waters will flow out of Jerusalem, half of them toward the eastern sea and the other half toward the western sea; it will be in summer as well as in winter.”

My wife and I are currently watching all the seasons of “Alone,” the survival reality show where participants are dropped in some remote location by themselves and have to live off the land. The one who stays the longest wins $500,000. The one thing they all have to find first is a source of drinking water. Water is critical for survival. Without it, they will only last a few days.

In today’s verse, we are told “…on that day living waters will flow out of Jerusalem,…” Why is that? Both Joel 3 and Ezekiel 47 make reference to the water which will stream out of the temple. Of course, we know that water flows out of the Messiah and is representative of the Holy Spirit which will flow out of Him. It will never run dry. It will flow year round.

APPLICATION

Jesus explains this further in John 7:37-39. “37 Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, ‘If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. 38 The one who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, “From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.”’ 39 But this He said in reference to the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.”

As believers, we have the Holy Spirit living within us. He will never leave us or forsake us. He only wants to be allowed to work in and through our lives. But the Holy Spirit is not a party crasher. He won’t force Himself on us. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 6 who really has control of our lives. Verses 19-20 say this. “19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? 20 For you have been bought for a price: therefore glorify God in your body.”

If you want those “living waters” to flow through you, you have to yield to the Holy Spirit is in you. I desire that every day. Unfortunately, I do not yield as I should. I allow my old man to raise up from time to time. Would you pray for me to yield fully? I will pray the same for you.

“Drinking at the springs of living water, Happy now am I, my soul they satisfy; (Heritage Singers)

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Abiding, Bible, Darkness, Light, Radiance, Scripture

WHAT IS THAT LIGHT?

ZECHARIAH 14:7

“For it will be a unique day which is known to the LORD, neither day nor night, but it will come about that at the time of evening there will be light.”

My wife is light sensitive. By that I mean she cannot have lights showing in our bedroom at night. If they are, she can’t sleep. She covers up the lights from the tv and cable box. There are no night lights in our room. If I have to get up at night (and at my age that is happening more and more, lol), I had better hold on to the bed or dresser to find my way. Things do go bump in the night, and they are usually me.

This day referred to in today’s verse will only be known to the LORD. Remember Christ’s words in Mark 13:22. “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.” Only He knows and will reveal it to His Son at the appointed time. Well, the time has come in this verse. The light referred to at the end of the verse, “at the time of evening there will be light,” is none other than the Lord Himself.

APPLICATION

In Revelation 21:23 we read, “And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God has illuminated it, and its lamp is the Lamb.” Of course, this is referring to the new heaven and the new earth, but this is still the God of light. We are told this in 1 John 1:5. “This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.”

Do you prefer to walk in darkness or light? Where do you feel the safest? Most of us would say the light. It’s pretty simple to walk in the light of God’s Word. You have to spend time in it, studying and meditating on it. You have to incorporate it into your life. It has to be the thing that drives you.

Mind you, you have to follow what it says, not what you think it says or want it to say. You can make the Scriptures fit into your theology very easily. We see that way too much today in our society. Those who do that are walking in darkness, not the light. We have the light. Use it.

One day, Lord, You will shine over the whole earth making it all seem as day.

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Abiding, Appearance, Bible, Darkness, Light, Scripture, Shining

LIGHTS OUT

ZECHARIAH 14:6

“On that day there will be no light; the luminaries will die out.” 

Once when I was preparing to fly home from Nairobi, Kenya, all the power at the airport went out. That’s not extremely unusual for Kenya, but it is for the airport. They have backup generators that normally kick in. Not this time, and this was at around 11:00 at night. Let me tell you – it was DARK. I instantly grabbed my bag, hugged it and sat motionless. I could not see my hand in front of my face.

“On that day” we are told in today’s verse, when all the activity just mentioned in verses 1-5 happens, all the light will go out in Jerusalem and the surrounding area. All the stars, the moon, the sun, all the “luminaries” will go dark. Isaiah says it well it 13:9-10. “9 Behold, the day of the LORD is coming, cruel, with fury and burning anger, to make the land a desolation; and He will exterminate its sinners from it. 10 For the stars of heaven and their constellations will not flash their light; the sun will be dark when it rises, and the moon will not shed its light.”

APPLICATION

Prepare yourself. That’s all I can say. We live in a dark world riddled with sin. But that darkness will seem as light on this day of judgment. But I have good news. We are the light of the world. Jesus tells us in Matthew 5:14-16, “‘14 You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; 15 nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Your light must shine before people in such a way that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.’”

Paul goes on to tell us in Ephesians, “for you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light.” Will you shine today? Will you light up the darkness around you? How do you do that? Simply, be Jesus. Live with joy. As Bonhoeffer said, “Live your life as a believer so unbelievers will question their unbelief.”

All you have to do is submit to Jesus today. Let Him live through you. After all, it’s not your light that is shining. It is His light that shoots its beams out your mouth and out your eyes. You don’t believe me? Try it. And look for others around you who are shining and encourage them today.

Father of lights, shine through me in a dark world. 

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Appearance, Bible, Christ's Return, Deliverance, Devil, End Times, Eternity, Evil, Following, Glory, God's Will, Heaven, Hell, Judgment, Miracles, Return, Scripture

ESCAPE ROUTE

ZECHARIAH 14:5

“And you will flee by the valley of My mountains, for the valley of the mountains will reach to Azel; yes, you will flee just as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the LORD, my God, will come, and all the holy ones with Him!”

I have had the opportunity to participate in a couple of Escape Room experiences. You know – those rooms set up to allow groups of people to problem solve a situation, gather clues and follow directions to get out of that room. There is always a way out if the team can just figure it out. Fortunately, I was able to escape each time, lol.

Look back at verse 4 of Zechariah 14 for a second. It says, “…the Mount of Olives will be split in its middle from east to west forming a very large valley…” That valley is the one referred to in today’s verse. Azel was obviously a village on the other side of that valley. The earthquake mentioned here is not in historical records but must have been massive for it to have been remembered two centuries later. But the best part of this verse is the last phrase – “Then the LORD, my God, will come, and all the holy ones with Him!”

APPLICATION

Wow, there’s a lot in that verse, huh? Where do we start? First of all, let’s address the escape route that God will make for the people of Jerusalem on that day. He does the miraculous to achieve His purpose. He is still doing that today. We can all probably recount a story that was nothing less than miraculous. Will you join me in looking around for those today? God is still providing a way out for us. We can share the story of Jesus with someone who is lost today and provide them with that miraculous way of escape from the punishment of hell.

How about the Lord returning with “all the holy ones”? Won’t that be a sight? I plan to be there. These “holy ones” will include His legions of angels and perhaps all the saints. That last part is us, the believers, who are with Him in glory. That is shouting ground. Look at Jude 1:14-15. “14 Behold, the Lord has come with many thousands of His holy ones, 15 to execute judgment upon all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their ungodly deeds which they have done in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.”

Whether I am with Him or not when He returns to earth to judge it, the fact of the matter is He is coming with authority. He is coming back as King and Judge, not a baby in a manger. He is not coming back to spend years teaching. No, He is coming back to issue forth judgment on the unbelieving masses and on the evil one himself. What a day that will be!

What a day that will be, when my Jesus I shall see. And I look upon His face, the One who saved me by His grace…What a day, glorious day that will be. 

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Abiding, Belief, Bible, Following, God's Will, Judgment, Messiah, Return, Scripture

ON THAT DAY

ZECHARIAH 14:4

“On that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which is in front of Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives will be split in its middle from east to west forming a very large valley. Half of the mountain will move toward the north, and the other half toward the south.” 

We have all had days that we waited anxiously for – Christmas morning, wedding day, the birth of a child. Some are more exciting than others. They all have one thing in common. We can’t make that day come any quicker. We have to wait for the day to arrive. We count the days, hours and even seconds, don’t we? We are pretty anxious bunch.

Oh, beloved, look at today’s verse. We are told that one day the long-awaited Messiah will come. We know Him as Jesus, the Son of God. He will come and stand on the Mount of Olives. When that happens there will be a great earthquake which will split the mountain. We believe this is literally what will happen. But just like our awaited days, this day will only occur when it is time. We can make guesses, but we can’t change the date. When it is time, God will send Him. He is coming. That is for sure.

APPLICATION

At the ascension of Christ, angels appeared and told the disciples, “and they said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.’” (Acts 1:11) That should get your heart pumping. That should excite you much more than the anticipation of any day on your calendar. He will return, just like He came.

Now, to be clear, this is NOT the rapture. That will precede this. We, the believers in Christ, will be caught up by Jesus in the air. This event prophesied in Zechariah 14:4 is when Jesus will literally return to earth to judge it. For those who remain on earth after the rapture, who have gone through the tribulation period, this will be a scary time. For those of us who accompany Him, it will be a glorious time. Which side will you be on?

I know where I will be. I will be with Jesus. I’m already on His side. I am just anxiously waiting. Will it be today? Tomorrow? Only the Father knows! Jesus told us in Matthew 24:42, “‘Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming.’”

Lord, I am ready. Help me lead others to You so they too will be ready.

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Advocate, Allies, Battles, Bible, Covenant, Defense, Enemies, Fighting, God's Will, Guard, Opponents, Protection, Rescue, Safety, Scripture

THE LORD IS ON OUR SIDE

ZECHARIAH 14:3

“Then the LORD will go forth and fight against those nations, as when He fights on a day of battle.”

Everybody remembers the childhood games when kids gathered outside and picked sides to play a game. Whether it was baseball, football or red rover, getting picked last was the worst. No one wanted to get picked last. Getting picked first was the sign of being one of the best, if not the best, players. Get picked anywhere – just not the last.

Well, in verse 3 of chapter 14, we find the LORD getting picked to fight on the side of Israel. Woo-hoo! They just scored the best and most powerful player. When all the nations of the earth turn against Israel, the LORD will jump in. Those nations have no idea what is about to hit them. They don’t see the LORD, but He is there. They will feel the full force of the Creator of the universe.

APPLICATION

He is on our side, as well. Did you know that? The same God who will defend Israel has joined us in our daily battles. Deuteronomy 3:22 says, “‘You shall not fear them, for it is the Lord your God who fights for you.’” How about this one? Joshua 23:3 reads, “‘And you have seen all that the Lord your God has done to all these nations for your sake, for it is the Lord your God who has fought for you.’”

You are probably saying, Carl, those are Old Testament verse about God fighting for Israel. That’s just like our verse today in Zechariah. Okay, how about this one? This is one I have referenced before. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 tells us, “For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,” We have God’s armament!

We have nothing to fear. God is on our side. He is fighting for us. All we have to do is yield to Him. Then He can unleash the forces of heaven against our enemies – in His time. We have to wait on Him. He will come through. Never doubt that. He may seem to be late, but He is not. He is always right on time. He will fight for us!

Thank You, Lord, for fighting my battles daily. I may not see You, but I know You are there.

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Affliction, Battles, Belief, Bible, Death, Enemies, Evil, Hell, Scripture, Uncategorized, War, Worthy

THE HORRORS OF WAR

ZECHARIAH 14:2

“‘For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city will be taken, the houses plundered, the women raped, and half of the city exiled, but the rest of the people will not be eliminated from the city.’” 

There is a saying, “War is hell.” I pray that did not offend anyone. But from all I have been told about it and what I have seen lately around the world, it is. We live in a fallen world where evil reigns. People do horrible things to each other. Often that is done in the name of religion. Don’t you know the devil loves that? Join me in praying for peace around the world. Pray for the nation of Israel right now.

The Lord continues His promise of judgment against Israel. Today’s verse reads like the current headlines. Could it be this prophetic statement is coming true in our day? I am not saying that is the case, but the situation the Lord describes in today’s verse is exactly what is happening today. Remember, the whole purpose of judgment on Israel was to draw them back to Himself.

APPLICATION

What will it take to draw you back? Well Carl, I don’t need to be drawn back. I’m okay. Are you sure about that? Are you walking with him as Paul describes it in Colossians 1:10? “so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;”

We need to be walking worthy of Him every day. As believers in Christ, we are free from the coming judgment that will face unbelievers. We will be yanked from this world at some point, sparing us from the evils that await the rest of the world. The horrors of war that we experience today will pale in comparison of what is to come.

Therefore, we need to bring as many as we can into the fold before that day of Jesus’ coming for the saints. I have friends and family who would be left behind if He came today. That breaks my heart. Will you join me in reaching out to all those you know who need Jesus? Together we can share with the masses of His great love for them.

Lord, would You tarry Your coming for a while so we can reach more for You?

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Accountability, Bible, Judgment, Remnant, Scripture

JUDGMENT CONTINUES

ZECHARIAH 14:1

“‘Behold, a day is coming for the LORD when the spoils taken from you will be divided among you.’” 

Sometimes you just know the hammer is going to fall. When you blow through a redlight only to see a police car sitting there. Or when you are hunting on a baited field and the game warden shows up (not that that every happened to me, lol). We can definitely bet on one thing happening – God’s judgment. It is coming on the earth, and people need to know.

Verse 1 of this final chapter in Zechariah continues the message from the previous chapter. Remember, there weren’t chapter divisions in the original manuscripts. The Lord warns the people that judgment day is coming. We don’t know the specific time of this judgment. Some say it was the Roman or Babylonian defeat of Jerusalem. Others say it is yet to come. But we know it is coming because the Lord said it.

APPLICATION

As I write this devotional, Israel is under attack on at least two fronts (north and south). We know God’s chosen people will face enemies in the latter days. They will all want to destroy Israel. We also know God has promised a remnant. That remnant is guaranteed.

We need to be telling everyone that judgment day is upon us. Now, before you start calling for a counselor to talk some sense into me, let me just remind you that this judgment is guaranteed by our God. It may be 100 years from now, or it could be tomorrow. Why wait? Why risk not being prepared? Why not tell everyone?

Tomorrow, tell someone that Jesus loves them. Tell them He is coming again to take His bride, the church, all believers, with Him to glory. No one should want to be left behind. It will not be pleasant. Whatever is happening in Israel right now, it is a prelude of what is to come. Get ready!

O Lord, I want everyone to be ready to hear that trumpet and be ready to see Your face.

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Bible, God's Will, Purity, Scripture, Testing

REFINED AND TESTED

ZECHARIAH 13:9

“‘And I will bring the third part through the fire, refine them as silver is refined, and test them as gold is tested. They will call on My name, and I will answer them; I will say, “They are My people,” and they will say, “The LORD is my God.”’”

Oh man, this verse hits me right between the eyes. The Lord has certainly turned up the heat on that refining furnace in my life. My two experiences going through stem cell transplants burned off a lot of chaff. You would think I would stay refined, right? I don’t want any more of those fires. But looking back, I am grateful for what He taught me in the furnace.

As we close chapter 9 of Zechariah, he shares one last comment from the Lord about the remnant He will preserve. He will not just rescue them. He will refine them. He will test them. He will push them to be better, to be holy. They will call on Him. They will be His people. He will be their God. Finally! Refining fires draw them closer to Him.

APPLICATION

You are not going to like where we are going today. No one likes this. The Lord is going to test you. Why? To make you more and more like His Son, Jesus. Job recognized this. Look what he said in Job 23:10. “‘But He knows the way I take; when He has put me to the test, I will come out as gold.’” Just think of all he went through. If you have forgotten, reread Job.

And look at 1 Peter 1:6-7. “6 In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, 7 so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which perishes though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ;” What a great result!

So, the next time God places you in that crucible of testing, rest in Him. He will never do one thing to harm you. He is always about making you more like Him – holy and pure. It is not normal for us to live pure lives. Our flesh fights against that every day. But God desires nothing else. He wants pure children. Let Him purify you today.

Lord, I submit to the fires of Your will. I want to be holy and pure like You. 

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