Author Archives: gonelikeashadowatevening

Abiding, Bible, Covenant, Discipline, Favor, Scripture, Union

TWO STAFFS

ZECHARIAH 11:7

“‘So I pastured the flock doomed to slaughter, therefore also the afflicted of the flock. And I took for myself two staffs: the one I called Favor, and the other I called Union; so I pastured the flock.’”

I have been married almost thirty-eight years. My wife and I are stuck with each other, lol. Neither of us has time to “train” somebody else. Just kidding. We are bound together in a covenant relationship. We are also bound together in love. Those two parts work together to help us succeed in this relationship. On the days when our love seems to drop (and those days are few and far between), our covenant to each other holds us fast.

The Lord is still addressing His unruly children in today’s verse. He mentions two staffs – Favor and Union. The one staff named Favor is just that – it is a symbol of His love and mercy in their lives. Time and time again He had shown them favor. The other staff – Union – is a reminder that they are bound together. They are His children. Nothing is going to change that.

APPLICATION

As a believer, we have a covenant relationship with the Lord that can never be severed. We are bound through the blood of Jesus. God also shows His favor to us over and over. He showers us with blessings. He forgives our sins. He protects us from harm. He sees us through trials that He allows to make us more like His Son.

Favor and Union are still real today in the Christian’s life. Don’t forget that! Don’t let Satan rob you from the promises you have in Jesus. You are His favorite child. You are His prized possession. You are His heir to all He has. You are special. Why? Because He chose you.

I love John 15:16 which says, “You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you.” He chose me. He chose you. Live like it.

O Father, thank You for Your staffs of Favor and Union. I know I can depend on You always.

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Accountability, Affliction, Bible, Captivity, Compassion, Consequences, Enemies, Forgiveness, God's Will, Judgment, Punishment, Restoration, Scripture

NO COMPASSION

ZECHARIAH 11:6

“‘For I will no longer have compassion for the inhabitants of the land,’ declares the LORD; ‘but behold, I will let the people fall, each into another’s power and into the power of his king; and they will crush the land, and I will not rescue them from their power.’”

It is hard to have compassion for people who willingly make bad decisions. At least, it is for me. When people fall into hard times due to no fault of their own, I want to reach out and lend a helping hand. But someone who time and time again chooses to satisfy their own flesh at the expense of themselves and others seems to deserve whatever comes their way. Does that seem hard? Well, look at today’s verse.

The Lord is saying He was going to allow His chosen people to suffer because of their willful disobedience. When He says He will show no compassion, He is saying there is no pity for their plight. He was, in fact, going to send another nation to punish them. Babylon would rise up and defeat them and carry them off into exile, just like the Lord said.

APPLICATION

Unlike the Israelites, we have mercy and grace through the blood of Jesus to cover our sins. That does not give us freedom to live as we want, though. We still must follow the Lord. Paul says in Romans 6:1, “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase?” The answer to that question is obvious, isn’t it?

I really love what the Apostle John writes in 1 John 1:9. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous, so that He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” That’s it. That’s the secret. Confession! We need to stay “confessed up.” Unlike the Israelites, who were taken into captivity for 70 years, we can have immediate forgiveness.

I have to confess something to you. I have to confess my sins daily, sometimes more than that. I have learned how important that is. I start my mornings doing that. It’s the first thing I do right after I have a short time of worshipping the Lord. I do my best to humble myself before His throne and ask Him to forgive me of any impure thought or unkind deed. I want His cleansing. Don’t you? It’s there, for the asking.

Cleanse me with hyssop and I shall be clean. Wash me and I will be whiter than snow.

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Abiding, Accountability, Bible, Commands, DUTY, God's Will, Obedience, Scripture, Service

MY DUTIES

ZECHARIAH 11:5

“‘Those who buy them slaughter them and go unpunished, and each of those who sell them says, “Blessed be the LORD, for I have become rich!” And their own shepherds have no compassion for them.’”

I have shared how I served for over thirty years working with children and youth in the foster care system. For the most part, the very people who were supposed to protect these children, abused or abandoned them. I could share dozens of stories where the parents chose drugs or alcohol over their own babies. Others saw their children as objects to be used rather than loved and cared for.

In much the same way, the very people who were supposed to care for the children of Israel had left them unprotected. The religious leaders who were instructed to teach the Law to the people had abandoned their duties. The people of Israel saw defeat and exile, all because of their refusal to obey the One who had given them their land.

APPLICATION

Jeremiah talks about this as well. In Jeremiah 50:6-7 we read, “‘6 My people have become lost sheep; their shepherds have led them astray. They have made them turn aside on the mountains.

They have gone from mountain to hill, they have forgotten their resting place. 7 All who found them have devoured them; and their adversaries have said, “We are not guilty, since they have sinned against the LORD who is the habitation of righteousness,

the LORD, the hope of their fathers.”’”

I need to ask you something. Have you been given a duty and responsibility by God which you are not fulfilling? Perhaps, it is in the care of your children. You know that care also involves teaching them about the Lord and His love for them. Not teaching them that is neglect in His eyes. They have been given to you as a gift. You should cherish these gifts.

I do not want to arrive in heaven with uncompleted tasks. I want to work each day to accomplish each and every duty I have been assigned by Jesus. Loving your neighbor is a good one to practice. Submission to elders is another. How are we doing with those two? Ask the Lord to reveal to you what He would have you do and then do it.

Father, I do not want to be like the leaders of Israel who abandoned their posts. Give me strength to serve well.

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Affliction, Altars, Belief, Bible, Death, Faithfulness, God's Will, Judgment, Offering, Sacrifice, Scripture

JUST FOLLOWING ORDERS

ZECHARIAH 11:4

“This is what the LORD my God says: ‘Pasture the flock doomed to slaughter.’”

There have been times in my ministry career that I have been asked to do something that I knew was doomed to fail. I had tried to give good counsel, but the person in charge had given strict orders. They wanted it done their way. They also knew the chances of success were slim to none, but their order still stood. As a subordinate, I had to follow through on their instructions.

Here in Zechariah 11, we are entering into a prophetic statement where Zechariah is represented as carrying out a future event. Many scholars believe here Zechariah is representative of Christ offering Himself to Israel, whom He knew would reject Him. This flock was doomed to slaughter, but they were to be fed anyway. Christ offered the children of Israel His kingdom first, remember.

APPLICATION

Psalm 44:22 says, “But for Your sake we are killed all day long; We are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” The difference between this verse and today’s verse in Zechariah is huge. In Zechariah, they are sheep for the slaughter because of their disobedience. In Psalm 44, we are sheep to be slaughtered for the Lord. We are His martyrs for the kingdom.

I don’t know about you, but I had rather be slaughtered for the Lord, not by the Lord. I willingly lay down my life for Him each and every day. As I travel around the globe, I am often asked if I fear for my life. I tell them I do not because the Lord holds me in His righteous right hand. My life is His to do with as He sees fit.

Do you have that peace today? Are you a sheep slaughtered because of your sins? Or are you a sheep slaughtered for the kingdom. One will take your peace away. The other gives you peace. If you have not repented of your sins and given your life to Jesus, do it today. Experience real peace.

Thank You, Father, for giving me that life ending peace. I am okay with facing my last day on this earth knowing my next day will be with You.

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Abiding, Bible, Consequences, Danger, Devil, Evil, Protection, Refuge, Scripture

A LION’S ROAR

ZECHARIAH 11:3

“There is a sound of the shepherds’ wail, for their splendor is ruined; there is a sound of the young lions’ roar, for the pride of the Jordan is ruined.”

There is something majestic about a lion as it struts around. Until you are close to this animal you can’t picture its true size. And when they roar, it can put cold chills up your spine. I would hate to have to live among them. You can’t trust a lion not to attack. Lions do what lions do.

You may not think about lions being a part of the Jordanian landscape. They aren’t now, but they were up until around the 12th century. When the people were taken into exile, the forest of Jordan were left uninhabited. The lions moved in this shady area to avoid the heat of the desert. Their roars would have been a common sound in the area, another reminder of God’s judgment.

APPLICATION

We all have reminders of our sins. Some of those reminders leave scars. Others are just memories of our disobedience and subsequent consequences. We may not have lions move in and roar, but we have the enemy to deal with every day. When we are not living for Jesus, we leave ourselves open to the attack of forces of darkness.

James 4:7 tells us, “Submit, therefore, to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” 1 Peter 5:8-9 remind us, “8 Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 So resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brothers and sisters who are in the world.”

Will you heed those warnings? Or will you allow the lions to move in and roar all around you? I prefer to live without the lions, please. I only want one lion around me. That is the Lion of Judah – Jesus. His roar will be heard around the world one day when He returns with a shout! Praise the Lord! Hallelujah!

Your roar, O Lord, strikes fear into the enemy but joy into the hearts of Your children.

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Affection, Bible, Crying, Darkness, Death, Despair, Grief, Mourning, Scripture, Tears

WAILING

ZECHARIAH 11:2

“Wail, juniper, because the cedar has fallen, for the magnificent trees have been destroyed; wail, oaks of Bashan, because the impenetrable forest has come down.”

Have you ever heard someone wail? What is that? It’s a loud scream or howl. It has the sound as if someone is dying. It’s an extreme mournful sound. I have heard that sound several times in my life. All of them came at the scene of death. Someone had died and their loved ones were wailing at the thought of never seeing them again. It’s a gut-wrenching sound.

Zechariah continues the imagery of trees and their representation of Israel, the temple and its leaders. If the temple (cedar) has fallen, then the juniper and oaks (their leaders) would certainly fall. The word for “wail” here is used exclusively by the Old Testament prophets. Isaiah, Jeremiah, Joel, Ezekiel, and Amos also employ the use of this descriptive word.

APPLICATION

What are you wailing about? What has you so upset that you can’t eat or drink? I have seen believers who were so upset they could not function. If that is you, may I encourage you to dry your tears and turn your thoughts towards Jesus. He is the author and finisher of your faith. He can restore what you have lost in His own way.

There have been a couple of times in my life when I found myself wailing from deep, personal heartache. We are told in Revelation 21:4, “and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.” Do you believe that? Then trust Him now.

Instead of tears of heartache, I prefer tears of joy. I would rather have tears of repentance than tears of mourning. So, are you wailing? Let your wails be wails of repentance over your sins. Wail to God for Him to forgive you. Wail to Him over the way you have not followed Him as you should. But trust Him in the midst of the wailings. God never runs out of Kleenex to wipe away your tears.

Thank You, Lord, for wiping my tears. I want to wail only over my sins and trust You with all my life.

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Uncategorized

FOREST FIRE

ZECHARIAH 11:1

“Open your doors, Lebanon, so that a fire may feed on your cedars.”

There seems to be an increase in forest fires around the world. Canada has had so many fires that the air quality in the U.S. has been affected. The recent fires in Hawaii were devastating and costs numerous lives. It seems these fires were all through natural causes. The people who have been affected by these fires have been devastated. We should continue to pray for them and ask God’s mercy for them.

Lebanon, in today’s verse, represents the temple in Jerusalem. The cedar was and still is a symbol of Israel’s strength. It also serves as the center point on the flag of Lebanon today. Zechariah prophesies of the opening of the doors of the temple to allow it to be destroyed (which we know happened in 73 A.D. by the Romans). It was burned with fire by the Romans and destroyed.

APPLICATION

Have you faced destruction in your life because of sin? Are the fires that have burned you still smoking? God’s wrath is still real. He still judges and prosecutes those who sin against Him. As His child, we are safe in His arms. But unbelievers face a certain judgment, one which many of them deny. Denial won’t prevent it.

If you are believer, aren’t you glad you won’t face that? I sure am. Now, I know all my works done in the flesh are like wood, hay and straw. They will definitely be burned up. They may even look like a forest fire in heaven, lol. But I am secure in my salvation. There will not be a judgment against me because of Christ’s shed blood.

Ephesians 1:7 tell us, “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our wrongdoings, according to the riches of His grace…” His blood is like a wet blanket putting out those fires of judgment. We are covered. We are safe. No fire can reach us. It does not matter what the devil says. He cannot take away the blood. Praise be to God!

Thank You, Lord, for the “fire insurance” provided through the blood of Christ.

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Abiding, Bible, Direction, Following, Scripture, Walking

WALK IN HIS NAME

ZECHARIAH 10:12

“‘And I will strengthen them in the LORD, and in His name they will walk,’ declares the LORD.”

Call me crazy (and many people do, lol) but when I read today’s verse, I immediately thought of the phrase “Walk like an Egyptian.” You’ve seen people imitate that. (If any Egyptians are reading this right now, I mean no disrespect.) I remember the comedian, Steve Martin, and his skit on King Tut. I don’t think Zechariah was thinking about that when he wrote this verse. Do you?

But seriously, the LORD declares that the people of Israel will walk in His name. That sounds simple enough, right? The Hebrew word for “walk” has a lot of meanings. It can mean to march, to move speedily, to walk back and forth and so forth. It doesn’t just mean to walk. Every move they make will be in His name. When they walk to the market, when they walk to worship or when they walk their children to school, they are to be walking in His name.

APPLICATION

We are told 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;” Again, in 1 Thessalonians 2:12 we read, “so that you would walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.”
Walking in His name didn’t stop with the Israelites in the Old Testament. We are commanded to do the same today. Each of our steps should be directed by Jesus. Everywhere we go we represent Him if you are a believer. People are watching you. They are looking to see how you behave and how you live your life. How are you walking right now?

I am very conscious every day of every step I take. I have some pretty severe neuropathy in my feet. I can’t feel my toes which causes me to be off balanced (no jokes please). I can easily trip. So, I am careful. But I am also careful of my spiritual steps. I want each of my steps to be a witness for my Savior. I pray that is your goal too.

Just a closer walk with Thee, Grant it Jesus is my plea

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Belief, Bible, Calling, Courage, Deliverance, Fear, God's Will, Scripture, Trust

DEEP WATER

ZECHARIAH 10:11

“And they will pass through the sea of distress and He will strike the waves in the sea, so that all the depths of the Nile will dry up; and the pride of Assyria will be brought down, and the scepter of Egypt will depart.”

I was recently at a hotel where they had this beautiful pool. Actually, they had two pools, one shallow and one deep. At the end of that deep pool was a diving tower with three levels. The top level had to be at least twenty feet high. Did that stop the kids from climbing up and jumping off? Not a bit. That deep water below was not scary at all. Why was that? Because they knew there was someone watching out for them – their parents. They would not hesitate to jump in to rescue them if their children were in danger.

Why am I talking about pools? Today’s verse refers to the children of Israel crossing the Red Sea and the Jordan River on dry ground. Listen to what Isaiah says in 43:2. “When you walk through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. And shall smite the waves in the sea.” These waters are a symbol of the afflictions they would face, but God would bring them through. He is always standing by watching over His children.

APPLICATION

I have faced afflictions in my life where I felt I was underwater. I was drowning in self-pity, worry and doubt. I did not see a way out. Have you experienced that? But here I am, years later, and God is still using me. I don’t understand how He does it, but He rescues me each and every time. He knows my need way before I know it.

We should not be afraid of deep waters, of challenges that lie ahead. If God is calling you into the waters, He has a life vest just your size. In fact, He has tailormade it just for you. It’s not a used, worn out vest. Are you in over your head? Call out for Him right now.

Sometimes the Lord asks me to just dip my toe in that water. Other times He tells me to jump headfirst. I may have to wade or swim. But one thing I know – He is right there with me. The Lord “will strike the waves in the sea” at just the right time. He has been preparing me for these waters. I shall not be afraid.

Father God, lead me to the water’s edge and let me hear Your voice when to proceed.

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Abiding, Abundance, Bible, Boasting, Brokenness, Dependence, Enslavement, Filled, Glorify, God's Will, Holy Spirit, Promises, Scripture

FILLED UP

ZECHARIAH 10:10

“I will bring them back from the land of Egypt and gather them from Assyria; and I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon until no room can be found for them.”

I have fond memories of family gatherings at my Grandma Carter’s house in Georgia. Just about every Thanksgiving and Christmas, all the family (uncles, aunts, cousins galore) would come and eat and laugh and eat some more. The house would literally be running over with people. Grandma didn’t have a big house, so every room was full. What a blast!

Here in verse 10 today, we see God promising that He will fill the land of Israel again to overflowing with His children who will return from Egypt and Assyria. What a change from the desolate landscape of previous years. People will be looking for places to live. But just like my Grandma’s house, these people will be celebrating and loving each other.

APPLICATION

God wants to fill you to overflowing with His love and His Spirit. You may feel like the children of Israel in Egypt and Assyria. You feel trapped, enslaved by some sin or some circumstance. Oh beloved, put your trust in the same God who delivered Israel. He knows exactly where you are. He allowed you to go there. So, He can bring you out. But you have to be willing to go with Him.

Paul tells us in Colossians 2:6-7, “6 Therefore, as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, 7 having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.” As you walk with the Lord, He will fill you to overflowing. Do you believe that? I do.

I experienced this recently on a trip to Africa. During the worship time at a conference, I was praying for our speaker when God suddenly drove me to my knees in prayer. I have never experienced that before. As I prayed, I began to weep, and then He spoke to me so clearly. He told me to have the men (about 100 of them from all over Africa) to pray over this speaker in their heart language. It was an incredible moment of overflowing. Allow Him to fill you, as well, as you submit to Him and give the Spirit room to move.

Lord, I praise You for Your Spirit which fills me to overflowing.

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