Category Archives: Abiding

Abiding, Bible, Blessing, Commands, Hearing, Listening, Scripture, Uncategorized

GOD’S STILL TALKING

ZECHARIAH 8:18

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

Every day when I am in my Quiet Time, I pray to hear the voice of the Lord. Now, don’t think I am strange. I don’t mean audibly, but that would be very cool. I am talking about Him speaking through His Holy Spirit into my heart and mind. Some days, He is practically yelling at me. Other days – not so much. He’s quiet. That’s when I listen the hardest.

Today’s verse is the eighth time in chapter eight that Zedekiah received a word from the Lord. God is about to speak on the joyous festivals that are coming to Israel (more on that tomorrow). This whole chapter has been about God sharing His blessings on this remnant of Israel. After all the suffering, after all the judgment, they are now back in the good graces of their God and are worthy of His blessings.

APPLICATION

Did you hear the Lord speaking to you this morning? Oh, you didn’t listen, did you? The first rule to hearing is listening. How do you listen? Okay, that’s enough with the questions. I am not trying to make you feel guilty for not hearing the Lord or not listening. I simply want to urge you to take the time to listen and hear.

Perhaps you don’t want to hear His voice. Maybe there is some secret sin you are withholding. In John 8:9 we see the people’s response to Jesus when He was dealing with the woman who had been caught in adultery. “And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.”

I have often wondered what Jesus wrote in the sand that day. Maybe He listed some of their secret sins, so they all slipped away. Don’t do that! Confess those sins. Be cleansed through His forgiveness. We all need a daily washing, don’t we? Hear His voice calling you to repentance.

I confess to You, Lord, each day the sins I have committed. Wash me clean once again.

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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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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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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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Abiding, Bible, Calling, Captivity, Deliverance, Exile, Home, Promises, Restoration, Salvation, Scripture

SMOTHERED AND SCATTERED

ZECHARIAH 8:7

“‘The LORD of armies says this: “Behold, I am going to save My people from the land of the east and from the land of the west;”’”

Call me weird, but when I read this verse, I thought of Waffle House, a restaurant here in the U.S. They are known for their waffles, breakfast menu and especially their short order line cook lingo shared between them and the waitresses or waiters. For instance, I like my hashbrowns scattered (spread on the grill for crispness) and covered (with cheese). I saw the people of Israel scattered and smothered during their exiles. But God gives them hope in today’s verse.

He tells them that He is going to bring them back home. Whether they were scattered in the east or in the west, they will return. These people had suffered under various domains, but now, God is bringing them home. Don’t you know the shouts went up when they heard this from Zechariah. These early remnants, who had returned first, would be joined in the days to come by their brothers and sisters.

APPLICATION

In Matthew 8:11, Jesus says, “‘And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven;’” Jesus foretold the gospel going out to all the world. Gentiles and Jews alike would come into the kingdom of heaven through Him. He was the One who would bring them together.

Do you know any “scattered” or “smothered” souls who need to be brought home to Jesus. I do. I have family members who need to be rescued. I can’t do that. Only Jesus can, but I can do all I can to show them Jesus. I do that in my attitude, my words, my actions and in my lifestyle. I pray that all who see me only see Jesus.

Today, ask the Lord who He wants you to lead to Him. I promise you He has someone in mind. He can use you if you will let Him. Just be Jesus to that person. Share how Jesus has changed your life. Share the joy you have in His Word. Let God do the “unscattering” and the “uncovering” of these individuals. He is able.

I praise You, O Lord, for bringing me home. I praise You for giving me the chance to share that with others.

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Abiding, Age, Bible, Following, Maturity, Salvation, Sanctification, Scripture

GROWING OLD WITH GOD

ZECHARIAH 8:4

“‘The LORD of armies says this: “Old men and old women will again sit in the public squares of Jerusalem, each person with his staff in his hand because of age.”’”

My late brother-in-law, Wayne Barber, used to say, “Growing old ain’t for sissies.” Well, that’s the God’s honest truth, lol. Some people say waking up with pain is just a reminder you’re still alive, lol. I am only in my early 60’s, but I have survived two stem cell transplants and am always at risk for a third flare up of my disease. Struggling with health issues will make you feel old. But I know as long as I live each day for the Lord, He will sustain me.

Today’s verse is the third of ten “thus saith the Lord” type sayings. God is delivering these ten sayings emphatically through Zechariah. Today’s is such a blessing. He is telling the people that they will grow old in Jerusalem once again. They won’t die at an early age due to war. They won’t die in a foreign land. They will grow old at home leaning on their staffs. What a promise to a people who are in desperate need of one.

APPLICATION

How old are you? I know you are not supposed to ask a woman that question, right? But I am not talking about chronological age. I am referring to your spiritual age. How old are you in Christ? I was saved at 16, so I’m @47 years old spiritually. But even that does not say how spiritually mature I am. I know a lot of baby Christians who were saved decades ago. Your spiritual age has more to do with maturity than how long you’ve been saved.

In 1 Corinthians 3:1-3, Paul scolds the Corinthian church for not growing up. Listen to his words and examine yourself with his words. “1 And I, brothers and sisters, could not speak to you as spiritual people, but only as fleshly, as to infants in Christ. 2 I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to consume it. But even now you are not yet able, 3 for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like ordinary people?”

I want to grow old in Christ, but more importantly, I want to mature in Christ. I want to grow wiser in His Word. I want to know others can come to me for godly advice. The only thing I want to lean on is His Word and His Truth. Everything else will just crumble beneath my hands. So, I ask you again, how old are you?

When we walk with the Lord in the light of his word, what a glory He sheds on our way! While we do His good will, He abides with us still, and with all who will trust and obey. 

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Abiding, Attitude, Bible, Direction, Discipline, Following, Scripture, Stubbornness, Submission, Yoked

YOKED TO THE MASTER

ZECHARIAH 7:11

“‘But they refused to pay attention, and turned a stubborn shoulder and plugged their ears from hearing.’”

Lalala! You’ve seen children, when told to do something, stick their fingers in their ears and say that, right? They don’t want to hear what they are being told. They are stubborn and rebellious and don’t want to follow directions. I have had to deal with a lot of those kinds of kids through my ministry years. When they are doing that, it is really hard to get them to listen. I would usually leave them alone to let my words sink in and come back later when they were ready to listen.

In today’s verse, God is further describing His rebellious children. These words in Zechariah sound very familiar. In Hosea 4:16a it says, “Since Israel is stubborn like a stubborn cow,…” The last line of Nehemiah 9:29 says, “…And they turned a stubborn shoulder and stiffened their neck and would not listen.” Hmm, so this attitude had been going on for a long time. Why didn’t the people listen? Don’t start pointing fingers at them. Remember, when you do that, you have three pointing right back at you.

APPLICATION

Just how plugged up are your ears? I don’t mean with wax (yea, I know that is gross). I mean are you refusing to listen to God? Have you turned a stubborn shoulder to Him. That is a perfect picture of a stubborn animal in a yoke pulling in the wrong direction. If they keep doing that, they will rub a sore spot on their neck and shoulder. We can get the same result when we pull against the yoke.

Matthew 11:28-30 is a great illustration of this. Jesus says here, “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.’” Did you catch that last phrase? His yoke is easy! You just have to yield to Him.

I have enough callouses on my shoulders and neck to prove this point. But I finally learned that it is much easier when I allow Him to guide me. His yoke is easy and comfortable IF we allow Him to lead. Will you do that today? Yield to the Master.

I am thankful I am yoked with You, Jesus. I know You will always lead me right.

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

HOW TO TREAT OTHERS

ZECHARIAH 7:9

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

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

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

APPLICATION

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

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

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

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

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

THE LORD OF ARMIES

ZECHARIAH 7:4

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

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

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

APPLICATION

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

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

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

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

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