Category Archives: Favor

Bible, Blessing, Enemies, Favor, God's Will, Scripture, Security

SECURITY

ZECHARIAH 14:11

“People will live in it, and there will no longer be a curse, for Jerusalem will live in security.”

Today you can secure your home in so many ways. You can, of course, have locks on your doors and windows. But you can also have cameras outside and inside your home. You can install a video doorbell. You can put up fences. Heck, you could even put in a moat if you wanted to. You can hire a company to monitor your home. Your home can be made to feel secure.

Oh, but in today’s verse we see the city of Jerusalem finally being made secure. For centuries Jerusalem has been the target of its enemies. But on this day God will secure it. He will lift the curse or judgment. People will live at peace. Can you imagine? No skirmishes! No battles! No attacks! Peace! That will be a glorious day.

APPLICATION

Let me ask if you are secure. Are you? What is it based on? I love what Deuteronomy 33:12 says. “May the beloved of the LORD live in security beside Him Who shields him all the day long, And he lives between His shoulders.” Isn’t that beautiful. We live between His shoulders. Wow! That’s pretty secure.

We also know this. Ephesians 1:13 says, “In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of the promise,” Now, if God seals you, you are sealed. You are secure. I don’t care how firm your grip is, you are not going to remove that seal that God puts on you – the Holy Spirit.

Unfortunately, if you are not in Christ, you are not secure. Your future is just the opposite. You are destined for another ending. We know that all who do not profess Jesus as Savior will face judgment and eternal damnation. That’s harsh, but it’s true. Even more reason for us to spread the good news. Let’s make everyone secure. How about it?

Father, thank You for making me secure through the blood of the Lamb.

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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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Abiding, Abundance, Bible, Blessing, Favor, Home, Oveflowing, Promises, Scripture

LET US GO WITH YOU

ZECHARIAH 8:23

“‘The LORD of armies says this: “In those days ten people from all the nations will grasp the garment of a Jew, saying, ‘Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.’”’”

I have seen many a child tug on their mother’s dress or coat as they are left in the church nursery. They cried out to them, “Please, let me go with you.” My own children did that. They did not like the nursery. They wanted to stay with us. Mind you, it wasn’t that they wanted to go to “Big Church” with us. It was more about just being with their parents.

In today’s verse, the last verse of chapter 8, the Lord closes out His blessing statements by saying that the Jews are going to be begged by others to take them along back to Israel. They had heard how God had defeated Israel’s enemies and had brought His people home. They wanted to be a part of that. They wanted whatever the Jewish people had.

APPLICATION

We should spread such a sweet fragrance of Christ wherever we go that those we pass will turn and say, “Boy, I want whatever they have.” Can that be said about you? Do people want to follow you? If you are following Christ, they will. Actually, they will be following Christ in you. There’s a big difference.

Why do I differentiate? Because we can become men followers instead of Christ followers. Christ says, “‘If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me.’” Whew! Who wants to do that? Well, I do. I want to follow wherever He goes. Just like the people coming from the other nations to Israel, I want to be where God is doing something.

If no one is following you in your Christian walk, maybe you need to examine your walk. Ouch, Carl, that hurt. Well, I ask myself that question quite often. Does my aroma smell like Jesus? Does my walk imitate His walk? Would people want to follow me if I did this or that? Good questions to ponder, huh?

Lord, allow me to be more and more like You so others can be led to You.

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Abundance, Bible, Blessing, Death, Favor, Inheritance, Portion, Scripture

HIS PORTION

ZECHARIAH 2:12

“And the LORD will possess Judah as His portion in the holy land, and will again choose Jerusalem.”

When my dad died, my three siblings and I received a portion of his inheritance. It was divided four ways – each getting an equal share. My dad was not a rich man, but he left each of us quite a blessing. The inheritance was nice, but I had much rather kept my dad around for many more years.

The angel who is talking to Zechariah continues on in verse 12 where he tells him that the LORD has chosen Judah as His portion. What does that mean? The Hebrew word used there means just that. It means “part,” or “portion,” or inheritance. Does God need an inheritance? I don’t think so. Let’s just stick with “portion.” The angel is saying Judah/Jerusalem belong to Him. God protects what is His.

APPLICATION

I love what Psalm 73:26 says. “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” The Hebrew word for “portion” here is the same word used in Zechariah 2:12. We are claiming God as our inheritance, our portion. But that requires a little event to happen. Let me explain.

Just like I could not inherit my part of my dad’s estate until he died, I could not inherit my inheritance in Christ until He died on that cross. And conversely, I have to die to inherit it. Weird, huh? Not really. I have to give up who I was before to become what I will be in Him. My old self is dead. My new self lives on in Jesus.

Wow! If you think too hard about this, your mind will explode. I have learned to just accept this on faith. He is my portion. He is what I am living and dying for. Nothing else is as important. One day I will see His face. One day I will become the possessor of what He has promised me. Remember, in John 14:2 He said He was going to prepare a place for us. Boy, I can’t wait to see my room!

Father, I know I am Your portion, but You are my portion as well. All I have belongs to you, and all You have belongs to me.

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Bible, Favor, God's Will, Goodness, Praise, Promises, Relationships, Reward, Salvation, Scripture, Truth

TRUTH AND FAVOR 

MICAH 7:20 

“You will give truth to Jacob and favor to Abraham, which You swore to our forefathers from the days of old.” 

I like receiving gifts. Don’t you? I mean, come on, who doesn’t? But I really like receiving gifts that include things I need. I am at the age now that I really do not want many things. So, I am hard to buy for. When my family gets me a gift, it is usually something I have specifically told them I could use. 

Look at these two gifts that God gives Jacob and Abraham. The Hebrew word for “truth” can mean steadfastness, faithfulness and truth. The word contains so much more than what we consider truth. Then He gives favor. That Hebrew word is key to God’s covenant relationship with Abraham and the whole nation of Israel. It can also be translated as loving-kindness. 

APPLICATION

Oh, to have God’s truth and favor. Wait a second! I do! When we come to Christ, we receive both of these to their fullest extent. God’s truth is found for us in His word. God’s favor is celebrated through our covenant relationship with Him through Jesus. We receive the same gifts as Jacob and Abraham. 

Now, listen carefully. Both of these gifts are given for a purpose. God does not give us gifts to hoard and keep to ourselves. Oh no. These gifts are given to share. We share God’s truth with people everywhere. We introduce others to the covenant relationship we have in Christ. 

I am not worthy of these gifts from God. Neither are you. But God gives liberally to His children. The very moment you ask Christ into your heart, these gifts arrive. Hallelujah! Who can help but praise Him for these beautiful gifts. 

Thank You, Father, for giving me truth and favor, just like Jacob and Abraham. 

(This is my last blog on Micah. I will start the book of Nahum tomorrow.)  

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