Category Archives: God’s Will

Abiding, Bible, God's Will, Promises, Rest, Striving

MADNESS

ZECHARIAH 12:4

“‘On that day,’ declares the LORD, ‘I will strike every horse with confusion and its rider with insanity. But I will watch over the house of Judah, while I strike every horse of the peoples with blindness.’”

There have been times, as hard as I try, I just can’t accomplish something. I give it my best efforts. I am fully prepared, but I just can’t get it done. When that happens, I have learned to stop and look at what I am trying to do. Is it in the Father’s will? Is this of my own doing? Almost every time I discover I have been trying to do something I have no business trying to do. It is not God’s plan for me, at least not at that time.

The prophecy of chapter 12 continues in verse 4 with the Lord declaring victory over the armies that will assail Israel. He will confuse their horses and riders, even to the point of striking the horses blind. Most scholars point towards the battle of Gog and Magog, in which Israel will be defended by the Lord against all the nations that will come against her. They were trying to do something that God would not allow. What a promise!

APPLICATION

What are you banging your head against right now? Perhaps you are considering a move, but you cannot get a peace about it. Maybe it’s a job change, but try as you might, nothing happens. It could be a relationship that needs healing. You’ve tried all your “magic,” but nothing works. It could be that now is not the time for this. For some reason, God is blocking or just not allowing it to happen.

Psalm 46:10 comes to mind. “‘Stop striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted on the earth.’” I love this translation. Some say, “Be still,” but I like “Stop striving.” The Hebrew word has the picture of relaxing, of sinking into a relaxed position. Wow! That sure gives you a great visual, doesn’t it?

When is the last time you did that? Have you truly rested in God’s decisions for your life? He wants you to place yourself completely at His mercy. He is holding you in His hands. Stop trying to achieve something that you have no business trying to achieve. Just like those riders and horses that were stopped cold in their tracks, God can stop you also. But when you trust Him and allow Him to direct you, things are so much more relaxing.

O Father, I have been struggling against Your will on some things. Forgive me and show me how to rest in You.

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Advocate, Bible, Blessing, Covenant, Deliverance, God's Will, Protection, Safety, Scripture

TABLES TURNED

ZECHARIAH 12:2

“‘Behold, I am going to make Jerusalem a cup that causes staggering to all the peoples around; and when the siege is against Jerusalem, it will also be against Judah.’”

Have you ever intended to pull a prank on someone that backfired, and you ended up being the one pranked? It can happen. It is also possible that those nasty words you use against someone will come back to haunt you. Ricochets aren’t good. They can bring great harm on others and yourself.

Here in today’s verse, Zechariah begins his latest prophecy. Jerusalem is described as a cup which is now causing those who have been against her to stagger. We are seeing that today in the land of Israel. All around her, literally surrounding her, are nations that want to wipe her off the map. But God has caused them to be staggered. Beware to all those who oppose her.

APPLICATION

You can’t read this verse without looking at Isaiah 51:21-23.

“21 Therefore, listen to this, you afflicted, who are drunk, but not with wine: 22 This is what your Lord, the LORD, your God Who contends for His people says: ‘Behold, I have taken from your hand the cup of staggering, the chalice of My anger; you will never drink it again. 23 I will put it into the hand of your tormentors, who have said to you, “Lie down so that we may walk over you.” You have also made your back like the ground, and like the street for those who walk over it.’”

Zechariah has said almost the same thing. What do I get from this? God has His children’s back. We would do well to remember that. If we have evil intent against another believer, beware. God is their protector. And if others are trying to cause you harm, trust in the One Who has protected His children.

If you are like me, I have been the victim of some pretty harsh things in my life. When you choose to do what is right, you will anger some other people. Sometimes those are even other believers. 1 Peter 4:19 says, “So then, those who suffer according to God’s will, should entrust themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.” Can you say you are doing that.

I praise You, Father, for having my back and seeing me through life’s challenging moments.

(Praise the Lord for His faithfulness to me. This is blog #2800. God is so good!

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Accountability, Authority, Bible, God's Will, Harm, Scripture, Teaching

THE RIGHT TOOL

ZECHARIAH 11:15

“And the LORD said to me, ‘Take again for yourself the equipment of a foolish shepherd.’”

My dad had quite the tool collection when he passed away. Over decades he had accumulated those tools, one by one, as he needed them. I remember him telling me that if he had a job to do at the house or on one of our vehicles that required a certain tool, he would purchase it. That way he would have it the next time it was needed. Having the right tool is important.

The Lord tells Zechariah to act the part of a foolish shepherd and acquire the wrong tool. Cyril explains it well. “Good shepherds, who understood their business, had slight staves, that, if there should be occasion to strike, the stricken sheep might not be bruised; but one who understandeth not, beats them with thicker clubs.” Right job, wrong tool. Damage was done with the wrong tool.

APPLICATION

There are so many good applications to this truth today. Let’s take, for example, preaching and teaching about God. We have the perfect tool to use for that – the Bible. Those who study and prepare are able to use it for God’s glory. Others use everything but the Word. They use social media. They use lights and music. They will use anything but the Word. Right job, wrong tool.

If you are in the position to lead others in your church, remember to use His Word. James 3:1 says, “Do not become teachers in large numbers, my brothers, since you know that we who are teachers will incur a stricter judgment.” This is serious business. We have to use the right tool and use it correctly. Even the right tool handled incorrectly can harm.

I am thankful for mentors in my life who have taught me well. They showed me the importance of holding God’s Word in the highest regard and to be careful in how I handle it. I have to be careful to make sure everything I say is based on His Word, not mine. I know I have the right tool, and I know I have the right job. But I must continue to sharpen my skills in handling this tool.

O God, Your Word is the truth I need to share. Give me the wisdom to teach it well.

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Abiding, Bible, Division, Enemies, God's Will, Scripture, Union

A DIVISION

ZECHARIAH 11:14

“Then I cut in pieces my second staff Union, to break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.”

I don’t like division in the family. When I am at odds with my sweet wife, normally over something I have done, I feel awful. I want to make things right. I want union. I want harmony. Sometimes, however, division cannot be stopped. Things happen to divide you. It’s out of your control. Then what do you do?

Judah and Israel had been drawn together because of the temple and Jerusalem. However, with the destruction of the temple and their city, the tribes were dispersed by the enemy. They were separated from each other and lost that bond. This is what Zechariah is referring to in his prophecy in verse 14. The day was coming when this would be fulfilled.

APPLICATION

How we handle conflict and division says a lot about our walk with Jesus. Are we the instigator or the cause of the division? We know that is sin and must be confessed. Is someone else the reason the division exists? How can you point them to the answer? We will never find the answer in ourselves. We have to turn to the Word.

Look at what Paul says in Ephesians 4:1-3, especially verse 3. “1 Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, 2  with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 being diligent to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”

Look closely at Paul’s words there. We have to walk worthy, in humility and gentleness, with patience, bear others in love, and work hard to preserve the peace. It all starts with walking worthy. It’s not us doing this. It’s Christ in us. Our flesh only wants what it wants. But the Spirit will move us towards peace, if we submit. Just like Judah and Israel, we are going to face divisions at times that we cannot avoid. How will you respond?

I am thankful, Lord, that I am united with You and am forever joined to Christ.

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Abiding, Admonished, Advocate, Affliction, Belief, Bible, Choices, Commands, Danger, Deliverance, Escape, God's Will, Remembering, Scripture

THEY KNEW

ZECHARIAH 11:11

“So it was broken on that day, and so the afflicted of the flock who were watching me realized that it was the word of the LORD.”

Sometimes you just know! Right? Call it a gut thing or something just didn’t feel right. Perhaps you remembered something you had been told earlier. A situation jogged your memory and you said, “Aha, I remember that.” Whatever the reason, you have that “Spidey sense” that warns you about something. You heed the advice you have been given and avoid a catastrophe.

“The afflicted of the flock” referred to in today’s verse had done just that. They had heard the warnings from Zechariah and fled Jerusalem before it was surrounded and destroyed. They escaped into the mountains. How did they know this? Because Zechariah had forewarned, and they had believed him. These were the humble and devoted ones who were still seeking to follow Jehovah. Their devotion was rewarded.

APPLICATION

How can we escape terrible situations in our lives? By listening to and obeying the Lord. His Word gives us ample warning of the things we should and should not do. Before you freak out, it is not a book of rules. It’s a guidebook for life. 1 Corinthians 10:11 says, “Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.”

Here’s a verse you probably know. Romans 6:23 tells us, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” I could go on listing verse after verse, passage after passage about God’s warnings to us. The warnings, in and of themselves, mean nothing unless you are willing to listen and obey. Just because we read it or hear it doesn’t mean we are delivered. We have to obey.

I have discovered that if you stay close to Jesus, if you read His Word regularly, if you memorize and meditate on it, if you apply His Word to your life and spend time with Him daily in prayer, then you will be quick to hear and obey all those warnings. Or will you be like the other Israelites who heard but did not heed the warnings? It’s your choice.

I hear You, Lord, and I will obey.

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Abiding, Advocate, Battles, Bible, Blessing, Choices, Consequences, Danger, Evil, God's Will, Obedience, Protection, Scripture

YOU ARE ON YOUR OWN

ZECHARIAH 11:10

“‘And I took my staff Favor and cut it in pieces, to break my covenant which I had made with all the peoples.’”

I have had numerous experiences dealing with youth who refused any correction, who refused any counsel. They were determined to do their own thing. When these youth would threaten to run away, I always told them that I could not stop them from doing that. But if they did, I would not be able to protect them. They would be on their own, susceptible to all the evil that was in the world just waiting to attack.

Today’s verse has God saying about the same thing to Israel. His staff of favor was being cut in pieces. He would not continue to protect and show favor to them because they were choosing to go after other gods. They were forsaking Him. How horrible that must have sounded to the people. They had crossed the line with God. They would now feel the wrath of their enemies which had been shielded by God up to now.

APPLICATION

You may have heard it explained this way. As believers, as long as we abide in Him, as long as we follow the Master, His “umbrella of protection” is over us. Nothing can touch us unless it goes past Him first. This is not to say we won’t face hard times or tragedies. But knowing He allowed it should give us faith to carry on.

Read these words of Peter in 1 Peter 4:12-13. “12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though something strange were happening to you; 13 but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that at the revelation of His glory you may also rejoice and be overjoyed.”

That is the key. We need to stay close to Him to receive His protection. We do not want that staff of Favor to be lifted. But also, when we do face hardships, remember He is there. If you have wandered from the Truth, return to Him. If you are abiding but going through a hard time, trust Him. He is there. Don’t forget that. He is there.

Lord God, I praise You for Your abundant grace and mercy. Forgive me when I wander from Your embrace.

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Accountability, Accused, Admonished, Belief, Bible, Choices, Consequences, Following, God's Will, Obedience, Restoration, Scripture

I’M DONE

ZECHARIAH 11:9

“‘Then I said, “I will not pasture you. What is to die, let it die, and what is to perish, let it perish; and let those who are left eat one another’s flesh.”’”

There have been very few times when I have given up on someone, when I finally gave them up to the Lord. It’s a hard feeling. I have a hard time giving up like that. I want to fix them. I want to bring them around. I faced that a few times working with young people. Some of them, no matter how hard we tried, refused to change their behaviors. It’s heartbreaking.

In verse 9 today, we find God finally saying He has had enough. These rebellious children of His would have to suffer what comes. As He told Moses in Deuteronomy 31:17, “‘Then My anger will be kindled against them on that day, and I will abandon them and hide My face from them, and they will be consumed, and many evils and troubles will find them; so they will say on that day, “Is it not because our God is not among us that these evils have found us?”’”

APPLICATION

Oh wow! I don’t want to ever hear those words spoken to me by The Almighty. Do you? That would be horrible. I want to stay close to Him. I want to please Him. I want to serve Him and never disappoint Him. Paul says it well in Colossians 3:10. “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;”

God can reach a point of no return with us. In Romans 1:26, we read, “Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them.” This happened due the people’s love of other gods. We have the same problem. We may not call them gods, but those things we hold so dearly (other than God) are just that.

Let me encourage you today. Focus on Him. Let Jesus be your center. Let Him be your goal each day. Strive to be more and more like Him and watch what happens. You will grow closer and closer to the God who brought you into His family through His Son. Come close. Savor the smell of His garments.

I want to be so close to You, Lord, that I can indeed smell the very robe You wear.

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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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