Category Archives: God’s Will

Belief, Bible, Blessing, Decisions, Exalting, God's Will, Holiness, Majesty, Marvelous, Salvation, Scripture, Wonder

TOO MARVELOUS

ZECHARIAH 8:6

“‘The LORD of armies says this: “If it is too difficult in the sight of the remnant of this people in those days, will it also be too difficult in My sight?” declares the LORD of armies.’”

What determines if something is marvelous? The Webster definition of “marvelous” is something causing great wonder; something extraordinary. Wow! Think about the things you have seen or heard about that fits into that category. I was eight-years-old when we landed men on the moon. That was definitely something that caused great wonder. It was extraordinary.

Why am I talking marvelous things. Do you see that word in our verse today? Well, it’s there. The Hebrew word translated as “difficult” in the New American Standard Bible (which is what I use) is also translated “marvelous” in other translations. In Jeremiah 32:27 we read, “‘Behold, I [am] YHWH, God of all flesh: is anything too wonderful (wonderful) for Me?’” (Literal Standard Version) The things God does that may seem difficult make them marvelous.

APPLICATION

Mark 10:27 is another great passage about the marvelous things God does. “Looking at them, Jesus said, ‘With people it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God.’” Don’t every doubt God’s ability to make something happen. After all, He did create everything. Why wouldn’t He have the power to affect whatever He chooses to affect?

The most marvelous thing I can think of, though, is salvation. That same God, who created all things, sent His own Son (the God-Man) into this sin-filled world to pay the ultimate price for all mankind. That blows my mind. Christianity is the only religion where the object of worship died for the worshipper. Isn’t that extraordinary? Doesn’t that cause great wonder?

Stop for a minute today and give God praise for this marvelous, this “difficult” thing He has done. I am reminded of that hymn, “I Stand Amazed in the Presence.” I love the chorus that goes, “How marvelous! How wonderful! And my song shall ever be:
How marvelous! How wonderful! Is my Savior’s love for me!”

Thank You, Lord, for doing the difficult and marvelous things. You are God and there is no other.

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Affliction, Battles, Bible, Confession, Defeat, Exile, Forgiveness, God's Will, Holy Spirit, Judgment, Obedience, Persecution, Restoration, Scripture

NO TRAFFIC

ZECHARIAH 7:14

“‘but I scattered them with a storm wind among all the nations whom they did not know. So the land was desolated behind them so that no one went back and forth, since they made the pleasant land desolate.’”

No traffic sounds good, doesn’t it? I live in a city where we have daily traffic jams. One spot in particular causes daily delays. They have attempted to correct that spot and improve the flow of traffic, but it really hasn’t helped a lot. But traffic congestion can also mean that many people are coming to your area or at least coming through it. It helps the economy which in turn helps your community.

God promises the traffic will stop in Israel. He says, “so that no one went back and forth.” Because of their unrepentant sins, God “scattered them…among all the nations.” They were led into exile by foreign invaders. Their land would be left desolate. There would cease to be any reason to come to that land because everything of value was gone.

APPLICATION

Has your life been left desolate because of your sin? There is hope in Jesus. He can restore that which was lost. He can return you to a place of fruitfulness. But that is only possible as you confess and submit to Him. 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous, so that He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

You see, our cleansing is just waiting – waiting on us to respond to His calling on our lives. When we do respond, He is there – faithful and righteous to forgive us. What are you waiting for? Aren’t you tired of the windswept streets of your life – desolate due to sin? He can restore the flow of His Spirit.

Warning: When you decide to go all in with Jesus, He will make your life exciting and real. He will lead you to new opportunities for service. He will give you a hunger for His Word that can only be sated by study and application. He will give you a passion to reach the lost with the Gospel. Are you ready for some “traffic” in your life?

Lord, lead me and I will follow. I want to be about Your business.

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Access, Answers, Asking, Bible, Confession, Forgiveness, God's Will, Hearing, Prayer, Scripture

NO RESPONSE

ZECHARIAH 7:13

“‘And just as He called and they would not listen, so they called and I would not listen,’ says the LORD of armies;”

Don’t you just hate it when you text someone, and they don’t text you back? In days past, you would write a letter and wait for a response. Later on, you would call and leave a message on an answering machine, expecting a return call. Our frustration with not receiving a response hasn’t changed, has it? We still want to hear back, and the sooner the better.

So, when the Lord said these words to Zechariah to deliver to the people, they must have stung. The Lord of armies (also known as the Lord of Hosts) says “they called and I would not listen.” Why? Because their unrepentant sin had cut off communication. It was as if the phone line to heaven had been cut. They called out, but no one answered. I bet the silence was deafening.

APPLICATION

Do you want God to hear your prayers? Then stay “prayed up.” Confess your sins quickly and completely. Name them. Ask Him to reveal to you those secret sins you keep tucked away. Psalm 90:7-8 tells us. “7 For we have been consumed by Your anger,

and we have been terrified by Your wrath. 8 You have placed our guilty deeds before You, our hidden sins in the light of Your presence.”

Did you catch that last phrase? It said, “our hidden sins.” Another translation says, “our secret sins.” Come on, you know you have them. What have you not confessed to the Lord? What is that secret sin you are holding on to? I know you don’t want to cut off communication with heaven. No one wants that.

Our approach to the altar makes all the difference. If we come as the Israelites did with pride and arrogance, God will not hear. But if we come in humility and brokenness, He promises to hear and answer. God wants to work in our lives. He really wants to. Clear the slate. Confess those sins. Allow Him to work in the ways He wants. You won’t be sorry.

Thank You, Lord, for hearing my confessions. I want to keep our lines of communication wide open.

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Bible, Commands, Direction, God's Will, Inspirational, Messages, Obedience, Scripture

GOD’S WORD TO ME

ZECHARIAH 7:8

“Then the word of the LORD came to Zechariah, saying,”

I just realized something this morning. I began supervising people back in 1987 when I went to work at a children’s home in South Carolina. When I moved to my current ministry with Every Man A Warrior in January 2022, it was the first time in thirty-five years I was not supervising employees. Call me slow, but I just figured that out. I am not telling others what to do. I have to admit – it’s kind of nice.

God keeps speaking to Zechariah and telling him what to do. Why was that? What made Zechariah so special? God was delivering to his chosen prophet a message. This message wasn’t meant just for him. These words were meant to share with the people of Israel. They needed to hear God’s words, not just Zechariah. Zechariah could have kept all God’s words to himself, but he didn’t. He wrote them down and also shared them with the people. We can learn a lesson here.

APPLICATION

Who are God’s words intended for? Certainly not just for us, right? The last part of the Great Commission tells us what to do. Matthew 28:20a reads, “‘teaching them to follow all that I commanded you;…’” The Greek word used here for “follow” is tereo which means keep, guard, observe or watch over. It’s much more than just follow.

We are to teach others His Word. We are to share with others the importance of observing, keeping and guarding His Word. God’s Word is important. Well Carl, God isn’t speaking directly to me like He did to Zechariah. Oh really? What do you call it when you read His Word and you receive instructions for daily living? That’s God talking to you – just as clearly as He did to Zechariah.

I have mentioned before how I love to hear God’s voice. I hear that in my prayer time as He directs me who to pray for and what to pray. I hear His words when I pick up my copy of His Word and read. I hear Him speak to me through other believers as they share what God has done in their lives. God is still speaking. Are you listening?

The B-I-B-L-E, yes, that’s the book for me. I stand alone on the Word of God. The B-I-B-L-E.

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Advice, Battles, Bible, Commands, God's Will, Leading, Obedience, Preparations, Scripture, Wisdom

YOU SHOULD HAVE LISTENED

ZECHARIAH 7:7

“‘Are these not the words which the LORD proclaimed by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and carefree along with its cities around it, and the Negev and the foothills were inhabited?’”

I can’t recall the number of times I have been given good advice which I ignored in favor of doing something my way. I knew the person giving the advice knew what they were talking about. They had been there and done that. They spoke from experience. But I thought their idea was outdated or too simplistic. I usually had to come back around to their way of thinking to deal with the issue at hand.

The Lord, in this verse, is telling Zechariah basically that. He was saying, “Didn’t Isaiah and Jeremiah tell you all this? They gave you My words, which you ignored. You were all fat and sassy and thought nothing could touch you. You didn’t heed my advice.” The Hebrew literally says, “Should you not have obeyed the words I declared?”

APPLICATION

In Luke 6 Jesus tells us the parable of the two houses. One was built on a firm foundation. The other on sand. You know the story, right? The storm comes and dashes against the houses. The one built on the firm foundation stood while the other one collapsed. But do you know the verse that set up this story?

Luke 6:46 says, “‘Now why do you call Me, “Lord, Lord,” and do not do what I say?’” Obedience to His words, to His advice, to His commands is so important. Why? He is trying to help us prepare for the storms of life. He can see what we cannot see. He knows exactly when the storm will arrive. We would do well to heed His words.

My wife hates thunder and lightning. Anytime it is forecast for our area she watches it closely on the weather app. On that app you can look at the weather radar and can predict when those storms will arrive and how long they will last. What you can’t predict is the damage they will do. So, you must prepare, right? Try applying that to your spiritual life. God has that radar and knows the storms are coming. Get ready. He wants you prepared. That is only done when we listen to His Word.

I know Your Word can show me how to prepare for the storms of life. I will look to it for my guidance.

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Asking, Bible, Denial, Fasting, God's Will, Listening, Sacrifice, Scripture

JUST WHY DO YOU FAST?

ZECHARIAH 7:5

“‘Say to all the people of the land and to the priests, “When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months these seventy years, was it actually for Me that you fasted?”’”

Fasting is a sacrificial way of hearing God’s voice. I have not done a lot of fasting, but when I have, it’s been a sweet time. During those first several hours, all I could think about was food, lol. But as I started concentrating on those hunger pains as a reminder of Christ’s sufferings, they became less and less noticeable.

God is questioning the motives of the people’s fasts during their captivity. He asks, “Was it actually for Me that you fasted?” Or was it all about them. The word used here for “mourned” is the word used to describe dreadful mourning including tearing your hair out and wailing loudly. What was that all about? Was that a way to draw attention to themselves? Fasting for God should be a worshipful experience and should be done with reverence.

APPLICATION

I am not trying to guilt you into starting a fast. That is not my intention. I do want to encourage you, though, to consider a fast when you need to engage in some deep conversations with the Lord. Denying yourself food (if you are able to do that physically) can draw you into His presence in a way that is not normally experienced.

We rarely engage in self-sacrifice. We are usually more inclined to indulge ourselves. Prayerfully consider this option. Don’t fast to prove anything. It’s not about looking more spiritual. Remember in Luke 5:33 Jesus was asked why His disciples didn’t fast like the Pharisees and John’s disciples. Jesus didn’t put fasting up as a priority. But He also didn’t negate it.

Paul and Barnabas practiced fasting. Acts 14:23 says, “When they had appointed elders for them in every church, having prayed with fasting, they entrusted them to the Lord in whom they had believed.” Do you have an important decision you need to make? Seek the Lord through a fast if He leads you that way. But make sure you are doing it in order to hear Him. When you do that, He will speak.

I want to hear You, O God. Speak to me as I bear my soul before You.

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Abiding, Advocate, Bible, Direction, Faithfulness, Following, God's Will, Obedience, Scripture

HALFWAY THERE

ZECHARIAH 7:1

“In the fourth year of King Darius, the word of the LORD came to Zechariah on the fourth day of the ninth month, which is Chislev.”

Often when I travel, I will look up the halfway point of the trip. I like to plan where I can stop and lodge for the night or check out any cool landmarks. If the trip is several hours long, this halfway spot will give me a chance to stretch my legs and maybe get something to eat. I also like knowing that I am halfway to my destination.

What you may not can tell from the dates mentioned in verse 1 of chapter 7 is this marked about the halfway point from the beginning of the temple rebuild until it was finished. It had been two years since they started. The temple was taking shape, and the people were probably getting more excited about its completion, which was still two years away. But progress was being made.

APPLICATION

Spiritually speaking, how far along are you in your growth? One tenth? Halfway? Philippians 2:13 says, “for it is God who is at work in you, both to desire and to work for His good pleasure.” How far along we are spiritually has a lot less to do with us than it does with God. As Paul said in that verse in Philippians, “it is God who is at work in you.”

Just like in my physical journeys, I won’t get to my destination unless I continue on my path. Spiritually, I don’t want to stop halfway. I want to go all the way with Jesus. I want Him to work in and through me to make me exactly what He wants me to be. That may require me to change the direction I am going. That’s okay because I want to be on the path the Lord is on.

Let me ask you another question. Where do you WANT to be on your spiritual journey? Have you given that much thought? God has. He wants you right by His side and He leads you each step. He will not force you to take this journey, but He promises to be with you if you do. Come on, let’s get going.

Wherever You lead I’ll go, Wherever You lead I’ll go!

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Abiding, Advocate, Attitude, Bible, Blessing, Glory, God's Will, Promises, Scripture

LOOK AT WHAT THE LORD HAS DONE

ZECHARIAH 6:10

“‘Take an offering from the exiles, from Heldai, Tobijah, and Jedaiah; and you shall go the same day and enter the house of Josiah the son of Zephaniah, where they have arrived from Babylon.’”

Too often we overlook the work of the Lord in our lives. We either don’t think He is working, or we think we have somehow accomplished this ourselves. How foolish! I am guilty of this. I know you are shocked, right? I want the credit, or I want to complain. I needed to be reminded of the Lord’s faithfulness today in this verse.

Take a look at the names mentioned in today’s verse. Heldai means “the Lord’s world.” Tobijah means “the Lord is my good.” Jedaiah means “God knows.” Josiah means “the Lord supports.” And Zephaniah means “the Lord hides.” Aren’t those great reminders that the Lord is active and working? These instructions the Lord gives Zechariah all relate to these five individuals whose names all point back to God.

APPLICATION

How is the Lord working in your life? Well Carl, I just don’t see the Lord doing anything in my life. Really? Did you wake up this morning? Psalm 3:5 says, “I lie down to sleep, I awake again because the Lord sustains me.” Hmmm. Did you eat yesterday? How about your health? Is it good? All these are signs the Lord is working.

The Lord has a vested interest in our daily lives. He wants us to live in such a way that points back to Him. Why? To glorify His name and bring others into the kingdom. 1 Thessalonians 2:12 tells us this. “…so that you would walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.” Are you doing that? I ask myself that question each day.

Will you live today in a manner that reflects that this is the Lord’s world, that He is your good, that He knows, that He supports, and that He hides His Word in your heart? He wants that for you. I want that for you. Decide right now to do that. That will definitely please the Father.

You are at work in my heart today, O Lord. Help me show others the way.

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Asking, Attention, Bible, Blessing, Calling, God's Will, Hearing, Holy Spirit, Inspirational, Listening, Scripture

WHO IS CALLING MY NAME?

ZECHARIAH 6:8

“Then He called out to me and spoke to me, saying, ‘See, those who are going to the land of the north have appeased My wrath in the land of the north.’”

I was walking through an airport recently and could have sworn I heard someone call my name. It was so clear. I quickly turned my head and scanned the terminal I was walking through. I thought perhaps there was a fellow traveler who knew me. I never did see that person. Maybe it was God calling me.

Zechariah once again hears the angel call his name. Zechariah, listen up. You don’t want to miss this. He is told very clearly that “those who are going to the land of the north” are going to settle things. God had had enough of Babylon’s irreverence. They had taken the sacred vessels from the temple and were using them in their idol worship. Yes, they had been God’s weapon to bring judgment on Israel, but they had gone too far.

APPLICATION

Have you heard the voice of God lately? It takes a trained ear. Most people don’t hear God because they are not listening. Isaiah 6:8 is a pretty famous verse about hearing God. “Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?’ Then I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!’” Isaiah heard because he was listening.

I love the message we get from Psalm 95:7b-9. “7b Today, if you will hear His voice, 8 Do not harden your hearts as at Meribah, as on the day of Massah in the wilderness, 9 “When your fathers put Me to the test, they tested Me, though they had seen My work.” You see, the danger of hearing God’s voice is ignoring it because His commands or directions do not line up with what you want.

Are you listening? Better yet, are you obeying? When He calls your name, are you saying as Isaiah did, “Here I am, send me”? Get alone in a quiet place and listen. Ask God to speak to you. Ask Him to show you your sins and confess them to Him. Allow Him to speak deep in your hearts. Then, and this is the most important part, do what He says.

Speak to my heart, Lord Jesus. There’s room in my heart for You,

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Abiding, Bible, Dominion, Fighting, God's Will, Indwelling, Love, Protection, Scripture

DOMINATION

ZECHARIAH 6:7

“When the strong ones went out, they were eager to go to patrol the earth. And He said, ‘Go, patrol the earth.’ So they patrolled the earth.”

When I was in high school, I played football. We were a small school and normally only had 25-30 players. I usually played both offense and defense, only getting off the field at half-time or the end of the game. We played one school from Alabama that was probably three times our size. Needless to say, we were completely dominated by this team. Their size, strength numbers just overwhelmed us.

The same is true for the “strong ones” mentioned here in verse 7. These “strong ones” represented the Roman Empire, which we know dominated the known world. They were a force that most nations had no chance against. Their numbers and the force of their fighting were too much. So, the mention of them patrolling the earth is a reference to this domination.

APPLICATION

Before you get worried about being dominated, let me put your mind at ease. As a child of the King, we know He has complete domination. The difference between His domination and Rome’s is God dominates with love. You can’t discuss God’s love without referring to 1 Corinthians 13. “4 Love is patient, love is kind, it is not jealous; love does not brag, it is not arrogant. 5 It does not act disgracefully, it does not seek its own benefit; it is not provoked, does not keep an account of a wrong suffered, 6 it does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 7 it keeps every confidence, it believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails;…”

When we give our hearts to Jesus, God sends His Holy Spirit to fill us. That Spirit reminds us over and over about God’s amazing love. On those days when you are feeling low, remember just how much He loves you. Listen to the Word of God again in Romans 8:38-39. “38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

God’s dominating love! It gives us hope. It conquers fears. It brings us peace. I pray you know His love today. If you don’t, ask Him to come into your life today as you confess your sins and accept Jesus as your Savior. You will never be the same.

Love lifted me, love lifted me. When nothing else could help, love lifted me.

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