Category Archives: God’s Will

Accountability, Bible, Calling, Church, Direction, Family, God's Will, Holy Spirit, Presence, Scripture

HERE THEY COME

ZECHARIAH 8:20

“‘The LORD of armies says this: “It will yet turn out that peoples will come, that is, the inhabitants of many cities.”’”

You may be one of those people who love to shop on Black Friday. For those of you who don’t know what that is, it is traditionally the Friday after Thanksgiving when the Christmas shopping season begins. Here in the U.S., huge crowds gather outside stores offering reduced pricing on items. People get a little crazy on this day and crowds can become unmanageable. Personally, I stay as far away as possible from shopping areas on that day.

The people aren’t gathering in Jerusalem to shop here in verse 20. The Lord says that people are going to come to Jerusalem from all over. We will see in the next few verses why they are coming, but we know it is all about the Lord. They have seen how He has restored Israel, and they want to be a part of that. Instead of being shunned by the nations, Israel is seen as a destination point.

APPLICATON

I want to be in the midst of wherever the Lord is, don’t you? I love Moses’s words to the Lord in Exodus 33:15-16. “15 Then he said to Him, ‘If Your presence does not go with us, do not lead us up from here. 16 For how then can it be known that I have found favor in Your sight, I and Your people? Is it not by Your going with us, so that we, I and Your people, may be distinguished from all the other people who are on the face of the earth?’”

Listen, we should look different from the world. We should be attracting people to come be a part of us. Last night my home church had a members’ meeting. We welcomed a couple of dozen new members to our church. People are coming to join our body of believers. Why? I would hope it is because they sense the presence of the Lord in our midst. We feel just like Moses. We are distinguished by His Holy Spirit among us.

I pray you are part of a body of believers. If not, seek one out. You need that fellowship. You need that accountability under a shepherd. And the body needs you. You, as a believer, are filled with the Spirit of God. As you join others with the same Spirit of God, the unity of the church universal is strengthened. Come to His gathering place and feel the presence of the Lord.

I come, Lord, into Your presence each week as I gather with other believers. Thank You for the fellowship I have with them.

Standard
Accountability, Bible, Commands, Direction, Exhortation, God's Will, Judgment, Peace, Scripture, Truth

CLEAR COMMANDS

ZECHARIAH 8:16

“‘“These are the things which you shall do: speak the truth to one another; judge with truth and judgment for peace at your gates.”’”

I remember many years ago, when I worked at the Georgia Baptist Children’s Homes, that I gave one of the boys in my cottage permission to wash my car to earn a little extra money. The kid was about fourteen, so I just assumed he knew how to wash a car. (A word to the wise – never assume anything, lol). Let’s just say the car wash had a lot to be desired. But he was so proud that he had done it. I didn’t have the heart to tell him how bad it was. So, what did I do? I decided the next week when he asked again that I would help him and direct him. It turned out a lot better, and he learned a new skill.

Clear directions are important. They help us walk with the Lord better, don’t they. Well, in today’s verse we see the Lord telling the people of Israel some pretty clear commands. He says, “These are the things which you shall do.” That’s pretty clear. Then He tells them to speak the truth to one another and to judge with truth and peace. If we could all do that, life would be so much less quarrelsome. God knew that. They were returning to their land. They were completing the temple rebuild. They were starting again. Here were some simple, clear commands to follow.

APPLICATION

Years ago, I was a trainer in Crisis Intervention. One of the skills I taught in that was for the staff to always give clear and concise instructions to the kids they were dealing with. Doing that would often prevent a kid from getting upset and confused. Most crises can be prevented if we practice those things. Our Father in heaven knows that. He gave us just ten commandments to follow, not a thousand. Man took those ten commandments and stretched them into hundreds. Jesus narrowed it down further when asked which was the most important commandment. I have referenced this passage before, but it bears repeating.

Matthew 22:36-40 says, “36 ‘Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?’ 37 And He said to him, ‘“YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.” 38 This is the great and foremost commandment. 39 The second is like it, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.” 40 Upon these two commandments hang the whole Law and the Prophets.’”

Can you follow that? Obviously, you can if Jesus told us to do it. He would never tell us to do something that He would not enable us to do. So, today, strive to follow the clear, simple commands of our Savior. It is total agreement with our verse from Zechariah today. Speak truth, practice justice and peace with all men. That’s my goal today. I hope it’s yours.

Father, I am not able on my own to do anything You ask of me. But through Your power and Your Holy Spirit I can.

Standard
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.

Standard
Bible, Blessing, Eternity, God's Will, Uncategorized

JUST BE A BLESSING

ZECHARIAH 8:13

“‘“And it will come about that just as you were a curse among the nations, house of Judah and house of Israel, so I will save you that you may become a blessing. Do not fear; let your hands be strong.”’”

You have probably known people that just appear to be too good to be true. You may not have heard this expression, but it’s one we use down south. We say, “They are so sweet, butter wouldn’t melt in their mouth.” This means that they appear to be so nice and kind but are really not. Those kind of people can be hard to deal with. 

God doesn’t want you to be that way. Never had, never will. In today’s verse, He is urging the people of Israel to be a blessing. In fact, He says that is why He is saving them. He had a purpose behind His actions. He has been giving them all these promises in chapter eight. However, He expects them to behave in a grateful manner, not just to Him but to others as well.

APPLICATION

How can you do that? How can you be a blessing to others? Let me tell you something. If you try to do this in your own power, you will fail miserably. You will be doing just find until someone comes along who “butter won’t melt in their mouth.” They will try your last nerve. Try as you might, you can’t be a blessing to them. They just won’t let you. Jesus faced the same kind of people. The religious leaders of the time gave Jesus that attitude. What did He call them? You brood of vipers!

Oh, but listen! Jesus died for them too. Yep, His sacrifice was for all mankind, the Sadducees and Pharisees too. Jesus said in Luke 6:28, “Bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” Paul goes on to say in Romans 12:14, “Bless those who persecute [you], bless and do not curse them.” Hmmm! Those two said almost the exact same words. That is our command. To bless others, even those who persecute or curse you.

Of course, the ultimate example we have of this is Jesus on the cross when he said, “Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.” Wow! Even those who crucified Jesus were blessed by Him. He asked the Father to forgive them. Whomever has harmed you the most, you should bless. That’s a hard pill to swallow, isn’t it? That is why I said at the beginning that you can’t do this on your own. But Christ can do it through you. Will you let Him?

Father, make me a blessing to others, even those who persecute and curse me.

Standard
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.

Standard
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.

Standard
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.

Standard
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.

Standard
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.

Standard
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.

Standard