Category Archives: Looking

Bible, Heaven, Looking, Scripture, Seeking

LOOK UP

COLOSSIANS 3:1

Therefore, if you have been raised with Christ, keep seeking the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 

Why do we walk around with our head down? My wife is always telling me to straighten up and walk with my head up. She says I look like an old man. Well, I am. Lol. But it is true that I need to look up more, not down or even just straight ahead. My vision needs to be focused heavenward.

Paul tells the Colossians in today’s verse that they need to remember where they are. They “have been raised with Christ.” Therefore, they need to look up and “keep seeking the things that are above.” The verb “keep seeking” is zéteó. It means “to seek or search for something with the intent of finding it. It conveys a sense of earnestness and diligence in the pursuit.” (Strong’s Lexicon).

APPLICATION

So, the question begs to be asked – are you seeking Jesus like that? The same Greek word is used in Matthew 6:33. Do you know that verse? “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided to you.” We also see it used in Luke 11:9-10 when Jesus tells us, “9‘So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, it will be opened.’” 

Jesus tells us to seek Him. He wants us looking up, not inward or just outward. If we look up to Him, then we can look inwardly correctly. We can evaluate our thoughts and deeds. If we look up first, then we can look outwardly and respond to the needs of others as they arise.

If you are hanging your head (like I do sometimes), lift up your head. Look into the eyes of Jesus. We are supposed to think like that. We are supposed to look to Him first. So, today look up. Today ask Him to direct your eyes.

O God, keep my eyes on You and not my circumstances.

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Belief, Bible, God's Will, Looking, Messiah, Prophesy, Return, Scripture

LOOK WHO’S BACK

MALACHI 4:5

“‘Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the LORD.’”

Isn’t it exciting when you are told someone you know and love is coming to see you? I can remember as a child being told that my favorite uncle (Uncle Don) or my Grandma Carter was coming to see us. All us kids would get so excited. We would ask all kinds of questions: When are they coming? What time will they be here? Are they bringing us anything? (that was the important one, lol).

Elijah is going to return. The Lord said so right here. There are so many sources to read on this. Most, if not all, of the early church fathers (Tertullian, Cyril of Alexandria, etc.) spoke at length about this verse. We know John the Baptist came in the “spirt and power of Elijah” (Luke 1:17). But we are also told Elijah will return again “before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord.” No one knows when, but he’s coming.

APPLICATION

In two separate occasions, Jesus spoke of John the Baptist as having come as Elijah. I encourage you to read Matthew 11:7-15. Jesus is pretty clear there to the people in speaking about John. And over in Matthew 17:11-13 we read these words from Jesus about John and the second coming of Elijah. “11 And He answered and said, ‘Elijah is coming and will restore all things; 12 but I say to you that Elijah already came, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they wanted. So also the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands.’ 13 Then the disciples understood that He had spoken to them about John the Baptist.”

That’s a lot to grasp, isn’t it? Who and what is Malachi referring to as he gives us the Lord’s words in today’s verse? Well, this is probably one of the clearest prophecies we have from Malachi, in my opinion. Elijah will return before the Lord returns to judge the earth. This will be a post-rapture event.

You and I will not be here to see his return. We will be either already passed into glory or will have been raptured. Let me be blunt – you don’t want to see Elijah return. That will mean you will face this great and terrible day of the Lord. No one wants that. Come to Jesus now and meet Elijah in glory, not here.

I am thankful, Lord, for the promises of Scripture and the clarity of it.

P.S. For my frequent followers, I will be taking a short break when we finish Malachi after tomorrow’s blog. I will pick back up on January 1. Pray that the Lord shows me where to go to next in our daily study.

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Abiding, Angels, Answers, Bible, Devil, Direction, Distractions, Eyes, Looking, Scripture, Visions

THE VISIONS KEEP COMING

ZECHARIAH 5:5

“Then the angel who had been speaking with me went out and said to me, ‘Now raise your eyes and see what this is that is going forth.”

Sometimes it feels like something will never end – like a tennis match on tv, lol. My wife loves to watch tennis. She played a lot of it years ago and just loves to watch matches. But for me, they seem to just keep going and going. It seems they are almost done and then it continues.

Zechariah must have felt like that. He gets through with one vision and here comes another. We are going to see this vision over the next few days. But I want you to notice something in this verse. The angel tells Zechariah to raise his eyes and see. He knew Zechariah had seen a lot and maybe was a little tired. So, he directed his eyes to this next vision. He wanted to make sure he was looking.

APPLICATION

Where are you looking? Are your eyes wandering? In order to see what the Lord would have us do we have to be looking at Him. We can’t be distracted. Oh, that is a ploy of the devil. He wants to get our eyes off of Jesus. He wants us to look at anything other than Him.

Isaiah 45:22 tells us, “‘Look to Me, and be saved, all you ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other.’” Wow! God wants us to look at Him. He says, “Look to Me.” There is no other means for salvation. It only comes through Him There is no other source for direction. He points us in the right way. Where are you looking?

For most of my teenage years, my eyes were looking inwards. I wanted to please myself. I wanted what I wanted. It was not until I met my Master at age 16 that I started looking at Him. There have been days since when my eyes have gotten turned. But thanks be to God, He has never moved. He is there, waiting for me to look towards Him again. My eyes are fixed now.

Fix my eyes only on You, O God. I do not want any other view.

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Attention, Bible, Details, Eyes, Looking, Scripture, Seeing

A GOOD EYE

ZECHARIAH 5:2

“And he said to me, ‘What do you see?’ And I said, ‘I see a flying scroll; its length is twenty cubits, and its width ten cubits.’”

Some people have an eye for detail. They can spot a mistake in your grammar a mile away. They can find that flaw on your skin and point it out to you. Some mother-in-laws can see every speck of dust in their daughter-in-law’s house. Some eyes for detail can be constructive, while others more destructive.

Obviously, Zechariah had an eye for detail. When asked by the angel what he saw, he didn’t just say a flying scroll. I would have answered You wouldn’t believe me if I told you. He not only said what he saw, but he gave the dimensions (@30 feet long by 15 feet wide). It was kind of hard to miss, huh?

APPLICATION

How is your attention to detail? Can you describe what you see in Scripture? One thing I love about our ministry in Every Man A Warrior is how we teach men to study the Word. We have a specific methodology we teach them to conduct their Quiet Times. Most men don’t have a clue how to tackle this, so we give them the tools they need to have that critical eye of Scripture.

What has the Lord shown you lately in your Quiet Times? Well Carl, I really haven’t seen anything. Really? God is not hiding His truths from you. They are there and ripe for the picking. But you have to spend the time to seek them. After you read a passage ask yourself what the best verse is for you. Is there a command to obey, a sin to avoid, a promise to claim, an application to make or something new about God?

That’s how we teach our men in Every Man A Warrior to dig it out, how to have that eye for detail. Since I began using this method God’s Word has truly become what the Psalmist said in Psalm 12:6. “The words of the LORD are pure words; like silver refined in a furnace on the ground, filtered seven times.”

Father, give me a critical eye for Your Word. I want to find those gems You have for me each day.

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Angels, Attention, Belief, Danger, Dreams, Judgment, Looking, Scripture

A FLYING WHAT?

ZECHARIAH 5:1

“Then I raised my eyes again and looked, and behold, there was a flying scroll.”

I have seen a few things in my life that I could hardly believe. Have you? You had to do a double take because what you were seeing did not make sense. You were seeing it, but you were not believing it. Sometimes our eyes can deceive us. And sometimes we just can’t comprehend what we are seeing.

That seems to be the issue in today’s verse. Zechariah is seeing a flying scroll! This flying scroll represented God’s swift judgment that was about to fall upon the people. A scroll was a normal thing. That was what was used to write upon. But to see one unrolled and flying through the air – that was something new. God’s message was written upon it and was coming down from heaven.

APPLICATION

Listen carefully – God’s judgment is coming! There is no doubt. His final word will be confirmed. All throughout His Word we have the warnings. Jesus warns us of the coming judgment of God over and over again. In Luke 6:46-49 Jesus gives us a parable about the wise and foolish builders. This is a clear warning about God’s coming judgment.

46 “‘Now why do you call Me, “Lord, Lord,” and do not do what I say? 47 Everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and acts on them, I will show you whom he is like: 48 he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid a foundation on the rock; and when there was a flood, the river burst against that house and yet it could not shake it, because it had been well built. 49 But the one who has heard and has not acted accordingly is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation; and the river burst against it and it immediately collapsed, and the ruin of that house was great.’”

Who are you in that story? The wise or the foolish builder? One day we will all face God. We cannot fathom that sight right now. It is kind of like seeing a flying scroll. We can’t wrap our brain around the idea of seeing God. But one day we will. The time to get ready to see Him is now. Are you ready?

I cannot wait to see Your face, O Lord. Right now I cannot imagine that, but I am looking forward to the sight.

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Bible, Eyes, Fellowship, Looking, Love, Radiance, Reflection, Scripture

THE APPLE OF HIS EYE

ZECHARIAH 2:8

“For the LORD of armies says this: ‘After glory He has sent me against the nations that plunder you, for the one who touches you, touches the apple of His eye.’”

You have heard, I am sure, lots of moms or dads say that their child was the apple of their eye. What does that mean? Well, I googled it. Here’s what I found. “The phrase comes from a Hebrew expression that literally means ‘little man of the eye. ‘ It refers to the tiny reflection of yourself that you can see in other people’s pupils. To be the apple of someone’s eye clearly means that you are being focused on and watched closely by that person.”

That certainly applies to today’s verse. Israel was the apple of God’s eye. He was focused on theme. He was watching them closely. So, if anyone touched them, they were touching God as well. We know what that means. If the enemies of Israel touched her, they were going to receive the full wrath of God. What a promise Zechariah was delivering to an exile weary people.

APPLICATION

I decided to see where else that phrase “apple of my eye” was used in Scripture. I found three other locations. The first is in   Psalm 17:8. “Keep me as the apple of the eye; Hide me in the shadow of Your wings.” Another was in Deuteronomy 32:10. “He found him in a desert land, and in the howling wasteland of a wilderness; He encircled him, He cared for him, He guarded him as the apple of His eye.” And the third is in Proverbs 7:2. “Keep my commandments and live, And my teaching as the apple of your eye.”

Those first two are how God sees us – as the apple of His eye. If you are a child of the King, that is a given. But the third is referring to how we see God’s Word. We should have it as the apple of our eyes. We should watch it closely. We should focus on it. And Who is the Word? Jesus. Jesus should be able to see Himself in our eyes.

How close are you to the Lord today? We know He sees us as the apple of His eye, but are you seeing Jesus that way? Is He the apple of your eye. Come closer. Let Him look intently into your eyes. He wants to see Himself in you. Come closer. Come closer still. Now then – there’s that reflection He is looking for. And now you can see yourself in His eyes. You are the apple of His eye.

I shall look closely at You, O Lord. I want to see Jesus as the apple of my eye.

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Bible, Looking, Obedience, Scripture, Sin, Trust, Walking

WATCH YOUR STEP

HAGGAI 1:5

“Now then, the LORD of armies says this: ‘Consider your ways!’”

As I get older, I am much more cautious of the steps I take. By that, I mean my physical steps. I suffer with peripheral neuropathy in both feet which makes walking challenging at times. One of my biggest concerns is not being able to feel my feet, especially my toes, and making a misstep. When I am walking outside, I am very conscious of the ground and am constantly monitoring myself to avoid holes or uneven ground. It is a little scary at times.

Haggai shares in today’s verse a similar admonition. But this warning isn’t about physical steps. He is referring to the Israelite’s spiritual steps. The Hebrew word for “way” is derek, which can mean way, road, distance, journey or manner. The LORD is telling them to seriously consider, to give thought to, to be aware of their manner of life, their journey, their relationship with Him. That’s a word we could all use.

APPLICATION

How is your walk? Are you watching your steps? Are you walking in the light or darkness? I don’t know about you, but I prefer to walk in the light, both in this physical world and in the spiritual world. I know there are hazards out there that can trip me physically, especially with my numb feet. But there are also plenty of spiritual hurtles out there that can cause me fall into sin if I am not watching.

John tells us in 1 John 1:7 “but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.” Walking in the light benefits us and others. If I trip and fall, I can bring others down. I definitely don’t want to do that.

When I was going through my chemo treatments a few years ago, I was having some issues with fainting. My wife was so fearful I was going to fall, so she would walk beside me or behind me, as if she could stop me if I started falling. I knew if I fell and she tried to stop me, she was going down too. That is so true spiritually, as well. We must guard our steps to protect others and ourselves. Watch your feet!

Make my feet like hinds’ feet, Lord. Make me surefooted as I follow You.

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Bible, God's Will, Hearing, Listening, Looking, Obedience, Scripture

GOD’S MESSENGERS

HABAKKUK 1:6

“For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans, that grim and impetuous people who march throughout the earth, to take possession of dwelling places that are not theirs.”

Sometimes we get our lessons from the strangest people or situations. I have been taught great truths from someone I met in an airport or maybe on the street. Hearing of their journey with Christ has given me new insight into mine. Hearing of their struggles with faith has taught me to trust more.

God is now telling Habakkuk what is going to happen (yesterday’s blog set this up, in case you missed it). God is going to use the Chaldeans to judge Israel. What!!! Why would God use such a “grim and impetuous people”? God’s instruments of judgment are not what we would choose, most His choice is always the perfect one.

APPLICATION

Who are what is God using right now in your life to teach you something? It doesn’t have to be a “Chaldean” like Habakkuk had to face. No, it could be the kind, elderly neighbor who just wants to talk. Your patience runs thin sometimes when you see them coming across the street. You know you are in for at least a thirty-minute conversation.

May I suggest that you take the time to listen. They may have something to say to you that you need to hear. God can use others around us to speak a message to us. Recently, a colleague of mine had that exact experience. Someone gave them a message they needed to hear which resulted in this person taking action, an action they had been pondering for some time.

I am thankful that we don’t get all our “sermons” on Sunday mornings. Many of them are spoken to us every day if we will just take the time to listen. So, are you listening? In your conversations, texts or emails today, look for that message you need to hear.

Father, I praise You for using others around me to speak to me. I want to hear Your voice no matter who it comes through.

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Advice, Affliction, Answers, Bible, Despair, Evil, Looking, Scripture

I CAN’T STAND IT!!!

HABAKKUK 1:3

“Why do You make me see disaster, and make me look at destitution? Yes, devastation and violence are before me; strife exists and contention arises.”

Too much of anything is well…too much. Whether that be good or bad! When I was going through my chemotherapy, there were days when all I could see was the misery. On the outside I put on a fairly, brave face. Most people would not have known I was struggling. But on the inside, I was throwing in the towel. I was done. All I felt was bad, with no end in sight.

Habakkuk’s eyes are full of disaster, destitution, devastation, violence, strife and contention. That would depress anyone. He is finding it hard to comprehend this. God had promised blessings to Israel, not curses. God was about to tell him why these things are here. But right now, at this moment, Habakkuk is simply continuing to cry out to God.

Do these words describe your life right now – disaster, destitution, devastation, violence, strife and contention? If so, may I be so bold as to say to you that your eyes are on the wrong thing. When we look and look at all the evil around us, we are mesmerized by it. We can’t stop looking away.

APPLICATION

It’s kind of like if you are in your car and come across an accident. You slow down and look. You don’t want to stop looking. You know it’s not good, but you can’t help it. Sin can captivate us. And suddenly, we are stuck in this pit of disaster, destitution, devastation, violence, strife and contention. We too are screaming at God that we can’t stand it.

I don’t know about you, but I do not want those things in my life. Paul tells us in Colossians 3:8-9a, “8 But now you also, rid yourselves of all of them: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene speech from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, since you stripped off the old self with its evil practices,…” If we stop looking at these things, we will soon discover that God has been there all the time, just waiting for us to look His way.

I want to focus my eyes on You, Lord, and not on the things of this world.  

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Accountability, Advice, Appeasement, Bible, Calling, Choices, Discipline, Faithfulness, God's Will, Looking, Modeling, Scripture

ALL FOR NOTHING 

MICAH 6:15 

“‘You will sow but you will not harvest. You will tread the olive press but will not anoint yourself with oil; and tread out sweet wine, but you will not drink any wine.’” 

I have been trying to learn some more Swahili and, for the first time, some French. The app I am using has some timed lessons. If you do not finish the lesson in the time given, you have to start again. All that concentration and all that work for nothing. It can be a little frustrating. 

God told the people that all their work (sowing and treading) will be for naught. They will harvest nothing. They will not get enough oil for anointing or wine to drink. Somehow, they had to learn that all they had came from Him. Those blessings required obedience, which they had not shown. 

APPLICATION 

Are you spinning your wheels for God and getting nothing back? Well, maybe you are spinning the wrong wheels. We make the mistake all the time of “doing” for God. We think if we just stay busy He will bless us. I hate to disappoint you, but that is not how it works. What He initiates He anoints, not what you initiate. 

Now James tells us that faith without works is dead (James 2:26). God does want us to serve Him and to accomplish His plans. That requires “doing.” One person has said we have to put feet to our prayers. Just be careful to make sure you clear it with the Lord first. 

I was taught by my dad to show initiative. That is a good trait to have unless your initiative is self-driven and not God-driven. The joy of knowing that you are doing what the Lord has called you to do is so delightful. Do not spin your wheels trying to “do” for God. Stop, pray and let Him show you what it is He would have you do. 

Lord, slow me down and help me see Your grand plan for me. I want to serve where You want me to serve. 

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