Category Archives: Scripture

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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Accountability, Bible, Blessing, Gifts, Giving, Offering, Scripture, Treasures

LIVING IN LUXURY

HAGGAI 1:4

“‘Is it time for you yourselves to live in your paneled houses while this house remains desolate?’”

Today’s verse really connects with me because I grew up in a paneled house. My dad built our house way back in the mid 1950’s. He used pine boards to panel all the rooms. These boards were stained and varnished to last a long time. My older sister still enjoys those paneled walls. They are beautiful.

So, when I read this verse today in Haggai 1, I immediately thought back to that house where I grew up. The Lord is scolding the people of Israel, however, because while they spent all that time and money making sure their own homes were beautiful, they had neglected God’s house, the temple. There is nothing wrong with having the paneled houses, but He comes first.

APPLICATION

1 Timothy 6 warns us of the danger of wealth that is misprioritized (I think I just made that word up, lol). Look at verses 9-10. “9 But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap, and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”

Having nice things are fine. I don’t want to give the impression that it is not. But when we put our “stuff” above worshipping and blessing our Heavenly Father, then it’s not good. Are you giving to the Lord as you should? Are you giving of your first fruits or your leftovers? Take a look at your manner of giving and see if it reflects God’s guidelines.Giving is a personal thing. We should not broadcast to the world how much or what we are giving.

Part of my responsibilities as a staff member at Every Man A Warrior is to approach individuals, foundations and churches to ask them to consider giving to our ministry. I want to allow them to be blessed by being obedient to the Lord. I would be remiss if I didn’t do that now. Check out our giving site at www.twr.org/carl-willis. May God guide you in your giving.

Lord, thank You for the joy of giving to Your kingdom. Take our offerings and use them for Your glory.

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Accountability, Bible, Commands, Commitment, Discipline, Exhortation, God's Will, Gospel, Holy Spirit, Humility, Messages, Scripture

THE WORD OF THE LORD CAME

HAGGAI 1:3

“Then the word of the LORD came by Haggai the prophet, saying,”

How many sermons do you think you have heard in your lifetime? A hundred? A thousand? For some of us church goers, it can easily be in the thousands. I did some calculations this morning. If I have averaged just one sermon a week since age six, I have conservatively heard around 3,000. Some of those weeks I heard more than one. This doesn’t count the many conferences and revivals I have attended. That number could easily jump to 5,000.

So, when we read the words of today’s verse, don’t just read that and pass it by. Look at the words. “Then” means at a certain time, at a certain point. God decided when to speak to Haggai. Haggai didn’t just spout off some information he had. He waited for the Lord’s words. They came to him as he waited for the Lord to speak. Then and only then did Haggai speak. That’s important to see.

APPLICATION

The danger many preachers face each week is waiting on the Lord to speak before they do. The pressure to “get a sermon ready can lead to some misspoken words. Words are shared as if they are from the Lord but are not. We have to wait on Him, just like Haggai did. 2 Timothy 2:15 is a great verse to contemplate about this. It says, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a worker who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.”

Maybe you don’t preach or teach the Word each week. How do you share it with others? Are you accurately handling it then? Do you quote verses incorrectly to suit your situation. We have to be careful about that, too. We need to make sure when we share a verse with someone that it points them to Jesus, not just what we think is right.

Sharing God’s Word with someone else is a good thing. But we must do it with humility, knowing it is not our word but His. Only His Word can heal and guide correctly. Only His Word can accurately teach us how to handle life in the way He intended. Our job is to listen carefully for the Spirit’s bidding and then act. Wait on God’s word to come to you before you speak.

I want to be true to Your Word, O Lord, in everything I do. 

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Abiding, Accountability, Bible, Commands, Faithfulness, Modeling, Priorities, Scripture

PRIORITIES

HAGGAI 1:2

“This is what the LORD of armies says: ‘This people says, “The time has not come, the time for the house of the LORD to be rebuilt.”’”

In my ministry and in my life, I am always prioritizing and reprioritizing events. What is number one on my list could change depending on the day. It’s a daily ritual. I look at my calendar and adjust it according to what has become more important. It doesn’t mean I won’t do the other things. It just means some irons getting hotter than others in the fire and must be dealt with.

The problem in Jerusalem was the temple had been pushed so far down on the list that it was not even registering anymore. While they were building their own homes and taking care of themselves, they had left the temple in disrepair. They excused this time and time again by saying “The time has not come…” Procrastination! Why do today what you can put off until tomorrow, right?

APPLICATION

As believers, we can be just as guilty. In these current post-Covid days, we see this a lot. I’m going to get back in church soon. The kids just really love watching church online in their pajamas. It is so much more convenient. Covid changed things, for sure. But it is time to return to our places of worship. I know a lot of believers out there agree. Some people may have legitimate reasons for being home, but most don’t have an excuse.

But this isn’t just about going to church. The greater risk we face daily in our priorities is simply putting God first. Matthew 6:33 says it clearly. “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided to you.” A command with a promise. What more could you ask for? Read that verse in its full context later. Jesus told us how to prioritize.

My habit each morning is to get in God’s Word and pray. Some habits are good ones. This is one of those. When I don’t get this done first thing in the morning, I feel I have robbed myself of something. I truly believe the Lord has a special message each day for me. It may be a word of encouragement or one of chastisement. Either way, I am blessed because I am seeking Him first. Give it a try. Stick with it. You will be blessed.

Give me the discipline, Lord, to do what You ask of me each and every day.

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Abiding, Accountability, Bible, Obedience, Order, Prophesy, Scripture, Submission, Surrender

LOOK AT THE ORDER

HAGGAI 1:1

“In the second year of Darius the king, on the first day of the sixth month, the word of the LORD came by the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, saying,”

Chain of command is important in the military. It’s also important in business. It’s even important in ministry. We all answer to someone. We all get our “marching orders” from someone else, don’t we? I have had to answer to superiors who were excellent and to others who weren’t so excellent. As I matured in my faith, I learned how to deal with those “not so excellent” ones.

Look at the order in which the word of the LORD came. God first delivered it to Haggai (we’ll learn more about him in future blog posts). Haggai delivered it to the governor of Judah and to the high priest. Now, if you were the governor or the high priest, you were probably asking yourself why the LORD had not given you the message. Weren’t you good enough? Who is this Haggai anyway? God has a purpose in His order every time.

APPLICATION

It is important to note that Haggai was an old man when God called him to prophesy to the people. Why is that important for us to know? Because I have known far too many believers who think they are finished once they get gray-headed or retire. Nothing is further from the truth.

You now have far more wisdom you can share with the younger generations. You usually have more time to devote to ministry. Think how many men or women, boys or girls you could mentor and disciple. We are not done when we start drawing our pension. We don’t retire – we refire. If that shoe fits, then wear it.

Why am I hammering the old folks today? Because I am one. In most cultures I am considered an elder. I have been given the privilege to pass down to others the truths God has given me. Why would I hold them back. Just like God chose Haggai to bring His word to Zerubbabel and Joshua in today’s verse, God may be calling you to deliver His word to those younger than you.

Lord, use me until You call me home. I want to enter eternity having spent my last breath extoling the greatness of my Lord.

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Appointed, Bible, Promises, Scripture, Service, Shame

APPOINTMENT

ZEPHANIAH 3:19

“‘Behold, I am going to deal at that time with all your oppressors; I will save those who limp and gather the scattered, and I will turn their shame into praise and fame in all the earth.’”

Every election cycle in the U.S., changes occur. New appointments are made by the President. He names Cabinet members, Ambassadors and other staff members. Those appointments carry with them the power of their office. This person may have never served in such a high position. But now they have been recognized and placed in service.

The Lord says in today’s verse that He “will turn their shame into praise and fame.” That can also be translated as He appointed them. He raised them up. He put meaning into their lives. The lame and scattered will be brought together by Him and made famous in all the earth. Wow! What an incredible promise!

APPLICATION

What has the Lord appointed you to do? For what purpose has He lifted you up? A passage just popped into my head. They are some of my memory verses. Galatians 6:9-10 reads, “9 Let’s not become discouraged in doing good, for in due time we will reap, if we do not become weary. 10 So then, while we have opportunity, let’s do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.” Is this why He has saved you?

If you are a believer, God has appointed you. He has called you, not only to receive salvation, but to also use that gift to bless others. You have heard it said that our faith is personal, but it is not private. We are appointed to share it. We have been placed in our positions in Christ for a purpose. We are not saved to just wait on eternity.

So, what are you doing with your appointment? All that shame that weighed you down before has been washed away by the blood of Christ. He wants to use you for kingdom work. What are you waiting on? Ask the Lord what He is up to and then get involved in it. Make your appointment as one of His children count for something.

Lord, I am so thankful for salvation. Now, use me as You see fit.

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Abiding, Battles, Bible, Grief, Scripture, Sorrow

SORROWFUL

ZEPHANIAH 3:18

“‘I will gather those who are worried about the appointed feasts—they came from you, Zion; the disgrace of exile is a burden on them.’”

Some things grieve my heart. When I see a child that has been abused, I grieve over the pain they have suffered. When I see injustice around me, I grieve for justice to be done. When I see a loved one suffering due to a loss in their life, it grieves me. Have you grieved over anything lately? Grief affects us all differently, doesn’t it?

In today’s verse, we see the Lord saying He would “gather those who are worried.” The Hebrew meaning of the word that is translated “worried” is sorrowful, grieving or afflicted. That really changes this verse, doesn’t it? I believe “worried” is not the best translation for this word. This remnant wasn’t just worried. They were grieving “about the appointed feast.” They were broken-hearted.

APPLICATION

Paul writes to the Thessalonians and says in his first letter “But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as indeed the rest of mankind do, who have no hope.” Sure, we grieve but not like the world. Our grief is soothed by our Lord Jesus. He knows our pain and heals us.

As I said earlier, grief affects each of us differently. Some people get stuck in their grief for decades. Others seem to push through it in months. The circumstance that caused the grief can determine the longevity of the grief and sorrow also. Take a moment to examine your life. Are you grieving over something right now? Is there anything you can do to end your grieving? Is there someone you can talk to?

Matthew 11:28-30 is a perfect passage for us regarding our suffering and grief. “28 ‘Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS.  30 For My yoke is comfortable, and My burden is light’” Rest in Him.

I am thankful, Lord, that my grief does not depend on me to end. I come to You, the Healer of my soul.

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Bible, Joy, Reconciled, Rejoicing, Salvation, Scripture

HE WILL REJOICE OVER YOU

ZEPHANIAH 3:17

“‘The LORD your God is in your midst, a victorious warrior. He will rejoice over you with joy, He will be quiet in His love, He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy.’”

Children need their parents to show them praise. They need to know how proud their parents are of them. This can be done with words or deeds, but however it is done, it must be done. The absence of praise or rejoicing in a child’s life can have lifetime effects. Don’t underestimate how much your child needs this. They probably will never ask for it. Just do it.

Don’t you just love today’s verse? God, the One who made all things, the One who redeemed you from your sins, He rejoices over you. He rejoices over you with shouts of joy. Can you believe that? Shouldn’t we be doing that towards Him? Of course, we should. But He also rejoices over us. What a glorious thought!

APPLICATION

Those days when you are feeling lowly, remember this. He loves you with an everlasting love. His love is eternal. It will never end. There is nothing you can do to cause Him to stop loving you. He loved you while you were His enemy. Listen to these words from Paul in Romans 5:10-11. “10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11 And not only this, but we also celebrate in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.”

Did you catch that second verse? We also celebrate. So, while God is rejoicing over us with joy, we are rejoicing that we have been reconciled back to Him. We rejoice because He rejoices. He rejoices when we rejoice. Doesn’t that give you something to shout about today?

Celebrate Jesus today. He is celebrating you. He loves you so much and wants you to know that. If He were here today (and He is through His Holy Spirit), He would be telling you that to your face. Listen to the Spirit that is within you. He is telling you the same thing. “My beloved, I rejoice in you.”

I love You, Lord, and I lift my voice to worship You, O my soul rejoice.

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Battles, Bible, Devil, Evil, Fear, Scripture, Strength

LIMP HANDS

ZEPHANIAH 3:16

“On that day it will be said to Jerusalem: ‘Do not be afraid, Zion; do not let your hands fall limp.’”

I have had the opportunity to meet a number of college and pro athletes in my life. These guys are impressive with their size and physical builds. Standing next to most of them I felt like a dwarf. I have seen what they could do on the football field or basketball court. One of those athletes, though, had the limpest handshake I have ever felt. It was like shaking hands with a dead fish. No grip, no firmness. It just did not match his physique at all.

God promises His people strength in today’s verse. He says, “Do not be afraid, Zion; do not let your hands fall limp.” The Hebrew word for “limp” means to relax or sink. Now put that in the verse. God was saying to them to have no fear, don’t sink down or relax. You see, God knew they were going to face more challenges, so they needed to stay strong and show no fear. He was with them.

APPLICATION

We often fall into that trap of sinking or relaxing. Let me remind you that we cannot afford that luxury. Luke 4:13 comes at the conclusion of Jesus’ testing in the wilderness by Satan. He had given Jesus his best shot and failed to cause Him to sin. Did he give up? I don’t think so. Look at the verse. “And so when the devil had finished every temptation, he left Him until an opportune time.”

We can’t have limp hands when it is time to battle the forces of evil. If the devil plotted an “opportune time” against the Son of God, you had better believe he is plotting against us. Paul tells us in Ephesians 6:12, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.”

Strengthen your hands! Gird up and prepare for battle today. This is not an attempt to put fear in you. In fact, my purpose is just the opposite. We have the Supreme Commander leading us. Why should we fear? But we have to prepare ourselves through prayer to wield the Sword of God, His Word, in combat against those opposed to the kingdom. Grab your sword, beloved.

I am thankful that through daily wielding of the Word, my hands are strong and not limp. 

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Abiding, Bible, Compassion, Holy Spirit, Scripture

IN YOUR MIDST

ZEPHANIAH 3:15

“‘The LORD has taken away His judgments against you, He has cleared away your enemies. The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst; you will no longer fear disaster.’”

Being with someone you really care about is special. I remember when my wife and I were “courting” before we got married, we couldn’t wait to be together. We only dated two and half months before we got married, and we spent every moment we could together. Being in the midst of each other was important.

I love what the Lord says here in verse 15. He tells His people that He will be “in your midst.” The Hebrew word here for “midst” is qereb, which means near or inward. It comes from the Hebrew verb qarab, which means to come near or close. Don’t you just love that. The God of all creation wants to be in their midst. He has “taken away His judgments.” What good news!

APPLICATION

God still wants to be in our midst. Isn’t that good news for us? The same God of Israel, through the presence of the Holy Spirit sent by the Son, wants to live within us. The difference between the Israelites and us is that Spirit that was with them temporarily is within us. We will dwell in His midst, and He will dwell in ours.

One day we will dwell in His midst in eternity, if we know His Son, Jesus, as our Savior and Lord. John 15 is a great passage about Jesus abiding in us and us abiding in Him. Take some time and read the whole chapter. The promise of Jesus remaining in us is worth it all.

So, I have to ask you. Is He in your midst? Have you asked the Lord to dwell within you through His Son? Jesus can cleanse you and purify your heart. At that moment He will come in and dwell within you. He will be in your midst. In your midst! That sounds marvelous.

Father, I am so thankful You are in my midst through Your Spirit because of Your Son.

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