Bible Chapter: Zechariah 5 & 6
Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.
1. Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
God gave Zechariah a vision of an unrolled scroll waving for all to see. The scroll contained a curse that went out over the entire land. It was God’s judgement against sinners who insisted on continuing to rebel against God. God will not always hold back judgement because of His mercy and grace. Even though He is slow to anger, there comes a time for judging sin. While He was judging all sin, God identified thieves and liars in particular. The sins that had been committed would bring complete destruction. There will come a time in the future when even stronger judgement will come.
Another vision of a basket points out to the thought of wickedness. Often when people think of wickedness they think of immorality and extreme evil. Moral sin seems to be rampant in every generation and nation. God punished the sin of wickedness. Some day in the future when God is ruling the world all the evil and wickedness will be gone. What an amazing time that will be.
2. What can I apply in my life from the reading?
Reading through the prophets has shown that there is a spiritual battle going on. We have seen evil forces that are out to destroy. But, God has His angelic beings who do HIS work. That is a very encouraging sign for believers. In God’s timing He will conquer the rebellious and oppressive nations of the world. The enemies will be defeated. God’s final judgement will satisfy His righteousness and bring His perfect justice. I often get frustrated by the battle. It is encouraging to be reminded that, in the end, God wins.
3. How can I help someone?
Do you feel overwhelmed? Reading through God’s Word gives many places of encouragement. The sin that seems to be winning will one day go down in defeat.
Bible Chapter: Zechariah 3 & 4
Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.
1. Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
There is a strong spiritual battle that rages. Satan is the enemy and he works hard to accuse all who follow God. The accuser was there to oppose what God was doing. The opposition to the rebuilding of the Temple came from Satan. Nothing has changed. He is still the adversary today, the accuser who continually fights to mess up our lives. The opposition that believers face is from the pit of Hell. We are fighting against evil, not other believers. The answer is, in the power of God’s name, to resist, to rebuke Satan. The accusations he makes are always based on lies and deceit. The enemy takes issues and blows them up to try to cause us to give up and make us look like evil failures. The authority is in the name of the Lord, not in ourselves. Through whatever hard times we must travel, God wants us to lean on Him, to obey and see His provision and delivery. God will make us new in Him. Walk in God’s ways and watch Him do amazing things.
2. What can I apply in my life from the reading?
The issues of daily life. How do we deal with them?
Zechariah 4:6-7 NKJV
6 So he answered and said to me: “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ Says the LORD of hosts. 7 ‘Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain! And he shall bring forth the capstone With shouts of “Grace, grace to it!” ’ ”
How do we make it in life? Through the power of God’s Holy Spirit. This applies to all believers. What are the options of power in humanity? Military, political or physical strength are all weak in themselves and cannot accomplish God’s eternal work. It is only through spiritual strength and weapons that we win spiritual battles. Jesus ministered as a man through the power of the Holy Spirit. When the church was established it was based on the power of the Holy Spirit. As believers continue to rely on the guidance and empowerment of the Spirit, eternity will be changed. All believers need the fullness and active power of the Holy Spirit in their lives. The Baptism in the Spirit is for today.
3. How can I help someone?
Whatever God has call you to do, do it. Don’t think that anything is too small to be important in God’s eyes. If He wants you to do it, then nothing is unimportant. God builds big things with small beginnings.
Bible Chapter: Zechariah 1 & 2
Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.
1. Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
God gave Zechariah visions to encourage the people who had returned to Jerusalem to start rebuilding the Temple again. He inspired them to continue the work until the Temple was completed and not give up as others had done. These visions encouraged the people to see the Temple restoration as part of God’s plan to bring a spiritual restoration in the future. The Messiah’s comings are both included in these prophecies. As a part of their up and down spiritual history, God encouraged the people to return to Him. They needed to give up their rebellious lives, live by God’s standards and follow his plan. In other words, do things God’s way. He told them to not be like their ancestors who would not listen or pay attention when the prophets said to them, ‘This is what the Lord says: Turn from your evil ways, and stop all your evil practices.’
2. What can I apply in my life from the reading?
How does God look at those who follow Him? In 2:8 He says: “Anyone who harms you harms my most precious possession.” Other versions use the phrase The Apple of His Eye. God speaks of the group of God’s people who came through the exile, especially those who stayed faithful to Him. Faithful believers today are just as important and loved as much by God. We can rest in God’s protection and provision. This helps take away fear about the future, about the unknown.
3. How can I help someone?
One of the consistencies in the Bible is the message to hear what God says and then apply what God says in daily life. The reason why God says that theme over and over is that it is what is right and best.
Bible Chapter: Haggai 1 & 2
Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.
1. Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
Many Jews had been captives from previous wars and living in foreign lands. King Cyrus of Persia allowed 50,000 Jews to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the city and the temple. They laid the foundation of the temple and then the work stopped. Eventually, the people drifted from their original goals and started thinking about themselves. God spoke through Haggai to wake them up and get going on God’s house. The prophet spoke to them about the fancy houses they were building for their own comfort, as God’s house was in ruins. They had their priorities all out of place. God was no longer their first priority.
God challenged them to consider their ways. They planted much and brought in little. They ate and drank and did not have enough. They had clothes and were not warm. And, they earned wages to put them into a bag with holes. They worked and worked and didn’t have much to show for it. That is because they had lost God’s blessings. They forgot God. The good news is that they responded to and obeyed what the prophet told them God wanted them to do. They knew that God was serious about His message to them. They went to work.
2. What can I apply in my life from the reading?
They completed the Temple. But, it wasn’t as glorious as the previous one. Some of the people remembered the splendor of Solomon’s Temple that had been destroyed over 70 years earlier. They were discouraged. They didn’t need to be discouraged. God promised that He would be with them. He would fulfill all the promises made to their ancestors. The Spirit of God was there with the people. And, one of the things that makes the Temple so special is God’s glory that resides there. The power and presence of the Lord is what always makes the difference. God called for them to live pure lives and keep their hearts in tune with God’s purposes. Reject ungodly influences. The greatest goal was not the physical splendor of the building, but the power and presence of God.
3. How can I help someone?
Keep your mind focused on what God wants you to do. It is easy to get started. It is harder to keep on going and complete what God wants.
Bible Chapter: Zephaniah 3
Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.
1. Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
Zephaniah turned his attention to Jerusalem and God’s people. They were rebellious and opposed God’s law (how many times have I written this thought reading through the prophets?). They had again drifted to moral corruption and ungodliness. The nation refused to listen to God’s prophets. So, the message was that sorrow awaited the rebellious city of Jerusalem. They were so proud that no one could tell it anything. Rebellion usually leads to refusing to listen to correction. The city had rulers who failed their responsibilities. God decried these influential people for their failure to obey Him and be holy (and to set the kind of example expected of leaders). They were leading the nation farther away from God. God called their prophets arrogant liars seeking their own gain. They were not living the life God called for them to live, not living a life that strove to be like God, who is pure, true and faithful.
2. What can I apply in my life from the reading?
God has His plan of salvation. Zephaniah told the nation of God’s plan for them. And, God has His plan of salvation for the world today. God longs for a personal relationship with all who yield their lives to Him and make Him their Lord. God longs for all to remain faithful to him. All who follow the Lord will have the privilege of worshiping the Lord together. We will be able to sing and rejoice together as we give all the praise to God. He will win the battle in the end. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in His people with gladness. God promised to deal severely with all who have oppressed people. He will save the weak and helpless ones. So, self, remain faithful.
3. How can I help someone?
What the tempter promises will always fail in the end. Temptation promises so many things that will never really fulfill the inner needs of a person. Something is always missing.
Bible Chapter: Zephaniah 1 & 2
Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.
1. Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
The prophet Zephaniah ministered during the reign of King Josiah. Judah was consumed with worshiping false gods and violence. As a nation, they were not concerned about what God required. One of the problems was priests who pretended to be following God’s commands, but were also worshiping false gods. God said he would crush Judah and Jerusalem and destroy every last trace of their Baal worship. He also said he would put an end to the idolatrous priests. They claimed to follow the LORD, but then they worship Baal as well. This caused many people in Judah to participate in generic forms of religious worship as they pretended to worship the Lord in truth. This hypocritical mixture of worship was evil in God’s eyes. God will never tolerate those who claim to be His followers but also worship any other god. God will judge them. God expects His followers to be spiritually separated from anything else. Because of their sin, God promised judgement. He promised that their silver and gold will not save them on that day.
2. What can I apply in my life from the reading?
A call to repentance
The prophet told them (and by implication all who call themselves followers of God) to seek the Lord and follow His commands. All believers must seek to do what is right and to live in obedience and humility. The Lord is the only source of protection. God promised that those who reject Him will receive the wages of their pride. They have mocked God’s kingdom. They will be terrified at what God does. Their pride will fail them when they see the utter ruin God brings. In this call to repentance I see a correlation to the celebration of Communion. The Bible says that each participant should examine their heart and make things right with God. It is a call for continual course-correction in life. It is so easy to drift spiritually. Many fail because they don’t keep making sure that they have not allowed the tempter to pull them away from God’s path.
3. How can I help someone?
Spiritual examination is required if we are going to stay close to the Lord. We are all subject to temptation. We are all able to look at the pleasures of sin and forget the consequences. It is too easy to drift if we don’t keep our eyes on the Lord and His blessings and promises.
Bible Chapter: Habakkuk 3
Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.
1. Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
Habakkuk wrote a song to the Lord. Yes, his world was filled with evil, but he learned to live by faith and trust God. There is always hope in God. It is important for every generation of believers to live in a fresh sense of the power and presence of God, and not just remembering spiritual history they have learned. Since God never changes, every generation needs a fresh experience of God’s supernatural intervention in life. Today, as well as in the time of the prophet, people have not experienced God’s power for a long time. The miracles are only history. So much in the church has been reduced to form and process. They needed back then, and the church world today needs to experience a fresh display of God’s power. We need a renewed sense of God’s presence and power. We need a powerful revival to overcome the apathy of our modern church world.
2. What can I apply in my life from the reading?
As I think about the world Habakkuk wrote about, and the modern church world, the ending verses jump out to me.
Habakkuk 3:17-19 NKJV
17 Though the fig tree may not blossom, Nor fruit be on the vines; Though the labor of the olive may fail, And the fields yield no food; Though the flock may be cut off from the fold, And there be no herd in the stalls-- 18 Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. 19 The LORD God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer's feet, And He will make me walk on my high hills. To the Chief Musician. With my stringed instruments.
For years churches have faced something pathetic called “worship wars”. People have fussed over how they worship the Lord. The big battle has been over music. In this process the church world has forgotten, or completely missed the concept of worship. Just because someone is singing does not mean they are worshiping. So much of the focus has been on me and what I get out of it, instead of focusing on God and what HE gets out of it. The prophet wrote that, even if everything fails, I will rejoice in the Lord and I will be strong in the Lord. Habakkuk let his readers know that he did not serve God because of what God could give him. Because of his love for God he served the Creator. God is worthy of praise because of who He is, not just for what He does. The sidetracking of the time and energy of the church over styles of music has caused the church to shrink back from the real battle. The Lord is our Savior and source of strength for daily life.
3. How can I help someone?
The prophet’s ending verses in this book are a real encouragement to life. There is no person who has every lived that didn’t face challenges. Habakkuk knew that god was worthy of the praise, simply because of who He is.
