Zech 7-9; Luke 13

Scripture - Zech 8:9-13 "Thus says the Lord of hosts; Let your hands be strong. You who have been hearing the these days These words by the mouth of the prophets. Who spoke in the day the foundation was laid For the house of the Lord of hosts, that the temple might be built. For before these days there were no wages for man nor any hire for beasts; There was no peace from the enemy for whoever went out or came in; For I set all men, everyone, against his neighbor. But now I will not treat the remnant of this people as in the former days, says the Lord of hosts. For the seed shall be prosperous, The vine shall give its fruit, The ground shall give her increase, And the heavens shall give their dew. I will cause the remnant of this people to posses all these. And it shall come to pass that just as you were a curse among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, So I will save you, and you shall be a blessing. Do not fear, Let your hands be strong."

Observation - Let your hands be strong - what you have been through you will not always be going through. The punishment of the fathers can be the blessing of the sons. God is telling the church here to hold on and be strong. Just prior to this passage he is talking to Israel and Judah about obedience and sticking to the commands given by God for his people. He reminds them that their forefathers rebelled against him and they ended up in exile apart for God - but this remnant will be different. He is bringing overwhelming increase, blessing and anointing to the people that will hold on strong and keep the commandments tirelessly. God's desire is to bless, to empower to increase and to expand. These are part of his nature. We must "Let our hands be strong". This phrase means that we must keep our hands doing honest, trustworthy, kingdom worthy business. Keeping our actions honoring God.

Application - Today I need to put my hands to business that will expand the kingdom and honor God. We must keep in mind that weak hands allow the wrong activities, actions and desires to creep in and dishonor God. Keeping strong hands allows us to be diligent with God and His call for our lives.

Prayer - Father help me to do your work today. To put my hands to your labor and to your desired activities. I need to be your hands and your feet today. Keep them righteous and bless their efforts.

Ezra 5; Ps 113, 127; Luke 9

Scripture - Luke 9:2 He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.

Observation - Several times in this section of scripture the bible says that Jesus sent them to heal the sick. What is interesting to me is that He didn't say to pray for the sick that they may be healed. He said that He sent the disciples to "heal the sick". It is a distinct difference! Too often we are praying for the sick and waiting on the Lord and yet structurally we 'as disciples' have the authority to 'heal' the sick. The transfer of Jesus authority into His disciples gives them the authority in ministry to preach the gospel and to heal the sick. He gives equality to each area in ministry. I believe we have all but perfected the first and have ignored the latter. The mandate is to "heal!" While I understand he is speaking of infirmity - it would be wise to consider that he is also speaking of emotional and heart healing. We have a mandate to touch lives and help them see the power and authority of Jesus.

Application - Jesus has given clear instruction to his disciples. Go, Preach, Heal! This is a recipe for success in our Christian walk. To go where we will go not giving consideration to the reception of the people, to preach the word and the gospel "good news", and to heal. I must look for the wounded and heal that life today. It is a mandate that God will bless.

Prayer - Father today I am prepared to preach the word, help me walk in the authority of healing the sick. The physical sick as well as the emotional sick. God there are many in this community that NEED a touch from your Spirit.

Ezra 2-3; Luke 8

Scripture - Ezra 3:11-13 Then all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid. But many of the priests and Levites and heads of the fathers' houses, old men who had seen the first temple, wept with a loud voice when the foundation was laid before their eyes. Yet many shouted aloud for joy, so that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of weeping of the people, for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the sound was heard afar off.

Observation - The church was completely destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar earlier. Totally taken down and the people taken to exile. No place to worship, no place to assemble, no place to be reminded of the greatness of God. Here we find the people coming back to Jerusalem and beginning to build the foundations of the church. Laying the ground work. Just bringing the materials to rebuild the temple and young and old are shouting and praising at the work that is going to be done. Old people because they remember what it was like and young people because of the progress and purpose. Both shouting and weeping at the work that is going to be done. Shouting so loud that it overshadows the weeping. Praising and singing "For HE is good, His mercy endures forever". Reminded of what God can do to restore and replenish. They were excited to have a place to worship again. Excited to have a place called God's House. What zeal for the house of God.

Application - Sometimes I think we take for granted the house of God. We get so critical of the things that are being done we miss the purpose they are being done. We are a generation that is looking for the flash and the show and don't really know what it would be like not to have a house to worship in. I get so excited about the building of God's house - not the physical structure - but the people of God that are being brought together. In our case the house has been being built for about 4 years now and it is just now that I see such progress that gets me shouting and praising and truly experiencing the "His Mercy Endures Forever" perspective. It seems as though we have been through many exile experiences and the house gets somewhat torn down, but God is faithful and brings those that want to build and want to see the erection of the great temple of God and begin to shout at the foundations being laid.

Prayer - Father keep us focused on the prize. The eternal prize. Building your church and rebuilding your temple. God I love you so much and am praising you today for building your house and while I live in a country with many choices in temples - thank you for building that eternal temple in me and bringing in the necessary materials to lay and eternal foundation.

Ezekiel 20-21; Ps 111; Rev 8

Scripture - Rev 8:3-5 He was given much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. 4 And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel's hand.

Observation - The setting for John in the throne room of God watching the end unfold must have been troubling. Here is sees what is about to happen on the earth and John sees an angel with smoke and incense going up before God. He immediately knows that these are the prayers of the saints and describes them as going up before God. It would stand to reason that in this time the churches would be offering much prayer during a time like this. God is about to send down judgment on the earth and the prayers of the saints with the incense of angelic being are offered up to God. The ascending shows Gods accepting of those prayers.

Application - I don't spend an extraordinary amount of time looking at end times and contemplating the doom of the end. While I understand that it is coming and we are the end time church, I believe that our position should be one of hope and love. One that helps people see our God as loving and caring and compassionate. That said, I am very encouraged by this scripture because we see John here watching the eminent judgment about to happen and what is taking place is that the prayers of the saints are going before God. To me that just lights my spirit up. I fall so in love with a God that will receive and respond to the prayers of His people even in the midst of His judgment. We serve a God that will listen no matter what.

Prayer - Father I pray that you help me continue to be directed your way even in troubling times. God that we send up prayers before you in the midst of judgment and trouble. God you are a merciful and gracious God and I love you. Amen

Jer 26,35,36; John 20

Scripture - John 20:29 Jesus said to him, "Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believed."

Observation - Jesus has been showing up for the past week with the disciples - the first time Thomas was not there and when told about the encounter said "unless I stick my fingers in his wounds, I will not believe". Thomas need to have physical proof that Jesus was alive again. He needed not only his spiritual sense to be confirmed but his physical senses to confirm Jesus as alive. I love that Jesus did not show up the second time to condemn Thomas but satisfied his need to have they physical confirmation. I love that Jesus understands how we think and what we need. Jesus will not only confirm himself to us both in spirit and in flesh. The reality of Jesus is real, tangible and alive and he wants everyone to be convinced of this not matter what. However Jesus explains that the greater blessing is in believing without seeing. Too many of us need proof before we will make a move and Jesus in this statements confirms that Faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen.

Application - There is an old saying "Seeing is believing". While that may be true there is a great blessing that comes from not needing to see the physical manifestations of God but simply to know that HE IS! To know that Jesus is Jesus because he is Jesus and not needing to stick our fingers in his wounds constantly. It seems to be human nature to want to go poking around Jesus hands to prove that "yes in fact this Jesus". Jesus wants us to trust him without seeing. To believe without the needing a sign. In fact he says that "the foolish look for signs". To believe without seeing gives us a foundation that is strong because our senses will fail us and can be swayed by circumstances. Faith alone is strong.

Prayer - Father help me to see you my faith and not my eyes.

Amos 7-9; Ps 104; Titus 2

Scripture - You must teach what is in accord with sound doctrine. ²Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance. ³Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. ⁴Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, ⁵to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God. ⁶Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled. ⁷In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness ⁸and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.

Observation - Paul is continuing to teach Titus how to train and develop leaders and those faithful to the gospel. Over and over in the new testament there is the theme of teaching sound doctrine. It becomes apparent that there are those that teach false doctrine. In fact Paul says in 1:11 that this false doctrine is ruining families. Here is the second chapter he tells Titus to teach from sound doctrine. Teach men to be temperate, self-controlled and sound in faith and to teach women the way to live. He goes on to talk about the younger men and women. The entire family must receive sound doctrine. Doctrine that does not hurt but stands to encourage and correct the behaviors of this world. Sound doctrine will build families to strong positions of faith.

Application - Continuing to teach principles that families can live by is the call and the directive of God. Thinking of entire families and how the doctrine will help them become stronger in faith and to leave a legacy is very important. Throughout our church we should see the fingerprint of God on the families as men become temperate, strong, faithful and serving and women become reverent, self controlled and honoring of their husbands and both are able to teach the younger the right way to live.

Prayer - Father help me to keep it real and keep it sound.

Amos 4-6; Ps 86; Titus 1

Scripture - Titus 1:15-16 To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure. In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted. 16 They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him.
NIV

Observation - Paul is giving instructions to Titus in this book regarding the establishment of leadership and elders in the church. Paul says earlier that Titus was left to finish what was unfinished. Here in vs 15 Paul is giving Titus some much needed education on what to look for in leaders. He says that people claim to know God but by their actions they deny him. It is amazing what our actions tell about our beliefs. You could ask someone if they believe God and have them tell you yes - but with their actions you can tell they really don't. Interestingly enough my son Dylan has a great ability to spot these things. Dylan is quietly influential and can see through what people say to their actions. Because Dylan doesn't talk alot - he is watching the actions to determine a persons faith. The old adage "Actions speak louder than words" seems very appropriate here. You can claim to be a Christian all you want but what do your actions tell those around you. In many cases life actions are a stronger testimony than the words we say. Can people tell you are a Christian without opening your mouth. Or do you claim Him with your mouth and deny Him with your actions.

Application - As a pastor I know that I come under a higher scrutiny because of the position I hold, however, irrespective of that position - I need my actions to line up with my verbal testimony. In everything I do, I want Christ to shine through. I want my actions to scream to the world that I love God and am faithful to His son. My life must scream by my actions that my life is dedicated to the one true God. I never want my life to deny the Christ that I love.

Prayer - Father watch over me. Watch over the things I do both in public and in private. God I pray that my life be a living testimony of my love for You. Father help me to walk in the commandments that you have detailed for me in your word. Father you mean the world to me and I want the world to see you in everything I do.