Category: Devotions

Malachi 2

So guard yourself in your spirit

God’s responsibility is to test us, to search us and to weigh is in the balance.
Our responsibility is to guard ourselves.
Don’t let everyone into your life. Don’t get involved with everything. You do not have to experience it all. People who know everything and have experienced it all are often stupid.

Guard yourself and your attitudes and actions will then be guarded.
Guard yourself and you will then govern your speech.
Guard yourself and you will prevent spiritual disease in you and others.

Malachi 1

Israel had expected a revival of their nation after the exile, they were now disappointed.
The Messiah had still not arrived.
Israel was still under Persian rule.
They were still suffering.
A spiritual apathy swept over them.
The priests were burnt out, too tired to bring sacrifices.
God was questioned over why the wicked prosper.
God came to them through Malachi after which He would be silent for 400 years until the Messiah did come.
And God says a few words that every generation needs to hear and it was said in a continuous sense: I have loved you, I do love you, I will love you.
However …
1. Your offerings have defiled me.
What you give to God is what you think of Him. Your revelation of God determines your offering of service to Him.
2. You are lighting useless fires.
The fire on the altar of sacrifice is for our lives not for our excitement.
3. You are bored of your duties, v13
The most miserable, joyless, alienated, tedious, irrelevant people can be Christians if they really work at it.
4. You have become a cheat.
Looking good is fairly easy.
A second however …
God says, I have a dream! v11
His name (Jesus) will be great and in every place of the world incense (prayer) and offerings (praise) will take place.
That dream is now a reality.
Jesus all over the world drawing people back to God through prayer and praise.
He is drawing you now. Calling you … Prayer and Praise … God’s dream for you.

Zechariah 14

It’s all about Him.
God is the recovery, v1.
God is behind the circumstance, v2.
God is fighting, v3.
God’s glory is returning, v4.
God is my escape, v5.
God is my new day, v6.
God’s Spirit will flow, v8.
God will be worshipped, v9.
God exalts me, v10.
God secures my life, v11.
God gives to me abundantly, v14.
God calls people to me, v16-20.
God reinstates my purpose, v20.
God brings me into holiness, v20.

Zechariah 13

Thank you Jesus that you are the fountain opened for me. The fountain of blood.
I cannot have a relationship with you or come into contact with you without my sins being washed away. The closer I get then the spray from the fountain has the immediate effect, the impact is great.
I am determined.
Determined in my faith in your cleansing blood.
Determined in my pursuit of coming closer to you.
Determined in my desire to be cleaner than before.
I have been content to live on the effect of the spray and not the effect of being drenched.
So I stay awhile in this place.
Soak me Lord.

Zechariah 12

This is the prophecy of what will happen to Jerusalem and in response to the coming Messiah.
But it is also a prophecy for you today …

WHAT GOD WILL DO IS WHAT GOD CAN DO.

v2 When under siege He can change us to be of such influence that we disempower the enemy attack.

v3 He can make us as an immovable rock.

v4 He keeps a watchful eye on us.

v6 He can cause leaders to be on fire.

v8 He makes the weak strong.

v9 He attacks those who attack us.

v10 He pours out His Spirit on us.

v10 He pours out grace.

v10 He pours out the desire to pray.

v10 He reveals Himself.

Call on Him to do what He can do for you today.

Zechariah 11

How would you feel if you came into leadership and you knew the guaranteed end result? Would that change the way you led?
But what if the end result was going to be what happened in AD 70 to Jerusalem and what Zechariah prophesies:
Fire devouring, that what was glorious fallen, cut down, wailing, losing everything the people once had, outrage, a roaring sound of lions, v1-3.
Could you lead people with such a fate?
What if you were going to die nearly 40 years before those you were going to lead would face their ruin? This is what Jesus faced. How would you lead?
What would be your message?

1. Just do it. (v4,7)

2. Use Grace and use Harmony. (v7). Operate in undeserved favour and focus on relationships.

3. Disarm those who influence negatively. (v8)

4. Don’t be what people want you to be, be who you are called to be, (v9).

And what Christ experienced was this …

1. Rejection, v8. He was deserted, loathed and the people couldn’t stand him.
There is no pain like a rejected leader. In v12-13 Judas is prophesied. Every one will experience a Judas.

2. Pain for others, v7,11. There will always be those who stand with you and face/experience the pain with you.

3. Watching your work fall. v15-17, the rise of the antichrist destroying all you stood for. Sometimes the successor is not progressive.

And all of this can be summed up as dangerous obedience. It is what Jesus acted on and it is what is set before us today.

Zechariah 10

v1 Even though it’s time for rain we need to ask for rain to come on us.
All around you people are being blessed as the Holy Spirit is poured out. But are you asking for the rain of His presence and power. It can be pouring down and everyone is drenched but you can remain dry.
“Holy Spirit rain down on me”.

v4-5 Even though Christ has come we still need to struggle. Those who struggle shall overcome. For Jesus is our foundation, our support, our warrior and ruler.
“Jesus live in me again and as you do I will tread down the enemy of my soul.”

v7-12 Even though the promise is assured we still need to choose to live in that blessing. To choose to become who God has promised you will be. To embrace and practice joy. To return strong.
“Father thank you for setting me free. Free to survive. Free to return to where you want me. Free to pass through. Free to come back strong. Here I am.”

Zechariah 9

The presence of Jesus brings joy.

For He makes all things right, v9.
Joy.
He brings peace where there was war, v10.
Joy.
He releases hope to those locked in hopelessness, v11.
Joy.
He can return what we lost twice over, v12.
Joy.
He does the fighting for us, not us for Him, v14-17
Joy.

These promises are yours today in the presence of Jesus

Zechariah 8 in the Message

I choose to believe that you care for me, even now.
I choose to believe that you are still involved in my life.
I choose to believe that you in your grace have come back to me and your presence is on me, v2-3.
What I am finding too hard to accept, believe and do is not too much for you, v6.
More than at any time I choose to get a grip on your Word, on the truth, v9.
Incredibly you come to save my reputation, v13.
You pronounce a blessing on my life, a blessing of growth and fruitfulness, v12.
Thank you Lord.

Zechariah 7

70 years of religious activity but all worthless because God’s people were not merciful to the 4 categories of people that mean so much to God:
The widow
The fatherless
The immigrant
The poor.

Any neglect shown to the needs of such people is not called merely a lack of mercy or charity, but a violation of justice. God loves and defends those with the least economic and social power and so should we. That is what it means to ‘do justice’.

Most people who are downtrodden by abusive power are those who had little power to begin with, God gives them particular attention and has a special place in his heart for them.

If God’s character includes zeal for justice that leads him to have the tenderest love and closet involvement with the socially weak then what should God’s people be like? They must be people who are likewise passionately concerned for the weak and vulnerable.