September 12 - Zechariah 6:1-15 | Ezra 5:3-6:14 | Zechariah 7:1-8:23

Good morning everyone,

Today we come to the eighth and final section of Zechariah’s vision, a vision that was to show the people that the Lord was with them, you know, taking care of business. Verse eight, depending on what translation you are reading says, (NIV) “Then he called to me, “Look, those going toward the north country have given my Spirit rest in the land of the north.” or (NLT) “ Then the Lord summoned me and said,“Look, those who went north have vented the anger if my Spirit, there in the land of the north.” Either way it means they have caused God’s anger to cease there. God had assigned Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon the task of disciplining the people of Judah when they had fallen prey to the false gods and idols of the world but they over did it, they were unnecessarily cruel in the capture and the holding of the Jews and it made God mad.

So as much as we love to concentrate on God’s love, mercy and grace, you have got to know, we all have got to remember, that our God does get mad. He does not like injustice and our God is a jealous God. Right off the bat we read in  Exodus, “I the Lord your God am a jealous God,” right? In Deuteronomy it says, “They stirred him to jealousy with strange gods; with abominations they provoked him to anger.” God is not okay with us sharing our time with false gods and He is certainly not okay with us repeatedly sinning. 

If we are spending more time worshipping anything else than God, that is a false god an idol. This time of the year, you football fans need to beware. Right? And if we have unconfessed or habitual sin in our lives we need to confess it, and that just means saying in prayer, “Hey God, I know I am a sinner and have this problem with ___.” Fill in the blank. Then turn away from it. Every time the enemy puts it to your mind, say, “In the name of Jesus, get behind me satan,” and walk away.  

You know, 1 Corinthians 10:13 tells us, “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” And while it has become a bit of a cliche’ there is so much strength in those words. Jesus knew temptation and boy did He know suffering. He knew what we would be facing, what to prepare us for and gave us the strength to battle anything that comes our way. We are children of God! We are of his family. We have embraced his truth, and drank of his Spirit. John 4:4 encourages us with, “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” 

We can, we absolutely can do all things through Christ Jesus who strengthens us! Amen?

Have an amazing day and to God be the glory.

God bless you all …..