Daily Devotions

Zechariah preached during the same time as Haggai (520-518 BC) about the restoration of Jerusalem after the exile. His message is that God’s remnant should trust and obey him because he is working behind-the-scenes on Israel’s behalf. God promises to finish restoring Israel and to judge their enemies in the future, through the coming Messiah. Chapters 1-8 are spiritual visions about God’s restoring work in Zechariah’s time, and chapters 9-14 are prophecies of the future days of the Messiah

A pivotal text of Zechariah 1:3 says, “if you people will return to me, I will turn and help you.”

Past generations were full of good intentions and gave lip service to their devotion to God, yet went on to ignore the Lord.

Kevin Martin was a minister at a massive church—but one of those churches where it got too burdensome. At one point he was so depressed, so crushed, that he hastily wrote a letter to his board, immediately resigning from office, and then wrote a letter to his wife and his children saying he would never see them again.

Kevin got in his car and drove up to Newfoundland, Canada, without anybody knowing where he was. He got a job as a logger. It was winter. He lived in a small metal trailer, heated at night by a small metal heater. One night, when it was 20 below, the heater stopped working. In a rage, Kevin went over to the heater, picked it up with both his hands, and chucked it out the window—then realising that was a stupid thing to do, for it was 20 below.

He throws himself on the ground and starts pounding the floor of this small metal trailer. As he’s pounding on the floor, he is yelling out to heaven, “I hate you! I hate you! Get out of my life! I am done with this Christian game. It is over!” He went into a foetal position.

Kevin writes, I couldn’t even cry. I was too exhausted to cry. As I laid there, I heard crying, and heaving breaths, but they were not coming from me. Instead, in the bright darkness of faith, I heard Christ crying, and heaving away on the Cross. And then I knew, Christ’s sacrifice was for me: for the Kevin who was the abandoner, the reckless wanderer, the blasphemer of heaven. And then the words rose up all around me: ‘Kevin, I am with you, and I am for you, and you will get through this. I promise you.’

Kevin rose to his feet, got into his car, sped back home, and reconciled with his family and his church. And then went on to lead that church in a healthy way.

Lord, help me to look to You instead of trying to white-knuckle through life on my own. Let me constantly remember — especially when the unexpected storms come up — that You are my Helper and my Rescuer. Thank You that I can rest in You and rely upon You and that You will be faithful, even on the dark and stormy days. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Daily Devotions

Haggai ministered after the initial return from exile, in 520 BC. Haggai scolds the people for rebuilding their own houses but leaving God’s house (the Temple) in ruins. After having suffered the exile, the people actually listen to the prophet this time! 

They hear him say, “Do you think the time is right for you to live in secure and lavishly covered homes when My house still lies in a heap of rubble?”

Even though the new temple is far less grand than Solomon’s old one, God promises to bless it with his presence. Haggai reminds us not to let physical comforts get in the way of spiritual priorities.

We seem to be living in a “me-first-era,” where the notion of repentance and taking responsibility seems to evade our 21st century minds.

A man was praying with his pastor at the altar. He prayed a prayer the pastor had heard many times before. “Lord, take the cobwebs out of my life.” Just as he said this the pastor interrupted, “Kill the spider, Lord.”

Many times we ask the Lord to forgive us of some sin, yet we leave the source of temptation in our life and we remain in our own comfort zone. Like the people of Haggai’s day we seem adept at keeping God at arm’s length that allows us to keep up our veneers…to manage our image, to make everyone think that our spiritual lives came from John Lewis, when in reality we would be lucky if they met the Cheap-Jack-Stall standards. I am thankful for the Humility do the manger and its invasion of my spiritual comfort zones as well.

What was it that John Betjeman wrote, “No carolling in frosty air, Nor all the steeple-shaking bells, Can with this single Truth compare - That God was man in Palestine. And lives today in Bread and Wine” 

Ever present Lord, please help me to hear Your call to me and give me the courage to step out of my comfort zone and say yes to You today. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus's name, amen.

Daily Devotions

Zephaniah – The great-great-grandson of good king Hezekiah, Zephaniah ministered around the same time as Jeremiah (620s BC). He announced the certainty of coming judgment. Everyone, from individuals to entire nations, will be judged on the Day of the Lord. God will sweep clean the whole world with the righteous fire of his anger, leaving only the righteous remnant.

A central text is found in 3:17-18, “For the Lord your God has arrived to live among you. He is a mighty Saviour. He will give you victory. He will rejoice over you with great gladness; he will love you and not accuse you.” Is that a joyous choir I hear? No, it is the Lord himself exulting over you in happy song.”

It is said that George Frederick Handel composed his amazing musical The Messiah in approximately three weeks. It was apparently done at a time when his eyesight was failing and when he was facing the possibility of being imprisoned because of outstanding bills. Handel however kept writing in the midst of these challenges till the masterpiece, which included the majestic, “Hallelujah Chorus,” was completed.

Handel later credited the completion of his work to one ingredient: Joy. He was quoted as saying that he felt as if his heart would burst with joy at what he was hearing in his mind. Sure enough, listening either to the entire work of The Messiah, or to the "Hallelujah Chorus" brings great joy to one's heart.

Similarly, in the midst of the many challenges he faced, including chains, imprisonment, and slander, the Apostle Paul, filled with the joy that Christ gives, could say, "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!" (Phil. 4:4). May the joy of the Lord fill your heart today!

I praise You with great joy, Lord because You are my Strength and my Shield. My heart trusts You and it leaps for joy! I will sing praises to You this and every day, for You are my Shepherd who carries and protects me forever. I praise You with my Amen!

Daily Devotions

Habakkuk – Records a back-and-forth conversation between God and the prophet Habakkuk, shortly before the Babylonian invasion of Judah (640-605 BC). In this unique book, instead of God speaking to the people through a prophet, here the prophet Habakkuk speaks to God on behalf of the people! God reassures the questioning prophet that he will indeed judge the wicked, but in his own way and his own timing. God also reminds Habakkuk (and us) that the “righteous shall live by faith” (2:4).

Habakkuk differs from the other prophetic books in that is is made up not of the prophets preaching to his compatriots, but of an extended dialogue between the prophet and God which reaches it’s climax in 2:1-3 

“What’s God going to say to my questions? I’m braced for the worst.
    I’ll climb to the lookout tower and scan the horizon.
I’ll wait to see what God says,
    how he’ll answer my complaint.

And then God answered: “Write this.
    Write what you see.
Write it out in big block letters
    so that it can be read on the run.”

 

Eugene Peterson entitles this portion as - “Full of Self, but Soul-Empty”

C.S. Lewis said that when he first became a Christian, he had trouble with church gatherings. “I thought that I could do it on my own by retiring to my rooms and reading theology, and I wouldn’t go to churches anymore.” He found the sermons often dull, and he disliked organ music, which he described as “one long roar.” He had contempt for church hymns, which he “considered to be fifth rate poems set to sixth rate music.” As his faith matured, however, he grew to value gathering with other Christians to worship. As his ego diminished, he realised that these hymns were being sung with enthusiasm by elderly saints in neighbouring pews, and then he realised that he was unworthy to clean their boots. He said, “Going to church gets you out of your solitary conceit.” 

Some say that true prayer is egoless, and involves humility and worship. For example, some say that true prayer is about submission and losing oneself in something bigger.

Forgive me, Lord. I want to have an accurate, God's-eye view of myself, willingly sharing the spotlight and letting others take credit, even for my work. Please keep me from arrogance and the obsession with my wants and needs. Give me a humble spirit, willing to submit to you first and then to others. Amen

Daily Devotions

The Book of Nahum – A prophecy of the coming destruction of Nineveh, was preached by Nahum sometime between 663-612 BC. The message of Nahum (whose name means “comfort”, was a comforting one to the kingdom of Judah: with the downfall of Nineveh, their cruel enemy the Assyrians would be no more. 

Memorising Verses - In a church's vacation Bible school, one of the four-year-old boys rushed jubilantly to his father at the close of the evening's activities and announced proudly that he had learned his Bible verse—Psalm 46:1 "That's great, Jacob! Say it for me," replied his father, Harry. Jacob beamed as he said, "God is our refuge and strength, and our President's in trouble."

Nahum in some ways forms a sequel to the Book of Jonah. As such, one implied theological theme could be that of perseverance by means of God’s grace (1:6-15). Nineveh repented of their sins under Jonah’s preaching, but then reverted to their old ways over time. It is instructive to us to persevere in the faith ourselves, and also to teach the content of our faith to the coming generation so that, again by God’s grace, they know and worship the one true living God.

Amy Carmichael’s life seems to have been directed by a series of specific verses from the Bible. We can see how Scripture influenced her life since she had the habit of noting in her Bible the lesson learned and the date it occurred.

When her father died when she was 18, her mother frequently quoted Nahum 1:7: “The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him.” This strengthened Amy’s already deep faith.

Heavenly Father, thank You for Who You are and what the Lord Jesus has done for me. Thank You for being my good and gracious God. Thank You that You are my stronghold in the day of trouble and the Comforter to Whom I can fly for refuge. How I praise You for Your never-failing faithfulness to Your people, Israel, and grace towards the Church. Thank You that You are not only a God of love but a God of justice and that a day is coming when You will avenge all those that have suffered at the hands of Your enemies. I pray for those who have not yet trusted in You and remain dead in their sin and ask that they may be convicted of sin and come to faith in Christ. This I ask in Jesus' name, Amen

Daily Devotions

Micah – Micah preached around the same time as Isaiah (750-700 BC), calling Israel and Judah to account for their sins. He especially targets the injustice and corruption among the leaders, priests, and false prophets of the time, but also promises that God will preserve a faithful remnant and bring restoration through the Davidic Messiah. Micah is famous for predicting that Messiah will come from Bethlehem (5:2).

Micah 6:8 is often considered a key verse from the book of Micah: "Do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God" A call to action to act with righteousness, compassion, and humility when others are treated unjustly. This important statement answers the questions, “What is it that God wants from us? How much must we sacrifice before God will be happy with us?”

The answer is simple and yet profoundly life-changing: As long as we practice injustice, it doesn’t matter how much we sacrifice to God. The Lord calls us to act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with him! It is then that our offerings have a true value.

What Micah seems to be saying is to get rid of your rigged scales. Stop your price gouging. End the practice of driving people into poverty so that you can buy them as servants and slaves. Practice justice. And even more than that—love mercy. Give freely to your poor neighbour rather than scheming up ways to make them your slaves. Find ways to relieve poverty rather than profiting from it.

Give us, Lord, an eye for injustice.
For it is only when are able to recognise injustice and feel its awful sting that we will be moved to make things right.

Give us, Lord, a tender heart.
Sometimes we are too hard-hearted to recognise when we have been uncaring, unfeeling, or unkind.

Grant us, Lord the ability to view life from the dust.
All our lives we have been taught to make others proud, to be proud of ourselves, to hold our heads high -- all the while missing the virtues of being poor in spirit.

Teach us dear Lord, to do justice, love kindness, and to walk humbly with you. Amen.

Daily Devotions

The next Old Testament book tells the story of a reluctant prophet named Jonah, sent by God to preach to Israel’s hated enemy, the Assyrians, in their capital city of Nineveh (760s-750s BC). It includes the memorable story of the prophet’s attempt to flee God’s call, only to end up carried by a huge fish to Assyria anyway. Jonah reveals that God’s mercy can extend even to Israel’s enemies, and (ironically) shows that pagans could sometimes repent eagerly – the very thing Israel failed to do!

In fact, whilst being carried by the huge fish we find Jonah praying “Saying, “I called out to the Lord, out of my distress, and he answered me; out of the belly of Sheol I cried, and you heard my voice.” (2:2) 

One of the overarching messages from the Book of Jonah is compassion. Jonah was a prophet, and even though he had let God down in numerous ways, he was still forgiven because God showed him unlimited love and compassion. God also modelled forgiveness and mercy for Jonah in how God dealt with other people.

As long as serving God fit with Jonah’s goals for Israel, he was fine with God. As soon as he had to choose between the true God and the god he actually worshiped, he turned on the true God in anger. Jonah’s particular national identity was more foundational to his self-worth than his role as a servant of the God of all nations. The real God had been just a means to an end. He was using the God to serve his real god. 

When it comes to God's will for our lives, we have three responsive options: ignore, obey, disobey. Too often, by default, we ignore God's will by not even seeking His will for our life. We become presumptuous and take pride in self rather than boast in His grace, provision, and will.

Why not sit quietly and contemplate this:-

As you go out into the world

Follow me

At home with your household

Follow me

At school and work

Follow me

In everything you do this week

Follow me

And as you do, remember that I am with you always,

even to the end of the world. Amen