Zechariah 8
(Vs. 16-17) "These are the things you are to do: speak the truth to each other, and render true and sound judgment in your courts; do not plot evil against each other, and do not love to swear falsely. I hate all this," declares the Lord.
All God wants us to do is to be honest, to see that our government is honest and judges render verdicts that are according to the just laws; and our personal attitudes toward one another are to want to encourage each other, not to play "tricks" on one another or to enjoy "getting the best of" someone else, for humor or for profit.
The Jews have been exiled to Babylon for 70 years, and King Cyrus has allowed them to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple. Zechariah is in Babylon with the Jews, and He wants them to know how to conduct their lives as they return home, to the land God gave them.
(v. 13) "Just as you, Judah and Israel, have been a curse among the nations, so I will save you, and you will be a blessing. Do not be afraid, but let your hands be strong."
God is encouraging them as they return to Jerusalem. Just as the name of the Jews has been used as a curse, or they have been considered cursed by God; so they will be cleansed and saved, and their reputation will be turned around, and they will be considered blessed by God, and their name used in blessings.
(vs. 4-6) "Once again men and women of ripe old age will sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each of them with cane in hand because of their age. The city streets will be filled with boys and girls playing there. It may seem marvelous to the remnant of this people at that time, but will it seem marvelous to Me?"
It may seem to be a wondrous thing for people to live to a "ripe old age" instead of dying in their prime of life, and for children to be safe enough to be allowed to play in the city streets without fear of any harm. But God just considers it to be the norm, when people are following His ways in their thinking processes and in their actions.
People today sometimes do attain to an advanced old age, but our city streets are not safe for children to be able to openly, freely play outdoors, or even to walk alone to the neighborhood park, like I remember from my own childhood. The moral climate of our modern society has degraded significantly over the last generation or two, which has infected every layer and sector of our civilization.
As God's church, we need to wake up to how evil and wicked people have stolen our children's and grandchildren's carefree freedoms of childhood, and do what each of us can do to restore honor and honesty and kindness in our own families and in our society in which we live. To do what each of us can do to affect our political and governmental leaders to govern righteously with true justice and appropriate mercy; to encourage the populace to be responsible to take care of our own selves and families without depending on others for sustenance, and to do our businesses with integrity and equity. As well as urging our pastors and other church leaders to seriously consider our God of Truth, and study His Word humbly and honestly, to teach their congregations how to love God, and how to consider others' needs to help, not considering the cost (love one another).
Jesus is coming soon. Pray that God would return our Nations to His righteousness before the end comes.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Sunday, September 4, 2016
Saturday, September 3, 2016
Why God Is Jealous
Zechariah 8:2
This is what the Lord Almighty says: "I am very jealous for Zion, I am burning with jealousy for her."
God will not give to any other god the glory and credit that is due Him. When God chose this people to be His own, and placed them in His most beautiful and productive land, so they could benefit from all the bounty of the wealth it would produce, He expected them to respond to His love for them by loving Him back. Instead, when their prosperity increased, they forgot all about God and gave the credit to the pagan gods of the peoples around and among them. That was stealing from God the honor and glory He deserves.
That's why He removed them from the land, to a far away foreign land. And, since the people had not observed the Sabbath Year to let the land rest every 7 years for 490 years, God had let them know that their exile would be the 70 years the land was to have to lie fallow. God was giving them a "clean slate" to start over with when they returned.
God loves what He has made. He wants us to pay attention to our world around us, and to be careful to follow the rules He has given us to guide our interactions with the Earth and with one another, and to give Him the credit for making it and designing it the way He has, so that we can enjoy its benefits, and He receives the glory.
Just love God, and love one another. That covers all His laws, the rules He told us to follow.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
This is what the Lord Almighty says: "I am very jealous for Zion, I am burning with jealousy for her."
God will not give to any other god the glory and credit that is due Him. When God chose this people to be His own, and placed them in His most beautiful and productive land, so they could benefit from all the bounty of the wealth it would produce, He expected them to respond to His love for them by loving Him back. Instead, when their prosperity increased, they forgot all about God and gave the credit to the pagan gods of the peoples around and among them. That was stealing from God the honor and glory He deserves.
That's why He removed them from the land, to a far away foreign land. And, since the people had not observed the Sabbath Year to let the land rest every 7 years for 490 years, God had let them know that their exile would be the 70 years the land was to have to lie fallow. God was giving them a "clean slate" to start over with when they returned.
God loves what He has made. He wants us to pay attention to our world around us, and to be careful to follow the rules He has given us to guide our interactions with the Earth and with one another, and to give Him the credit for making it and designing it the way He has, so that we can enjoy its benefits, and He receives the glory.
Just love God, and love one another. That covers all His laws, the rules He told us to follow.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Friday, September 2, 2016
Obeying God's Natural And Moral Laws
Zechariah 7:11, 14
But they refused to pay attention; stubbornly they turned their backs and covered their ears. They made their hearts as hard as flint and would not listen to the law or to the words that the Lord Almighty had sent by His Spirit through the earlier prophets. ... This is how they made the pleasant land desolate.
This is why God sent Nebuchadnezzar to conquer them and carry them off of the land, to the land of Babylonia, to the ancient city of Babylon. Now that 70 years have passed, and Cyrus is the king, the Jews have been permitted to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple, but most of the Jews are still in Babylon, where Zechariah is. The people have just asked him to inquire of God whether they should continue to observe the feasts that they have all during this time of exile from their home, and Zechariah replies that they have not honored God by their doing these things, but only themselves, and reminds them that the reason their home has been destroyed is their own (or their ancestors') fault by refusing to listen to the earlier prophets.
God did not make that beautiful, fruitful land that "flowed with milk and honey" desolate; the people did. Government policies cause droughts and ruining of crops and land. By ignoring the rules and regulations of the Designer and Maker of the Earth, they ruined the good land and forfeited the benefits, the wealth it could provide.
That's what always happens to any people who will not follow the natural laws (based on the sciences) and moral laws (based on the Ten Commandments) that God designed for us to obey, so we could all enjoy the benefits of this Earth.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
But they refused to pay attention; stubbornly they turned their backs and covered their ears. They made their hearts as hard as flint and would not listen to the law or to the words that the Lord Almighty had sent by His Spirit through the earlier prophets. ... This is how they made the pleasant land desolate.
This is why God sent Nebuchadnezzar to conquer them and carry them off of the land, to the land of Babylonia, to the ancient city of Babylon. Now that 70 years have passed, and Cyrus is the king, the Jews have been permitted to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple, but most of the Jews are still in Babylon, where Zechariah is. The people have just asked him to inquire of God whether they should continue to observe the feasts that they have all during this time of exile from their home, and Zechariah replies that they have not honored God by their doing these things, but only themselves, and reminds them that the reason their home has been destroyed is their own (or their ancestors') fault by refusing to listen to the earlier prophets.
God did not make that beautiful, fruitful land that "flowed with milk and honey" desolate; the people did. Government policies cause droughts and ruining of crops and land. By ignoring the rules and regulations of the Designer and Maker of the Earth, they ruined the good land and forfeited the benefits, the wealth it could provide.
That's what always happens to any people who will not follow the natural laws (based on the sciences) and moral laws (based on the Ten Commandments) that God designed for us to obey, so we could all enjoy the benefits of this Earth.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Thursday, September 1, 2016
"All Flesh Will See It Together"
Isaiah 40:3-5
A voice is calling, "Clear the way for the Lord in the wilderness; make smooth in the desert a highway for our God. Let every valley be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; and let the rough ground become a plain, and the rugged terrain a broad valley; --
God sent John the Baptist to prepare the way for Jesus and he quoted these verses, saying, in effect, that the mountains and valleys were in our hearts; that our pride and our discouragement must be dealt with to prepare our hearts to receive Jesus.
And the Book of Revelation tells us that the actual mountains and valleys on this Earth will be leveled by earthquakes and other cataclysmic events immediately preceding the coming of the Lord.
then the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all flesh will see it together; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken."
Then when Jesus appears, coming down through the clouds, is when all flesh will see it together, at the same time. The Church will be raptured while He is still in the clouds, and we will return with Him, in our Resurrection bodies, as His feet touch the Mount of Olives (Zechariah 14:4) and He wages and wins the Battle of Armageddon.
And the Jews all over the world will also see Him whom they have pierced, and realize that He really is their Messiah, and be saved. And since they weren't Resurrected with the Church, and they weren't fighting against Him in the Battle of Armageddon, then they will be the ones who enter into His 1000-year Kingdom in their human bodies. Since they already live all over the world, they will repopulate the world over that 1000 years.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
A voice is calling, "Clear the way for the Lord in the wilderness; make smooth in the desert a highway for our God. Let every valley be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; and let the rough ground become a plain, and the rugged terrain a broad valley; --
God sent John the Baptist to prepare the way for Jesus and he quoted these verses, saying, in effect, that the mountains and valleys were in our hearts; that our pride and our discouragement must be dealt with to prepare our hearts to receive Jesus.
And the Book of Revelation tells us that the actual mountains and valleys on this Earth will be leveled by earthquakes and other cataclysmic events immediately preceding the coming of the Lord.
then the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all flesh will see it together; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken."
Then when Jesus appears, coming down through the clouds, is when all flesh will see it together, at the same time. The Church will be raptured while He is still in the clouds, and we will return with Him, in our Resurrection bodies, as His feet touch the Mount of Olives (Zechariah 14:4) and He wages and wins the Battle of Armageddon.
And the Jews all over the world will also see Him whom they have pierced, and realize that He really is their Messiah, and be saved. And since they weren't Resurrected with the Church, and they weren't fighting against Him in the Battle of Armageddon, then they will be the ones who enter into His 1000-year Kingdom in their human bodies. Since they already live all over the world, they will repopulate the world over that 1000 years.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Wednesday, August 31, 2016
Property Rights
Ezekiel 46:16-18
This is what the Sovereign Lord says: "If the prince makes a gift from his inheritance to one of his sons, it will also belong to his descendants; it is to be their property by inheritance. If, however, he makes a gift from his inheritance to one of his servants, the servant may keep it until the year of freedom; then it will revert to the prince. His inheritance belongs to his sons only; it is theirs. The prince must not take any of the inheritance of the people, driving them off their property. He is to give his sons their inheritance out of his own property, so that not one of My people will be separated from their property."
God is concerned for property rights. The leaders of the people are never to take over any of the peoples' property, nor are they to take away their own property from their children. God is the ultimate Owner of all the land, and He has allotted it fairly among all the families and tribes of His people. Each family is to keep their property in the family.
The most basic foundation of society is the family, and the security of the family lies in their property; their real estate, their intellectual property, all the kinds of property people own. That is what produces their income and livelihood. So if everyone follows these rules, then there need be no "poor" who have nothing, as everyone would retain their family property.
Since we, as flawed human beings, think we know better, we want to have more and more of this world's goods, and we take advantage of other people. Like those who are in the government, thinking that they deserve more than the "common man" who isn't as "smart" as they are. And those who have been granted to accumulate riches are never satisfied with worldly riches, but must continue to accumulate more; using people and loving things, the essence of wickedness and evil.
God made this world for us to use the things of this world as tools to benefit the people; ourselves, our families and our nations. We are to love God, learning His ways, the rules and regulations He set for this world to work by, and then we will be able to love the people and use the things for our benefit. And God will receive all the credit, the glory, because that's how He designed it.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
This is what the Sovereign Lord says: "If the prince makes a gift from his inheritance to one of his sons, it will also belong to his descendants; it is to be their property by inheritance. If, however, he makes a gift from his inheritance to one of his servants, the servant may keep it until the year of freedom; then it will revert to the prince. His inheritance belongs to his sons only; it is theirs. The prince must not take any of the inheritance of the people, driving them off their property. He is to give his sons their inheritance out of his own property, so that not one of My people will be separated from their property."
God is concerned for property rights. The leaders of the people are never to take over any of the peoples' property, nor are they to take away their own property from their children. God is the ultimate Owner of all the land, and He has allotted it fairly among all the families and tribes of His people. Each family is to keep their property in the family.
The most basic foundation of society is the family, and the security of the family lies in their property; their real estate, their intellectual property, all the kinds of property people own. That is what produces their income and livelihood. So if everyone follows these rules, then there need be no "poor" who have nothing, as everyone would retain their family property.
Since we, as flawed human beings, think we know better, we want to have more and more of this world's goods, and we take advantage of other people. Like those who are in the government, thinking that they deserve more than the "common man" who isn't as "smart" as they are. And those who have been granted to accumulate riches are never satisfied with worldly riches, but must continue to accumulate more; using people and loving things, the essence of wickedness and evil.
God made this world for us to use the things of this world as tools to benefit the people; ourselves, our families and our nations. We are to love God, learning His ways, the rules and regulations He set for this world to work by, and then we will be able to love the people and use the things for our benefit. And God will receive all the credit, the glory, because that's how He designed it.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Tuesday, August 30, 2016
The Judgement Seat Of Christ
I Corinthians 3:11-15
This section describes what will happen at the Judgement Seat of Christ, which is mentioned in II Corinthians 5:10, and also in Romans 4:10.
For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. --
Christ Jesus is the only foundation we can build on; any other basis will be destroyed with the Earth and everything on it.
Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; --
If what we do is in the power of the Spirit working in us, or if we're still acting according to our flesh.
Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the Day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.
What each of us has done in this life will be clearly seen at that time to be either valuable with eternal spiritual results, or worthless being burned up by the fire.
If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
Any man's work that will withstand the fire, not being burned up, will also be rewarded eternally. Rewards are often spoken of as "crowns" (9:25; I Thessalonians 2:19; II Timothy 4:8; James 1:12; I Peter 5:4; Revelation 2:10; 3:11; 4:4,10).
If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. --
This is loss of reward, the person will still be saved, because our works have nothing to do with salvation, that's all of God. But it will be as though the person has gone through the fire, and has come out "by the skin of his teeth" with nothing else to show for it but his very self.
I think that this would be very sad for that person, to have nothing to give back to our Lord, as the Elders who sit on thrones around the Lord's throne, "cast their crowns before the throne" (Revelation 4:10).
This judgement is only for Christians, those who will be Resurrected at the Rapture and those who have died before that event. The rest of the people who are the lost will be judged at the end of Time at the Great White Throne (Revelation 20:11-15).
So I want to be constantly aware of my Father with me all the time, doing everything I do in His power, through His Spirit in me. Because everything I do in my flesh has never worked out for me, anyway; that's why I gave my life to Him to live for me when He saved me.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
This section describes what will happen at the Judgement Seat of Christ, which is mentioned in II Corinthians 5:10, and also in Romans 4:10.
For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. --
Christ Jesus is the only foundation we can build on; any other basis will be destroyed with the Earth and everything on it.
Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; --
If what we do is in the power of the Spirit working in us, or if we're still acting according to our flesh.
Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the Day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.
What each of us has done in this life will be clearly seen at that time to be either valuable with eternal spiritual results, or worthless being burned up by the fire.
If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
Any man's work that will withstand the fire, not being burned up, will also be rewarded eternally. Rewards are often spoken of as "crowns" (9:25; I Thessalonians 2:19; II Timothy 4:8; James 1:12; I Peter 5:4; Revelation 2:10; 3:11; 4:4,10).
If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. --
This is loss of reward, the person will still be saved, because our works have nothing to do with salvation, that's all of God. But it will be as though the person has gone through the fire, and has come out "by the skin of his teeth" with nothing else to show for it but his very self.
I think that this would be very sad for that person, to have nothing to give back to our Lord, as the Elders who sit on thrones around the Lord's throne, "cast their crowns before the throne" (Revelation 4:10).
This judgement is only for Christians, those who will be Resurrected at the Rapture and those who have died before that event. The rest of the people who are the lost will be judged at the end of Time at the Great White Throne (Revelation 20:11-15).
So I want to be constantly aware of my Father with me all the time, doing everything I do in His power, through His Spirit in me. Because everything I do in my flesh has never worked out for me, anyway; that's why I gave my life to Him to live for me when He saved me.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Monday, August 29, 2016
Practical Response To Resurrection Truth
I Corinthians 15:58
Therefore, my dear brothers, --
This is the conclusion, the logical result of the Truth of Resurrection in our own lives; family Truth.
stand firm. Let nothing move you. --
Do not let your thoughts wander off of the settled Truth you know already; don't be fooled.
Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, --
Just like I, Paul, have done, follow me as I follow Christ.
because you know --
Have no doubts.
that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. --
Whatever we do in God's power, according to His will for us, to fulfill our part in His Plan to bring His Kingdom, will be rewarded, eternally.
This awarding of rewards will take place at the Judgement Seat of Christ, the Bema Seat, to take place at our Resurrection when Jesus returns. (See Romans 4:10; II Corinthians 5:10 and I Corinthians 3:11-15.)
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Therefore, my dear brothers, --
This is the conclusion, the logical result of the Truth of Resurrection in our own lives; family Truth.
stand firm. Let nothing move you. --
Do not let your thoughts wander off of the settled Truth you know already; don't be fooled.
Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, --
Just like I, Paul, have done, follow me as I follow Christ.
because you know --
Have no doubts.
that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. --
Whatever we do in God's power, according to His will for us, to fulfill our part in His Plan to bring His Kingdom, will be rewarded, eternally.
This awarding of rewards will take place at the Judgement Seat of Christ, the Bema Seat, to take place at our Resurrection when Jesus returns. (See Romans 4:10; II Corinthians 5:10 and I Corinthians 3:11-15.)
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
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