Today’s Reading:  Nehemiah 1-7, Psalm 129 & 132

Ezra and Nehemiah’s stories are quite similar.  While Ezra was now in Jerusalem teaching the people and unifying them in repentance, Nehemiah was still back in Persia serving as the cupbearer to the king.  When news arrived that the Jews in Jerusalem were experiencing opposition, he mourned on their behalf.  The Temple had been rebuilt in the midst of the opposition but the walls of Jerusalem had been torn down and the gates had been burned.  There would be no protection for the city without the walls.  Nehemiah desired to go to Jerusalem to help the people rebuild the walls.

Nehemiah interceded for God’s people:  “O Lord, God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps his covenant of unfailing love with those who love him and obey his commands, listen to my prayer!  Look down and see me praying night and day for your people Israel.  I confess that we have sinned against you…O Lord, please hear my prayer!  Listen to the prayers of those of us who delight in honoring you.  Please grant me success today by making the king favorable to me.  Put it into his heart to be kind to me” (Nehemiah 1:5-6,11).

As we learn in the book of Esther, no one can approach the king of Persia with a request without first being invited into a conversation.  Nehemiah would be in the presence of the king as his cupbearer but could not ask for permission to travel to Jerusalem without the king first speaking to him.  But Nehemiah was a servant.  An intervention of God was needed in order for Nehemiah to have the opportunity he wanted.  God saw the desire of Nehemiah’s heart to serve his people and faithfully answered his prayer.  The king noticed that Nehemiah had a heavy heart and asked him if he was troubled, giving Nehemiah the opportunity to ask for some time off to return to Jerusalem.  Again, just like Ezra, the king granted his request generously because the gracious hand of God was on him (Nehemiah 2:8).

When Nehemiah arrived in Jerusalem, he inspected the condition of what was left of the walls.  He went back to the Jewish leaders and said:

“You know very well what trouble we are in.  Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire.  Let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem and end this disgrace!”  Then I told them about how the gracious hand of God had been on me, and about my conversation with the king.

They replied at once, “Yes, let’s rebuild the wall!”  So they began the good work. – Nehemiah 2:17-18

Now that’s leadership!  Nehemiah sets a great example for us.  He saw a need, prayed for the need and then allowed himself to be part of the answer to that prayer.  That last part is where we sometimes miss out on an opportunity to be used by God.  Nehemiah saw God’s movement, recognized that the gracious hand of God was on him and testified to the rest of his people of God’s faithfulness.  His bold requests, his intercessory heart and his testimony of God’s grace are what gave the people courage and inspiration to rebuild the city of Jerusalem, starting with its walls.  

Now things did not go easily as they rebuilt the walls.  They faced opposition.  The people would mock, “That stone wall would collapse if even a fox walked along the top of it!” (Neh. 4:3) Their response was to pray but eventually they became discouraged.  Day after day they heard the voice of defeat saying that it could not be done and they began to listen to that voice.  “The workers are getting tired, and there is so much rubble to be moved.  We will never be able to build the wall by ourselves” (Neh. 4:10).  

Nehemiah had to do the same thing that we have to do daily – he had to DROWN OUT the voice of defeat!  “Don’t be afraid of the enemy!  Remember the Lord, who is great and glorious, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes!” – Neh. 4:14

After this, they changed their plan.  While half the men worked, the other half would stand armed with swords against the attacks.  Some of the laborers used one hand to support the load while the other hand held a weapon.  They carried their weapons with them at all times!

We have the same weapon against the voice of defeat and opposition to God’s work – God has given us the same armor to protect ourselves and stand strong!  

A final word:  Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.  Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.  For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil.  Then after the battle you will still be standing firm.  Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body of armor of God’s righteousness.  For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared.  In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil.  Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion.  Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere. – Ephesians 6:10-18

Father God, help us to be more like Ezra and Nehemiah – seeing a need and being willing to be part of the answer to that need.  And when things get tough, when we face opposition, clothe us with your armor and give us the faith needed to drown out the voice of defeat.  We love you, Lord.  Amen.

Today’s Reading:  Ezra 7- 10, Psalm 25

Who is this Ezra?  Here are a few of my thoughts on the lifestyle and essence of Ezra.

This Ezra was a scribe who was well versed in the Law of Moses, which the Lord, the God of Israel had given to the people of Israel.  He came up to Jerusalem from Babylon, and the king gave him everything he asked for, because the gracious hand of the Lord his God was on him…This was because Ezra had determined to study and obey the Law of the Lord and to teach those decrees and regulations to the people of Israel. – Ezra 7:6,10

Ezra was a student of the word of God.  He recognized that God had given the Law of Moses to the people of Israel for a reason and he was determined to STUDY it, KNOW it, and OBEY it in order to TEACH it.  He saw the benefit of spending time studying God’s word in order to better UNDERSTAND God and His laws – to know God’s commands and obey them.  He went beyond just being a hearer of the Word; he was a doer.  He went past the purpose of learning for his own sake to becoming a conduit of God’s Word to others.

Because Ezra was dedicated to God and well versed in the Law, God blessed Ezra by giving him favor with the king for the benefit of all God’s people.  Anything he asked for the king was prepared to give him BECAUSE the gracious hand of the Lord his God was on him.  Ezra recognized that this favor was of God and not based on his own worth or merit.  

When the king said, “If you need anything else for God’s Temple or for any similar needs, you may take it from the royal treasury,” Ezra’s response was to praise the Lord.  When the king recognized Ezra’s wisdom as having come from God, Ezra praised God for demonstrating such unfailing love to him by honoring him before the king, his council, and all his mighty nobles!  “I felt encouraged because the gracious hand of the Lord my God was on me” (Ezra 7:28).  

Ezra’s humility, knowledge and wisdom situated him to be used by God in leadership. Like Nehemiah and Esther, he was strategically positioned to be effective in God’s eternal plan.  He gathered together some of the family leaders to return with him to Jerusalem.  Before they began their journey, Ezra led the entire group in a time of fasting and humbling themselves before the Lord, praying that God would give them a safe journey and protect them, their children, and the goods they were bringing to Jerusalem.

Ezra could have asked the king for soldiers to escort them to Jerusalem with all of this silver and gold that would make them vulnerable against bandits and robbers on their four month journey.  It would have been a reasonable request.  But Ezra once again saw the importance of living out his faith in his actions.  He had previously testified to the King, “Our God’s hand of protection is on all who worship him, but his fierce anger rages against those who abandon him” (Ezra 8:22).  Ezra knew that he needed to back these words up with faith in God so they fasted and earnestly prayed for God to take care of them, and God faithfully heard their prayer.  At the end of the journey, Ezra was able to testify that God, rather than the king’s men, had protected them.

Just as Ezra was able to ask for provision and protection for his people, he was also willing to humble himself and confess on behalf of the people.  When Ezra arrived in Jerusalem, he found they had done exactly what God told them NOT to do – they had married women from other nations who served false gods.  Ezra could have washed his hands of all this sin and stood back in self-righteousness for he had not disobeyed God.  Instead he tore his clothes, fell to his knees and lifted his hands to the Lord praying:

“O my God, I am utterly ashamed; I blush to lift up my face to you.  For our sins are piled higher than our heads and our guilt has reached to the heavens…once again we have abandoned your commands!…O Lord, God of Israel, you are just.  We come before you in our guilt as nothing but an escaped remnant, though in such a condition none of us can stand in your presence.” – Ezra 9:6,10b,15

Ezra led those around him in the study of God’s word.  

Ezra led those around him in prayer and fasting.  

Ezra led those around him in the journey God had called them to.  

But here is where I am overwhelmed by the humble actions of this man of God:  

Ezra led his nation and his people in confession of their sins.  He took the sins of the nation upon himself, taking responsibility for their sins and stepping into God’s presence in repentance of such sin, even though he himself had not disobeyed God in this way.  

This reminds me of how Jesus, who was without sin, was willing to die for our sins.  Hebrews 4:14-16:  Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.  For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet was without sin.  Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

We sin as individuals and we go before God, humbly asking for His forgiveness.  We sin as a family or as a church or group of people and we humbly pray for mercy.  We sin as a nation and the appropriate thing to do is still to humble ourselves, fall on our knees in mourning and beg the Almighty God of Justice to have compassion on us and forgive us as a nation.  Oh God, hear our prayer!!!

Lord, I want to be like Ezra.  I want to be a student of your word, praying and fasting for Your guidance and protection.  I want to live out my faith, not looking for human answers.  I want to be an Ezra-like leader!  Lord, forgive us for the many times we step out of your plan and disobey as individuals, as congregations and as a nation.  Lord, give us mercy and grace in our time of need.  Amen.

Today’s Reading:  Esther, Psalm 35

January 22, 1973 marks a time in the history of America when abortion was legalized.  It is a day to remember – a day we choose to never forget.   Women were given the freedom to end their pregnancies, and those who were alive but not yet born were stripped of their right to life.  The motives behind the legalization of abortion were not just about reproductive freedom, their motives included racial targeting.  Still today the majority of abortion clinics are found in neighborhoods primarily made up of African-American and Hispanic families.       

The book of Esther speaks of a similar day of remembrance in the lives of the Jewish people – the Festival of Purim, a time in history Jews continue to recognize every March.  Just like there has been an attack on the unborn for the past 42 years, with evidence the attack is racially motivated, an attack was planned against the Jewish people living in the empire of King Xerxes because of similar racial hatred.  

While a large number of God’s people had returned to Judah and Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple and the walls of the city, there were still a great number of Jews who had remained in what had once been Babylon.  It is not explained why these Jews chose to not return to the Promised Land.  Perhaps they had become comfortable in their new homes and chose to stay in the “known” instead of traveling the long distance back to the “unknown”.

We are probably all familiar with the story of Esther and the conspiracy of Haman to destroy all of the Jews in order to curb his appetite for the death of Esther’s cousin, Mordecai.  Haman managed to convince the king that it was not in his best interest to let this race of people live.  Lots were cast to determine the day in while the Jews could be annihilated.  These lots were called “purim” and were similar to what we would think of as dice.  This is where the Festival of Purim received its name – a time to remember when a day was set to destroy the Jews, but to also celebrate how God instead rescued His people from their enemies.

I found several similarities between Esther’s role and Nehemiah’s role.  Nehemiah was an exiled Jew living as a servant or slave to the king.  His role as cupbearer became a blessing as Nehemiah was strategically positioned to be near the King to request a favor for his people.  In the same way, the misfortune of Esther to be taken from her home and placed in the palace had become a blessing as she became queen and was strategically positioned to be near the King, giving her the opportunity to request protection for her people.  

God intervened on Nehemiah’s behalf and the king noticed that he was distraught.  God intervened on Esther’s behalf and the king noticed her standing in the inner court.  He welcomed her and held out the gold scepter to her so that she could approach his throne.  

Nehemiah saw a need, prayed for the need and then allowed himself to be part of the answer to that prayer.  He allowed himself to be used by God.  Esther saw a need, feared for her life and yet boldly stepped into the equation, allowing herself to become part of the solution.  

Mordecai sent this reply to Esther:  “Don’t think for a moment that because you’re in the palace you will escape when all other Jews are killed.  If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die.  Who knows if perhaps you were made the queen for just such a time as this?”

Then Esther set this reply to Mordecai:  “Go and gather together all the Jews of Susa and fast for me.  Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day.  My maids and I will do the same.  And then, though it is against the law, I will go in and see the king.  If I must die, I must die.” – Esther 4:13-16

This, too, reminds me of Nehemiah.  When faced with opposition while rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem in order to protect God’s people, Nehemiah appointed half of the men to work on the wall while half stood armed with swords against the attack.  For some laborers, they used one hand to support the load while the other hand held a weapon.

In the same way, God’s people lifted prayers on behalf of Esther while she worked on protecting or rescuing them.  She put herself in harm’s way but not until she knew that her family and God’s people were lifting her up in prayer, calling on God to bless her efforts and use the position He had placed her in as an opportunity to reverse the decree and allow the Jewish people to live.

There are days and opportunities when God strategically positions us to be used by Him.  There are also times in which God gives us the responsibility to pray for someone else.  There may be times in which we feel sorry for ourselves wishing that we were not in a situation or place.   Then what once seemed like an unfortunate coincidence becomes a God-placed miracle and we find ourselves strategically positioned to be used by Him.  

Then what?  Will we see our situation today as Esther did?  Will we accept our calling “for such a time as this”?  Will we boldly step into the equation and allow ourselves to be part of the solution?  Perhaps our role today is to enter into the presence of our King, as Esther did.  Perhaps it is our role today to stand with sword in hand and pray God’s protection on others.  Perhaps God is calling you to do something about the issue of abortion.  Either way, today is a special day.  It is a day to remember that God has called us as His servants to be used however He desires.  It is a day to be called into action. It is a day to remember and never forget!

Today’s Reading:  Zechariah 7-14; Psalm 15

As God’s people were returning from exile to a city and land that had been destroyed, they were discouraged with the work that lay ahead of them – the task God was calling them to.  God reminded them, as He sometimes reminds us, that their current condition was a direct result of their own sinful decisions.  There are times when we choose to do our own thing and make a mess of what God could have made a masterpiece.  

“Your ancestors refused to listen to this message.  They stubbornly turned away and put their fingers in their ears to keep from hearing.  They made their hearts as hard as stone, so they could not hear the instructions or the messages that the Lord of Heaven’s Armies had sent them by his Spirit…Since they refused to listen when I called to them, I would not listen when they called to me, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.  As with a whirlwind, I scattered them among the distant nations, where they lived as strangers.  Their land became so desolate that no one even traveled through it.  THEY turned their pleasant land into a desert.” – Zechariah 7:11-14

What was the message they had refused to listen to?  What did they refuse to do that God was telling them to do?  Look at the two verses right before this passage:

Judge fairly, and show mercy and kindness to one another.  Do not oppress widows, orphans, foreigners, and the poor.  And do not scheme against one another. – Zechariah 7:9-10

So God wanted them to put the needs of others above their own desires and they refused.  God wanted them to honor the truth and love God by loving others and they chose self-preservation instead only to find out that, by trying to build a life for themselves, they had instead destroyed their chance of truly experiencing life.  They made a mess out of what could have been a masterpiece.

God went from being an angry God determined to punish to a God of grace determined to bless His people once again.  But his instructions remained the same as before.  

“But this is what you must do:  Tell the truth to each other.  Render verdicts in your courts that are just and that lead to peace.  Don’t scheme against each other.  Stop your love of telling lies that you swear are the truth.  I hate all these things, says the Lord…The traditional fasts and times of mourning you have kept in early summer, midsummer, autumn, and winter are now ended.  They will become festivals of joy and celebration for the people of Judah.  So love truth and peace.” – Zechariah 8:16-19

God was ready to dwell among His people – to bless them with His presence – but He demanded they live in peace with one another and treat each other justly.  Sometimes this is where we struggle in families or in churches.  We pray for God to bless our efforts, to bless our growth, but we stubbornly hold on to grudges.  We sit back and wait for someone else to come begging for forgiveness instead of seeking restoration with each other.  Now that’s what I would call a mess – a missed opportunity to allow the hand of God to create a masterpiece.  Truth and peace – God would love to turn our mourning into joy and celebration but we must first love truth and peace.

Who may worship in your sanctuary, Lord?

Who may enter your presence on your holy hill?

Those who lead blameless lives and do what is right,

speaking the truth from sincere hearts. – Psalm 15:1-2

When God lives among us, He creates a sense of community with each other.  You may say this is impossible for the group of people you are thinking of right now, but God says nothing is impossible for Him!  Invite Him to dwell among you and He can REVEAL TRUTH and RESTORE PEACE into any situation.  Look at what He did for the Israelites when they returned to their war-torn country.

“And now the Lord says:  I am returning to Mount Zion, and I will live in Jerusalem…Once again old men and women will walk Jerusalem’s streets with their canes and will sit together in the city squares.  And the streets of the city will be filled with boys and girls at play…All this may seem impossible to you now, a small remnant of God’s people.  But is it impossible for me? Says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies” (Zech. 8:3-6).

When we have fixed our relationships with each other, when we are truly living in peace and truth and God’s presence is dwelling among His people, then we can be about the task of doing what God has told us to do!  We must first obey God’s command to love Him by loving others before we can follow His calling in our lives.  Then, when PEACE IS RESTORED, He strengthens us with His presence and tells us:  

“Be strong and finish the task!” and “So don’t be afraid.  Be strong, and get on with rebuilding the Temple!” – Zechariah 8:9,13

And this is my favorite part!  When we are living in truth and peace, and God’s presence is living among us, it will become evident to all those around us.  They will see the difference God’s presence is making in our lives and they will want to become a part of it.  Instead of seeing a mess, they see God’s masterpiece.  As in Zechariah 8:23, people will see what we have and say, “Please let us walk with you, for we have heard that God is with you.”  

Oh, may God’s presence be evident in our lives today!  May others see God living in us and among us in such a powerful way that they want what we have – God’s presence in our lives!

Today’s morning coffee is dedicated to all the moms in our lives:  To the women who have seen us at our worst (the mess), yet consistently see the potential of what we can be (the masterpiece).  So Happy Mother’s Day to those who taught us the meaning of “truth and peace”, both in their words and their actions!  Thank you for repeatedly telling us – be strong, don’t be afraid and get on with what God is calling you to do!  Happy Mother’s Day!

Today’s Reading:  Zechariah 3-6, Psalm 87 & 99

“Return to me and I will return to you” – God loved His people and longed to renew His relationship with them.  When they were in captivity, He continued to watch over them.  He allowed other nations to have dominion over them but only for a time and that time of exile was over.   He was now ready to rebuild, renew, and restore His people.

“My love for Jerusalem is passionate and strong.”  – Zechariah 1:14a

On the holy mountain stands the city founded by the Lord.

He loves the city of Jerusalem more than any other city in Israel.

O city of God, what glorious things are said of you! – Psalm 87:1-3

The Lord says, “Shout and rejoice, O beautiful Jerusalem, for I am coming to live among you.  Many nations will join themselves to the Lord on that day, and they, too, will be my people.  I will live among you, and you will know that the Lord of Heaven’s Armies sent me to you.  The land of Judah will be the Lord’s special possession in the holy land, and he will once again choose Jerusalem to be his own city.  Be silent before the Lord, all humanity, for he is SPRINGING INTO ACTION from his holy dwelling.” – Zechariah 2:10-13

God chose two men to play an important role in the rebuilding of the Temple and the rebuilding of the nation.  He placed Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel as governor of Judah (you’ll recognize him as a part of the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew 1) and Jeshua son of Jehozadak as high priest (Haggai 2:2).  

The passage of Scripture in Zechariah chapter 3 describes beautifully how Jeshua was cleansed from his sins and called by God.  Before you read the passage, I ask you to prepare your heart.  Picture that this passage is about you.  Satan is pointing out all the times you have sinned and revealing all your imperfections but the Lord is rejecting Satan’s accusations – saving you from the pit of hell and clothing you with redemption.  Claim this Scripture today and rebuke Satan for the ways in which he tries to discourage you and tell you that you are not worthy or capable of what God has told you to do.  Put yourself in place of Jeshua the high priest, coming out of exile and receiving his call from God.

Then the angel showed me Jeshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord.  The Accuser, Satan, was there at the angel’s right hand, making accusations against Jeshua.  And the Lord said to Satan, “I, the Lord, reject your accusations, Satan.  Yes, the Lord, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebukes you.  This man is like a burning stick that has been snatched from the fire.”

Jeshua’s clothing was filthy as he stood there before the angel.  So the angel said to the others standing there, “Take off his filthy clothes.”  And turning to Jeshua he said, “See, I have taken away your sins, and now I am giving you these fine new clothes.”  

Then I said, “They should also place a clean turban on his head.”  So they put a clean priestly turban on his head and dressed him in new clothes while the angel of the Lord stood by.

Then the angel of the Lord spoke very solemnly to Jeshua and said, “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says:  If you follow my ways and carefully serve me, then you will be given authority over my Temple and its courtyards.  I will let you walk among these others standing here. – Zechariah 3:1-7

My love for you is passionate and strong.  So take off the filthy clothes of your past.  I have taken away your sins and I am giving you fine new clothes – priestly garments – garments that come with a calling.  SO follow my ways and carefully serve me, for I am giving you a job to do.

When the accuser tells you that you cannot do what God has called you to do or that you cannot live the holy life that the Lord of Heaven’s Armies expects, remind him of the Lord’s words to Zerubbabel:

It is not by force nor by strength, but BY MY SPIRIT, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.  Nothing, not even a mighty mountain, will stand in Zerubbabel’s way; it will become a level plain for him!  And when Zerubbabel sets the final stone at the Temple in place, the people will shout:  ‘May God bless it!  May God bless it!” – Zechariah 4:6-7

God had commissioned Zerubbabel to rebuild the Temple – not an easy task.  God had commissioned Jeshua to rebuild the Temple worship – also not an easy task.  But He was not asking them to do it of their own strength.  In that regard, the Accuser is right.  We are not capable of doing what God is asking us to do, at least not of our own strength.  But God equips us, He fills us, He works through us to accomplish His will.  Where there seem to be mountains before us, God is capable of leveling the path ahead.  And WHEN GOD IS IN IT, GOD WILL BLESS IT!

“…But now the Lord says:  Be strong, Zerubbabel.  Be strong, Jeshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest.  Be strong, all you people still left in the land.  And now get to work, for I AM WITH YOU, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.  My Spirit remains among you, just as I promised when you came out of Egypt.  So do NOT be afraid.” – Haggai 2:4-5

Be strong!  I have cleansed you and clothed you in new garments.  I am the God of what is ahead.  I am in the middle of what I am asking you to do and I will bless it.  I am the God of your yesterdays and you have been forgiven, so flee from your captivity and stop wearing those filthy clothes.  Do not be afraid.  I am with you.

Today’s Reading:  Haggai, Zechariah 1-2, Psalm 69 & 102

The Lord says, “Come away!  Flee from Babylon in the land of the north, for I have scattered you to the four winds.  Come away, people of Zion, you who are exiled in Babylon!” – Zechariah 2:6-7

Yet even now, be free from your captivity!  Leave Babylon and the Babylonians.

Sing out this message!  Shout it to the ends of the earth!

The Lord has redeemed his servants, the people of Israel. – Isaiah 48:20

Just as God had promised, the exile for the Hebrews ended after seventy years.  Cyrus the Great, King of Persia, conquered Babylon and allowed all of the nations exiled to Babylon to return to their homelands.  He did this in order to form alliances with these nations, expecting loyalty in future diplomatic matters.  The Jews returned to Judah and Jerusalem.  The stories of their return are recorded by the prophets Haggai, Zechariah, Ezra, Nehemiah and Malachi.  God was calling His people to return – return to the Promised Land and return to Him.

“I, the Lord, was very angry with your ancestors.  Therefore, say to the people, ‘This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says:  Return to me and I will return to you, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.’ Don’t be like your ancestors who would not listen or pay attention when the earlier prophets said to them, ‘This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says:  Turn from your evil ways, and stop all your evil practices.’  

Where are your ancestors now?  They and the prophets are long dead.  But everything I said through my servants the prophets happened to your ancestors, just as I said.  As a result, they repented and said, ‘We have received what we deserved from the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.  He has done what he said he would do.’” – Zechariah 1:2-6

You have received what you deserve – God pointed this out in the first chapter of Haggai as well.  The people had returned to Judah and started to rebuild the temple, but their enthusiasm soon turned to discouragement and then to apathy.  They turned their focus to their own homes and started making a living for themselves without restoring worship back into the community.  Here is God’s response:

“Why are you living in luxurious houses while my house lies in ruins?  This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says:  Look at what’s happening to you!  You have planted much but harvest little.  You eat but are not satisfied.  Your drink but are still thirsty.  You put on clothes but cannot keep warm.  Your wages disappear as though you were putting them in pockets filled with holes.”

“…Look at what’s happening to you!  Now go up into the hills, bring down timber, and rebuild my house.  Then I will take pleasure in it and be honored, says the Lord.  You hoped for rich harvests, but they were poor.  And when you brought your harvest home, I blew it away.  Why?  Because my house lies in ruins, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, while all of you are busy building your own fine houses.  It’s because of you that the heavens withhold the dew and the earth produces no crops.  I have called for a drought on your fields and hills – a drought to starve you and your livestock and to ruin everything you have worked so hard to get.” – Haggai 1:4-11

You are getting what you deserve but here’s how to deserve what you wish you were getting – Return to me and I will return to you.  This is essentially what God was saying.  God desired to lavish wonderful gifts on His children but He needed to get their attention because His intent was not only that they return to their land, His intent was that they return to Him.  He wanted them to RETURN and REBUILD so that He could RENEW His relationship with them.  

The people began to fear the Lord and a new enthusiasm for building the Temple was ignited in their hearts.  They finished the Temple but realized that the new Temple was nowhere close to the splendor of the previous Temple.  God reminded them that He is the keeper of the silver and the gold (2:8).  He promised them that a day would come when He would restore glory to His Temple beyond its past glory.

Then Haggai asked, “If someone becomes ceremonially unclean by touching a dead person and then touches any of these foods, will the food be defiled?”

And the priests answered, “Yes.”

Then Haggai responded, “That is how it is with this people and this nation, says the Lord.  Everything they do and everything they offer is defiled by their sin.” – Haggai 2:13-14

In order for God to fully RENEW the relationship with His people, He needed them to REPENT.   He reminded them of how little their crops produced before they rebuilt the Temple and asked them to look and see how He was now blessing them after the Temple had been restored.  “Think carefully,” the Lord said.  God desired to bless them but was requiring them to turn from their sin – to repent.

What does God want to do in our lives?  In what ways does the Keeper of the silver and the gold – the Keeper of all blessings – desire to bless us?  Return to me and I will return to you.  

RETURN, REBUILD, RENEW and REPENT.

RETURN – “Come away!”  “Flee from your captivity!”  Walk away from your sin and return to me.

REBUILD – Do the necessary work to RESTORE our relationship to where it once was.

RENEW – Make a new covenant with me so that our relationship can be renewed.

REPENT – Turn from your sin so that I can bless you the way I desire to bless you.

Return to me and I will return to you

Today’s Reading:  Daniel 10-12, Psalm 28

What God was asking of Daniel was huge! His visions left him feeling weak and physically pale, as if all his strength had left him. Can you relate? The journey God has you on or the life situations you are facing have left you drained of all energy and strength.  Are you feeling alone?  May these words to Daniel wash over you and give you strength.  May you hear the voice of God and picture the heavenly realms today.  May you know with confidence that you are loved by God and that you are most definitely not alone.  May you feel the hand of God touch you and lift you up.

My strength left me, my face grew deathly pale, and I felt very weak.  Then I heard the man speak, and when I heard the sound of his voice, I fainted and lay there with my face to the ground.  Just then a hand touched me and lifted me, still trembling, to my hands and knees.  And the man said to me, “Daniel, you are very precious to God, so listen carefully to what I have to say to you.  Stand up, for I have been sent to you.”  When he said this to me, I stood up, still trembling.

Then he said, “Don’t be afraid, Daniel.  Since the first day you began to pray for understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your request has been heard in heaven.  I have come in answer to your prayer.” – Daniel 10:8b-12

Notice the progression of Daniel’s position.  He faints and lays with his face to the ground.  The hand of God touches him and lifts him up, but only to his hands and knees.  Then with a voice that roared like a vast multitude of people, the man of God told Daniel to stand up.  Then Daniel, still trembling, stood up.  

Have you ever been so drained from your life experiences, from the struggles and troubles surrounding you, that it was difficult for you to pray?  You fall on your face before God and perhaps weep but there are no words.  There are times when we need the strength of God simply to get on our knees and be able to come before him and speak – to pray what we are feeling and present our requests to Him.  Praise God, He is just the kind of God to give us the strength we need to pray.  He also loves us enough to tell us when to stand, to confirm to us that He has heard our prayers.

While he was speaking to me, I looked down to the ground, unable to say a word.  Then the one who looked like a man touched my lips, and I opened my mouth and began to speak.  I said to the one standing in front of me, “I am filled with anguish because of the vision I have seen, my lord, and I am very weak.  How can someone like me, your servant, talk to you, my lord?  My strength is gone, and I can hardly breathe.” – Daniel 10:15-17

It’s too much!  It’s more than I can handle!  I can’t breathe!  Have you ever spoken these words or prayed something similar?  There are times when what God is asking us to do or asking us to experience seems impossible, seems too big for us.  At times the situation ahead is difficult, painful, overwhelming or just seems impossible.  Listen to God’s words to Daniel:

“Don’t be afraid,” he said, “for you are very precious to God.  Peace!  Be encouraged!  Be strong!”

As he spoke to me, I suddenly felt stronger and said to him, “Please speak to me, my lord, for you have strengthened me.” – Daniel 10:19

All God has to do is speak to us and we suddenly feel stronger.  There is a new hope born in us that strengthens us for what is ahead.  God went on to reveal to Daniel what was happening in the spiritual realms that is unseen in the earthly realm.  There was a spiritual battle taking place on behalf of God’s people and God had commissioned His archangels to fight the battles.  Daniel’s visions spoke of what would happen at the end of time.  It is difficult for us to understand and comprehend, just as it was difficult for Daniel.  Theologians disagree on the meaning of these last three chapters of Daniel.  But what I can take from this passage, what I can hear God saying is – I will fight the battle!  I will be victorious! (Daniel 10:13-14, 20-21).

Daniel’s vision spoke of a long battle between the king of the north and the king of the south – how each would plot against each other and attempt to deceive each other.  The anger of the king of the north will be poured out against the people of the holy covenant. He will reward those who forsake the covenant, flattering and winning them over.  But the people who KNOW their God will be strong and will resist him (Daniel 11:32).

Those who KNOW their God will be strong and able to resist their oppressor!  Praise God!  The God who draws us into a personal relationship with Him strengthens us through that relationship.  It is our connection, our intimacy with God that gives us the strength to resist evil.  And the experience of facing a battle with evil changes us.  It refines us, cleanses us and makes us pure.

And some of the wise will fall victim to persecution.  In this way, they will be refined and cleansed and made pure until the time of the end, for the appointed time is still to come. – Daniel 11:35

Praise God!  He does not leave us alone during the difficult times.  He does not ask us to do something by ourselves, of our own strength.  He is with us.  His angels are defending us.  He is strengthening us for what he has called us to.  Then he allows the difficult times to refine us and make us clean and pure before Him.

The Lord gives his people strength.  The Lord blesses them with peace. – Psalm 29:11

God is awesome in his sanctuary.  The God of Israel gives power and strength to his people. – Psalm 68:35

The Lord gives his people strength.  He is a safe fortress for his anointed king.  Save your people!  Bless Israel, your special possession.  Lead them like a shepherd, and carry them in your arms forever. – Psalm 28:8-9

Today’s Reading:  Ezra 1-6

The prophet Ezra described what life was like for God’s people as they returned to Jerusalem.  Ezra told how God stirred the heart of King Cyrus of Persia to let God’s people return to Jerusalem for the specific purpose of rebuilding the Temple.  Then God stirred the hearts of the priests, Levites and all the leaders of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple of the Lord.

This stirring of hearts created a culture of generosity.  Cyrus generously returned 5400 articles of silver and gold that King Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the Temple.  Those who had lived among the Israelites and been their neighbors for so many years also gave generously of silver and gold, supplies for the journey, and livestock.  They voluntarily lavished God’s people with valuable gifts to take with them (Ezra 1:1-11).

In response to this generosity, the leaders of each family unit among the people of God returning to Jerusalem also gave voluntary offerings, each leader giving as much as they could.  God was generous, stirring others’ hearts toward generosity, and the response was the desire of God’s people to also be generous (Ezra 2:68-69).

When God’s people arrived in Jerusalem, they assembled with a unified purpose – to rebuild God’s Temple.  During the seventy years that the Israelites had been gone, other peoples had settled into the city, making it their home.  Even though the people were afraid of the local residents, they rebuilt the altar at its old site.  Then they began to sacrifice burnt offerings on the altar to the Lord each morning and evening (Ezra 3:3).

Imagine the excitement after all these years to be back home again, offering daily sacrifices to God – dedicating each day to God.  The first Festival they celebrated was the Festival of Shelters, reminding the people of God’s guidance and care for His people as they spent 40 years living in tents in the desert as they traveled from exile in Egypt to their new home in the Promised Land.  Wow!  How significant this must have been to the people as they had just completed their own journey living in tents, traveling from exile in Babylon back home to Jerusalem.  God’s timing is always significant!

When the foundation of the Temple was completed in their second year back in Jerusalem, the people stopped to celebrate.  With praise and thanks, they sang this song to the Lord:  “He is good!  His faithful love for Israel endures forever!”  Then all the people gave a great shout, praising the Lord because the foundation of the Lord’s Temple had been laid (Ezra 3:11).  Many wept aloud.  Others were shouting for joy.  The sounds of the shouting and weeping could be heard far into the distance.  

As often happens when things are going well, opposition began to arise among those from other nations who were living in Jerusalem.  They wrote a letter back to the King Artaxerxes of Persia convincing him to stop the reconstruction of the Temple.  Then, with a show of strength, they forced the Jews to stop building.  The construction remained at a standstill until the second year of the reign of King Darius of Persia (Ezra 4:23-24).

This was around the same time that the prophets Haggai and Zechariah were encouraging God’s people to finish what they had started as God had commanded.  The building started back up again, as did the opposition.   God’s people had confidence that God was watching over them (5:5) and the local residents once again tattled back to the King, reporting that the work was going forward with great energy and success (5:8).  

King Darius, however, found a scroll with the decree from King Cyrus that the Temple should be rebuilt on the site where the Jews used to offer their sacrifices, using the original foundation (6:3).  His reply back to the opposition was to “stay away…do not disturb…let it be rebuilt…do not hinder…Moreover, I hereby decree that you are to help these elders of the Jews as they rebuild this Temple of God.  You must pay the full construction costs, without delay, from my taxes collected in the province west of the Euphrates River so that the work will not be interrupted.”  

King Darius also donated young bulls, rams, and male lambs to be used for burnt offerings presented to the God of heaven, as well as wheat, salt, wine and olive oil.  His desire was that the Israelites would present acceptable sacrifices to God and pray for King Darius and his sons (Ezra 6:6-10).

Do you ever just get tickled at these kinds of stories?  We still hear them today!  What others do in hopes of harming or discouraging us, God makes into opportunities to bless us!  What comes in the form of OPPOSITION becomes OPPORTUNITY.   Today’s morning coffee was rich with encouragement for me.

• Generosity births more generosity.  

• When we are unified with one purpose given by God, we have strength to move forward even in the midst of fear and opposition.  

• When God works through us to accomplish His will, it is time to celebrate and give Him praise!  

• When faced with opposition, trust in God to make something wonderful come out of the struggles.

What great perspective for us.  Let’s celebrate ALL that is going on in our lives and give Him praise, trusting that OPPOSITION will become OPPORTUNITY for God to do something wonderful in our hearts and in our lives.  Let’s move forward in strength.  

Today’s Reading:  Daniel 9

Have you ever read a portion in Scripture or a Bible story that you’ve heard since you were a child yet now, as an adult, you have an increased understanding of what the Scripture is saying?  God’s word is familiar but it comes to life in a new way, as if you were hearing it for the first time.  

Daniel was a young man when he was brought into the royal service, but he would have heard from his parents and grandparents the stories of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  He might have celebrated Passover and heard how the angel of death passed over the homes of the Israelites when they sprinkled the blood of a lamb on their doorposts.  He would have heard the stories of how Moses led them out of captivity in Egypt into the Promised Land and he would have most likely had the Ten Commandments memorized.  Yet now, at this stage in his life, he is coming to a new understanding of what God has done for His people and their continued unfaithfulness generation after generation.  

During the first year of King Darius’ reign, Daniel is studying the word of the Lord as revealed to Jeremiah the prophet.  He reads that this exile to Babylon is to last seventy years.  It must be apparent to him that the seventy years is coming close to completion.  He sees the need for his countrymen and his people to fully repent and turn to God so that their captivity can come to an end and they can return home again – home to Jerusalem.

Daniel put his spiritual concerns ahead of his physical needs and began fasting, turning to the Lord God in prayer – pleading for his people.  He went into mourning by dressing in burlap and sprinkling himself with ashes.  He took it upon himself to fall before the Lord and confess on behalf of the Israelites.  

Wow!  Do we pray like that?  Are we so concerned with the sins of our society that we fall on our knees and confess on behalf of our country?  What would happen if we did pray like Daniel prayed, with fervency and desperation?  What if we wept as Jesus did when he looked out over Jerusalem (Luke 19:41)?  What if we prayed this prayer:

“O Lord, you are a great and awesome God!  You always fulfill your covenant and keep your promises of unfailing love to those who love you and obey your commands.  But we have sinned and done wrong.  We have rebelled against you and scorned your commands and regulations.  We have refused to listen to your servants the prophets…

“Lord, you are in the right; but as you see, our faces are covered with shame.  This is true of all of us, including the people of Judah and Jerusalem and all Israel, scattered near and far, wherever you have driven us because of our disloyalty to you.  O Lord, we and our kings, princes, and ancestors are covered with shame because we have sinned against you.  But the Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him.  We have not obeyed the Lord our God, for we have not followed the instructions he gave us through his servants the prophets…

“…we have refused to seek mercy from the Lord our God by turning from our sins and recognizing his truth.  Therefore, the Lord has brought upon us the disaster he prepared.  The Lord our God was right to do all of these things, for we did not obey him…

“O our God, hear your servant’s prayer!  Listen as I plead. For your own sake, Lord, smile again on your desolate sanctuary.  O my God, lean down and listen to me.  Open your eyes and see our despair.  See how your city – the city that bears your name – lies in ruins.  We make this plea, not because we deserve help, but because of your mercy.  O LORD, HEAR.  O LORD, FORGIVE.  O LORD, LISTEN AND ACT!  For your own sake, do not delay, O my God, for your people and your city bear your name.” – Daniel 9:4-19

I love this next part!  What happens next reminds us that God hears our prayers, sees our hearts and responds from His heart.  Consider what the angel Gabriel said to Daniel in response to his prayer and hear God’s words to you this morning as you pour out your heart to Him.

“Daniel, I have come here to give you insight and understanding.  The moment you began praying, a command was given.  And now I am here to tell you what it was, for you are very precious to God…” – Daniel 9:22-23

Something happened immediately – the moment Daniel began praying.  Do we want to see God do something incredible for our nation in 2016?  I think it is time to start praying for just that.

Dear Lord, this morning we come before you in repentance – repenting for our own sins and for the sins of our nation.  Heavenly Father, You have poured out Your blessings upon us and we have rebelled against You.  As a nation, we have not obeyed you.  O merciful God, lean down and listen to us this morning.  We plea for your mercy on behalf of our country, even though we do not deserve it.  O Lord, hear.  O Lord, forgive.  O Lord, listen and act!  Please give us new insight and understanding.  Like Daniel, may we hear from You today – may we hear the words from Your heart, “You are very precious to God.”  Amen.

Today’s Reading:  Daniel 7-8; Psalm 29-31

Chapters 7 and 8 of Daniel take us back in time a little in order to take us forward in time.  During the first year of King Belshazzar’s reign in Babylon, Daniel had a dream.  He had another dream or vision during the third year of this king’s reign.  These chapters reveal the dreams and then explain the meaning behind the dreams.

I am not going to attempt to explain or interpret the visions Daniel had foretelling what would happen in the end times.  I find it interesting to read but over my head to completely understand.  I went through the study of Daniel by Beth Moore several years ago and found it fascinating but I am still without a deep enough understanding to wrap my mind around all of it.  I would like to point out a couple of things that stuck out to me though before I move onto Chapter 9.

These two visions went into great detail of what the beasts, ram and goat looked like but not a lot about them beyond their appearance and actions.  What was described sounds similar to what we have seen earlier in the book of Daniel – how arrogance and pride can be destructive.  Daniel described the little horn as having a mouth that was boasting arrogantly and described the ram as doing whatever it pleased, becoming very powerful.

Out of the four beasts, the fourth with the little horn whose speech was described as boastful was the only one who was immediately killed and destroyed by fire.  The other three lost their authority but were allowed to live a while longer (Daniel 7:11-12).  It is as if the Ancient One sitting in judgment had heard enough and swiftly shut the mouth of the beast.  I love the power and authority displayed in Daniel 7:20-22:

This horn had seemed greater than the others, and it had human eyes and a mouth that was boasting arrogantly.  As I watched, this horn was waging war against God’s holy people and was defeating them, UNTIL the Ancient One – the Most High – came and judged in favor of his holy people.

Go God!!!  I love the power displayed by our Omnipotent King of Kings!  Daniel 8:23-25 describes again the victory that will take place over evil.  “At the end of their rule, when their sin is at its height, a fierce king, a master of intrigue, will rise to power.  He will become very strong, but not by his own power.  He will cause a shocking amount of destruction and succeed in everything he does.  He will destroy powerful leaders and devastate the holy people.  He will be a master of deception and will become arrogant; he will destroy many without warning.  He will even take on the Prince of princes in battle, but HE WILL BE BROKEN, though not by human power.”

Whether we completely understand how the end times will play out or what Daniel’s visions mean, what we can understand is that our God is powerful and that He has always been and will always be victorious.  As God’s holy people, we can see that OUR FUTURE IS STRONG IN THE HANDS OF GOD.  There is nothing to fear.

“But in the end, the holy people of the Most High will be given the kingdom, and they will rule forever and ever.” – Daniel 7:18

“But then the court will pass judgment, and all his power will be taken away and completely destroyed.  Then the sovereignty, power, and greatness of all the kingdoms under heaven will be given to the holy people of the Most High.  His kingdom will last forever, and all rulers will serve and obey him.” – Daniel 7:26-27

The future of those who bow to the authority of their Lord and Savior holds victory.  But let us also remember that the future of those who are arrogant, proud and boastful is bleak.  Those whose speech is boastful and who do whatever pleases them will be brought down and destroyed.  There is only one God – the Most High, Omnipotent God – and our future is in His loving, yet just, hands.

When I was prosperous, I said, “Nothing can stop me now!”

Your favor, O Lord, made me as secure as a mountain.

Then you turned away from me, and I was shattered. – Psalm 30:6-7

“The Christian who is truly intimate with Jesus will never draw attention to himself but will only show the evidence of a life where Jesus is completely in control.  This is the outcome of allowing Jesus to satisfy every area of life to its depth.  The picture resulting from such a life is that of the strong, calm balance that our Lord gives to those who are intimate with Him.”  – Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest

O Lord, I have come to you for protection; don’t let me be disgraced.

Save me, for you do what is right.

Turn your ear to listen to me; rescue me quickly.

Be my rock of protection, a fortress where I will be safe.

You are my rock and my fortress.

For the honor of your name, lead me out of this danger.

Pull me from the trap my enemies set for me, for I find protection in you alone.

I entrust my spirit into your hand.

Rescue me, Lord, for you are a faithful God. – Psalm 31:1-5