Today’s Reading: Zech 10:1–11:17, Acts 25:1–27, Job 30:16–31

Today’s Theme: Good Shepherds

Today’s theme is abut the good shepherds God has given to the church. We thank God for our own Pastors who guide, feed and protect us and pray for those under band shepherds.

Zechariah 10:1–11:17

Thank God for our shepherds

For the household gods utter nonsense, and the diviners see lies; they tell false dreams and give empty consolation. Therefore the people wander like sheep; they are afflicted for lack of a shepherd. (Zechariah 10:2, ESV)

We need Pastors, we need leadership or we will be afflicted with false teaching and practise

Bad shepherds beware

“My anger is hot against the shepherds, and I will punish the leaders; for the LORD of hosts cares for his flock, the house of Judah, and will make them like his majestic steed in battle. (Zechariah 10:3, ESV)

God loves his sheep and will deal with bad shepherds who lead them astray or neglect them. We can take comfort that those attempting to leading God s people astray will be judged.

God’s compassionate restoration of Israel

“I will strengthen the house of Judah, and I will save the house of Joseph. I will bring them back because I have compassion on them, and they shall be as though I had not rejected them, for I am the LORD their God and I will answer them. (Zechariah 10:6, ESV)

God restores Israel and his people not out of obligation but in his compassion, and simply because he is God

God whistles

“I will whistle for them and gather them in, for I have redeemed them, and they shall be as many as they were before. (Zechariah 10:8, ESV)

Lord whistle (call, draw) for those who are wayward or under judgement

Judas, a bad shepherd

Then I said to them, “If it seems good to you, give me my wages; but if not, keep them.” And they weighed out as my wages thirty pieces of silver. Then the LORD said to me, “Throw it to the potter”—the lordly price at which I was priced by them. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the LORD, to the potter. (Zechariah 11:12–13, ESV)

There are echoes here to what the bad shepherd Judas did to The Lord

Bad shepherds

For behold, I am raising up in the land a shepherd who does not care for those being destroyed, or seek the young or heal the maimed or nourish the healthy, but devours the flesh of the fat ones, tearing off even their hoofs. (Zechariah 11:16, ESV)

This is the antithesis of what a good shepherd is. Pray for every church with bad shepherds to be restored.

Acts 25:1–27

Clear argument

Paul argued in his defense, “Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I committed any offense.” (Acts 25:8, ESV)

Paul knew his case and made it clear. We should make out points clearly.

Don’t try to impress men

So when they came together here, I made no delay, but on the next day took my seat on the tribunal and ordered the man to be brought. (Acts 25:17, ESV)

Liar, he delayed for 8 days, he was just trying to impress the man, Lord keep us from trying to impress people with lies

Job 30:16–31

Have a firm view of God

You have turned cruel to me; with the might of your hand you persecute me. (Job 30:21, ESV)

We must not let circumstances cause us to change the way we see God

Job’s sickness

My skin turns black and falls from me, and my bones burn with heat. (Job 30:30, ESV)

The physical affliction must have been very difficult to handle

Today’s Reading: Zech 8:1–9:17, Acts 23:23–24:27, Job 30:1–15

Today’s Theme: God’s Passion

Today’s theme is about our passionate God. God is not some cold force he is full of passion, desire and delights in good things. We as his children inherit his passion for his glory and rejoice in the things that he delights in and bring him pleasure.

We should share the truth with the passion of God in our hearts. God will actively see his will come to pass in the fire and energy of his own passion for his glory.

Zechariah 8:1–9:17

God is passionate

“Thus says the LORD of hosts: I am jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I am jealous for her with great wrath. (Zechariah 8:2, ESV)

Our God is full of deep passions and affections he is not untouched and impersonal instead he is intensely passionate, full of holy jealousy.

The jealousy of God is vitally connected to the expression of that zeal for his glory in the wrath of God

shared delights

Thus says the LORD of hosts: If it is marvelous in the sight of the remnant of this people in those days, should it also be marvelous in my sight, declares the LORD of hosts? (Zechariah 8:6, ESV)

God and his people have shared joys and delights. Ask yourself the questions do the things you take joy in the things God delights in?

God desires relationship

and I will bring them to dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in faithfulness and in righteousness.” (Zechariah 8:8, ESV)

God desires appropriate relationship with his people in faithfulness and righteousness

Enjoy the fruit of peace

For there shall be a sowing of peace. The vine shall give its fruit, and the ground shall give its produce, and the heavens shall give their dew. And I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things. (Zechariah 8:12, ESV)

We should sow peace in our families, ministries and communities and enjoy the reaped fruit

Called to honesty

These are the things that you shall do: Speak the truth to one another; render in your gates judgments that are true and make for peace; do not devise evil in your hearts against one another, and love no false oath, for all these things I hate, declares the LORD.” (Zechariah 8:16–17, ESV)

God hates lies and dishonesty and calls his people to honesty and peace, knowing that this will invoke a blessing from him

Live in peace with God

“Thus says the LORD of hosts: The fast of the fourth month and the fast of the fifth and the fast of the seventh and the fast of the tenth shall be to the house of Judah seasons of joy and gladness and cheerful feasts. Therefore love truth and peace. (Zechariah 8:19, ESV)

Same point as last highlight, we should love the truth of Gods word and living in peace with him

Jesus the Jew

Thus says the LORD of hosts: In those days ten men from the nations of every tongue shall take hold of the robe of a Jew, saying, ‘Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.’ ” (Zechariah 8:23, ESV)

This in some ways was happening at the time of Jesus but I think it is ultimately pointing to the future.

In a very real sense there is a Jew that men form all nations have taken hold of and followed, his name is Yeshua (Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God).

The Fragility of Nations

But behold, the Lord will strip her of her possessions and strike down her power on the sea, and she shall be devoured by fire. (Zechariah 9:4, ESV)

No nation should have confidence in its resources because God can take it all away

Jesus the King

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. (Zechariah 9:9, ESV)

The prophecy is fulfilled by King Jesus

The kingdom of Jesus

I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the war horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow shall be cut off, and he shall speak peace to the nations; his rule shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth. (Zechariah 9:10, ESV)

The future kingdom of Jesus

God restore double

Return to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope; today I declare that I will restore to you double. (Zechariah 9:12, ESV)

We are kept by Hope and our hope shall not make us ashamed. Our God is a good Father, thank you for giving us double and rescuing us

Acts 23:23–24:27

God’s purpose will be facilitated

Then he called two of the centurions and said, “Get ready two hundred soldiers, with seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen to go as far as Caesarea at the third hour of the night. (Acts 23:23, ESV)

Look at the amount of men and resources that have been mobilised to facilitate Gods purpose through Paul’s life. God is able to give us favour and in his providence make a way for us to fulfil his agenda through the resources of the world

Nicknames and Slander

For we have found this man a plague, one who stirs up riots among all the Jews throughout the world and is a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. (Acts 24:5, ESV)

The new perspectives on Paul are not new at all, he has always been seen as an enemy of the Jews. Also note one of our early nicknames like Christian was Nazarenes

Legal argument

Neither can they prove to you what they now bring up against me. (Acts 24:13, ESV)

Paul did not completely abandon his legal argument, he had one and he made it. Know when to use logical reasoning like this

The same God

But this I confess to you, that according to the Way, which they call a sect, I worship the God of our fathers, believing everything laid down by the Law and written in the Prophets, (Acts 24:14, ESV)

Jews and Christians share the same God. Notice we believe the OT, we do not practise it

the hope of resurrection

having a hope in God, which these men themselves accept, that there will be a resurrection of both the just and the unjust. (Acts 24:15, ESV)

Resurrection is central to our Gospel hope and is shared with the Pharisees and Judaism of the day

Resurrection belief leads to godliness

So I always take pains to have a clear conscience toward both God and man. (Acts 24:16, ESV)

In light of the coming resurrections (plural) we must strive to have a clear conscience before God and man, we must not walk in compromise

The Explicit Gospel, Unashamed

After some days Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, and he sent for Paul and heard him speak about faith in Christ Jesus. (Acts 24:24, ESV)

Paul was not ashamed of the explicit Gospel.

Wrestle and Reason

And as he reasoned about righteousness and self-control and the coming judgment, Felix was alarmed and said, “Go away for the present. When I get an opportunity I will summon you.” (Acts 24:25, ESV)

We must wrestle and reason with men concerning things of the kingdom and gospel knowing that this will alarm many, we must still make every effort to reason with them

Job 30:1–15

Job is mocked

“And now I have become their song; I am a byword to them. (Job 30:9, ESV)

The lowest of men were now making up songs about Job, this shows the extent of his fall and suffering. When someone is going through hard times we should not mock them.

Financial trials

Terrors are turned upon me; my honor is pursued as by the wind, and my prosperity has passed away like a cloud. (Job 30:15, ESV)

Difficulty with finances may be a test of faith rather than the result of sin, discipline or poor stewardship. Trust in God through the trial.

Today’s Reading: Zech 6:1–7:14, Acts 22:22–23:22, Job 29:13–25

Today’s Theme: Use Practical Wisdom and Justice

Today’s theme looks at the pursuit of social justice and the use of practical wisdom. We begin with Jesus the Messiah who branches out and build Gd’s true house, the Church, as the body of Christ we should be kind to each other.

In the NT reading we see Paul using the practical everyday wisdom that God has given him in very difficult circumstances. Finally in Job we see that Job was like and MP using his life and influence to pursue justice.

Zechariah 6:1–7:14

Jesus branches out and builds the church

And say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, “Behold, the man whose name is the Branch: for he shall branch out from his place, and he shall build the temple of the LORD. (Zechariah 6:12, ESV)

The Branch is a reference to the coming Messiah, Jesus fulfils this prophecy not by rebuilding the temple like Zerubabel did but by building his church as he mentions in Matthew 16:18

Don’t waste your time

“Say to all the people of the land and the priests, When you fasted and mourned in the fifth month and in the seventh, for these seventy years, was it for me that you fasted? (Zechariah 7:5, ESV)

If our religious activity is not truly for God it is a waste of time

Be kind to each other

“Thus says the LORD of hosts, Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another, do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor, and let none of you devise evil against another in your heart.” (Zechariah 7:9–10, ESV)

God wants us to pursue mercy and justice and wants us to be kind to each other

Acts 22:22–23:22

Know and use the law

But when they had stretched him out for the whips, Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, “Is it lawful for you to flog a man who is a Roman citizen and uncondemned?” (Acts 22:25, ESV)

God lead Paul by His Spirit to use the law of the land to his advantage. Lord help us to use the law of the land to further the cause of the Gospel

God will strike

Then Paul said to him, “God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall! Are you sitting to judge me according to the law, and yet contrary to the law you order me to be struck?” (Acts 23:3, ESV)

Those who oppose the Gospel put themselves in danger of being struck by God

Be alert and perceptive

Now when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. It is with respect to the hope and the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial.” (Acts 23:6, ESV)

We need to be alert and perceptive like Paul, this was a great strategic move

Take courage

The following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome.” (Acts 23:11, ESV)

Jesus himself came to comfort Paul, The Lord want us to take courage in our stand for Him too

Practical wisdom

Paul called one of the centurions and said, “Take this young man to the tribune, for he has something to tell him.” (Acts 23:17, ESV)

Paul used the practical wisdom and common sense God has given him, he did not go into prayer about this, his actions were quite straightforward

Job 29:13–25

Job the MP

I was eyes to the blind and feet to the lame. I was a father to the needy, and I searched out the cause of him whom I did not know. I broke the fangs of the unrighteous and made him drop his prey from his teeth. (Job 29:15–17, ESV)

Job was no slouch, he lived out his faith in the pursuit of social justice and it seems he had the position and influence to do something about it, we could think of him as a godly MP or Lord today

Be a councillor

“Men listened to me and waited and kept silence for my counsel. (Job 29:21, ESV)

Not shy, very wise and respected, Job was the chief of the men of his city. Lord help us to be people that others can turn to for advise

Today’s Reading: Zech 3:1–5:11, Acts 21:27–22:21, Job 29:1–12

Today’s Theme: God, Sovereign over the enemy

Today’s theme is about God’s sovereignty over the enemy and his sovereignty over our call to serve him.

Zechariah 3:1–5:11

The Lord rebukes Satan

And the LORD said to Satan, “The LORD rebuke you, O Satan! The LORD who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is not this a brand plucked from the fire?” (Zechariah 3:2, ESV)

This is key in spiritual warfare, it’s not about us rebuking the devil but declaring that the Lord rebukes the devil, this is picked up in the book of Jude.

Notice the Lord declares himself as the one who choose Jerusalem. God has chosen his people too and in that context of ownership he rebukes the enemy over our lives.

Iniquity taken away

And the angel said to those who were standing before him, “Remove the filthy garments from him.” And to him he said, “Behold, I have taken your iniquity away from you, and I will clothe you with pure vestments.” (Zechariah 3:4, ESV)

This happens to us in Christ, God deals with our accuser the devil, removes the dirty clothes of sin from us and takes away our iniquity, but that is not it, we are clothed in robes of righteousness… Hallelujah

Jesus the Branch

Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, you and your friends who sit before you, for they are men who are a sign: behold, I will bring my servant the Branch. (Zechariah 3:8, ESV)

The Branch is a reference to Jesus

Fight by the Spirit

Then he said to me, “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of hosts. (Zechariah 4:6, ESV)

We walk and fight not by our own might or power but by Gods Spirit, that is why in the next verse the prophet is told to shout Grace, grace to the mountain. It is by the grace of God that the mountain like obstacles in our lives will come down

Complete the task

“The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also complete it. Then you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent me to you. (Zechariah 4:9, ESV)

The Lord helps us to complete the tasks he has given us to do

Our plumb line

For whoever has despised the day of small things shall rejoice, and shall see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. “These seven are the eyes of the LORD, which range through the whole earth.” (Zechariah 4:10, ESV)

Our plumb line is the bible

Serve in honesty

I will send it out, declares the LORD of hosts, and it shall enter the house of the thief, and the house of him who swears falsely by my name. And it shall remain in his house and consume it, both timber and stones.” (Zechariah 5:4, ESV)

We must give and serve with honest hearts, this reminds me of what happened to Anninas and Safaria

Lady Wickedness

And he said, “This is Wickedness.” And he thrust her back into the basket, and thrust down the leaden weight on its opening. (Zechariah 5:8, ESV)

Wickedness is depicted as a woman, I think this is because of the cunning deception and allurement of wickedness

Acts 21:27–22:21

Beaten for the Lord

He at once took soldiers and centurions and ran down to them. And when they saw the tribune and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. (Acts 21:32, ESV)

This should not be read lightly, it’s likely this was a severe beating, they were beating him to death. Remember those who are violently persecuted for the faith in Jesus today.

Use your education to God’s glory

As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he said to the tribune, “May I say something to you?” And he said, “Do you know Greek? (Acts 21:37, ESV)

Yes Paul knew greek, he was a well educated man. God can use your education to his glory

Relate to those you speak to

And when they heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew language, they became even more quiet. And he said: (Acts 22:2, ESV)

Paul was really gifted in relating to people, he knew speaking in Hebrew would grab their attention

Appointed tasks

And I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Rise, and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all that is appointed for you to do.’ (Acts 22:10, ESV)

God appoints, pre-plans and elects concerning our lives as his chosen vessels. What have you been appointed to do?

Chosen for service

And he said, ‘The God of our fathers appointed you to know his will, to see the Righteous One and to hear a voice from his mouth; for you will be a witness for him to everyone of what you have seen and heard. (Acts 22:14–15, ESV)

Again sovereign choice is at work even in our election for service

Personal testimony and the Gospel

And he said to me, ‘Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’ ” (Acts 22:21, ESV)

Paul’s commission to the Gentiles was the purpose and plan of God, also note that Paul is using personal testimony and experience to share the truth of the Gospel here.

Job 29:1–12

Pray for those who have lost children

when the Almighty was yet with me, when my children were all around me, (Job 29:5, ESV)

It must have been so hard for Job, just saying this would have been heart wrenching, all his children were killed. Pray for those who have endured the pain of losing a child

Job the judge and counsellor

because I delivered the poor who cried for help, and the fatherless who had none to help him. (Job 29:12, ESV)

Job was not just rich, he used those riches to help other, he was like a judge in the gate of the city, like a city counsellor

Today’s Reading: Zech 1:1–2:13, Acts 21:1–26, Job 28:12–28

Today’s Theme: God’s Grace and Wisdom

Today’s theme looks at God’s grace and wisdom. God is gracious in calling those who have fallen away to restoration, in sending his patrol angels throughout the earth, being a wall of fire to his people and redeeming a people for all nations, tribes and tongues.

God in his wisdom and grace warns Paul through prophetic symbolism and in Job we hear of preciousness of God’s wisdom.

Zechariah 1:1–2:13

A call to backsliders

Therefore say to them, Thus declares the LORD of hosts: Return to me, says the LORD of hosts, and I will return to you, says the LORD of hosts. (Zechariah 1:3, ESV)

This is not a call to sinners but to Gods own people who have rebelled. Lets pray for backsliders to return to the Lord

The patrol angels

So the man who was standing among the myrtle trees answered, ‘These are they whom the LORD has sent to patrol the earth.’ (Zechariah 1:10, ESV)

God has patrol angels, I’m sure these keep demons in check, like God’s police force.

God, gracious and comforting

And the LORD answered gracious and comforting words to the angel who talked with me. (Zechariah 1:13, ESV)

This sounds like God, he speaks gracious and comforting words to his people, God could have spoken in power and authority but he chose to speak in a way that considers the fact that we are dust

Jerusalem is special to God

So the angel who talked with me said to me, ‘Cry out, Thus says the LORD of hosts: I am exceedingly jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion. (Zechariah 1:14, ESV)

Jerusalem is a special place for God, unlike any other.

A wall of fire

And I will be to her a wall of fire all around, declares the LORD, and I will be the glory in her midst.’ ” (Zechariah 2:5, ESV)

Lord be a wall of fire around our lives

The apple of God’s eye

For thus said the LORD of hosts, after his glory sent me to the nations who plundered you, for he who touches you touches the apple of his eye: (Zechariah 2:8, ESV)

The children of Israel are the apple of Gods eye, to be against them is to poke a finger in Gods eye

God’s people, more than national Israel

And many nations shall join themselves to the LORD in that day, and shall be my people. And I will dwell in your midst, and you shall know that the LORD of hosts has sent me to you. (Zechariah 2:11, ESV)

The people of God go beyond national Israel, this is true now as the church is Jew and Gentile

Acts 21:1–26

The Holy Spirit warns

And having sought out the disciples, we stayed there for seven days. And through the Spirit they were telling Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. (Acts 21:4, ESV)

The Holy Spirit used the believers to warn Paul about the danger in Jerusalem and that he should not go there

Prophetic symbolism

And coming to us, he took Paul’s belt and bound his own feet and hands and said, “Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘This is how the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’ ” (Acts 21:11, ESV)

This was a genuine prophecy, here we also see prophetic symbolism used, the distinctive is that this is not used for a wish but an actual prophecy.

Ready to lay it all on the line

Then Paul answered, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” (Acts 21:13, ESV)

Paul was ready to lay it all on the line for the Gospel, we should be the same

James not Peter

On the following day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present. (Acts 21:18, ESV)

James “Not Peter” was the leader of the church in Jerusalem. The Roman Catholic papacy has always been built on the misunderstanding that Peter was the leader of the church.

True Christianity is not anti Jewish

And when they heard it, they glorified God. And they said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed. They are all zealous for the law, (Acts 21:20, ESV)

How can Christianity be anti Jewish when so many thousands came to faith

Job 28:12–28

Precious wisdom

No mention shall be made of coral or of crystal; the price of wisdom is above pearls. (Job 28:18, ESV)

This and all the other comparisons made are so true, wisdom is is more precious than any financial thing

God’s wisdom

“God understands the way to it, and he knows its place. (Job 28:23, ESV)

Yes, true wisdom belongs to God, this is why in James we are encouraged to ask for wisdom

Wisdom defined

And he said to man, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.’ ” (Job 28:28, ESV)

This is a simple working definition of wisdom