Read: Zechariah 3
“1 Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him.” Zechariah 3:1
Examine:
In the verses that follow this one the scene plays out like a courtroom drama. Joshua, who represented God’s people, stood clothed in filthy garments and was being accused by Satan. Jesus stands up and rebukes satan. He did not argue with satan about the guilt of God’s people. He did not pretend the garments clothing Joshua were not that bad. He called on the graciousness of the LORD and then the most amazing thing happened; the LORD gave Joshua new garments.
Apply:
There are two main thoughts for me from this passage. First, my freedom is not found in justifying my behavior. I have to hate my sin and recognize even the smallest of slips as being worthy of death. This is not to add to my guilt; the only way to appreciate my redemption in Christ is to hold the weight of my guilt. My freedom is in Christ; not my arguments.
Second my garments are clean. I am not just a sinner saved by grace. I am a man with no history of failure. It has all been done away with and there is never a voice of accusation that can stand against me. The sins of my past, the sins of my present and the sins of my future were all taken away the instant I surrendered my life to Christ.
Pray:
I have an accuser and I have an advocate. Both of these voices are real and both voices are active in my life. I have to choose which one I want to believe. Today I choose to press through what I know to be my failures and accept what You have said to be true. I am clean. My garments cannot ever be stained again. My accuser has been silenced and my faith has been sealed. I am forever Yours. I pray that the freedom given to me will become my greatest treasure, my loudest song, and the possession I share the most.
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Not That Clear
Read: Zechariah 2
“5 For I, says the Lord, will be to her a wall of fire round about, and I will be the glory in the midst of her.” Zechariah 2:5
Examine:
As the Israelites continued with rebuilding the temple, the city, and its walls God did not want them to put their faith in the things they were building for Him. He wanted them to know that it was He who protected them and gave them glory. He did not tell them to stop building the walls or abandon the temple; He just directed them to not put their confidence in them.
Apply:
There is a bottle of concentrated mango juice in my fridge. The bottle says it tastes best when you mix 1 part of juice with 3 parts of water. My taste buds serve as an immediate proving ground that either affirms or rejects my job of mixing the juice. Faith and works are not that clear.
God calls me to labor and He calls me to faith. He commands prudent planning and He also considers my best plans worthless. He demands that I submit all things to Him in prayer and then He also expects me to work like an ant in getting it done. Jesus invites me to put aside my yoke and take His. He beckons that I take up His cross and follow Him daily. He will be the wall around me and the glory within me, but I have to carry His yoke and cross.
Pray:
I feel the force of frustration rising up from within me as I start to pray. Father, I am confused. There are lines that have become confused and I am unsure of what to do. My flesh is constantly attacked by our enemy and his best tactic is to create confusion. He has done a really good job of waging a battle against the line between faith and work.
I need to better communicate with You. In order to do that I must cut down on my busyness and carve out undivided time to spend with You. I fill up my days with tasks, meetings, and family duty. The moment I get a break, I run toward entertainment. You get the first hour of my day but that is the only solid time I spend with You. Everything else is crammed in the margin. I will buy a journal today and agree to spending regular time with You just as I would my wife and kids. I will put it on my calendar so that I do not forget but will also remain open to the times You decide to surprise me with a visit.
Father, Jesus, and Holy Spirit; I long to be close to You. You are not philosophies to learn, rules to follow or myths to chase. You are a real tangible being and You desire for me to know You in real and tangible ways. I submit to that today. I desire to walk in constant awareness of You today.
“5 For I, says the Lord, will be to her a wall of fire round about, and I will be the glory in the midst of her.” Zechariah 2:5
Examine:
As the Israelites continued with rebuilding the temple, the city, and its walls God did not want them to put their faith in the things they were building for Him. He wanted them to know that it was He who protected them and gave them glory. He did not tell them to stop building the walls or abandon the temple; He just directed them to not put their confidence in them.
Apply:
There is a bottle of concentrated mango juice in my fridge. The bottle says it tastes best when you mix 1 part of juice with 3 parts of water. My taste buds serve as an immediate proving ground that either affirms or rejects my job of mixing the juice. Faith and works are not that clear.
God calls me to labor and He calls me to faith. He commands prudent planning and He also considers my best plans worthless. He demands that I submit all things to Him in prayer and then He also expects me to work like an ant in getting it done. Jesus invites me to put aside my yoke and take His. He beckons that I take up His cross and follow Him daily. He will be the wall around me and the glory within me, but I have to carry His yoke and cross.
Pray:
I feel the force of frustration rising up from within me as I start to pray. Father, I am confused. There are lines that have become confused and I am unsure of what to do. My flesh is constantly attacked by our enemy and his best tactic is to create confusion. He has done a really good job of waging a battle against the line between faith and work.
I need to better communicate with You. In order to do that I must cut down on my busyness and carve out undivided time to spend with You. I fill up my days with tasks, meetings, and family duty. The moment I get a break, I run toward entertainment. You get the first hour of my day but that is the only solid time I spend with You. Everything else is crammed in the margin. I will buy a journal today and agree to spending regular time with You just as I would my wife and kids. I will put it on my calendar so that I do not forget but will also remain open to the times You decide to surprise me with a visit.
Father, Jesus, and Holy Spirit; I long to be close to You. You are not philosophies to learn, rules to follow or myths to chase. You are a real tangible being and You desire for me to know You in real and tangible ways. I submit to that today. I desire to walk in constant awareness of You today.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)