Good afternoon fellow disciples, God's word really is sharper than a two edged sword.  Not that I have ever touched a two edged sword, but I have cut myself with a pocket knife.  Well this devotional took me be surprise.  I have about 8 years worth notes in my Quiet Time folder in my electronic Bible.  But not one on these 3 verses. And when I pondering "I have manifested your name" I was amazed. So finish well my friends. Blessings, Jeff Just as Paul's prayers are reminders of what is important and should not be forgotten, how much more is the High Priestly prayer what Jesus wants His disciples and us to remember. Each believer was given to the Son by the Father. - The foundation of assurance.   1) The Son repeating truth to the Father.  How then can I ignore this and pretend that it was my choice that saved me?  How can I not go looking for others who have been given to the Son but have not yet come into the kingdom? 2) This is really not petiti...

 Good evening friends, We continue to look at this difficult section of Zechariah.  I am generally a proponent of inductive study (going from specifics of what does it say to general or how does it apply0.  However, my late friend Martyn Lloyd Jones highlights the value of deductive study.  In this case, his view is more helpful.  Once we understand the purpose of whole Bible, it helps us to understand what the individual portions mean.  While we may not come up with an absolute correct understanding, if we try to see how it points to Christ, we can't be far off. Blessings, Jeff  That day" - And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn. Zechariah 12:10 So this is a very messianic day - Jesus is the one whom t...

Good morning fellow members of the household of God, After writing the devotional, I am thinking about the Passover as a household event.  In ancient Israel, the physical household of man was covered by the blood of the lamb.  Now, it is the spiritual household of God that is covered by the blood of the Lamb. Blessings, Jeff The account of the greatest celebration of Passover since time of Solomon (v 26).   Observations: One of the things that made this one great is participation of some of the tribes from the northern kingdom.  Israel was a united kingdom and Solomon and now toward the end of the northern kingdom, there is at least a semblance of being united. God allows some exemptions: Who offers the sacrifice:  The original Passover was a family by family sacrifice of a lamb.  However in  Deuteronomy 16:5-6 this changed to a centralized location once they entered the promised land.  (You may not offer the Passover sacrifice within any of ...

Good morning friends, I can't imagine how Zechariah responded to this message from the Lord.  How would I respond to being told to shepherd a flock doomed to slaughter?  As you will see, this is not an easy passage. Blessings,  Jeff I think I have mentioned that the post exile prophets generally have an encouraging message to the people with focus on rebuilding the temple.  So this chapter seems to be an exception.  Looking at a timeline, I found out that that the temple was completed during Zechariah's time.   From ESV Study Bible note: Zechariah's focus turns from the flock back to the shepherds. The fable of vv. 1–3 conveys impending destruction, but of what or whom? Interpreters differ on this question and on several details in the rest of this difficult section. I take comfort in knowing that I am not alone in struggling with this passage.   It is sad to think that after all Judah and Israel have been through in exile and dispersion, tha...

Good afternoon faithful readers, Writing this the morning after "rains of biblical proportions" from Ida last night  (Originally 9/2/21).  Of course, these rains were a drop in the bucket to Noah's day.  But they do make man look very small and helpless.  For those who believe in scientism, this must be very depressing.  The natural world has very little concern for man.  Thanks be to God who knows the hairs on our head. Blessings, Jeff  Between the 7 trumpets and the 7 bowls. From ESV study Bible notes: Harvests of Earth and Vine. Two reapers appear in heaven, sharp sickles in hand. Angels emerge from the temple with God's directive, “Put in your sickle, and reap.” First “one like a son of man” gathers the grain of the earth, then an angel gathers grapes from the earth's vine, to be crushed in the “winepress of the wrath of God.” Although both harvests could signify either God's judgment on the wicked or Christ's gathering of his saints, probably the ...

Good morning friends, As I am in the "mature" stage of life, I pay special attention to examples from scripture of people who don't finish well.  It is sad that this continues to this day.  So if you ever see me doing something foolish, please tell me and remind me Don't be like Uzziah!!! Blessings, Jeff I think I see a pattern here. Another bad end for a good king.   There are many questions and not many answers in this story: Where did Uzziah get the idea that the king could perform priestly duties? God clearly established the Levites and the Aaronic priesthood as the only men who could minister to God.  Saul was condemned for sacrificing instead of waiting for Samuel.  Apparently Uzziah was not paying attention in school the day that these things were taught and he never read them for himself.  One of the reformation principles is that the Word preached and read is a means of our sanctification.  Any believer who ignores the Word puts himself i...

Good afternoon fellow saints, Since we now have a complete and orderly collection of readings for each day on the church's website, I am not sure what about how to continue the blog for next year.  Blessings, Jeff Let your hands be strong... that the temple might be built.  The fact that the exiles (remnant) need to be encouraged to build the temple implies that they have become slothful in the task they had been given.  Ezra and Nehemiah tell of the various challenges that discouraged the people.  Makes me reflect on the balance between God working in us and the need for perseverance on our part.  Whatever task God gives to His people, He also gives strength to perform it.  Yet the people physically do the task.  God tests our faith to approve us, not to make us fall.  For example, He puts us in situations to mortify the flesh, and we are called to put to death the deeds of the body.  We would not put the deeds to death on our own. The bless...