Hello My Friend/Guest,

Today is Monday September 28, 2009 and we are beginning our studies in the book of Zechariah, please read chapters 1-7 in your Bible or Click Here to read them. http://www.readytofollow.com/bible-september

Today's Message: Valuable
Sometimes people look at us as unusable and of no value to God, but God sees beyond the surface and looks into the heart. He sees the value in all of us.

The book of Zechariah is the thirty-eighth book of the Old Testament/Bible and contains fourteen chapters. The author of the book is Zechariah and it was written to Israel. The purpose of the book was to encourage them to complete the Temple. What we are to learn from the book is that God is on control of all affairs of the nations. Zechariah was a prophet of the remnant of Jerusalem whom have been released from the captivity of Babylon seventy years later and are now in the midst of rebuilding the Temple. Through Zechariah God is addressing the Israelite's. “In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the LORD unto Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet, saying, The LORD hath been sore displeased with your fathers. Therefore say thou unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Turn ye unto me, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will turn unto you, saith the LORD of hosts. Be ye not as your fathers, unto whom the former prophets have cried, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Turn ye now from your evil ways, and from your evil doings: but they did not hear, nor hearken unto me, saith the LORD. Your fathers, where are they? and the prophets, do they live for ever? But my words and my statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, did they not take hold of your fathers? and they returned and said, Like as the LORD of hosts thought to do unto us, according to our ways, and according to our doings, so hath he dealt with us.” - Zechariah 1:1-6. The Lord of hosts means that God is mighty and in power and control of all. God is telling them not to be like their fathers whom have ignored His Word and commands. He is encouraging them to repent and turn from their wicked ways and if they do He will be there for them.

Zechariah was written to comfort and encourage the returned remnant to repent of their evil ways, to return to the Lord and to rebuild the Temple. The people who had just returned from exile felt like their efforts were insignificant and the future was uncertain. They weren’t even an independent nation, just a client state of a mighty empire. Zechariah foretold the glorious promise of the presence of God, “Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion: for, lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the LORD. And many nations shall be joined to the LORD in that day, and shall be my people: and I will dwell in the midst of thee, and thou shalt know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto thee. And the LORD shall inherit Judah his portion in the holy land, and shall choose Jerusalem again.” - Zechariah 2:10-12. Often we come to the end of our resources and lose confidence in our own abilities before we learn to trust in the Lord. However, no matter how uncertain things look God is always there and He will take care of His people, we just have to endure some pain at times in the midst of them.
The high priest Joshua (not the Joshua who was used of God to conquer the promised land) was ministering to God in filthy garments symbolic of his own sins and the sins of the people. He stood unworthy and Satan was there by his side to keep him thinking that way, but God was there also and He forgave Joshua and gave him new clothes. “And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. And the LORD said unto Satan, The LORD rebuke thee, O Satan; even the LORD that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire? Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel. And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment.” - Zechariah 3:1-4. The devil will bring all sorts of accusations in an attempt to keep a guilty Christian from going to the Lord for forgiveness and cleansing and believing God will accept him. However, God is much stronger than Satan and He will always put the devil in his place. The Source of victory is discovered when one continues to seek the Lord and worship Him. We are assured that Satan will flee from us.

Did you ever feel too unworthy to come before the Lord? Do you sense Satan at your right side, seeking to prevent you from standing before the Lord, trying to persuade you that you are not God's child and acceptable before Him or that you are not fit for His service? When we come to the end of our resources and lose confidence in our own abilities we learn to trust in the Lord and humbly seek Him. “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.” - James 4:7-10. Yielding to God and simply asking Him for forgiveness is the best thing that anyone can do, it not only brings us closer to God it develops a long and eternal relationship with God.

Have a wonderful and blessed day/night and week.
God Bless You,
Christina

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