Women in the Word: Zechariah

SoulSearching Sunday~This Little Light of Yours

12:00 AM

Sunday, September 2, 2018

Week Thirty-five

Welcome! We pray that you have all had a precious time worshipping the Lord this morning! Below you will find some thought provoking questions that will provide you a starting point to your journal writing to complete this week. We hope that you will find this time soul satisfying!

Our reading this week was Zechariah 5 - Matthew 5...

1. What hardships do you currently face? How does thinking of them as part of God’s purifying work in your life affect your attitude? Thank God today for His refining process in you.

I will bring that group through the fire and make them pure, just as gold and silver are refined and purified by fire. They will call on my name, and I will answer them. I will say, “These are my people,” and they will say, “The LORD is our God.” (Zechariah 13:9)

2. Inventory your latest accomplishments and achievements. Of which are you most proud? Turn your thoughts to the One who enabled you to accomplish what you do. Humbly worship Him, and ask Him to keep you from arrogance.

The LORD Almighty says, “The day of judgement is coming, tuning like a furnace. The arrogant and the wicked will be burned up like straw on that day. They will be consumed like a tree-roots and all.” (Malachi 4:1)

3. What examples can you recall of times when you either performed or witnessed a deed that made people want to praise God? Why do you think this action drew attention to the LORD rather than the person who did it? What can you do today to shine your light and bring God glory?

In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father. (Matthew 5:16)

Deaf Ears

Hearts Like Flint {Zechariah 5:1-9:17}

12:00 AM

After the Jews returned from exile in Babylon, the first task at hand was the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem. But yet some sixteen years later, the job was only half done. Everyday life and opposition from their enemies had replaced the people’s zeal for completing the house of the Lord. So God sent the prophet Zechariah to encourage, motivate, and warn them of the consequences of complacency and disobedience.

Zechariah saw the Israelites falling into the same wicked behaviors of their ancestors. They were becoming disinterested with their relationship with the Lord, closing their ears to His words and, even though outwardly appearing religious, inwardly hardening their hearts against Him. The spiritual rituals the people were engaging in weren’t done out of love for God and for His glory, but rather for appearances and their own gratification. God told Zechariah to call out their hypocrisy asking,”When you fasted and mourned in the fifth month and in the seventh, for these seventy years, was it for me that you fasted? And when you eat and when you drink, do you not eat for yourselves and drink for yourselves?” (vs. 7:4-6)

Knowing the judgement from God these behaviors provoked, the prophet issued this warning to the Israelites, “Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘Return to Me,’ declares the Lord of hosts, ‘That I may return to you’, says the Lord of hosts, ‘Do not be like your father’s, to whom the former prophets proclaimed saying, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, return now from your evil ways and from your evil deeds. But they did not listen or give heed to Me’.” (vs. 1:3-4) “They refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder and stopped their ears from hearing. They made their hearts like flint so that they could not hear the law and the words which the Lord has sent by His Spirit through the former prophets; therefore great wrath came from the Lord of hosts.” (vs. 7:11-13)

In my own pride I couldn’t help but wonder why, with their history and all they had been through, the people of Israel had to continually learn the painful lesson of rebellion against God. And immediately I was convicted. God asked me the same question, “How many times do you need to be taught the same lesson?”

We need to be careful of repeating sinful patterns and falling into the trap of pride and rebellion. Careful of just going through the motions when it comes to our relationship with God. Hardened hearts don’t happen over night. Little by little, just like in the case of Israel, repeated rebellion causes our love for God to grow cold, and continually drowning out His voice causes our ears unable to hear His Word.

“There is a tragic progression to be found in this glimpse of Israelite rebellion. At first they were simply willful in their opposition to God. They “refused to pay attention … turned a stubborn shoulder … stopped their ears.” All this was under their control. But soon things moved beyond their control. Their hearts became rock-hard, “like flint so that they could not hear.” They started out refusing to yield to God and ended up unable to yield to God. Their could not was caused by their will not. And so it is with us. When I will not becomes I cannot, it is a sure sign we have become slaves to stubbornness and our hearts are hardened, and we must repent before it is too late.”.....Paul Tautges

Every relationship requires nourishment, love, and attention to grow and bloom, and our relationship with the Lord is no different. By spending time daily alone with God and in His Word, we can keep from having hearts like flint and spare ourselves the devastation of hearing Him say, “And just as He called and they would not listen, so they called and I would not listen.” (vs. 7:13) Today and everyday, I pray that we each will have open hearts and ears to the Lord. And as Hebrews 3:15 tells us, “if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts” (Heb. 3:15)

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encouragement

SoulSearching Sunday~God's presence

12:00 AM

Sunday, August 26, 2018

Week Thirty-four

Welcome! We pray that you have all had a precious time worshipping the Lord this morning! Below you will find some thought provoking questions that will provide you a starting point to your journal writing to complete this week. We hope that you will find this time soul satisfying!

Our reading this week was Micah 1 - Zechariah 4

1. What is the most difficult persecution you have experienced as a believer? How did it affect your faith? Pray for protection, and praise God for His ultimate victory.

True, many nations have gathered together against you, calling for your blood, eager to gloat over your destruction. But they do not know the LORD’s thoughts or understand His plan. (Micah 4:11-12)

2. Who do you absolutely love to be around? How does it feel to know that God feels that way about you? Today, enjoy God’s presence, keeping in mind that you make Him want to sing.

For the LORD your God has arrived to live among you. He is a mighty savior. He will rejoice over you with great gladness. With His love, He will calm all your fears. He will exult over you by singing a happy song. (Zephaniah 3:17)

3. What is on your desk or on your to-do list that is overwhelming you right now? Remember God’s words of encouragement, and renew your commitment to “take courage and work” as an act of worship.

Take courage, all you people still left in the land, says the LORD. Take courage and work, for I am with you, says the LORD Almighty. (Haggai 2:4)