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So 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 Almighty. Zechariah 4:6
We live in a society that worships strength. We admire the athlete that excels at what they do and are in awe of their strength. We applaud modern day heroes as they risk their lives to save the lives of others or battle personal adversity. There aren’t any reality shows in which the winner is the weakest person!
In God’s society the idea of personal strength is just the opposite of what He looks for. In the book of Zechariah God sends a message to a guy named Zerubbabel. Zerubbabel had a huge task to perform and was overwhelmed by the magnitude of the challenge that lay before him. But God informed Him of two things. First, the task would be completed and, secondly, it would not be done by Zerubbabel’s strength but by God’s strength.
The wording of the verse implies that if Zerubbabel would lean on God’s strength every mountain would be removed and every obstacle would be conquered. It would not be done by physical strength (might) nor would it be done with the inner ability to influence those around him (power). It would be done by God alone.
Some people rely on physical strength (might) to get their way and handle conflict. But physical strength only works when you are stronger than the enemy, and gives way to youth as we grow older. Others rely on inner resolve and mind manipulation (power) to sway things their way. But that too proves fruitless in the face of the enemy. While we see weakness as a hindrance, God seeks the weak to do His work. He promises that ‘He (Jesus) who began a good work in you WILL complete it’.
We all have mountains and obstacles in our way. Things from our past haunt us. We suffer from the consequences of poor choices, broken relationships, illness or a variety of other issues. God never intends for us to face the obstacles of our lives alone. It has always been His intent to help us rise above those challenges to reach the dreams we have for ourselves.
Relax. It isn’t your job to fight the battles ahead of you. You are only asked to ‘rest in God’s power’ and allow Him to handle the challenges of your life. Step outside the box. Trust His strength to endure. He may be waiting for you to hand it over to Him so He can use whatever struggle you have for His glory.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, there are so many things in life that are attacking me right now. Many of them are a result of my own stubbornness and poor choices. Empower me to trust Your Spirit to motivate and encourage for today’s battles. Give me faith to conquer the obstacles ahead of me. Amen.
We will not hide them from their children; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power, and the wonders he has done. Psalms 78:4
During Old Testament times the stories of God’s deliverance were crucial to reminding each generation of how God worked in the lives of His people. Some of those stories told of great victories over enemies. Some stories told of God’s judgment for sin and a refusal to follow His commands. These stories were a constant reminder of God’s desire to be involved in the lives of His people.
Sometimes, when we read these stories we forget that the people involved in the events had no idea how they would turn out! We have the advantage to read ahead and see how God acted to save His people. They had to live the suspense, fear and anxious moments without knowing ahead of time what would happen.
The stories in the Bible remind us that God is actively involved in our lives and that He expects our lives to be active. Contentment in God’s eyes means that we rest in His provision while at the same time we yearn to grow closer to Him, to see Him work more fully in our lives. He never expects us to be stagnant.
Being a follower of Jesus Christ means that we will never settle for less than what He can give us. Through the working of His Spirit in our lives we can understand more of what He has in store for us. As we seek to grow closer to Him we will meet resistance. The voices within us will tell us we can’t attain the things God has for us. We will feel we aren’t worthy of His blessings. Our failures and weaknesses will seem too large.
Don’t listen to the lies. You are God’s chosen child. He gave all He had through Jesus so that you can rise above the struggles and roadblocks that come into your path. Remind yourself of the stories of how God worked in the past. He can do the same for you today as you grow in your relationship to Him.
PRAYER: Holy God. I remember the Bible Stories of my youth and how you did miracles in common people’s lives. I have to admit that many times I feel that kind of involvement isn’t meant for my life. Forgive me for believing that lie. Help me to draw close to you and to believe that you can and will do a miracle in my life today. Keep me from being content to stay where I am in my walk with you. Amen.
How great are His signs, how mighty his wonders! His kingdom is an eternal kingdom; his dominion endures from generation to generation. Daniel 4:3
When I was growing up purchasing a Bible was relatively easy. You had one version to choose from (KJV) which came in black (boys) and red (girls). If you wanted the deluxe versions of each you could get one with maps and the words of Jesus printed in red!
Going from church to church was relatively easy as well. First of all you only went to a church that had the same title on the sign as the one on the front of your home church. Secondly you could be assured that you knew the songs sung because each church had the same hymnal. The music was led by a song leader who told you what verses to sing and helped you follow the organist and pianist as they played for you.
Everything was predictable, well spelled out in advance and made it easy to settle into a rut.
Today, things are different. Walk down the aisle of a bookstore to buy a Bible and you are met with numerous choices of translations, versions and study Bibles of all shapes, sizes and colors!
If you are visiting a different town and wish to go to church you find a variety of different churches. Some have the same title you are used to, many do not and even the churches that belong to the same ‘club’ yours does don’t always tell you that.
When you enter the church there may not be a piano or organ to be seen. Rather you are met with a group of varying sizes that have guitars and drums and keyboards and any number of other musical instruments! Don’t bother looking for a hymnal because they are collecting dust in a closet somewhere. The words of your songs will be displayed on a screen and you may sing along from those words IF you know the songs that this particular church sings.
Now, before you dismiss me as some sort of ultra-conservative nay-sayer let me tell you this. I love the change! But that doesn’t mean that the way I grew up was ‘wrong’ or ineffective. Many people came to Christ then just as they do now.
Sure, I miss some of my favorite hymns, and others sound great with drums and guitars. I enjoy the spontaneity of live worship. I understand some portions of the Bible I didn’t understand before because of the new versions and study guides.
With all the changes that have taken place over the years since my childhood, two things have remained the same. One is that: Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so. Secondly, I have friends and neighbors that will spend eternity in hell unless they are introduced to the love, forgiveness and eternal life only Jesus can offer.
What a great and awesome God we serve. A God that can speak through the words of a hymn or praise chorus. A God that can reach us through the words of a KJV, NIV or any other version of the Bible.
Father God is not tied to one style of worship, one version of Scripture or one title on a church building. His greatness spans all generations. As followers of Jesus Christ we must learn to embrace every generation and accept the changes while we respect the traditions of our faith. Jesus Christ: the same yesterday, today and forever!
PRAYER: Dear Jesus, thank you for the diversity that we can experience through the body of Christ. I ask that you will bring all generations into unity under the power of your mighty Holy Spirit. May your love permeate every generation for your name sake. Amen.
Mike Fisk & Built with Grace 