We Love God!

God: "I looked for someone to take a stand for me, and stand in the gap" (Ezekiel 22:30)

Why do we give our efforts in the church a pass when it comes to excellence? Are we hypercalvinists? Hey, just get the biblical part right and nothing else will matter. Are we all about just applauding good effort even when the product produced is an outright embarrassing representation of Christ? Maybe that individual is not the most gifted for the job. Are we erecting a double standard? We take the “real world” seriously and anything goes in the “spiritual world.” Are we settling for second best because after all, “it’s better than nothing?” Are we grieving the Spirit in assuming that He will always “bless our mess?” Are we not getting paid so we think we can kick it back a bit? Are we using grace, God’s acceptance of us, as an excuse to give Him halfhearted efforts?
Randy Smith

Some will say we need to add “good works” to Christ’s work to be saved. Others will say since we are saved by God’s grace and because all of our sins are already forgiven in Christ we can live as we wish. So, the first says following God’s law is necessary to be saved. The other says following God’s law is unnecessary once saved. Both are terribly wrong! We are saved by grace alone, but the grace that saves is never alone. God’s grace will always give us the desire and ability to follow God. The greatest evidence that we are recipients of God’s grace will be seen through our obedience – not to get saved or stay saved, but proof that we truly are already saved.
Randy Smith

Bible – English_World – Zechariah Chapter 8:1-23.

Index: World English Bible

 

Zechariah 8

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8:1 The word of Yahweh of Hosts came to me.

8:2 Thus says Yahweh of Hosts: “I am jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I am jealous for her with great wrath.”

8:3 Thus says Yahweh: “I have returned to Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. Jerusalem shall be called ‘The City of Truth;’ and the mountain of Yahweh of Hosts, ‘The Holy Mountain.'”

8:4 Thus says Yahweh of Hosts: “Old men and old women will again dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, every man with his staff in his hand for very age.

8:5 The streets of the city will be full of boys and girls playing in its streets.”

8:6 Thus says Yahweh of Hosts: “If it is marvelous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in those days, should it also be marvelous in my eyes?” says Yahweh of Hosts.

8:7 Thus says Yahweh of Hosts: “Behold, I will save my people from the east country, and from the west country;

8:8 and I will bring them, and they will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem; and they will be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and in righteousness.”

8:9 Thus says Yahweh of Hosts: “Let your hands be strong, you who hear in these days these words from the mouth of the prophets who were in the day that the foundation of the house of Yahweh of Hosts was laid, even the temple, that it might be built.

8:10 For before those days there was no wages for man, nor any wages for an animal; neither was there any peace to him who went out or came in, because of the adversary. For I set all men everyone against his neighbor.

8:11 But now I will not be to the remnant of this people as in the former days,” says Yahweh of Hosts.

8:12 “For the seed of peace and the vine will yield its fruit, and the ground will give its increase, and the heavens will give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to inherit all these things.

8:13 It shall come to pass that, as you were a curse among the nations, house of Judah and house of Israel, so will I save you, and you shall be a blessing. Don’t be afraid. Let your hands be strong.”

8:14 For thus says Yahweh of hosts: “As I thought to do evil to you, when your fathers provoked me to wrath,” says Yahweh of Hosts, “and I didn’t repent;

8:15 so again have I thought in these days to do good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. Don’t be afraid.

8:16 These are the things that you shall do: speak every man the truth with his neighbor. Execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates,

8:17 and let none of you devise evil in your hearts against his neighbor, and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate,” says Yahweh.

8:18 The word of Yahweh of Hosts came to me.

8:19 Thus says Yahweh of Hosts: “The fasts of the fourth fifth, seventh, and tenth months shall be for the house of Judah joy and gladness, and cheerful feasts. Therefore love truth and peace.”

8:20 Thus says Yahweh of Hosts: “Many peoples, and the inhabitants of many cities will yet come;

8:21 and the inhabitants of one shall go to another, saying, ‘Let us go speedily to entreat the favor of Yahweh, and to seek Yahweh of Hosts. I will go also.’

8:22 Yes, many peoples and strong nations will come to seek Yahweh of Hosts in Jerusalem, and to entreat the favor of Yahweh.”

8:23 Thus says Yahweh of Hosts: “In those days, ten men will take hold, out of all the languages of the nations, they will take hold of the skirt of him who is a Jew, saying, ‘We will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.'”