Day: September 15, 2018

Shout and Celebrate, Daughter of Zion!

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“…’What did you learn today?’ I asked my daughter Lizzy, as we headed home from her first day of preschool…

‘I have to wear a name tag every day at school even though I already know my name! …I guess my teacher just doesn’t want me to forget who I am,’ she said with a shrug…”

“It You’ve Forgotten Who You Are…” Alicia Bruxvoort, Proverbs 31 Ministries

We are learning a new song this weekend, “Who You Say I Am,” by Hillsong. Sometimes, we forget who we are in Christ.

“…You feel kind of dirty and kind of ashamed of yourself and kind of like you don’t belong…You’re still His child…You’re still bought with His blood. Every drop He spilled was on purpose and one of those drops had your name on it. …God will never love you any more than He loves you right now!”

“Just in Case You Haven’t Heard It in A While…” Steven Furtick, 1:Minute Motivation

Zechariah is about who God says we are. God provided clean clothes for Joshua in Chapter 3. He provides clean clothes for us.

“Zechariah shared with his contemporary Haggai the prophetic task of getting the people of Judah to rebuild their ruined Temple. …But Zechariah did more than that. For the people were faced with far more than a ruined Temple and city. Their self-identity as the people of God was in ruins. …Zechariah reinvigorated their imaginations with his visions and messages. …The messages forged a fresh vocabulary that gave energy and credibility to the long-term purposes of God being worked out in their lives.”

The Message Introduction to Zechariah

* * * * * * *

Zechariah 2:10, ” ‘Shout and celebrate, Daughter of Zion! I’m on my way. I’m moving into your neighborhood!’ God’s Decree.” The Message

* * * * * * *

Zechariah 3:6-7, “God’s angel then charged Joshua, (7) ‘Orders from the God-of-the-Angel-Armies: “If you live the way I tell you and remain obedient in my service, then you’ll make the decisions around here and oversee my affairs. And all my attendants standing here will be at your service.” ‘ ” The Message

I’m a daughter of Zion – part of a royal priesthood, a chosen one, (see 1 Peter 2:9). God says I am.

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The Work Wasn’t Stopped

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The main church in Mt. Pleasant is remodeling its foyer. The “Word Shoppe” moved and we are removing the walls of its former home. You read that correctly “we.”

Pastor Monte asked for volunteers on Wednesday night. Over the next few days, they knocked down walls and ripped up carpets.

Next Saturday is a “Prayer Breakfast.” They are well-attended. I wonder – will we have the same number of volunteers at each event? According to Haggai – we should.

“…it is not uncommon for us to be dismissive of the buildings themselves by saying, ‘A place of worship is not a building; it’s people,’ or ‘I prefer worshipping God in the great Cathedral of the outdoors.’ …Haggai keeps us in touch with those times in our lives when repairing the building where we worship is an act of obedience every bit as important as praying in that place of worship.” The Message Introduction to Haggai

I did not volunteer for demolition because of my health. I will also miss the “Prayer Breakfast.” I stepped down as a “Prayer Partner” when I started playing the keyboard. They both meet at the same time. God blesses us when we donate our time, (see Haggai 2:18-19). Haggai told the Jews that the drought came because they were not rebuilding The Temple.

Haggai 1:9-11, “…Because you’ve run around, caught up with taking care of your own houses, my Home in ruins. (10) That’s why. Because of your stinginess. And so I’ve given you a dry summer and a skimpy crop. (11) I’ve matched your tight-fisted stinginess by decreeing a season of drought, drying up fields and hills, withering gardens and orchards, stunting vegetables and fruit. Nothing – not man or woman, not animal or crop – is going to thrive.” The Message

Will the work get done without our help? Sure – but we miss out on a blessing.

Ezra 5:5, “But God had his eye on the leaders of the Jews, and the work wasn’t stopped.” The Message

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