Forever Home in the Eternal Family of God

Daily Encouragement for the Family of God by Kenton Cheek

20 September 2024

Reading From Zechariah 1-7

“Therefore say to them, Thus declares the Lord of hosts: Return to me, says the Lord of hosts, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts. Do not be like your fathers, to whom the former prophets cried out, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, Return from your evil ways and from your evil deeds.’ But they did not hear or pay attention to me, declares the Lord. Your fathers, where are they? And the prophets, do they live forever? But my words and my statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, did they not overtake your fathers? So they repented and said, ‘As the Lord of hosts purposed to deal with us for our ways and deeds, so has he dealt with us.’”

–Zechariah 1:3-6

     God is sovereign over all of the universe.  In His infinite wisdom, He blessed humanity with free moral agency.  Each of us has the power of choice.  In His foreknowledge, He loved us long before the foundation of the world and had a plan for our redemption before the first sin was committed.  But His desire is for us to return His love in a life giving relationship and the only way this is possible is if both parties join together of their own free will. 

     Thus, the power of choice is an essential component of repentance.  Yes, God draws us to Him with His lovingkindness, but at the same time is the incessant pull of worldly temptations.  All of us as individuals have a choice to make.  When we go astray, if we truly believe and give into the Spirit’s pleadings to humble ourselves and turn from our sin, the health of our fellowship with God will be restored.  Our Creator is a gentleman.  He will not force His will upon us.  He is waiting for us to accept His invitation.

     The last part of this excerpt from the writings of the Prophet Zechariah yield much wisdom for us.  Followers of Yahweh in every age have been blessed with fathers and prophets to give guidance, but this passage reveals the spiritual truth that God’s Word is the supreme rule of faith and practice.  The Bible is the standard by which all prophetic leadership and guidance must be measured by.  Prophets are human and we must weigh what they say with the scale of the written record of God’s revelations to us.

“Lord God, I humbly ask that You continue to bless Your people with knowledge and wisdom needed to lead lives that please You.  When we falter, thank You for Your forgiveness and for filling us with the power and strength we need to carry on.  Heavenly Father, we are so grateful for the life giving relationship we enjoy with You, paid for by the blood shed by Your Son, Jesus Christ.  In His Name I pray, Amen.”

 But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord. –Joshua 24:15

Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own.

 –John 7:17

“Come now, let us settle the matter,”
    says the Lord.
“Though your sins are like scarlet,
    they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red as crimson,
    they shall be like wool.
If you are willing and obedient,
    you will eat the good things of the land;
but if you resist and rebel,
    you will be devoured by the sword.”
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.

–Isaiah 1:18-20

You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.

 –Galatians 5:13