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Today's Passage: Galatians 6:1-10

I want us to think about our verses in two different sections. They are:

1.Restoration and Burden Bearing (v. 1-6)

As Paul begins, he talks about a fellow Christian caught in sin (v. 1). He points out many important things about helping your brother or sister in Christ to repent of that sin and turn from it. First, recognize they are family – Paul uses the language of “brothers”. Second, you should only restore if you are “spiritual” or above reproach. You cannot get the speck out of someone else’s eye, if you have a log in yours. Third, it should be done with a spirit of gentleness. Fourth, watch yourself so you are not tempted either.

Next, Paul commands us to bear one another burdens. Burdens can happen because of sin or just living in a fallen world. Life can be messy at times, whether self-inflicted or not. But we have to see that pride will hinder burden bearing (v. 3-4). Are you willing to open up about your burdens? Do you take time to listen to and pray for other’s burdens?

2.Holiness and Good Works (v. 7-10)

“Whatever one sows, that will he also reap.” I often use this illustration with students when they are struggling with sin or making the right choices. I say, “One day I planted an apple tree in my yard. A few months go by, and I go to that tree expecting there to be oranges and to my surprise there are none, only apples. What was wrong with my desire for oranges?” Students will say something like, “You planted the wrong thing.” Exactly right. And so I will say, “If God tells you to honor and obey your parents and you do the opposite – what kind of results do you expect from that?” It’s the simple premise of what we sow is what we will reap. If we go against God’s design and sow our own way, why should we expect to be closer to God?

And then Paul ends with the simple reminder to “do good to everyone.” It’s a reminder of the second great commandment: love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:39). Do you seek to do good to everyone every day?

Written By: Brice Stockton

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Today's Passage: Galatians 5:16-26

The fruit of the Spirit included in this passage are some of the most famous verses in the Bible, and for good reason! They are a great vision for what the Christian life should look like.

Neglected, somewhat perhaps, is the context in which they are given. Not only are we exhorted to live out the fruit of the Spirit, part of doing so is is putting sin to death.

Galatians 5:24 serves as a helpful thesis to our set of verses: “And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”

These verses continue in Paul’s theme of the importance of putting off the old and putting on the new as a foundation of spiritual growth and transformation.

He teaches this in:

Ephesians 4:22-24 — 22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

Colossians 3:5-17 — 5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming. 7 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. 11 Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.

12 Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Given this pattern, we see that part of producing the fruit of the Spirit also means the ceasing of producing the fruit of the world. Ask God to help you both put sin to death and also put on the fruit of the Spirit in your life.

Written By: Graham Withers

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Today's Passage: Galatians 5:1-15

I recommend looking up on YouTube, Dr. Os Guinness: "A Free People's Suicide." In it he discusses the paradox of freedom:

“Freedom cannot be maintained by structures of liberty. It requires the spirit of liberty—it is a matter of the heart. Freedom requires ordering, and the only ordering appropriate to freedom is self-restraint—not restraint imposed from the outside. But self-restraint is precisely what’s undermined when freedom flourishes. 

The major reason freedom undermines itself is that it quickly moves down toward permissiveness and then eventually license. Freedom is not the permission to do what you like, it is the power to do what you ought—and that paradox of freedom is demonstrated by all the [no longer] free societies in history.” 

For freedom Christ has set us free. We celebrate freedom yet understand so little about it. We often treat freedom in the sense that Dr. Guinness discusses it—license to do what I want. However, Paul said in verse 13, “do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh.” When we lack the self-restraint and use freedom for sin, we return to the shackles held by the master of this world. The evidence of such, you’ll read tomorrow as “the works of the flesh.”

However, outright gratification isn’t the only bondage we see in Galatians. It is not the only yoke of slavery. The gratification listed as works of the flesh aren’t the beginning of sin, but the result of sinfulness. For example, I am not angry, which causes me to sin. Instead, I have a heart enslaved to sin, therefore it gets expressed through anger (the same is true of the other works of the flesh).

So what bondage is Paul fighting against? Much of Galatians is written to the Judaizers who would put the yoke of the Mosaic Law onto Christians—especially Gentile Christians. The yoke of slavery refers directly to the acceptance of circumcisions, but points toward a Christ-less salvation based on good works. If merit is the key to salvation, then one “is obligated to keep the whole law,” which is impossible. Otherwise, I become the standard. Eventually, my “structures of liberty” will fail and I turn to gratification and, ultimately, bondage.

The only key to liberty is through the Spirit, by faith, we eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. Living by the Spirit—whom we receive by grace through faith in Jesus as our Lord and Savior—is evidence of our relationship with Jesus Christ. We need not return to other acts to gain merit from the Lord other than what our Savior has accomplished for us. Verses 7–12, Paul issues hard words for those that would add such obligations to the Gospel.  

Our freedom in Christ isn’t simply freedom from, it’s freedom for. We’re not just free from sin, we’re free for righteousness. Let us not add to the all sufficient merit of Jesus by returning to old ways of thinking or doing. Let us rightly understand and dwell on the grace of the Gospel. Let us celebrate liberty.

Give a listen to this song from 2nd Corinthians 3:17 and share what God is teaching you in this passage.
https://youtu.be/eRdMZrAmCZo 

Written By: Tyler Short

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Today's Passage: Galatians 4:21-31

Paul likes analogies, and sometimes they make much more sense than others. The one in today’s reading makes it a bit harder to fathom at surface level, so let’s give a simple synopsis and rejoice in what Paul means.

Keep in mind, this entire letter is a call to freedom in Christ, away from the slavery to sin and the law. As we’ve seen, he is using the freedom/slavery analogy to show us our identity: in Christ we are free; apart from Christ we are slaves.

Think of verses 21-31 this way: God has called us to freedom, not slavery. Abraham and Sarah devised a plan to “speed up” God’s promise to give him a son (Ishmael), but that only resulted in further slavery. HINT: we can’t do it on our own. Rather, waiting for God’s promise to come through God Himself, Isaac is born and through him, freedom from spiritual slavery though His ultimate descendant, Jesus Christ.

I’ll say it like this: when we try to do it ourselves it leads to slavery. When we do it God’s way, it leads to freedom.

So, have we been living like Hagar rather than Sarah? Have we tried to “earn” God’s promise rather than just receive God’s promise? If you find yourself today working toward being good enough to earn God’s love and salvation, you’re living like Hagar; trying to force it to happen as if God can be manipulated or fooled.

Instead, live like Sarah, fully resting in God’s promise to provide freedom though a better son, Jesus Christ. Only by Him are our sins eliminated and forgiven. Only by Him can we walk in a bondage-free life because sin has been conquered. May we find ourselves resting in what Christ has already done rather than burning ourselves out trying to earn it for ourselves and falling deeper into slavery.

Written By: Drew Dukes

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Today's Passage: Galatians 4:8-20

“But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more?” (Gal 4:9)

Paul writes extensively about the freedom that is found in Christ Jesus! Whenever a person
repents of their sin and places their faith in God, they are raised from death to life (2 Cor 5:17).

Beautifully, they are freed from the slavery to sin that they once walked in. The blood of Jesus Christ provides freedom for His creation. In Romans 6:7, Paul writes, “For one who has died has been set free from sin.” Here in this letter to the church in Galatia, Paul is encouraging the believers to REMEMBER that God has set them free because they have died with Christ! Sadly, they have turned back towards and embraced the sinful things that once held them captive. Paul is genuinely confused - with a broken heart - about how they could abandon the freedom that is found in Christ and turn back to worthless idols in this world.

I wanted to land here today because of the sad truth that we can quickly find ourselves in a
similar situation whenever we cease to daily walk with God. In seasons where life is hard and intentional time with Jesus is the first thing to go (which shouldn’t be the case but it sadly is in our fast-paced North American context)...we shouldn’t be surprised if we look up and realize that we have forsaken freedom in Christ for slavery to the things that Jesus died to set us free from!

Today, let us be reminded to seek God each day, to take sin seriously, and to pray the bold
prayer: “God, would you show me where I am living in bondage to sin in my life? Sin that you have set me free from!” This is a prayer that God desires to answer in the life of His children.

“Prove me, O LORD, and try me; test my heart and my mind” (Ps 26:2).
Let this be our cry as a church family.

I want to challenge you to wrestle with the following questions:
1)  Pull out a pen and paper and reflect on this question - As a follower of Jesus Christ, what has He set me free from?
2). Does my heart break for the ways that I have grown numb to sin in my life? If not, pray
that God would break your heart for what breaks his.

Written By: Steven Thompson

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Today’s Passage: Galatians 4:1-7

This is a powerful passage about what God does in our lives through Jesus. The truth
of the gospel is that we are sinners separated from God by birth & by practice. This is
not figurative. This is literal. Without a rescuer we literally have no hope.

”But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his son…” Galatians 4:4

When the right time came, God sent Jesus. John 3:16 tells us that this was from His
love. This was from His desire to see the world turn to Him. He gave us a way to a
relationship with Him… to forgiveness.

This passage shows us THREE THINGS that happens in our lives when we give our
lives to Jesus in surrender:

1) REDEMPTION (V.5)

Jesus redeems us. He bought us back. He forgives us of our sin. The idea of
redemption is an important one in the gospel. Without Jesus we are condemned by
the law. With Jesus there is no condemnation for those in Christ (Romans 8:1). He
redeems us through the gospel.

2) ADOPTION (V.5)

He brings us into His family. We are adopted into His family. He is now our Heavenly
Father in a literal sense. And as adopted children we receive all the rights of children.
We receive inheritance. We are heirs (v.7) Life in heaven.

3) AFFECTION (V.6)

When we are brought back into a relationship with God through Jesus - we receive
the Holy Spirit. We are indwelt by God Himself. We are a temple of God. And what the
Holy Spirit does is creates affection in our hearts for God. We cry out for God.

Reflection Thoughts: Do you remember when Jesus changed your life? Do you
remember what He redeemed you from? Do you realize that you are in God’s family?
Are you letting God stir your affection in your heart?

Don’t ever lose sight of the heart of the gospel. It is not old news. It is good news. We
never move past it. It is life transforming truth.

Written By: Nick Parsons

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Today's Passage: Galatians 3:15-29

Justified in Christ, Living in Christ

Paul reminds us of a crucial truth—because we have been justified by Christ, we must also live in Him. Too often, we separate faith and works as if they function independently, but in reality, they grow together as the Holy Spirit works within us.

Justified by Faith

Romans 5:1 declares that we have been made righteous through faith in Jesus. Our sins no longer condemn us because Christ’s perfect work has been credited to us. Salvation is not based on our deeds—whether before or after faith—but on Christ alone. Because of this, we now have "peace with God" (Romans 5:1). This means we can rest, knowing we are saved.

Yet, how often do we fall into the trap of trying to earn God's favor? Whether by attempting to "make up" for past sins or believing we must prove ourselves worthy, we sometimes live as if our salvation depends on our performance. Is there an area in your life where you are still striving instead of resting in Christ? What would it look like to fully trust in His finished work?

Christ Lives in Me

Paul asks in Romans 6:1, “Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? By no means!” If we have truly been transformed by Christ and indwelt by the Holy Spirit, our lives will reflect that change. Yes, we will still struggle with sin, but we will fight against it, not embrace it. We cannot return to the very things Christ died to save us from. Instead, we are called to walk in step with the Spirit, allowing Jesus to shape every part of our lives.

Are there areas in your life that remain unchanged by the gospel? Have you fully surrendered those to Christ? True faith doesn’t just acknowledge Jesus as Savior—it follows Him as Lord. May we rest in His grace and walk in His ways, living as those truly justified and transformed.

Written By: Joe Weaver

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Today's Passage: Galatians 3:1-14 

Your salvation is a gift of grace alone that you receive by faith alone. Paul is confronting the Galatian church, which seems to have understood that.

However, the church has become confused. Paul goes so far as to call them foolish and ask if they were bewitched. Though they once initially believed, their view of the true gospel has been clouded.

They have fallen into the trap of believing, even though they were saved by faith alone, that they would grow in maturity by fulfilling the law.

To this misconception, Paul gives the Galatians Abraham as an example. Abraham did not just believe IN or ABOUT God: he believed God. It was solely because of Abraham’s trust in God that he was considered righteous.

1 Peter 3:18 says, ”For Christ also suffered[b] once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit”

Christ redeemed us by taking on the curse, the punishment that the law required, the punishment that we deserved.

When we believe God we are completely changed, and we are made alive in the Spirit to live out a life of faith. We grow in maturity as disciples of Christ in the same way that we initially became disciples of Christ: through believing God.

Through daily choosing to pursue God, not out of obligation, but as an act of worship in response to all that He has already done for us!

Written By: Paulette Carwile

Today's Passage: Galatians 2:11-21 

In the beginning of our passage, we see the need for godly accountability. It seems to me that Peter felt a need to please people. He denied Jesus 3 times because he was ashamed in that moment to be associated with Him. Paul, in verses 11-14, tells of another time where Peter was hanging with the Gentiles until Jewish friends showed up. Peter then outcasted the Gentiles and went back to his Jewish friends. Paul called him out for his hypocrisy.
 
Then, Paul reminds the Galatian church of the truth of the Gospel. It is a reminder that there should be no distinction between Jew and Gentile, because anyone who puts their faith in Jesus is justified. And when we are justified, we are to “live by faith in the Son of God” (v. 20).
 
Peter knew this. Peter taught this. But even Peter made mistakes. Paul did too (Romans 7:15-25). It just goes to show the importance of godly community and accountability. We need people in our lives who can speak the truth to us. And our job is to take a heart posture of humility, being willing to learn, so we may look more like Jesus.
 
Who in your life has the ability to call out your sin and/or “blindspots”?
 
Is there anyone in your life that you need to hold accountable and speak truth in their life? If so, godly restoration is not about being right, but about helping the person become more like Jesus.

Written By: Brice Stockton

Today's Passage: Galatians 2:1-10 

There’s so much we can learn from the apostle Paul about what it looks like to faithfully walk with God and serve and lead in the church.

Here are two things that stand out:

1. Paul was patient in growing and developing as a Christian.
I think we sometimes think Paul came to Christ on the Damascus road and immediately started planting churches all over the region. But we saw at the end of chapter 1, that he actually waited 3 years before starting his ministry. Perhaps that is why, in 1 Timothy 3:6, he says, “He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil.” Putting someone in leadership too early is not good for the person or the church. Sometimes, it is best to go too slow rather than too quick.

2. Paul feared God, not man.
We see in our text that Paul did not fear man. He did not care if some were seen as influential or not (v. 2, 6) and he did not yield in submission to those who were teaching false doctrine (v. 5). This does not mean that Paul doesn’t care about people or love people. Not fearing man, rather, frees you to love people, not be ruled by either their approval or their intimidation. This begins with a strong, steady fear and love of God.

While Paul is an exemplary model for the Christian life, he too needed Jesus. Because Paul is not Jesus, we too can have hope that we can learn from Paul’s example of being patient in our growth, as well as fearing God more than man.

Written By: Graham Withers

Today's Passage: Galatians 1:11-24 

Before jumping into our passage today, we must remind ourselves of where we left off in Galatians 1:10, “For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.” Paul boldly declared he seeks to please an audience of One. Today’s passage illustrates why that is.

First, Paul didn’t receive the gospel that was invented or even shared by man. Instead, his dramatic conversion recorded in Acts 9 recalls how Christ overwhelmed Paul’s senses. Christ revealed Himself to the persecutor seeking to “destroy it.”

Second, Paul had been “advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age…”, and yet, when it was all said and done, Paul determined that the trade had been worth it. He had status, prestige, and on a course to the peak echelons of society. After Christ invaded his life, he lived under near constant threat of death. He suffered numerous beatings, even being left for dead. He suffered greatly for the cause of Christ. Yet, in Philippians 3, written from prison toward the end of his life, Paul counts everything before Christ as filthy rubbish.

Third, God used Paul in mighty ways. As Christianity spread, God used Paul as a missionary to the Gentiles (non-Jews). Gentile inclusion into God’s plan and program is a massive scandal of the New Testament—which is the impetus of the book of Galatians. Gentiles were coming to Christ in droves. Paul’s ministry is primarily characterized by riots and revivals. Galatians gives insight into why that is; namely, that Gentiles need not convert to Judaism to become Christian. For the Jews rooted in Law and tradition, this was a bitter pill indeed. Many came behind Paul and the other missionaries to say that Christ alone is not enough. Salvation requires obedience to the Law. Paul gave no quarter to such false teaching. This is why he works so hard in our passage to establish his bona fides that the Gospel he preached is “not man's gospel…[but] received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.” This Gospel that he spread throughout the region caught fire in part because, “He who used to persecute us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.” That kind of life-change had an impact.

Paul obviously provides us with a great example of what it means to live sold out for Christ. However, he doesn’t write these words to proclaim how great he is. He’s writing because people are bringing confusion to the Gospel that radically changed his life. It’s the Gospel that we must compare ourselves to, not Paul. In the Gospel, I am hopeless and helpless apart from the saving work of Christ Jesus. He is worth my surrender. He is worth giving up our comfort. He is worth sharing with those who do not know him. Only he, and nothing else, gives hope for eternity. In Christ, I need not fear, nor seek to please any other human being (although admittedly easier said than done). He is our audience of One.

Written By: Tyler Short

Today's Passage: Galatians 1:1-10

Galatians is a stellar example of balance between theology and practicality as Paul writes to the churches in Galatia with some reminders of how to help them best live out their faith.

In the first 5 verses, Paul (as he does in other letters) reminds his audience as to his calling (v. 1), authority (v. 3), purpose (v. 4-5). It’s always import for us to understand why we should listen to and trust the words of Paul (an apostle from Jesus Christ).  What comes out at verse 6 is directly tied to what Paul just stated in the first five verses.

Like today, so many people twist the gospel to make it something smooth and palpable, but at the same time unrecognizable to orthodox Christianity.

v. 6: Paul is shocked that these churches are walking away from the grace of Christ to another gospel.

v. 7: Paul reminds the readers of their folly in doing so because there is no such ‘other’ gospel, but only that of Jesus Christ.

v. 8-9: No matter who or what brings a message now, if it is contrary to the scriptures adopted and obeyed by the apostles, any other message is wrong. Funnily enough, many men and even records of “divine” visitations have led to other religions and other holy writings, none of which are true to the original gospel of Christ. Any deviation from scripture should require our deviation from it. Paul even says “accursed” are those who walk away, for there is no truer message than the life, death, and resurrection of Christ and the salvation that comes with it.

V. 10: Paul argues that if he wanted to please man, he might consider walking away too, but he knows that giving his life over to Christ in fulness at the risk of man’s disapproval is far worth it. Herein is the best exhortation/reminder of the first 10 verses:

You can’t follow man and please God. (or vice versa)

As you’ll see in the upcoming passage, being called by God is the reason for Paul’s obedience above all else. It makes me want to mimic Paul’s resolve and do my best to follow Jesus in a world of deviation and unpopularity, knowing that in the end, the gospel stands true and will be worth my devotion.

Written By: Drew Dukes

Today's Passage: Zechariah 14

Zechariah 14 is a complex chapter, but one thing is clear: it speaks of a future day when the Lord will powerfully intervene, bringing both judgment and purification. While some details are difficult to interpret, two key truths stand out.

First, the day of the Lord’s judgment is certain. This chapter vividly reminds us that God will return to judge the world. Though judgment is an unpopular topic, Scripture is clear: “The day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night” (2 Peter 3:10). Are you ready for His return? Are you living with urgency, honoring Him in all you do? Paul reminds us, “We make it our aim to please Him” (2 Corinthians 5:9). Our lives should reflect our anticipation of His coming.

Second, Zechariah emphasizes that God’s plan includes “all nations” (v. 2, 16). Even in a passage about judgment, we see God’s mercy extended to those who turn to Him. The Gospel makes this clearer—through Jesus’ death and resurrection, salvation is available to all people. This is good news for us, especially as non-Jews, because we, too, are included in God’s redemptive plan. But it’s also a call to action. Since Christ is returning soon, we must share this Good News with the world.

Zechariah 14 serves as both a warning and an encouragement. Judgment is coming, but so is redemption for those who trust in Christ. Let this truth shape how you live today—walking in faith, pursuing holiness, and sharing the Gospel while there is still time.

Are you ready for His return? Let’s live each day with purpose, pleasing Him in all we do.

Written By: Joe Weaver

Today’s Passage: Zechariah 12

As we dive into Zechariah 12, he tells us the “oracle of the word of the Lord” or prophesy about the future. It’s very important, we notice what is said next. Before God tells us the prophecy, He reminds us that it was Him who created it all: Thus declares the Lord, who stretched out the heavens and founded the earth and formed the spirit of man within him.
 
Why would God need us to be reminded of who He is? Every bit of prophecy hinges on God being who He is. How could God talk about the future if He didn’t know what was going to happen? Because God is the founder of all things, we can trust Him and what He says about the future.
 
In verses 2-9, God prophesies about the end times. The “day” referenced in these verses is the day of the Battle of Armageddon (Revelation 16:16, 19:17-21). It’s the day when God’s enemies, led by the Antichrist, will make war against God. But as God tell us in Zechariah, His enemies will not win. God is going to be victorious along with all who trust in Him. God will be the protector for anyone who has placed their faith in Jesus. We know this because in Zechariah 13:1 it says: On that day there shall be a fountain opened for the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and uncleanness.
 
Whose side are you on: with God or opposed to God? If opposed to God, what would stop you from repenting of your sin and trusting in Him? If with God, how does Zechariah 12 give you confidence?

Written By: Brice Stockton

Today’s Passage: Zechariah 10 

“Ask rain from the LORD
in the season of the spring rain,
from the LORD who makes the storm clouds,
and he will give them showers of rain,
to everyone the vegetation in the field” (10:1)

In reading Zechariah 10, I am encouraged to lean into the reality and blessing of prayer in my life. Often, I find myself in seasons where prayer comes more naturally throughout the course of my days. Then, there are some seasons where prayer becomes more challenging. In this passage, God communicates that He will save and bless Israel - ultimately through His Son Jesus Christ - so that the World will know the Goodness of God. In Nehemiah 10:6 we are able to rest in the words of God pertaining to prayer, “for I am the LORD their God and I will answer them.” Today, God hears the prayers of His people and desires to draw His people to Himself. Oswald Chambers writes about the purpose of prayer in My Utmost for His Highest, “We look upon prayer simply as a means of getting things for ourselves, but the biblical purpose of prayer is that we may get to know God Himself.”

Whenever we are calling on God, is our ultimate desire to know Him deeper? This is a question that I want to leave us with today as we desire to follow after the Good Shepherd - Jesus Christ.

I want to challenge us today to wrestle with the following questions:

1) Do I live a life of prayer?

2) What season of my life do I tend to pray the most often? What does this reveal about my heart towards God?

3) This week, how can I pray in such a way that my heart is postured before God with the humble cry - “God, I want to know you deeper.”?

Written By: Steven Thompson

Today’s Passage: Zechariah 9

This is such an encouraging chapter that we have today and one that shows us God’s heart and God’s plan. The people of God had endured hardship for some time as they were in exile. In this chapter we see God’s character.

1) THE JUSTICE OF GOD (v.1-8)

God reminds them that He is just. They had endured much injustice by their enemies and God wanted them to know that this did not go unnoticed and it will not go unpunished. One thing we see in this is that sin does not slip under the radar of God. He sees it. Either we will have to give an account for it or we can receive the forgiveness that Jesus offers.

2) THE PLAN OF GOD (v.9-13)

God was not just seeking justice… God was seeking restoration and salvation. He was sending to them a King. This king was to be righteous and bring salvation. This King is Jesus. We see the prophecy of Jesus riding on a donkey lived out in Matthew 21, Mark 11, Luke, 19 and John 12. God’s plan was to send Jesus, the savior of the world to redeem, restore, and bring salvation. The people Zechariah was writing to had to look forward to this in faith and hope… we get to look back on it in belief and place our faith in it!

3) THE SALVATION OF GOD (v.14-17)

We see in this last section of Zechariah 9 that God was going to bring salvation and deliverance through King Jesus. God was going to bring salvation (v. 16) through Jesus because of His goodness (v. 17). God was going to be their place of safety when they had felt so unstable. And the good news of salvation is that we don’t have to endure it but we get to flourish in it (v. 17b).

This is the kind of God we serve. He does not sit back apathetically and watch. He is engaged in the details of our lives. He has a plan. He has a purpose. He wants us to know Him, experience Him, love Him, and walk with Him.

“For how great is His goodness, and how great is His beauty!” / Zechariah 9:17 How did God speak to your heart today?

Written By: Nick Parsons

Today’s Passage: Zechariah 8 

“In chapter 7, Israel was to repent and live righteously after the punishment of her captivity; here in chapter 8 she is to repent and live righteously because of the promise of her future restoration.” (Quoted in Constables Notes, NETBible.org)

Zechariah 8 pictures a work that only God could do. That is, after the devastation of the Babylonian Exile, God promised what he will do to restore Israel. Depending on a person’s view of the end-times Zechariah’s description is ultimately pointing to the future earthly reign of Christ when he returns for a second time. This period is referred to as the Millennial Kingdom. It is the time when the Lord will “return to Zion and dwell in the midst of Jerusalem, and Jerusalem shall be called the faithful city, and the mountain of the Lord of hosts, the holy mountain;” where, “Many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem and to entreat the favor of the Lord.”

If you have a pen, underline the phrase “Lord of Hosts.” Let me rephrase, if you’re reading a paper Bible, underline, “Lord of Hosts.” That phrase appears 18 times in this chapter alone. The Lord is jealous for his people and in fulfilling His promise, “with great wrath.”

The jealousy of the Lord confuses some people. It is not a jealousy from an inability to have what He wants—though that’s how we often experience it. I think of God’s jealousy as a divine frustration that someone would want less for themselves than God wants for them. God is not jealous for things; He is jealous for the affections of people’s hearts. He wants the best for them, He is the best for them, when they choose anything less that worshipping God, they’re not experiencing God’s best. When it comes to God being the “Lord of Hosts,” any person that would thwart God’s best is in danger of experiencing the wrath of heaven’s armies.

If I had to summarize this chapter in a word, it would be “hope.” Today, remember that we have a God who will fight for us. He is the Commander of Heaven’s Armies. And while I understand many of the good things this chapter promises as future yet unfulfilled events, that does not mean God doesn’t fight for us in the present. God has provided every weapon of war we need (Ephesians 6) to succeed against the unholy trinity—the world, the flesh, and the devil. When Zechariah says, “Love truth and peace” (19), God’s Spirit wants to produce that as fruit in your life (Galatians 5).

We don’t have to wait to experience the victory of the Lord of Hosts. However, it’s that victory that is our hope. Romans 8:18 reminds us that anything we face in life won’t be worth comparing to what we’ll experience in that day.

Spend a few moments and praise God for who He is, the Lord of Hosts, and the hope we have in Him.


Written By: Tyler Short

Today's Passage: Zechariah 7

God speaks through Zechariah with a very applicable message that we should pay close attention to. God basically rebukes His people for putting on outward signs of devotion to Him but revealing that their hearts are actually far from Him.

Paraphrased, God says, “You fast but WHO do you fast for? It’s for you, not me.”

As a result of their glossy veneer of religious activity, God reminds them of what He cares about more than outward expressions of religion:

• Render true judgments (be honest!)
• Show kindness and mercy to one another (don’t say you love Me but refuse to love people; that is incompatible)
• Don’t mistreat the least of these (stop making a social totem pole where people are marginalized)
• Don’t let evil dwell inside of you (internal purity is more important than outward expression)

God goes on to say they didn’t listen. They rejected the simplest of His commands, and for it they were disciplined.

How easy it is to over-complicate the Christian life, when God consistently strives to show how basic it really is. Love God and love people.

Is there any semblance of religious activity in you that isn’t motivated by a gospel love for God and others? Do you pray, fast, read your Bible, and tithe, all the while holding grudges in your heart? God wants purity from us in all ways, so what does this look like for you?

Diamonds might be a girl’s best friend, but a diamond-heart is not something God desires from us (v. 12).

Written By: Drew Dukes

Today's Passage: Zechariah 6

Obedience and Dependence

"And this shall come to pass, if you will diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God." – Zechariah 6:15

The book of Zechariah is filled with vivid visions, dreams, and prophetic imagery. In chapter 6, we see Joshua, the high priest, being crowned—a striking moment since priests were not typically kings. This vision is deeply messianic, pointing to Jesus, our true King and great High Priest. Yet, the vision concludes with a clear command: obedience to God’s voice. This reminds us that faith is not passive; we have a role to play, even as we rely fully on the Lord.

At the time, God’s people were eagerly awaiting the Messiah. They had endured nearly 70 years of exile, longing for deliverance. But Zechariah challenges them: Are you living as though you’re truly expecting the Messiah? Is your heart ready to obey Him?

Unlike them, we have the privilege of knowing the finished work of Jesus. We have seen the fulfillment of the promise. Yet the same question applies: Are we living in obedience to His voice? Do we live with expectation, believing He is at work in and through us? Since God has freed us from sin, our response should be joyful obedience—not out of obligation, but as an act of worship.

Sadly, the history of Israel—and humanity—shows a pattern of resistance to God’s voice. When Jesus came, many rejected, abused, and crucified Him. The real issue wasn’t just disobedience; it was a heart problem. They needed more than rule-following—they needed transformation. So do we.

Like Israel, we were once dead in sin, but God, by His Spirit, made us alive in Christ. Even with new hearts, we still need the Spirit’s power to walk in obedience. Each day, we depend on His grace and mercy for the ways we fall short. Faith requires action—listening, reading, and walking according to God’s Word—but this must flow from a heart fully surrendered to the Holy Spirit.

Obedience and dependence go hand in hand. We live in repentance and faith, and we encourage others to do the same. Let’s be a people who truly listen, trust, and follow the voice of the Lord.

Written By: Joe Weaver

Today's Passage: Zechariah 5 

In chapter 5, the visions of Zechariah give us a picture of God’s justice AND His ultimate plan to redeem His people.

The massive flying scroll is seen to be purifying the land. It cleans out thieves and liars. For the Israelites this vision probably resembled what they saw of God purifying and building up His people once again.

God was purifying His nation to be a beacon to the nations and He would purify them through His word!

The vision of the woman in the basket gives us a flashback of Israel being sent to exile because of their sin. God sent their iniquity and wickedness away.

When we read this passage, we can be encouraged knowing that God’s character has not changed!

God has brought justice for our sin and He has sent our iniquity into exile, and He did this through the Word Made Flesh: Jesus.

God’s just plan of redemption is best on display in Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. Because of His sacrifice on our behalf, we can be redeemed. Our sin was paid for on the Cross and in Christ’s resurrection we are given hope that we too can be brought to new life and be transformed by His word!

Written By: Paulette Carwile

Today's Passage: Zechariah 4 

I love what Micah Fries says about Zechariah 4 in Exalting Jesus:

The golden lampstand symbolizes God’s people, Israel. The oil—produced by the olive trees, supplied by the suspended bowl, and delivered by the 49 channels—represents the work of Holy Spirit, empowering Israel to be a light to the nations, directing them to God.
When Zechariah asks the angel the meaning of what he is seeing, instead of giving an immediate explanation of the symbolism of the lampstand, bowl, and olive trees, the angel explains the spiritual truth behind the symbols: “Not by strength or by might, but by My Spirit.” The vision portrays an endless supply of God’s Spirit, an endless supply of God’s power for His people to accomplish God’s purpose, supplied by God Himself. In the vision the bowl is above the lamp. This indicates that God’s power is not something that human beings work up. God’s power is something that He sends down. When the channels are open in our lives to receive His Spirit’s power, He is ready to send down everything we need to do His work.

Then in verse 7 the Lord gives this message to Zerubbabel: “What are you, great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become a plain.” The “mountain” refers to the opposition that stood in front of Zerubbabel as he tried to do God’s work in rebuilding the temple. God’s enemies living in the area came against Zerubbabel and the Jews with words of discouragement and hostility. Imagine their taunts: “You cannot rebuild this temple. You have barely gotten started, and you will never finish. You might as well quit. We are going to fight you at every turn.” In the face of that mountain of opposition, God was saying, “What are you? Zerubbabel will flatten you by the power of My Spirit.”

There may be a mountain you have faced for years, just as Zerubbabel faced the mountain of the incomplete temple. Each day of continued opposition and the increasing sense of defeat makes the mountain seem larger and more overwhelming. By now, you may think that you simply will never overcome it. And, in the deepest sense, you are right. You cannot overcome your obstacle. You cannot flatten the mountain on your own. But the Holy Spirit of God can overcome it. He lives inside of you, and He will empower you. The greatest obstacles can be conquered. As you trust in Him, God’s Spirit conquers even the greatest of obstacles.

¹ Micah Fries, Stephen Rummage, and Robby Gallaty, Exalting Jesus in Zephaniah,
Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi, ed. David Platt, Daniel L. Akin, and Tony Merida,
Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary (Nashville, TN: Holman Reference, 2015),
122.
² Micah Fries, Stephen Rummage, and Robby Gallaty, Exalting Jesus in Zephaniah,
Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi, ed. David Platt, Daniel L. Akin, and Tony Merida,
Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary (Nashville, TN: Holman Reference, 2015),
123.

Written By: Brice Stockton

Today's Passage: Zechariah 3 

This fourth vision in the book of Zechariah is a beautiful picture of the gospel.

You have the accuser: Satan. His accusation is not without warrant. Joshua, indeed, is clothed in filthy garments of iniquity.

Nonetheless, God rebukes Satan, not because Joshua is pure, but because God is going to make him pure.

God takes away the filth and iniquity of Joshua and exchanges it for pure vestments and a clean turban.

This passage screams of Jesus. Jesus does this for you and I in his life, death, and resurrection.

Look for Jesus as you read the Old Testament.

“Every story whispers his name.” Sally Lloyd Jones

Written By: Graham Withers

Today’s Passage: Zechariah 1

The book of Zechariah was written by Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo
who was probably his grandfather (1:1 and Ezra 5:1 and 6:14) Zechariah was a prophet in
Judah and he lived and prophesied about 520 B.C. during the reign of Darius king of
Persia. He was a contemporary of Haggai (Ezra 5:1). He was martyred - Jesus told us
that Zechariah was killed between the altar and the temple (Luke 11:51).

It is a cool time for us to study Zechariah because we walked through Ezra 1-6 recently
at Center Point on Sunday mornings. In the book of Ezra the people are sent back
from Exile but only around 50,000 return. They start to rebuild the temple but then
everything is halted under opposition & accusation. That is where Zechariah comes in.

Now the prophets, Haggai and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews
who were in Judah and Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel who was over
them. / Ezra 5:1

Haggai and Zechariah were challenging them to keep going, to remember God, and
to trust Him and His plan.

In Zechariah 1, the book starts out like much of the other minor prophets - with a call
to repent and turn back to God. He urges them to not be like their forefathers who
did not turn back to God but to, in faith, truly repent and see God for who He is and
what He is worth.

In verse 7 of Zechariah launches into visions that he has had from God. These
continue through chapter 6. There are 8 visions. Today, in chapter one, we have the
first two.

VISION ONE - THE HORSEMAN.
There is a lot going on in this but the meaning is revealed. God’s anger is set against the nations and He is going to restore Israel.

VISION TWO - THE HORNS & CRAFTSMEN.
What is being revealed is that God’s judgement is coming to those who oppressed Judah.

Here is what is ENCOURAGING to me - God said He was going to do all of this before
they repent. God is good to us. He keeps His covenants and His promises. This should
be motivation to repent and follow God in all things. God is not only deserving, but
this is how we have been designed to live by God.

THINGS GO BETTER WHEN WE DO THEM GOD’S WAY.

Is there any area of your life where you need to turn back to God in view of His
faithfulness & His promises? What would it look like for you to repent in those areas?

Zechariah is going to be a great book to study. Take just a couple minutes and watch
this video from the Bible Project. It will lay out Zechariah for you and help the book to
make sense allowing you to have profitable reading and meaningful time with God -
https://bibleproject.com/explore/video/zechariah/

Written By: Nick Parsons

Today's Passage: Daniel 12

As I consider the prophecy of Daniel, I am reminded to consider what we learn about the nature of predictive prophecy with regard to Jesus as the Messiah. First, there are over 300 prophecies about the Messiah in the Old Testament. Second, although I can’t cite my source, I have heard on several occasions that ancient scholars believed that no one person could fulfill all messianic prophecies such that they expected up to 5 people to come as Messiah. Third, we now know through the progressive revelation of the New Testament that one man can and will fulfill all of these prophecies—in Christ’s first coming as the Suffering Servant, and also through his Second Coming as Ruler and Judge. Fourth, these prophecies were literally fulfilled, although hindsight has provided more clarity on the nature of the prophetic message. Finally, the religious leaders of Jesus’ day completely misunderstood who he was and what he’d come to accomplish—they possessed knowledge, but lacked true godly wisdom.

So, with that said, what does Daniel 12 mean? The short answer is I don’t know. I have an opinion, but held openhandedly.

Daniel 11 recorded events that were future to Daniel. Some of those things were pretty specific such that many people believe they were literally fulfilled in the coming Persian conquest and subsequent Greek conquest under Alexander the Great. All of this culminates in the reign of Antiochus Epiphanes—an evil man who violated and desecrated God’s temple leading to the Maccabean Revolt. This is where I tend to land with regard to Daniel 11.

So, what then is the “time of trouble/distress” in verse 1? The Expositors Commentary sums it up two of the main views well, “The historicist interpreter understands this unparalleled “time of distress” (v. 1b) as the enormity of the persecution of the Jews by Antiochus IV (e.g., Lucas, 294; Redditt, 190). The futurist interpreter equates this “time of distress” with the “great tribulation,” the cataclysmic wrath of God poured out against unbelieving Israel and the entire world at the end of the age just before the second coming of Jesus Christ (e.g., Miller, 314–15; cf. Rev 6–16).”

Let me say that I get uneasy when well-meaning folks become overly dogmatic on interpreting various elements of “this means this and that means that and here are my calculations of what not.” I like words like “probably,” “maybe,” and “possibly” in these conversations. I am also comforted when, in verse 8, Daniel said, “I heard, but I did not understand.” Yet, verse 9 seems to indicate that Daniel’s prophetic utterances will be understood with clarity at “the time of the end.”  

I do think this passage probably provides insight into an eschatological reality—using the coming events to point to a greater future fulfillment. Verse 2 unambiguously presents a resurrection (the clearest yet in the OT), possibly even a rapture depending on your view of the timing of future events.

Here’s something we know for certain—the day is coming where evangelism will no longer exist. On the coming day of judgement there will be no more opportunity for people to receive the Gospel and experience salvation. It’s easy to read prophecies like what we’ve encountered in the last few chapters of Daniel and wonder if contemporary world leaders might be the ones in view—to look into the pages of Scripture and think, “The end is near!” For certain, it’s closer today than it was yesterday. Either way, we should be motivated to share Jesus because one day, the opportunity will be over.

Written By: Tyler Short