Category: Spiritual

 (Luke 1:5-13, NKJV) 

When children of God pray, they do expect an answer. However, we don’t know when, where, nor how the all-knowing God will answer our prayers. A certain priest, named Zacharias, and his wife Elisabeth were examples of such a situation. They were both righteous before God, walking blameless in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord (vv.5-6). But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years (v.7). 

According to the priesthood custom Zacharias was chosen by lot to serve as priest before God in the order of his division (v.8) to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense (v.9). While the incense was being burned, a great crowd stood outside, praying (v.10). Then an angel of the Lord appeared to Zacharias (v.11); when he saw the angel he was troubled and afraid (v.12). The angel gave him prophetic reassurance, telling him not to be afraid, because his prayer is heard, and his wife Elizabeth will bear him a son, and he will call his name John (v.13). Children of God have the right to “ask, and it will be given to you” (Matt. 7:7a). In His infinite wisdom the Lord is never late. Zacharias probably made this request known to God long before he and Elisabeth were well advanced in years even though she was barren. Now, they will have a son to be named John – Jehovah shows favor.

Zacharias and Elizabeth may have given up on having a child, but God is purposeful in everything He does.

Lift up your voice and shout, “Glory!”

1 Samuel 15:1-11, NKJV

In 1 Samuel 15:1-9 Samuel told Saul that God sent him to anoint him as king of Israel. That day Samuel also told Saul that the Lord sent him a message, commissioning him to utterly destroy Amalek their enemy for how he treated Israel when Israel was coming out of Egypt. This command was a test of Saul’s obedience to the voice of the words of the Lord. He will be king of God’s chosen people; therefore, it is important that he obeys the voice of the Lord. Was Saul obedient to the Lord’s voice? No, he did attack the Amalekites, but he was not completely obedient to God’s command to utterly destroy them and all that belonged to them. What did Saul and his people do? They totally destroyed everything that was worthless or of poor quality but spared Agag their king along with the best of all the livestock.

Brothers and Sisters, you cannot deceive the Lord; He always knows heart. It is not a small matter when God appoints you to a position of leadership. James 4:10 commands that we humble ourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up. Saul’s disobedience disappointed the Lord. He came to Samuel and said (v.10), “I greatly regret that I have set up Saul as king, for he has turned back from following Me, and has not performed My commandments.” And it grieved Samuel, and he cried out to the Lord all night (v.11).

Lift your voice and give God glory!

Ezekiel 34:11-16, NKJV

In verse 10 Ezekiel prophesied of God’s intervention on behalf of His people, Judah, that irresponsible leaders failed. The Lord God said: “Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will require My flock at their hand; I will cause them to cease feeding the sheep, and the shepherds shall feed themselves no more; for I will deliver My flock from their mouths, that they may no longer be food for them.” The Lord declared His love and protection of Judah from selfish, corrupt leaders. “The Lord is right and good in all His ways, and kind in all His works” (Ps.145:17, NLT). “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, And whose hope is the LORD” (Jer. 17:7). 

In Ezekiel 34:11-16 the Lord promised to restore His people. He declared that He Himself will search for His sheep and seek them out. Though the shepherds who were supposed to care for them failed, the Lord God said that He will take the responsibility of His people. He will be their Shepherd and deliver them from exile “from all the places where they scattered on a cloudy and dark day.” In other words, God promised to bring His people out of Babylonian exile (other places too) and restore every Jew to Israel. There are consequences for your sins. Judah and their leaders caused them to be driven into exile. But ultimately, it was God Himself who carried out the punishment for His people’s repeated disobedience. However, the true Shepherd promises to restore His flock. Obey God and be kind to others. 

Lift your voice and give God glory!

Ezekiel 34:10, NKJV

In verse 10 Ezekiel prophesied of God’s intercession to save His peoplethat the irresponsible leaders failed. “Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will require My flock at their hand; I will cause them to cease feeding the sheep, and the shepherds shall feed themselves no more; for I will deliver My flock from their mouths, that they may no longer be food for them.”

God is our Creator, and everything belongs to him. He expected the shepherds to shepherd His people. Failure to do so was like turning against Him. Romans 8:31b asks: “If God be for us, who can be against us?” God’s love for His people is everlasting, and no one can be against us. Paul said that ^“He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also, along with Him graciously give us all things” (Romans 8:32, AMP)? 

Ezekiel continued the prophecy, saying God promised to “require my flock at their hands” (v.10b). Shepherds should be careful to not selfishly neglect God’s sheep and turn against Him. The God of love promised to intercede for His people and pour out His wrath, holding the irresponsible shepherds accountable for mistreatment of His sheep. This is a sharp reminder that we should not become enemies to the Lord. The law of reaping states that every person will reap what they sow and be responsible for their own destiny. God holds leaders accountable; He expects them to be just in the service they give in the church and community.

Lift your voice and shout, “Glory!

Ezekiel 34:7-10, NKJV

Ezekiel repeated the prophetic judgment the God of Israel declared against the shepherds for neglecting His sheep, and that He would hold them accountable for their actions. 

The prophet told the shepherds to hear the word of the Lord (v.7): “As I live,” says the Lord God, “surely because My flock became a prey, and My flock became food for every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, nor did My shepherds search for My flock, but the shepherds fed themselves and did not feed My flock” (v.8) – therefore, O shepherds, hear the word of the Lord (v.9)! Note the repetition: “O shepherds, hear the word of the Lord” (vv.7,9); they stressed the negligent shepherds’ judgment and His people’s deliverance.

Verse 10 continued the prophecy of God’s Intercession to save His people that the irresponsible leaders failed. Thus says the Lord God “Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will require My flock at their hand; I will cause them to cease feeding the sheep, and the shepherds shall feed themselves no more; for I will deliver My flock from their mouths, that they may no longer be food for them (v.10).” 

This is evidence that the Lord loves His people; He prophesied to intercede for their protection from irresponsible, corrupt leaders. Every action He takes is for the benefit of all His creation, and without doubt “The Lord is righteous in all His ways, and holy in all His works” (Ps. 145:17, KJV). Therefore, “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, And whose hope is the LORD” (Jer. 17:7). 

Lift your voice and shout, “Glory!”