Perfectly Imperfect Together

In Malachi 4, God again gives His Word of the coming day of Jesus' return. Judgment will fall and those who choose Jesus as Lord and Savior of their lives will receive blessings and those who refuse Him will receive judgment. Jesus paid a high price on the cross and took our sins with Him when He did. He was judged for our sins. He poured out His life-blood so we could receive His righteousnes...

In Malachi 3, God sends a message through Malachi of the coming of John the Baptist as well as our Messiah. He also speaks of Jesus' return and the coming day of judgment that will come with His almighty return. Jesus came to earth and died for each of our sins - the sins of the world - just hoping we'd choose to put our faith in Him and receive eternal life instead of judgment for sins. G...

Jesus broke the loaves into pieces - then the miracle broke out. The miracle was in the broken pieces. God will use our broken pieces for His glory. Our testimony for God is in the broken pieces.

In Malachi 2, God reprimands the priests who were supposed to be leading and directing God's people to Him. Instead, they are dishonoring God and His holy Name. They were taking for granted the high calling God had put on their lives and working to please themselves instead of God. In doing so, they were also misleading and misguiding God's people into sin and unholiness before God. Just a...

In Malachi 1, Malachi is given a message by God for His people regarding their sinful impure hearts. God's people were not loving God. As God's children, we are to love God with all our guts and love the people around us out of that love for God. God pours out grace in our lives and wants us to pursue holiness and glorify Him with all our lives. We are not perfect, we are humble and repent...

In Zechariah 13 & 14, Zechariah receives a vision of the coming millennium period when Jesus returns for us. There will be cleansing, healing, and restoration for God's people and God's earth. There will be peace and joy and no evil, idols, or sin. Jesus will rule and judge and we will be cleansed as Jesus makes the world right again under His sovereign order. He will reign universally...

In Zechariah 12, God brings us to the glorious day of His return. Jesus is returning. It is promised repeatedly throughout Scripture. The world around us may be rough and some days might be really hard to get through, but we stand firm on God and His mighty power knowing He is holding us under His wings of protection. We know He has us and will hold us through whatever we face until we rejoice and...

In Zechariah 10 & 11, God promises the evil leaders who are leading His children astray will be punished. Jesus is our foundation for all and we need to faithfully stand firm in Him without wavering no matter what the circumstances around us look like. He carries all our burdens. He is our battle bow. And He is and always will be victorious. He never loses a battle. The moment we humbly repent...

In Zechariah 9, God gives an oracle of judgment that will be coming to the nations who oppose God and His children. He follows with a message of our Savior coming to earth and dying for each and every one of us on the cross just hoping that we will repent from sin and choose Him as our Lord and Savior. He pours out His mercy and grace in His first visit to earth. He also speaks of Jesus' 2nd c...

In Zechariah 8, hope that is only found through Christ and knowing He is returning and His Kingdom on earth will be established blossoms. We don't live on God's explanations. He owes us none. We live on God's promises. Through the promise of Jesus' return, hope is poured out to the Israelites as well as to us today. Life on earth is not easy, but when we choose Jesus as Lord over o...

In Zechariah 7, the work of rebuilding the Temple has been moving forward steadily and God gives Zechariah a message in response to God's people asking a question. Should they should continue the fasting they had added into their calendars that commemorated the burning of the Temple? God responds asking a question back - what is the heart behind the fast? God doesn't want our ceremonies or...

In Zechariah 6, God brings a vision of 4 chariots with red, white, black, and dappled gray horses who are now acting on God's direction rather than just reporting to God. The presence of chariots suggests battle and implies judgment. Red symbolizes war. Black symbolizes famine. White symbolizes death and the dappled gray likely symbolizes plagues. During the tribulation, there will be wars, fa...

In Zechariah 5, God gives Zechariah two visions. The first vision is of a flying scroll representing the 10 Commandments. The law was never given to save people, it was given to reveal our desperate need for our Savior - Jesus. The 2nd vision is of a woman in a basket representing the wickedness of commercialism and material wealth. Money has become a god around the world and, like a god, money is...

In Zechariah 4, God gives Zechariah a vision of a lampstand with two olive trees on each side. The olive trees would fill a bowl with oil that would be piped by 49 pipes to keep each of the golden lamps full and burning. We are to remain plugged into Jesus and keep the oil of the Holy Spirit full and burning in our lives by spending time with God in prayer and in His Word. When our lamps are full,...

In Zechariah 3, Satan tries to bring accusations to God about Joshua, the high priest who would serve God in the Temple upon rebuilding. God is the Judge, Satan is the accuser, and Jesus is our Defense attorney and Advocate. Satan pointed out the sins of Joshua and therefore Israel and insisted they should be punished. He's not wrong. We should all be punished for our sins. He forgot one impor...

In Zechariah 2, God brings a message of the coming glory of God that will fill the earth when Jesus returns. God's desires has always been that we would know Him, experience Him, and dwell with Him. He sent Jesus to shed His Life-Blood on the cross so we could be restored for eternity with Him. He wants that relationship to start now, today, while on earth. He wants sincere hearts pursuing Him...

In Zechariah 1, God brings a message through Zechariah calling for His people to repent and turn from sin to God. God cares for His people and He doesn't want to see us suffer the consequences of sin. He wants us to prosper in His will and His plan for our lives for the glory of His eternal Kingdom. He wants us to know Him and experience Him while we are on earth. He wants us to enjoy a sincer...

In Haggai 2, God reminds His people they can be strong and rest assured knowing God is with them and His Temple being rebuilt is His plan and He will see them through it. They can depend on God, He always provides all that is needed for His plans. God is unchanging and desires to dwell with us above all else. He wants our hearts and a sincere and intimate relationship with Him. When we choose Jesu...

In Haggai 1, God gives Haggai a Word for His people of encouragement. God sent Cyrus to release His people from exile so they could return to Jerusalem and rebuild God's Temple. Instead of rebuilding, they made excuses, avoided the topic, and decided they weren't sure it was "time" for that. They had plenty of time to rebuild their own homes but God's house laid in ruins. Hea...

In Zephaniah 3, God sends a message of hope letting us know we can be patient and rest assured that evil will be taken care of. This is all temporary. Jesus is returning and He will bind sin and remove all pride and arrogance. He doesn't want to lose a single soul and if we choose Jesus, we will be safe in His arms when judgment falls. Our sins have already been judged by Jesus. With His great...

In Zephaniah 2, God gives Zephaniah a message of coming judgment for all the nations. He opens by pleading with all the people to repent and turn to God. If we do, we will be "protected by the Lord's anger on that day of destruction." God's promises are different because God is pure and perfect and holy. If God makes a promise, it doesn't fade. It is eternal. God's promis...

In Zephaniah 1, God shows Zephaniah judgment was coming on Judah because they refuse to turn from sin to God. They refuse to listen to God's Words of warning and repent. God tells Zephaniah a great flood of fire is coming and those who refuse God will feel the flames. Judah would be taken out by Babylon and in the coming Day of the Lord, God will bring judgment for us as well. If we choose Jes...

In Habakkuk 3, Habakkuk has heard God's Word, seen a glimpse of God's glory, and responds in earnest prayer, praise, and worship to the Lord. His circumstances haven't changed, but he has. Getting a glimpse of the glory of God will do that. He was now walking by faith in our amazingly faithful God rather than by sight. He knows God has a plan and wants God's will to come forth. God...

In Habakkuk 2, Habakkuk's experience with God has turned him from a worrier to a watchman. He experiences and gets a fresh view of God's glory and who God is. God shares of the coming time when Jesus returns and sin and evil is replaced completely with God and His glory as His glory will fill the earth. God tells us if it seems slow in coming, wait patiently because it is coming and will n...

In Habakkuk 1, God gives a message Habakkuk was not expecting after he cries out to God to do something about the violent, horrible, dangerous wickedness that is growing more and more evil around him. Habakkuk was hoping God would poor out revival and restoration, but as God was continually warning His people over and over again - judgment was coming. The Babylonians were coming. God was sending p...