BREAKING THE FAST
EMPOWERING GRACE 8-min read
EMPOWERING GRACE 8-min read
READ: ZECHARIAH 4:1–10
1And the angel who talked with me came again and woke me, like a man who is awakened out of his sleep. 2And he said to me, “What do you see?” I said, “I see, and behold, a lampstand all of gold, with a bowl on the top of it, and seven lamps on it, with seven lips on each of the lamps that are on the top of it. 3And there are two olive trees by it, one on the right of the bowl and the other on its left.” 4And I said to the angel who talked with me, “What are these, my lord?” 5Then the angel who talked with me answered and said to me, “Do you not know what these are?” I said, “No, my lord.” 6Then he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts. 7Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain. And he shall bring forward the top stone amid shouts of ‘Grace, grace to it!’” 8Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 9“The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also complete it. Then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you. 10For whoever has despised the day of small things shall rejoice, and shall see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. These seven are the eyes of the Lord, which range through the whole earth.” ZECHARIAH 4:1–10
In the passage we read, twenty years had passed since Zerubbabel was tasked with the rebuilding of God’s temple. At this point, he was dealing with two problems: enemies were trying to stop the building project, and discouragement and weariness were creeping into the hearts of God’s people. The Lord encouraged Zerubbabel by declaring that He will provide the grace to finish the task.
Have you ever felt like Zerubbabel, that the great task given to you is too challenging and has taken a toll on your soul? We can be encouraged by the word given to him. We will accomplish what God has assigned to us—not by might, nor by power, but by God’s Spirit. As G. Campbell Morgan paraphrases, “Not by our resourcefulness, nor by our resoluteness, but by His spiritual resources!” By God’s grace and strength, we can accomplish what He has called us to do.
God’s grace was seen in how He helped and saved His servants. He intervened by touching the hearts of kings who allowed His people to rebuild the temple. The temple represented their identity as God’s people. It was where God would dwell and their place of worship. They were able to rebuild the temple even with opposition from their enemies.
We can be comforted with the truth that what God wills, He fulfills. That doesn’t mean we stop working. That doesn’t mean that we don’t have to participate in His work. Zerubbabel worked six more years before the temple was completed. But they worked more effectively by relying on God’s strength, which He provided out of His grace.
In the same way, we will all be pleasantly surprised by what we can accomplish through the Spirit of God. All we can say will be an echo of what the Lord told Zerubbabel: grace, grace! The double affirmation points to the truth that it is by grace that God begins the good work in us, and it is by His grace that He shall complete it through us.
REFLECT
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When faced with a challenge, what or who do you usually rely on? What does it mean to rely on God’s grace?
What do you think God is telling you about the challenges you are currently facing? In what areas of your life do you need to declare a double affirmation of grace, grace? Are you willing to persevere and keep going to see its fulfillment one day?
As the prayer and fasting comes to a close, our desire to grow deeper in God’s word and in His grace remains. How can we do this? By confessing and praying His word daily over our lives. Today, write down your own prayer confession based on Zechariah 4:6,7.
PRAY
Heavenly Father, thank You for the grace with which You begin and complete Your good work in us. I acknowledge that I can never accomplish anything that you have called me to do apart from Your grace. May I continually be reminded that it is not by might nor by power, but only by Your Spirit. I need Your grace to sustain me and help me pursue all the tasks You have set for me. For the rest of 2020, I declare grace, grace over my life, my family, my nation, and the world. In the mighty name of Jesus, amen.
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PAGHINTO SA PAG-AAYUNO
BIYAYANG NAGBIBIGAY-KALAKASAN 8-min read
BIYAYANG NAGBIBIGAY-KALAKASAN 8-min read
BASAHIN: ZACARIAS 4:1–10
1Bumalik ang anghel na nakipag-usap sa akin at ginising ako dahil tila nakatulog ako. 2Tinanong niya ako, “Ano ang nakita mo?” Sumagot ako, “Nakita ko ang isang gintong patungan ng ilawan. Sa itaas nito ay may mangkok na lalagyan ng langis. Sa paligid ng mangkok ay may pitong ilawan na ang bawat isa ay may pitong tubo na dinadaluyan ng langis. 3May dalawang puno ng olibo sa magkabila nito, isa sa kanan at isa sa kaliwa.” 4Tinanong ko ang anghel na nakikipag-usap sa akin, “Ano po ba ang ibig sabihin ng mga iyan?” Sumagot siya, 5“Hindi mo ba alam ang ibig sabihin ng mga iyan?” Sumagot ako, “Hindi po.” 6Sinabi niya sa akin, “Bago ko sagutin iyan, pakinggan mo muna itong mensahe ng Panginoong Makapangyarihan na sasabihin mo kay Zerubabel: “Zerubabel, matatapos mo ang pagtatayo ng templo hindi sa pamamagitan ng lakas o kakayahan ng tao kundi sa pamamagitan ng aking Espiritu. 7Maging kasinlaki man ng bundok ang hadlang na iyong haharapin, papatagin iyan. Matatapos ang templo, at habang inilalagay ang kahuli-hulihang bato nito, isisigaw ng mga tao, ‘Panginoon, pagpalain nʼyo po ito.’” 8Kaya sa pamamagitan ng anghel, sinabi sa akin ng Panginoon 9na matatapos ang templo sa pamamahala ni Zerubabel, gaya ng pamamahala niya sa pagtatayo ng pundasyon nito. At kapag nangyari na ito, malalaman ninyo na ang Panginoong Makapangyarihan ang nagsugo sa akin sa inyo. 10May mga taong kumukutya dahil kakaunti pa lamang ang nagagawa sa pagpapatayo ng templo. Pero matutuwa sila kapag nakita na nilang inilalagay ni Zerubabel ang pinakahuli at natatanging bato sa templo. Pagkatapos, sinabi sa akin ng anghel, “Ang pitong ilawang iyan ay ang mata ng Panginoon na nagmamasid sa buong mundo.” ZACARIAS 4:1–10
Sa pahayag na ating binasa, dalawampu’t taon na ang nakalipas simula nang iatas kay Zerubabel ang pagsasa-ayos sa templo ng Diyos. Sa panahong ito, may dalawang problema siyang kinakaharap: ang mga kaaway na nagtatangkang ipahinto ang kanilang proyekto at ang panghihina ng loob at pagod na unti-unting pumapasok sa puso ng mga mamamayan ng Diyos. Pinalakas ng Diyos ang loob ni Zerubabel sa pamamagitan ng paghahayag na ibibigay Niya ang biyaya upang matapos nila ang ipinapagawa sa kanila.
Naranasan mo na ba ang tulad sa naramdaman ni Zerubabel, na masyadong mahirap ang ibinigay sa iyong trabaho at napapagod na maging ang kaluluwa mo? Maaaring mapalakas ang ating loob ng pahayag na ibinigay sa kanya. Magagawa natin ang iniatas sa atin ng Diyos—hindi sa pamamagitan ng lakas o kaya ay kakayahan ng tao, kundi sa pamamagitan ng Espiritu ng Diyos. Gaya ng sinabi ni G. Campbell Morgan, “Not by our resourcefulness, nor by our resoluteness, but by His spiritual resources!” (Hindi sa pamamagitan ng sarili nating kapamaraanan o kaya ay determinasyon, kundi sa pamamagitan ng Kanyang espirituwal na yaman!) Sa pamamagitan ng biyaya at kalakasan ng Diyos, magagawa natin anuman ang ipagawa Niya sa atin.
Ang biyaya ng Diyos ay nakita sa paraan kung paano Niya tinulungan at iniligtas ang Kanyang mga tagapaglingkod. Siya ay namagitan sa pamamagitan ng paghipo sa puso ng mga hari na pumayag na maisaayos nila ang templo. Ang templo ay kumakatawan sa kanilang pagkakakilanlan bilang mga mamamayan ng Diyos. Dito nananahan ang Diyos at dito sila sumasamba sa Kanya.
Nagawa nilang maisaayos ang templo sa kabila ng oposisyon mula sa kanilang mga kaaway. Mabibigyan tayo ng kalakasan ng loob ng katotohanan na tutuparin ng Diyos anuman ang Kanyang kalooban. Hindi ito nangangahulugan na hindi na tayo kikilos. Hindi ito nangangahulugan na hindi na tayo makikibahagi sa Kanyang ginagawa. Si Zerubabel ay nagpatuloy sa pagtatrabaho sa loob ng anim pang taon bago natapos ang pagsasaayos ng templo. Subalit nagawa nilang magtrabaho nang maayos sa pamamagitan ng pag-asa sa kalakasan ng Diyos na Kanyang ipinagkakaloob sa pamamagitan ng Kanyang biyaya.
Tulad nito, tayo ay magugulat at masisiyahan sa mga magagawa natin sa pamamagitan ng Espiritu ng Diyos. Ang masasabi na lamang natin ay ang sumang-ayon sa inihayag ni Zerubbabel: Panginoon, pagpalain nʼyo po ito. Ipinapakita nito ang katotohanan na sinisimulan ng Diyos ang Kanyang mabubuting ginagawa sa pamamagitan ng Kanyang biyaya at sa pamamagitan din ng Kanyang biyaya, tatapusin Niya ang mga ito sa pamamagitan natin.
PAGSASAPAMUHAY
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Sa gitna ng isang pagsubok, saan o kanino ka kadalasang umaasa? Ano ang ibig sabihin ng pag-asa sa biyaya ng Diyos?
Ano sa palagay mo ang sinasabi sa iyo ng Diyos tungkol sa mga pagsubok na kinakaharap mo ngayon? Sa anong bahagi ng buhay mo kailangang ipahayag ang biyaya ng Diyos? Handa ka bang magtiyaga at magpatuloy upang makita ang katuparan nito balang araw?
Sa pagtatapos ng pananalangin at pag-aayuno, nananatili ang hangarin natin na mas maintindihan pa ang salita ng Diyos at ang Kanyang biyaya. Magagawa natin ito sa pamamagitan ng paghahayag at pagdarasal ng Kanyang salita araw-araw. Ngayon, isulat ang iyong sariling panalangin ayon sa Zacarias 4:6,7.
IPANALANGIN
Ama sa langit, maraming salamat sa biyaya na ibinibigay Mo upang masimulan at matapos ang mabuti Mong ginagawa sa buhay namin. Inaamin ko na hindi ko kakayanin ang anumang bagay na ipinapagawa Mo sa akin nang wala ang Iyong biyaya. Nawa ay patuloy kong maalala na ang pagtupad sa Iyong layunin ay hindi ayon sa sarili kong lakas o kapangyarihan, kundi sa pamamagitan lamang ng Iyong Espiritu. Kailangan ko ang Iyong biyaya upang magawa ko ang lahat ng ipagagawa Mo sa akin. Sa makapangyarihang pangalan ni Jesus, amen.
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BREAKING THE FAST
GRACE THAT EMPOWERS 8-min read
GRACE THAT EMPOWERS 8-min read
READ: ZECHARIAH 4:1–10 (ESV)
1And the angel who talked with me came again and woke me, like a man who is awakened out of his sleep. 2And he said to me, “What do you see?” I said, “I see, and behold, a lampstand all of gold, with a bowl on the top of it, and seven lamps on it, with seven lips on each of the lamps that are on the top of it. 3And there are two olive trees by it, one on the right of the bowl and the other on its left.” 4And I said to the angel who talked with me, “What are these, my lord?” 5Then the angel who talked with me answered and said to me, “Do you not know what these are?” I said, “No, my lord.” 6Then he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts. 7Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain. And he shall bring forward the top stone amid shouts of ‘Grace, grace to it!’” 8Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 9“The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also complete it. Then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you. 10For whoever has despised the day of small things shall rejoice, and shall see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. These seven are the eyes of the Lord, which range through the whole earth.” ZECHARIAH 4:1–10
Do you remember a time when your parents asked you to do something new? Maybe you were asked to speak in front of a crowd, order food by yourself, or go to the grocery on your own. Or maybe something even harder. Did you feel scared or nervous? This was also how Zerubbabel felt. Zerubbabel had been told to rebuild God’s temple. Aside from this big task, he was faced with two problems: enemies were against the building project, and God’s people were feeling tired and discouraged. But God had promised Zerubbabel that He would give them grace to finish the task.
Recently, our nation and the world have faced greater and more difficult challenges than just speaking in front of a crowd or buying food by ourselves. The important thing is to remember this: we don’t only have our parents to cheer us on—we have our Father in heaven who will enable us to accomplish what He has assigned to us. Not by might, nor by power, but by God’s Spirit. We will finish the task, not because of our confidence, skills, or talents, but by God’s Spirit!
God makes sure that His will always gets done. In the story above, Zerubbabel worked six more years before the temple was completed! He never gave up even if it took years. He was relying on God’s grace, which gave him strength to finish the task. In the same way, we will be surprised by how much we can accomplish through the Spirit of God.
God is fashioning a different kind of building. This building is us. We can be sure that God will complete the good work that He started in us (Philippians 1:6). And He will not only complete His work in us, but will even work through us for His will to be done.
With God’s grace, we can fulfill His call for our lives.
REFLECT
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When you face challenges, how can you rely on God’s grace?
What challenges are you facing right now? Think about how God is using these challenges to build you up. For example, your faith is built as you trust God to move in your nation’s problems.
Your patience is built when you tell people about who Jesus is even when they don’t want to listen.
PRAY
Heavenly Father, thank You for the grace with which You begin and complete Your good work in me. I know that without Your grace, I can’t do anything You ask. Please remind me that I can do Your will not by might nor by power, but only by Your Spirit. I pray for Your grace to sustain me and help me finish all the tasks You have set for me. In the mighty name of Jesus, amen.