Psalms 8:1

My Shepherd greeted me coming into His green pastures late today. Friday show prep required some extra time so I got to bed way past my bedtime. Slipped into my prayer closet later than usual, but the Shepherd, always gracious, called my thoughts aside to something He brought my attention to a few days ago.

My Dove is reading through Zechariah. Often, at breakfast, part of our time together is spent discussing what she has been reading and answering her questions. Zechariah presents some challenges, but as she read a passage the included some elements that puzzled her, she included Zechariah 8:16-17, After answering her questions, I asked he to text that reference to me. The Mind of the Spirit engaged the spirit of my mind with these verses:

Zechariah 8:16 These are the things that ye shall do; Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates:

Zechariah 8:17 And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, saith the LORD.

God has indicated peculiar concern about circumcision (Genesis 17:11-14; see Exodus 4:24-26), and the sabbath (Exodus 31:14-17; the penalty for disobedience of either was very severe. Why? They were tokens of God’s covenant with Abraham, and his descendants through Isaac and Jacob, the nation Israel. Yet neither of these tokens were carried forward into His New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31; see Hebrews 8:8-13; consider Romans 2:25-29; Galatians 5:6, 15; see Colossians 2:11; 3:11). As for the Sabbath, consider Romans 14:5. These tokens of the Old Covenant are not required for us.

Along the still waters, I thought about the “tokens” we have developed, that mark those who are accepted among us, that distinguish those we believe to be holy and righteous, behaviors and characteristics that we believe manifest the fruit we expect from those who bear the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).

There are manners and customs that we have come to expect from those who profess Christ is King.

Sometimes we struggle with the fact that God does sometimes raise up champions among us who shun these “tokens,” or whose spiritual walk has not advanced to the place where these manners and customs have become part of their character, tempered their personality, or refined their manners to our taste.

However, my dearly beloved, consider what God requires of a man:

Micah 6:8 He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

He does not provide a list of manners, or customs. He goes to the heart of faith. Through Micah, He called for us to do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with thy God. The Spirit, through Zechariah, said speak the truth, execute the judgment of truth and peace within your nation, do not entertain evil suspicions against your neighbor, and do not love a false man, or woman, “love not false oath” (Zechariah 8:16-17). This is what He looks for when His eyes run to a fro throughout the earth beholding the evil and the good (Zechariah 4:10 and 2 Chronicles 16:9). This is the man to whom God will “Look”:

Isaiah 66:2 For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.

When you wonder how God could use men unsavory to your taste, remember that He uses you! Or does He? Nothing disgusts Him like pride does. More than once, He has used men of “stinky flesh,” but whose hearts are set on truth and justice, whose humility is that of the heart, and not of the flesh.

In the valley, kneeling in the shadow of His cross, humbled there, broken, and contrite, I felt the eyes of the Lord upon His Son, Christ, looking at me in Him for Him in me. Jesus! That’s the Name!

He spoke, and I heard the thunder of Zion clap, joining the bursting forth of the many waters of my Saviour’s voice: “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23).

At His table, quite shaken by these events, I bowed my heard under the anointing of His holy oil, and, prayed, “Not my will, but thine be done” as He filled my cup, being grateful for the grace He stirred into my day’s portion. Goodness and mercy followed me into His harvest.

Praying for revival! 🙏

Going live asap:

https://rumble.com/v7h0og6-shepherds-pasture-why-god-uses-stinky-men.html