Zechariah 4:6 (NIV) Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord Almighty. INTRODUCTION The verse remains one of the most challenging, and encouraging, in Scripture. We rely not on our own strength or ability, but on the Spirit of God. [Victor Bible Readers Companion] COMMENTARY PEARL Recently I noticed that my son, Pierce, was on his computer, flipping between two programs to do his schoolwork. The inefficiency made me both batty and curious, so I asked what he was doing. He explained he was fast-forwarding through a twenty-minute video in one program and searching for the answers to related comprehension questions in another. He was cutting corners by skipping back and forth, and as a result, he was harrumphing with frustration at his method. I explained not only that what he was doing was more time-consuming than watching the video in its entirety but also that he wasn't really learning anything. His answers were vague, and he was missing the whole point As I spoke to Pierce and pointed a proverbial finger at him - my three other fingers pointed back at me. Sigh. Throughout my life, before and after Christ, I've sought shortcuts to get what I wanted, skipped ahead of Jesus's story for me, or worse, created my own. I suspect my shortcuts actually delayed outcomes, prolonged my learning and preparation, undermined the results, and in general, was far more stressful. I've learned the hard way that slowing way down and being fully present to Jesus's unfolding story is indeed the easier and infinitely more effective way. Even when I feel certain I have an inspired vision of where He's taking me, restfully waiting on God allows me to marvel, with peace and faith, at His creativity and loving provision. Isabella Campolattaro Faith Step: Are you rushing ahead of Jesus to get to a certain place? Confess your haste and ask Him to help you slow down. Set a goal for waiting and then keep pace with His pace. [Mornings With Jesus 2022 Devotional by Guideposts and Zondervan re 2 Peter 3:9] COMMENTARY What a tremendous truth: God's great power is at work on our behalf"the same power that created the universe and raised Jesus from the dead. Here are some things to remember: (1) God is on your side, ready to help you meet each and every obstacle. (2) God's power is never stagnant or out of commission"it is always actively working on your behalf. (3) God is always fighting against the forces of evil on your behalf"no human strength or spiritual power from the evil world (not even Satan himself) can deter or change God's power at work on your behalf. When you truly grasp this truth, you begin to understand the strength that you have. The power that set the galaxies spinning, that holds the earth in place, that calmed the seas, that turned water into wine"that power is in your life. Why would we go through life trying to do things in our own strength? And yet, so many of us fall into that very temptation. Be different. Thank God for his power at work in your life and on your behalf. Rely on him instead of yourself. [The One Year Bible for New Believers re Eph.1:19, 20] LINK FOR FURTHER STUDY ON THIS PASSAGE Zechariah 4:6 - Man's Flicker or Gods Flame? http://www.abible.com/devotions/2017/20170630-1642.html YOUR COMMENTS If anyone has a paraphrase, commentary or testimony on this passage of Scripture, either personal or otherwise, I would be interested in hearing from you. Thanks in advance and let's keep uplifting Jesus that all might be drawn to Him. Fred Gibbs LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT Most Important Decision in Life: http://www.youtube.com/embed/WGnEuGwvXqU?rel=0 A Man without Equal by Bill Bright: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiVa7UoruIo Steps to Peace by Billy Graham: https://stepstopeace.org/ Seeking God Made Real: http://vimeo.com/31489782 Prayer Made Real: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc8VdMV26VE LINKS FOR BIBLE STUDIES Lifting Up Jesus Bible Studies: http://www.liftingupjesus.net/ Amazing Facts Bible Studies: http://www.amazingfacts.org/bible-study/bible-study-guides.aspx Voice of Prophecy Discover Bible Study Guides: https://www.voiceofprophecy.com/study/discover Glow Tract Video Bible Studies: http://www.bibleresearch.info/ LINKS FOR BIBLE PROPHECY SEMINARS Unlocking Bible Prophecies by Cami Oetman of Adventist World Radio: https://www.awr.org/bible Panorama of Prophecy with Pastor Doug Batchelor: https://www.panoramaofprophecy.com/ Hope Awakens by John Bradshaw of IIW: https://itiswritten.tv/programs/hope-awakens Prophecies Decoded by Pastor Ron Clouzet: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1A435C5373550657 Islam and Christianity in Prophecy, The Third and Final Conflict by Tim Roosenberg: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHSJB-fuHLU&list=PLWhQIHGTHlkaGg5Cwe3NDzWtFX8vNSpsE