The Whole Counsel With Pastor Thom

Yahweh Remembers - Zechariah Week 2

As we come into chapter 4 we find a man named Zerubbabel. A descendent of King David and leader of Israel after their captivity in Babylon. He finds foundation of the temple had been laid, but the task before Zerubbabel seemed far greater than the strength he or the people of Israel possessed to complete it. And honestly, as we study Zechariah 4, we cannot help but see how relevant this passage still is for us, for churches and believers today. There are seasons when people grow weary. Seasons where burdens feel heavy. Seasons uncertainty begin to affect the hearts of God’s people. Sometimes the greatest struggle is not the opposition outside, but the discouragement within. That is exactly where Zerubbabel stood. And into that discouragement, God spoke one of the greatest truths in all of Scripture.

Yahweh Remembers - Zechariah Week 1

The book of Zechariah opens during one of the most difficult and discouraging periods in Israel’s history. The people had returned from Babylonian captivity with excitement and expectation. They believed they would quickly rebuild the temple, restore the nation, and once again experience the blessings of God. Yet years had passed. The work had slowed. Discouragement had settled heavily upon the people. The surrounding nations appeared strong while Israel seemed weak, vulnerable, and insignificant. Into that atmosphere of weariness and uncertainty, God raised up a prophet named Zechariah. His name means, “Yahweh remembers.”

Rebuilding the Lord’s House - Haggai

About six hundred years before the coming of Christ, the kingdom of Judah was carried away into Babylonian captivity. Jerusalem was devastated. The walls were broken down. The temple — once filled with worship, sacrifice, and the presence of God among His people — was plundered, burned, and left in ruins. But God had not forgotten His people. After seventy years, the Lord stirred the heart of Cyrus, king of Persia, and opened the door for the Jewish people to return home and rebuild the house of God. What a moment that must have been — hearts filled with hope, minds consumed with restoration, and eyes fixed on the future. Yet when they arrived back in Jerusalem, their priorities began to change. The work of God was delayed while personal comfort took center stage. The people rebuilt their own homes while the house of the Lord sat in ruins. Worship was replaced with distraction. Passion gave way to complacency. So God raised up a prophet named Haggai with a message that was direct, urgent, and impossible to ignore: “Build the temple.” And thousands of years later, that message still speaks.

Choose This Day - Zephaniah

The prophet Zephaniah preached during a moment of choice in Israel’s history. For more than fifty years the nation had drifted spiritually under the leadership of Manasseh and Amon. Idolatry filled the land and complacency filled the hearts of the people. Then God raised up King Josiah, a ruler who desired reform and repentance. During his reign the Lord sent Zephaniah to call the nation back before judgment fell. His message still speaks with urgency today because every person must choose whom they will serve.

When Faith Speaks Honestly to God - Habakkuk

Habakkuk is not a record of sermons preached to the people. It is a record of a conversation between a prophet and his God. It is one of the most honest conversations recorded anywhere in Scripture. It reminds us that faith does not become silent in the face of questions. Faith brings questions into the presence of the Lord.