Day 358
OYB - December 24
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Devotional Old Testament New Testament Psalm Proverb
There are four things on earth that are small but unusually wise: Ants-they aren't strong, but they store up food for the winter. Rock badgers-they aren't powerful, but they make their homes among the rocky cliffs. Locusts-they have no king, but they march like an army in ranks. Lizards-they are easy to catch, but they are found even in kings' palaces.
The writer of Proverbs describes four creatures that are tiny, but smart. These creatures can be understood in the context of the four aspects of evangelism.

The ant has tremendous drive to gather food during the harvest season. In the same way, we must have an urgency, or purpose, as we sense the shortness of time left for reaping the souls of humanity.

The rock badger finds its strength in the rocks in which it lives. We also will find greater evangelistic productivity when we are in partnership with other stronger believers.

Net fishing with others is better than hook fishing alone! The locust flies together with other locusts, ruling the air and even blacking out the sun. No evangelism would be fruitful without concerted prayer with others that takes control of the heavenlies.

Finally, the lizard has a real knack of penetration. It can make its way into all kinds of places, even a king's palace. We must be unafraid to go through any open door and prepared to crawl through any evangelism "crack" the Lord opens before us.

Proverbs 11:30 (KJV) says, "He that winneth souls is wise." Rescuing eternal souls requires great wisdom, and that wisdom involves purpose, partnership, prayer, and penetration. Ask the Lord today for this wisdom, and start fulfilling your eternal destiny!
Zechariah 6:1-7:14

The Four Chariots

1Now I lifted up my eyes again and looked, and behold, four chariots were coming forth from between the two mountains; and the mountains were bronze mountains. 2With the first chariot were red horses, with the second chariot black horses, 3with the third chariot white horses, and with the fourth chariot strong dappled horses. 4Then I spoke and said to the angel who was speaking with me, “What are these, my lord?” 5The angel replied to me, “These are the four spirits of heaven, going forth after standing before the Lord of all the earth, 6with one of which the black horses are going forth to the north country; and the white ones go forth after them, while the dappled ones go forth to the south country. 7When the strong ones went out, they were eager to go to patrol the earth.” And He said, “Go, patrol the earth.” So they patrolled the earth. 8Then He cried out to me and spoke to me saying, “See, those who are going to the land of the north have appeased My wrath in the land of the north.”

9The word of the Lord also came to me, saying, 10“Take an offering from the exiles, from Heldai, Tobijah and Jedaiah; and you go the same day and enter the house of Josiah the son of Zephaniah, where they have arrived from Babylon.

The Symbolic Crowns

11Take silver and gold, make an ornate crown and set it on the head of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest. 12Then say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, “Behold, a man whose name is Branch, for He will branch out from where He is; and He will build the temple of the Lord. 13Yes, it is He who will build the temple of the Lord, and He who will bear the honor and sit and rule on His throne. Thus, He will be a priest on His throne, and the counsel of peace will be between the two offices.” ’ 14Now the crown will become a reminder in the temple of the Lord to Helem, Tobijah, Jedaiah and Hen the son of Zephaniah. 15Those who are far off will come and build the temple of the Lord.” Then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you. And it will take place if you completely obey the Lord your God.

Hearts like Flint

1In the fourth year of King Darius, the word of the Lord came to Zechariah on the fourth day of the ninth month, which is Chislev. 2Now the town of Bethel had sent Sharezer and Regemmelech and their men to seek the favor of the Lord, 3speaking to the priests who belong to the house of the Lord of hosts, and to the prophets, saying, “Shall I weep in the fifth month and abstain, as I have done these many years?” 4Then the word of the Lord of hosts came to me, saying, 5“Say to all the people of the land and to the priests, ‘When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months these seventy years, was it actually for Me that you fasted? 6When you eat and drink, do you not eat for yourselves and do you not drink for yourselves? 7Are not these the words which the Lord proclaimed by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and prosperous along with its cities around it, and the Negev and the foothills were inhabited?’ ”

8Then the word of the Lord came to Zechariah saying, 9“Thus has the Lord of hosts said, ‘Dispense true justice and practice kindness and compassion each to his brother; 10and do not oppress the widow or the orphan, the stranger or the poor; and do not devise evil in your hearts against one another.’ 11But they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder and stopped their ears from hearing. 12They made their hearts like flint so that they could not hear the law and the words which the Lord of hosts had sent by His Spirit through the former prophets; therefore great wrath came from the Lord of hosts. 13And just as He called and they would not listen, so they called and I would not listen,” says the Lord of hosts; 14“but I scattered them with a storm wind among all the nations whom they have not known. Thus the land is desolated behind them so that no one went back and forth, for they made the pleasant land desolate.”

Revelation 15:1-8

A Scene of Heaven

1Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels who had seven plagues, which are the last, because in them the wrath of God is finished.

2And I saw something like a sea of glass mixed with fire, and those who had been victorious over the beast and his image and the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, holding harps of God. 3And they *sang the song of Moses, the bond-servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying,

“Great and marvelous are Your works,

O Lord God, the Almighty;

Righteous and true are Your ways,

King of the nations!

4Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify Your name?

For You alone are holy;

For all the nations will come and worship before You,

For Your righteous acts have been revealed.”

5After these things I looked, and the temple of the tabernacle of testimony in heaven was opened, 6and the seven angels who had the seven plagues came out of the temple, clothed in linen, clean and bright, and girded around their chests with golden sashes. 7Then one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God, who lives forever and ever. 8And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from His power; and no one was able to enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were finished.

Psalms 143:1-12

PSALM 143

Prayer for Deliverance and Guidance.

A Psalm of David.

1Hear my prayer, O Lord,

Give ear to my supplications!

Answer me in Your faithfulness, in Your righteousness!

2And do not enter into judgment with Your servant,

For in Your sight no man living is righteous.

3For the enemy has persecuted my soul;

He has crushed my life to the ground;

He has made me dwell in dark places, like those who have long been dead.

4Therefore my spirit is overwhelmed within me;

My heart is appalled within me.

5I remember the days of old;

I meditate on all Your doings;

I muse on the work of Your hands.

6I stretch out my hands to You;

My soul longs for You, as a parched land. Selah.

7Answer me quickly, O Lord, my spirit fails;

Do not hide Your face from me,

Or I will become like those who go down to the pit.

8Let me hear Your lovingkindness in the morning;

For I trust in You;

Teach me the way in which I should walk;

For to You I lift up my soul.

9Deliver me, O Lord, from my enemies;

I take refuge in You.

10Teach me to do Your will,

For You are my God;

Let Your good Spirit lead me on level ground.

11For the sake of Your name, O Lord, revive me.

In Your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble.

12And in Your lovingkindness, cut off my enemies

And destroy all those who afflict my soul,

For I am Your servant.

Proverbs 30:24-28

24Four things are small on the earth,

But they are exceedingly wise:

25The ants are not a strong people,

But they prepare their food in the summer;

26The shephanim are not mighty people,

Yet they make their houses in the rocks;

27The locusts have no king,

Yet all of them go out in ranks;

28The lizard you may grasp with the hands,

Yet it is in kings’ palaces.