Zechariah wrote this book during a time when the Jewish people were discouraged. They had returned to Israel after 70 years of captivity in Babylon with great expectations, but the building of the temple had been stopped by the King of Medio Persia and the neighboring lands. Zehariah was commissioned by God to prophecy to the people about God's plan for the nation in the immediate future and in the last days.

God used numerous visions to show Zechariah his plan.

The second shortest book in the old testament, Haggai is best understood when read with Chapters 1-6 of Ezra and all of Zechariah. Haggai was written in around 520 BC just 15 years after the Jewish people were allowed to return to Jerusalem after 70 years of captivity in Babylon. In 536 BC, the Jews were allowed to return by the Persian king Cyrus. The next king in line was convinced by the local non-Jewish people in Israel that he should stop the building. From that time, approximately 525 BC to the time of Haggai's prophecies, the Jews had stopped building. They were instead working diligently on their own homes and forsaking the work of building God's house, the Temple of God.

At the beginning of Haggai's prophecy to began rebuilding the temple, it was actually illegal in the land for the Jews to follow the Lord's command. The previous king, Cambyses had made a decree to stop and the new king Darius had not changed it yet. Haggai's prohecy hit hard to the Jewish people. He explained that they had famine in the land because they did not build the Lord's house. The leaders, Zerubbabel and Jeshua listened to the prophecies and Haggai and began the rebuilding again.

Once the people obeyed God, He opened the door with the king, and the current king, Darius, made a new decree that the building should continue, and even that the non-Jewish people in the land should take their taxes and direct them to the building also. To better understand Haggai, again, I recommend reading the first 6 chapters of Ezra, and I also recommend studing the other prophet that encouraged the Jewish people at the same time as Haggai, the prophet Zechariah.

Other reading that will open your insight into the time era would be Daniel, which occurs just prior to Haggai, and Esther, Nehemiah and the second half of Ezra, which happens just after Haggai.

Ezra covers a long period of time from the declaration of Cyrus for the Jews to return from captivity to their homeland of Israel to rebuild the Temple in 536 B.C. all the way to the declaration of Artaxerxes for the Jews to build the walls of Jerusalem in 440 B.C. Ezra is actually split up into two sections, Chapter 1-6, which detail the rebuilding of the Temple, and Chapter 7-10, which detail the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem.

The author of the book according to tradition is Ezra. He was in charge of the return of the Jews from Babylon in 460 B.C. He along with Nehemiah returned to build and secure the walls of Jerusalem from intruders. Other books in the Bible that should be read along with Ezra are Esther, Nehemiah, Haggai, and Zechariah.

Section 1
The beginning of Ezra is one of the most amazing prophecies in the Bible. Cyrus here declares that the Jews may return to rebuild the temple. This was actually prophecied in Isaiah 44 and 45 almost 200 years prior to this. It is likely that Daniel showed Cyrus these writings, which then inspired Cyrus to worship the One and Only God. It is clear from this declaration that Cyrus had a firm belief in the God of the Bible. Almost 50,000 Jews returned at this time to rebuild the temple under the leadership of Zerubbabel.

Section 2
The second section of Ezra from Chapters 7-10 occurs about 100 years later. This is the era when Ezra was alive and returned to Jerusalem under the decree of Artaxerxes. There is an interesting tie between Artaxerxes, Esther, and Nehemiah. Esther was the step mom of Artaxerxes. She married Xerxes, Artaxerxes Dad, when he was in power. When you read the book of Esther, you find that she had an amazing life and saved the Jews from destruction. Esther's step-son likely looked up to his step-mom and offered to allow the Jews to go back to Jerusalem to rebuild the walls of the city. Nehemiah was the cup-bearer of Artaxerxes and also asked to return to rebuild the walls when he saw that his people were in trouble back in Israel. Ezra had returned with 2,000 Jews to Jerusalem under the decree of Artaxerxes 13 years before. This amazing time shows the wonderful hand of God in restoring the Jews to their homeland.

The main reason people believe in the Bible is because of three reasons:

Historical Accuracy
Worldview Accuracy
Prophetic Accuracy

Historical Accuracy speaks of the accurate portrayal of historical events in the Bible. Archaeologists are finding out almost every day that the Bible is amazingly accurate when speaking of the past.

Worldview Accuracy speaks of the accurate portrayal of mankind and their predicament. Psychologists and others who study man are finding every day that the Bible speaks amazing truths about the nature of man. It also speaks completely accurately about God.

Prophetic Accuracy is what I want to talk about in this article. About 1/3rd of the Bible is predictions about the future. The main predictions are about the first coming of Jesus the Christ and the second coming of Jesus the Christ. The first coming already occured in about 3 A.D. with the birth of Jesus the Christ in Bethlehem. In fact, this birth place was actually a fullfillment of prophecy in Micah 5:2. The second coming is coming soon and will happen after the Great Tribulation on the earth.

If God wanted us to know who He was, how would he tell us? The Bible says, we know that these words are from Him, because He tells of things before they happen. God predicts things in the future so that we can know for sure that the Bible is God's word. That is the simplicity of prophecy. There is no one else in the world that can predict the future.

Now you may be asking, what about Nostredomus or psychics or something like that. There has always since the beginning of time been people who claim to be able to predict the future. The Bible says that unless they are 100% accurate they are not from God. Nostredomus made numerous general predictions using metaphors and allegories. None of his predictions give any specifics that make it impossible to be just a shot in the dark. Psychics generally have relations with the demonic realm, which are fallen angels. These fallen angels can make educated guesses on what may happen in the future since they have been around since the beginning of time, and they can definitely give the psychic information about a persons past making it seem more reliable, but demons can't tell psychics about the future.

There is only One Person that can tell the future. That Person is God. The Bible has over 300 prophecies that were fulfilled in the birth, life, and death of Jesus the Christ. The Bible also has 1,000's of other prophecies about future events that were fulfilled 100's of years later. These prophecies are not just vague, general predictions. These prophecies give specific details that could not possibly be from anyone other than God Himself. Here is a partial list of some of the most amazing prophecies that have been fulfilled:

Birth of Jesus in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2)
Jesus' entry into Jerusalem on a Donkey prior to His death (Zechariah 9:9)
Cyrus' declaration of Jews to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple (Isaiah 44:28 and 45:1)
The Date of Jesus' Death (Daniel 9:25-26)

For an awesome look at fulfilled prophecies in the Bible visit 100 Fulfilled Prophecies.

Read your Bible and Pray every single day.

We’re all vulnerable and busy. We need a devotional life every day to have a close relationship with the Lord, Jesus. We know the importance of prayer, but there is impotence in our prayer life.

The only request the disciples came to Jesus with was about prayer. Jesus knew the father up close and personal. He would slip away every morning alone, find a quiet place; he would have a quiet heart with a quiet time to pray. The disciples knew that the authority of Jesus and all the miracles and wonders Jesus did were linked to his prayer life. The disciples wanted to know how they could take part in this type of prayer life. Jesus had constant conversation with the father. That is where the victory is won!

Now God gave a diagram to Moses showing him the tabernacle where his followers were to worship and sacrifice offerings. This tabernacle is where God’s people come to be with God. The tabernacle is also a picture of Jesus Christ. The Gospel of John verse 1 says Jesus the word became flesh and dwelt among us. The word dwelt is literally tabernacled. Jesus the word became flesh and dwelt among us, tabernacled among us. The tabernacle is also a practicum on prayer. It is a practical tool to help you and I understand how you and I might pray more effectively. How wonderful that a diagram given to Moses would be a diagram for our prayer. There are eight steps to the tabernacle, each corresponding to a different part of our prayer life.

1. Enter Gates with Thanksgiving
We are depressed, because we don’t take time to thank God. Begin to give thanks for specific things that the Lord has blessed you within your life. Thank you God for keeping me sober; thank you God for blessing me with such a beautiful family; thank you God for the many opportunities to hear your Word, to learn your Word, and to keep your Word. “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). How amazing that God’s will for us is to thank him in our prayers. “Always give thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 5:20). In everything give thanks and for everything give thanks, because if you want to be a grateful person and have a grateful life then you ought to give thanks in everything and for everything. If you don’t start your pray this way, you will become discouraged and frustrated, and it may become hard to find direction in your pray. So as God says Enter Gates with Thanksgiving.

2. Enter Courts with Praise
Now, thanks is different from praise. Thanks is for what he gives; praise is acknowledging who he is. I praise you God for your Power, that the span of the universe fits in the palm of your hand; I praise you for your Holiness, that you are perfect in all your ways. I Praise you Lord for your Mercy, that you put up with me although I am not holy like you. Why does God want Praise? Not because he needs us to encourage him, or build him up. He does not need a thing from us. He is completely totally self sufficient, self satisfied. We are to praise God to give us a spirit of expectation. As the Psalmist said, “The Lord inhabits the praises of his people” (Psalm 22:33). When I praise God, I begin to realize that his throne is before me. That in my suffering I may come to God for help.

3. Come to the Brass Alter
The brass altar is where the sin offering was made. This is where I confess my sins. Today, father, I did not humble myself as your servant. When I should have swallowed my pride and admitted my fault, I instead covered it up with a lie. This is not where we ask for forgiveness. Our sins were already forgiven at the cross. However, until we confess that we are sinners, we don’t accept that we need Jesus and we cannot receive forgiveness. “Without Him, I can’t; without me, He won’t.” There are two reasons we need to confess our sins. The first reason is liberation for the sinner. Agree with God that you are a sinner. It’s wrong, it’s got to go. When you confess, the sin loses its grip on you. Expose your sin and Jesus will bring about Liberation. This does not mean we will never commit that sin again, but it means that we have realized our sinful nature. The second thing it brings about is appreciation for the savior. The more we realize how much we’ve been forgiven, the more we appreciate it. The one who has been forgiven much, loves much. That is why confession is so important. It liberates us and allows us to appreciate the Lord more affectionately.

4. Come to the Brass Laver
The brass laver is where you wash yourself. We are washed by the water of the word. Simply take one or two verses, preferably verses that are pertinent to the day, and recite them to the Lord. Lord I’ve been thinking about this verse and how it applies to my life; “So I say, live by the Spirit and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature” (Galatians 5:16). Then speak to the Lord on whatever is in your heart about these verses or phrases. The wonderful thing about this part of our prayer is that it is a chance for God to speak to us through his Word. This part doesn’t need much explanation; however, most people do not do it. At first it may seem like you are interrupting your prayer, but with practice you will begin to see how the Lord is speaking to you through His Word.

5. Table of Show Bread
We have finally entered the tent of the tabernacle. We are in doors and to our right is the table of show bread. Give us this day our daily bread. By asking the Lord to bless us, we are on the first step to blessing others. Pray for your own needs. Talk to the Lord about personal things, financial things, and physical things, stuff that I’m personally struggling with, questions I have, direction I need, and enemies within. “…Whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it and it will be yours” (Mark 11:24). Now don’t think you can go ask for a Lamborghini, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. This verse is specifically talking about the enemies within, that which is fruitless in our lives. Believe, and it will wither up from the roots.

6. The Golden Candle Stick
On the other side of the room is the golden candlestick. The Lord said we are the light of the world. Pray for those who are in ministry, those who are involved in sharing the light. This should be all Christians. Look at 1 Samuel 30; David is returning to the frontlines to gain victory over the Amalekites. On his way there some of his troops are too tired to make it, so they stay back guarding the supply lines. After David’s troops win the battle, they divide up the plunder. Those on the frontlines argue, “Why should we share with those on the supply lines? They didn’t fight.” This is very common in our lives today. Missionaries and evangelists who are on the frontlines often think they have it so hard. They need others to pray for them. However, they completely ignore those on the supply lines. They need prayer also. In this part of your prayer, ask God to help evangelists, missionaries, pastors, and other churches, but also ask God to help those who are on the supply lines, the ones who are working 8 to 5 jobs everyday and still finding the time to be the light of this world.

7. The Altar of Incense
Pray for others. Pray for your family and friends. Pray for your neighbor who is not sure about there relationship with the Lord. Pray for your enemies. “…When you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your father in heaven may forgive you your sins” (Mark 12:25). This is very important. When you begin to pray for that stubborn relative, the annoying kid down the street, the Michael Eisners, and the Howard Deans of this world, you will be freed from the bondage of hate towards that person. Don’t get me wrong, you should hate the evil in their lives, but don’t hate the person. I cannot change my heart but I can change my mind. God can change my heart but he won’t change my mind. If I change my mind, He will change my heart.

8. Holy of Holies
This is not the only way to enter into the presence of God. You may enter into the Holy of Holies at any time. This is a way to help clear the cob webs of my own mind, a way to cut away the calices of our own hearts. It’s not about earning anything, but when we go through this process we are truly ready to enter the Holy of Holies. Something happens when we enter the Holy of Holies; we fall on our face, speak in tongues, or just stand in awe of God. I’m not talking about bizarre things, or spectacles, I’m talking about a break through in your own soul. You begin to shout grace with expectancy, you begin to sit there in a contemplative awareness of his goodness and glory, you begin to pray in a language you didn’t learn or don’t know, you begin to just go Lord you’re awesome I love you Lord, I love you.

This is not some legalistic journey. I don’t pray like this all the time. It is a tool. It has really helped me to have some sort of structure to my prayer. When I feel impotence in my prayer life, I have this to fall back on. When I can’t think of where to start or what to pray about I enter gates with thanksgiving, enter courts with praise, confess my sins at the brass alter, wash myself in the word at the brass laver, pray for my own needs at the table of show bread, pray for other ministries, other Christians, at the golden candlestick, pray for your friends, family and enemies at the alter of incense, and finally just stand in awe of God at the Holy of Holies. Prayer is essential. Are you a better prayer than you were 3 years ago, have you lost ground, or are you neutralized? The private personal devotional life you are developing; there is nothing more important than that. Don’t neglect it.

Read your Bible and Pray every single day.

While I was finishing typing this practicum on prayer, I received a letter from Pastor Greg Laurie on prayer. Doesn’t the Lord work in wonderful ways? In this letter there were four reasons prayer should play an important part in the life of every believer, so I thought I might list them for you here.

One, we should pray because Jesus told us to. Luke 18:1 says, “Then He [Jesus] spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart” (NKJV). Even if it is extremely difficult or unpleasant to do, we should pray simply because Jesus commanded us to.

Two, we should pray because it is God’s appointed way for us to obtain things. James 4:2 tells us, “Yet you do not have because you do not ask” (NKJV). Think about that for a moment. God might have something in store for you that you have not yet discovered in your life because you simply have not asked Him for it.

Three, we should pray because it helps us overcome our anxiety and worry. As Philippians 4:6 says, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done” (NLT). The next time you are tempted to worry, pray instead. This step is very important to me. Around July of 2003 I was feeling very anxious, I was having what might be called anxiety attacks. Not even knowing about this verse, I began to deal with my anxiety by thanking God and then praising Him. By the time I got to asking him to relieve my anxiety, it was already gone, because God had helped me out of the bondage of anxiety by letting me know that there is so much to be thankful for.

Four, we should pray because it is one of the ways to prepare for the return of Jesus Christ. He said, “‘Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man’” (Luke 21:36 NKJV). I should pray so that I will be ready for Christ’s return.

Prayer is an essential ingredient in the life of a believer. Remember, the Word Jesus Christ, dwelt among us. And now Immanuel, God with us. God Bless.

What is the geological column?

It is numerous layers of rock that have different species in each layer. Since there are different species in each layer, some scientists believe that it proves evolution and the age of the earth.


Does the geological column exist?

Yes. It exists in at least 30 places around the globe and partially in hundreds of other areas.


Does the geological column prove evolution or that the earth is millions of years old?

No. Why not? It is based on too many assumptions.

Assumtion #1 - The column was formed over millions of years.

For example, if you look in textbooks today, they say that we know that a specific layer of the earth is millions of years old because the fossils and rock in that area are millions of years old. Then the textbook say that the rocks and fossils are millions of years old because the layer is millions of years old. That is plainly circular reasoning and still shocks me everytime I see it in one of my kids textbooks.

Assumption #2 - The geological column starts with less evolved species on the bottom and more evolved species on the top.

Some scientists and geologists state that this is evidence for evolution because the "older" species are lower in the earth. First of all, the geological columns don't always have "less evolved" species on the bottom. In fact, it is usually the more dense species that are on the bottom and the less dense species that are on the top.


So Where do the geological columns come from?

As we begin to study geology and the layers of rock around the world, it becomes more and more evident that these "geological columns" were actually formed very suddenly in a short period of time. The Bible's answer to this would be the great flood of Noah. This is the reason that we find more dense and smaller species on the bottom of the geological column and less dense and larger species near the top. As the flood subsided, everything that was stirred up then settled to the earth. We can actually find these flood formed layers in different depths throughout the earth. Again, this is evidence that there was a worldwide flood, not millions and billions of years.


What should we do with this information?

Now that you know that you were lied to your entire life in your schools. Go and tell someone the good news. Lobby to remove evolution from the schools. Contact your elected representatives. Tell your children or your parents. Don't argue with people, but just stand behind the truth. And finally, remember to thank Jesus Christ for making you and saving you from your sins.

Carbon dating and other isotope dating is used by almost every Evolutionist to prove that the earth is Billions of Years old. The most recent textbooks in 2007 say 52 billion years old. Just 10 years ago it was only millions of years, however, evolutionists say that more current information shows us that they were previously wrong and it is now billions of years old. The interesting thing about this subject is that science is based on the idea of observation. For example, we can observe that their is gravity, so we draw certain conclusions based on scientific facts about gravity and how it works. Carbon and other isotope dating is actually a very simple observation. Things like rocks and fossils have a certain amount of carbon-14 in them when they are formed. Based on how long it takes for half of the carbon-14 atoms to gain a proton and become nitrogen-14, we come up with the half life of carbon-14. Scientists then take a fossil and based on assumption of how much carbon-14 was in it when it was formed, and how much is in it now, they do a simple calculation and woolaa -- the age of the fossil. The assumption of how much carbon-14 was in the fossil in the first place is easy to make, because we can observe today how much carbon-14 is in a bone. The problem with this calculation is that it also assumes that the average time it takes for the carbon-14 to gain a proton and turn into nitrogen-14 is and always has been the same. Scientific data shows that it has not always been the same. Depending on the surrounding conditions the decay can happen much much faster. Since we can't observe the rate of decay of carbon-14 to nitrogen-14 even 1,000 years ago, we can't use this simple calculation to come up with the age of the earth. There are too many assumptions. Carbon dating is only proven to be accurate to calculate the age of things that are around 2,000 years old. Not millions and billions.

Interestingly, a study was recently done with rock formations. With carbon dating, the rocks were supposedly formed millions and billions of years ago. However, scientists found that other types of dating gave a date of only 6,000 years ago. The other dating was based on a more accurate calculation of the amount of nitrogen in crystals that were formed when the rock was formed. Personally, I don't believe either of these datings can be used to accurately date the age of the earth, because too many assumptions are made. We need to look to history and archaeology to really help us understand our origins. If studied in depth, these all point to the origin of man about 6,000 to 10,000 years ago. This is what man has believed since the beginning of time until just recently. If I wanted to know when the earth began, I would look to see what people wrote 1,000's of years ago. Wouldn't you trust them more than some inaccurate calculations.