Zechariah 4:7 ‘Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it.’

DAILY READING; John 20:1-18; 2 Chronicles 31; Psalm 87

Angelus Temple is America’s first megachurch. It was the largest construction of its time in North America.
It was built by Aimee Semple McPherson who was one of the greatest female evangelists in Church history, and founder of the Foursquare Gospel Church.
The construction of the Angelus Temple was a faith project which was accomplished only through God’s grace.
By 1918, Aimee received a vision to build a house unto the Lord in Los Angeles. She would later write that she asked God: “Who ever heard of a woman without earthly backing … undertaking the raising of funds and the erecting of such a building?”
Though she didn’t have the money she decided to follow God’s instruction. She packed her bags and with her family headed to Los Angeles.
At that time, Los Angeles was the city of movie stars, but it was also home to many who were lost, lonely, and sickly.
After arriving in the unfamiliar town, Aimee was led by God to a plot of land for the building. She virtually scraped every resource to buy the land but did not have the money for the construction. However, that wasn’t a concern for Aimee because she trusted in God’s provision.
When she had only enough cash to excavate the property, she told the contractor, “You dig the hole, and God will fill it!”
Indeed God filled it.
Though the project had faced great challenges and many people had doubted her ability to complete it, to everyone’s surprise, God moved supernaturally and the Angelus Temple was finished and dedicated in 1923.
The Angelus Temple became one of the grandest buildings in America at the time and pioneered the use of modern media in Church services, using radio to draw multitudes.
According to Church records, Angelus Temple received 40 million visitors within the first seven years.
The entire temple was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1992. And for nearly 100 years Angelus Temple has continued to stand as a wonder and a testimony of God’s grace and faithfulness.

Zechariah 4:6 says ‘Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.’

The above prophecy came to Zerubbael when he faced very discouraging situations. At that time he was trying to build the second Jewish temple after the first temple, built by King Solomon, was destroyed in 586 BC, by the Babylonians.
Zerubbabel was battling with oppositions, backbiters, disappointments and lack of financial support. As a result of all these problems for seventeen years the temple had sat unfinished.
Then, God sent the prophets Haggai and Zechariah to encourage Zerubbabel with Words of prophecy and support him.
The assurance of God’s Word emboldened Zerubbabel to confront his mountains and he asked ‘Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it.’[Zechariah 4:7]
Zerubbabel resumed again the building and four years later, in 516 BC, the temple was completed and dedicated with great fanfare. And just as prophesied the headstone was laid with shouts of ‘Grace, grace’.

The grace of God indeed enabled Zerubbabel to complete the building of the temple, at a time when he could have given up.
The covenant secret that enables us to finish our race is God’s grace. At a time, when it seems you can no longer go forward, God’s grace takes over and accomplishes for you what you cannot do for yourself.

Just like Zerubbabel, maybe today, you are facing delays or have projects that have been put on hold due to oppositions, but in this season, every mountain is about to be leveled and every crooked path made smooth.
Through God’s grace, the mountains of sickness, mountain of fear, and financial uncertainty will all be leveled in your life.
It will not by might, or by power, but by the Spirit of the Lord.

Just as the prophecy came to Zerubbabel to begin again, it is the same word to many of us today, ‘begin again’. Despite past frustrations and oppositions, ’begin again’. Don’t give up, don’t give in. Though weeping may have endured for the night, your joy is about to break forth.
Though it may seem you have passed through endless delays and disappointments, God is about to given you divine speed and ease. He will restore to you the years the cankerworms may have eaten.
Through God’s grace you will gain acceleration in the race.
Through study of the Word and prayers, you will gain the boldness to come to the throne of grace to obtain the help you need.
Certainly, as we begin to engage the mystery of grace today, every mountain will be made plain and we will enjoy ceaseless and outstanding breakthroughs in all our endeavors.

PRAYER: Lord, please help me to develop greater intimacy with You through fellowship, prayers and study of Your Word, so that I can always boldly come to Your throne of grace to obtain the help that I need. Thank You Lord for granting me divine speed and ease in this season in Jesus Name.
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God protects and shields us when we are being led by Him. – WORDBITE 222.