“...Jabez prayed to the God of Israel: “Bless me, O bless me! Give me land, large tracts of land. And provide your personal protection—don’t let evil hurt me.” God gave him what he asked...”
(1 Chronicles 4:10, MSG)
Joshua 5:13-15
One of the blessings of being a Christian is our intimacy with God the Father. But closeness with the Lord can also tempt us to treat Him too lightly by failing to recognize His holiness or treat Him with the adoration He deserves. Joshua’s response to God’s appearance has much to teach about proper reverential fear for the Lord.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus made a statement His listeners probably found shocking—He said they wouldn’t enter the kingdom of heaven unless their righteousness “surpasse[d] that of the scribes and Pharisees” (Matt. 5:20). The Pharisees were considered the definition of righteous: They were the religious elite, who often elevated their own self-worth and standing in the community. Frankly, the righteousness they projected would have seemed tough to surpass.
“...I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world...”
(John 17:14, NIV)
Ephesians 1: 3-14
God’s sovereignty extends over all things. He is omniscient (all-knowing), so nothing is hidden from His sight. And since He is omnipotent (all-powerful), no plan of His can be thwarted. Everything in both the natural and spiritual realms—including our salvation—is under His complete control.
“...I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound...”
(Philippians 4:11–12, NKJV)
It’s good to have dreams and goals. We should be stretching our faith. But while we’re waiting for promises to come to pass, we shouldn’t be discontent where we are. When we’re unhappy, frustrated, and wondering if something is ever going to change, we’re dishonoring God. We’re so focused on what we want that we’re taking for granted and not being thankful for what God has given us.
Genesis 1:26-27
In the beginning God created Adam and Eve in His image. That likeness, however, was soon marred by sin, and the ripple effect continues in humanity to this day. The Lord was gracious, however, and didn’t wipe out the human race; instead, He set in motion a redemptive plan to rescue anyone willing to repent.
Matthew 20:20-28
There is a great contrast between the world’s value system and the Lord’s. The danger for believers is that we can easily slip into the culture’s way of thinking without realizing that our perspective is out of line with God’s.
“...Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart...” (Psalm 37:4, ESV)
Today’s Scripture doesn’t say you have to earn or make the desires of your heart happen. No, God is going to give them to you. You’ll know it’s the hand of God because it’s going to happen without a struggle. If you keep delighting in the Lord and meditating on His Word, filling your mind with thoughts of hope and faith, then without even trying, you’re going to come into your time, and God will give you the desires of your heart.
“...So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed...” (John 8:36, NIV)
In the Scripture, Rebekah instructed her son Jacob to deceive their father. Jacob turned out to be a deceiver just like her. Jacob’s Uncle Laban had the same problem. He deceived Jacob. There was a spirit of deception in that family. It looked as though it would continue from generation to generation. But at one point, Jacob admitted he was wrong, and God changed him (see Genesis 32). That was the turning point. The curse was broken.