Have you ever felt like you are wrestling with God? In Genesis 32, Jacob did just that. What was it all about? Did Jacob “win” a wrestling match with God? And why did he go away with a permanent limp?
Also, why would Jacob’s wife Rachel, after seeing all that God had done for her family, steal pagan idols from her father? And how did she use the fact that it was “that time of the month” to cover her sin? Is it possible we ladies do much the same thing?
In our Old Testament reading, we’ll continue through the book of Genesis with Abram as the central character. Even through he is called the Father of Faith, we’ll see the struggle he had to take God at His Word when circumstances didn’t make sense. And in the New Testament, we’ll continue reading through “The Sermon on the Mount” and talk about what we treasure and what Jesus had to say about worry.
Do you ever feel inadequate or frustrated with your prayer life? If so, you’re not alone. It appears even the disciples wanted more when they said, “Lord, teach us to pray.” In our New Testament reading, we’ll talk about Jesus’ outline for prayer and how we can use it during our devotional time, along with another help that can lead to a more consistent, satisfying prayer life. We’ll also talk about our motives for praying and other things we do.
From our Old Testament reading check out “How Do You Evaluate Opportunities?” See how not to make decisions and some ways to evaluate opportunities.
Also, today, “The Joy of Spiritual Prosperity,” “The Fear of God,” and “The Importance of Forgiveness.”
Are you involved in what God is doing in the earth today? We can all be by praying for His will, for revival in the hearts of His children, for the unsaved, and for our leaders. Or we can run the risk of acting like Christian fatalists passively waiting for God to do what He’ll do.
Also read about praying for our enemies, the result of not parenting God’s way, and the importance of walking in the light.
Most people would agree that the current state of our nation’s government is one of a broken system. But there’s little agreement about how to fix it. People on one side think we need to tear down the whole thing. Others say we need to get back to what they believe are the basics of our constitutional foundations.
Though there may be huge theological and political differences, there are people on both sides of the issue who sincerely believe they are right. But as Christians, is there actually a more radical plan that we should be praying for and working toward?
What is it about the Bible? How is it different from any other book? Why have so many tried to destroy it and why is it so vilified today? And for us personally, why does it have the ability to both pierce and warm our hearts in a way nothing else can?
But we don’t just have a unique book, we have the unique privilege of coming into the throne room of God. What can we hope to find when we come into that throne room? Should we expect judgment and begrudging answers? Or can we expect something quite different?
How can we pray when it’s hard to pray? When we experience times of trouble and need God most, we often find it hardest to pray. Our emotions are all over the place. Words don’t come. Yet, God understands and left us many road maps to follow during those times. Today’s reading in Psalms has one example.
We’ll, also, look at a verse in Proverbs that could have been written about our turbulent political times. And we’ll take a closer look at Ezekiel’s puzzling vision of four living creatures and wheels within wheels and what it all means.
These are challenging times to be a believer. There is a huge clash of worldviews. The truthfulness of God’s Word is being attacked on many fronts. Perhaps, you are being attacked personally for standing for the truth. How should a believer respond to those attacks?
Also, read about the source of our strength, the value of staying where God has placed us, and the importance of earnestness in prayer.
Jesus said in Matthew 11 that He came to give us rest or we could say peace in our souls. Are you enjoying that kind of peace of mind? Or are you full of anxiety, restlessness, and discontent? If it’s the latter, it turns out that learning to enjoy God’s peace of mind is neither impossible nor mysterious. You can read more in today’s post.
The Apostle Paul had a passion to see those he led to the Lord grow and become faithful followers of Christ. And the prayer recorded in today’s reading from Ephesians and others from his letters give us a blueprint for how to pray for those we love. How might his prayers be different from those we often pray?
We will also look at:
One of the most complete Old Testament pictures of the sufferings of Christ and all that would come about as a result. And what Proverbs has to say about sarcasm and mean-spirited joking.
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