Have you ever wondered, “Could God really use someone like me?”
Maybe you look at your past… your failures… your lack of knowledge or confidence—and quietly assume you don’t have much to offer.
“I don’t know enough.”
“I don’t have the right gifts.”
“I could never do anything significant for God.”
If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone.
But it may also be that your understanding of the people God uses is a little incomplete.
If your picture of the Bible comes mostly from Sunday school stories, you might remember the highlights—but miss the flaws.
Yes, David killed a giant—but he also committed adultery and arranged a man’s death.
Gideon led a miraculous victory—but struggled deeply with fear and doubt.
Jonah preached to a city—but only after running from God in rebellion.
And Samson… well, his story might challenge you more than you expect.
Because when you look closely, the Bible isn’t a collection of perfect people God used—it’s a record of imperfect people God used anyway.
No matter what the battle or who the enemy is, we are not to look at the size of the enemy, but at the size of our God! So, if you’re struggling with anxiety about everything going on in our nation and the world or with the circumstances of your life, there is a better way to process it all. Today, we’ll look at how we can refocus on the bigness of God and respond biblically.
Over the last few years, we have seen more than our share of protests. In fact, as Americans, we have a tradition of protest, and certainly, some protest is healthy.
But many of today’s protests have taken on an ugly, finger-pointing, refusal-to-even-listen-to-the-other-side tone. It’s one thing to protest genuine injustice, especially when it’s in defense of those who are least able to defend themselves, but have many of our protests turned into the kind that God will judge?
Even if we’re on the side of truth, have our attitudes toward those with whom we disagree become displeasing to the Lord? If so, what should we do and how should we respond to those who protest against, even attack, our stand for God and His righteousness?
Do you ever feel like you’re stretched too thin? Has over-commitment become a way of life for you? Do you find yourself irritable, impatient, angry, or full of stress because other people, maybe even God, seem to be standing in the way of your agenda? Could your frustration and stress come from two common problems?
Do you struggle with what seems like unanswered prayer? Maybe you’ve been deeply hurt, possibly by someone close to you. Or perhaps it’s a financial trial, a serious illness or a loss. Whatever it is, you feel like you’ve been crying out to God for help with no relief in sight. The psalmist in today’s reading expressed the same feelings. How can understanding his prayer help you and me?
Also, read about Joseph and how he is a “type of Christ.” A type is a picture (like the old “tintype,” pictures taken during the 1800s). In this case, a picture of Christ, a glimpse into God’s heart, and the character of our Savior. What exactly does that mean, and how should his example inspire us today?
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 though 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.”
If God is sovereign and His plans cannot fail, why do we need to pray?
Why pray for revival?
Why pray for the unsaved?
Why pray for our leaders?
Why ask God to accomplish what He has already promised to do?
It can be tempting to think:
“God is going to do what He’s going to do anyway.”
But Daniel didn’t think that way.
When he discovered from Scripture that the seventy years of captivity were nearing their end, he didn’t close the scroll and simply wait for God to act.
He prayed.
He confessed.
He pleaded for mercy.
And he asked God to do exactly what God had already said He would do.
So how do God’s sovereignty and our prayers fit together?
And could believing the right doctrine about God’s sovereignty still lead us into a very wrong kind of passivity?
We’ll also look at a difficult passage about praying concerning enemies, what Proverbs says about the consequences of failing to discipline our children, and why 1 John says walking in the light matters so much.
