2 Chronicles 20:5-12

Christians today can learn some valuable lessons from the prayers found in the Old Testament. When Jehoshaphat petitioned for divine help, he struck a balance between asking the Lord to meet his needs and proclaiming God’s greatness. Likewise, our requests should be made with recognition of who God is. Otherwise, the focus of our prayers can become need, weakness, failure, or fear.

Jehoshaphat cried out to God about his terrible predicament, but he also exalted the Lord’s attributes, acknowledging the great things He had done for them. When we pray with this attitude, we become stronger, bolder, and more forthright. That’s why knowing the Word of God is so important. When we read about how the Lord has worked in the lives of others, we better understand His awesome power and might. Then we can look to the men and women of the Old Testament as an example and begin to pray in a similar way. God’s wonder-working power is still available to us today, and He wants His children to access it.

By proclaiming, “Power and might are in Your hand so that no one can stand against You” (2 Chron. 20:6), Jehoshaphat was praising God and at the same time reminding himself of the Lord’s greatness. As you pray, speak to God of His mercy, talk to Him about His grace, and recall His mighty power.

Do you want to revolutionize your prayer life? If you give as much attention to declaring the attributes of the Lord as you do to making requests, your prayers will take on a whole new dimension. They’ll cease to be self-centered and instead will become God-centered.

Bible in a Year: Psalms 15-18

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Daniel 9:3-4

Daniel and his friends were in a strange land, prisoners of a king who sought to benefit from their superior skills and intellect. As he grew to manhood, Daniel managed to operate within the foreign system without compromising his belief in the heavenly Father. He did not eat forbidden foods. He did not bow to idols. He valiantly maintained his prayer times, even in the face of persecution and punishment. God honored Daniel’s faithfulness, rescuing him from the lions’ den and blessing him with great favor. At every crossroads, Daniel chose to follow the commands of the Lord. He still had to endure trying situations, but God was ever faithful in His protection and provision.

The biblical principles in effect during the Babylonian captivity still hold true. God promises to make secure those who obey His Word. He doesn’t promise that we will avoid trials and hard times, but He does say that He will accompany and help us every step of the way. Proverbs 12:13 states that the righteous will come through trouble.

If you know there is sin in your life, then fear, doubt, and frustration are certain to follow. The Lord’s comforting security is available to anyone, but the prerequisite is obedience to His Word. Don’t expect God’s blessing if you are living in rebellion.

Conversely, obedience will result in courage and contentment regardless of your circumstances. Throughout his life, Daniel repeatedly refused to change or bend his principles, even in the face of what appeared to be sure doom. God intervened every single time—and He will also act on your behalf.

Bible in a Year: Psalms 8-14

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1 Samuel 1:1-18

Hannah’s situation seemed hopeless. She was heartbroken because she was childless, which was a source of disgrace for a Hebrew woman. But Hannah suffered even more because of the deliberate provocation by her husband’s other wife, who was blessed with children.

Holding on to hope can be difficult when miserable circumstances show no signs of improving. For believers, this can be even more discouraging, because they know God could have fulfilled their hopes but hasn’t.

Hannah was a woman of great faith, even in the midst of disappointment and pain. Year after year she kept going to Shiloh to worship the Lord. Perseverance like hers is a quality the Father highly values in His people. Endurance in trials leads to godly character and hope that does not disappoint (Rom. 5:3-5).

Great pain often drives us to God. Hannah had faithfully worshipped Him with all of Israel, but this time she went by herself to the tabernacle and prayed to the only one who could help her. Weeping bitterly, she poured out her soul before the Lord and offered a sacrifice of the very thing she valued most—a child. She laid her hope at His feet and promised that if He fulfilled her desire, she’d give her son to be God’s servant.

Sometimes what we strive to hold can be kept only by surrendering it to God. This applies to our hopes as well as to our very lives (Luke 9:24). Learn from Hannah’s faith, and pour out your heart and hopes before God—He alone can fulfill your desires or change them to match His will.

Bible in a Year: Psalms 1-7

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Judges 16:1-31

Parents often try to give their children every advantage in the hope that they’ll become successful adults. As Christians, we especially want to help our kids increase in knowledge of God and His Word, love for Jesus, appreciation for the body of Christ, and the desire to serve the Lord. Children frequently have great enthusiasm for the things of the Lord. But as they grow older, we sometimes see them falling away from the faith.

Samson is an example of such unfortunate drifting. Despite his godly upbringing, sexual temptations eventually became overly attractive to him.

Scripture reveals several occasions where Samson gave in to his lust. For instance, he desired a pagan woman from Timnah, and despite his parents’ warning, he broke God’s command by marrying her (Judg. 14:1-3). A second incident nearly led to his death; he survived only because of his supernatural strength. (Judg. 14:12-20.) Perhaps the most tragic example was his betrayal by Delilah, the ungodly woman he loved. Lust prevented him from seeing her true nature. As a result, Samson was captured and blinded by the Philistines.

Left unchecked, sin will permeate and dominate our lives, while affecting others with its repercussions. The first step toward success is to become aware of our weaknesses. Next, we must admit helplessness to overcome them on our own. Finally, it’s important to acknowledge God’s sufficiency to rescue us. In the end, Samson recognized his need for God and prayed for strength to strike back at the Philistines (Judg. 16:28). If we share Samson’s perspective, we will be able to obey God’s commands and gain victory.

Bible in a Year: Job 39-42

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Luke 14:12-14

Some Christians think it’s wrong to want rewards, but our Creator knows people are motivated by incentives. In fact, He made us that way, which is why His Word makes exciting promises for those who walk in His way.

Some of these benefits are available here on earth—like fulfillment, joy, and good favor—whereas other blessings will be bestowed once we are in heaven. As followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, we need never fear judgment (Rom. 8:1), for we are clothed in righteousness through His blood and will not face divine wrath.

To help us understand this, the Bible describes several crowns. First, the crown of life is granted to believers who stand firm and endure trials without giving up or losing heart (James 1:12). The second crown, called imperishable, is given to those whose great desire is to walk obediently before God (1 Cor. 9:24-27). Through struggles and even failures, they continue to die to their flesh and follow the Spirit. Next, the crown of righteousness is bestowed upon those who long for Christ’s appearing and live righteously through Him (2 Tim. 4:6-8). Lastly, God will give the crown of glory to those who share His Word with others (1 Pet. 5:2-4). As Scripture tells us, we will be awed by Jesus’ magnificence and honored just to lay our crowns at His feet.

The supreme reward is for us to manifest God’s glory throughout eternity. We will experience joy in His presence forever, but we don’t have to wait: We can invest today by serving Him obediently and humbly. Done with the right motive, service blesses us now and in the future.

Bible in a Year: Job 31-34

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Hebrews 6:10

In His grace, God freely gives salvation to those who believe His Son Jesus died on the cross for their sins. We cannot earn this gift, nor do we deserve it. Our Father does notice our good works, though, and He promises to reward us accordingly.

Genuine service occurs when we cooperate as the Lord works through us for His glory and honor. True ministry takes place when divine resources meet human needs through loving channels.

Revelation 22:12 encourages us, “Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done.” Whether large or small, service done in Jesus’ name will be blessed. We must be careful, though, that our actions are for Christ’s glory and not our own. If our motives are self-serving, the only benefit we receive is the praise (if any) that we hear from people in this life. And we know that man’s approval is not satisfying or lasting.

While some rewards will be given in heaven, other blessings can be experienced here on earth. For example, we know great joy when God blesses others through us. And there is deep satisfaction in realizing that we are pleasing Christ. In addition, there’s a profound sense of fulfillment when we lead a person to Jesus and teach him or her how to walk by faith.

Serving others is both a great benefit and responsibility for Christians. We should prayerfully consider our motives to make sure that our goal is to glorify Christ. Only then will we receive God’s full blessings—rewards given not just in eternity but here on earth as well.

Bible in a Year: Job 26-30

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Psalm 119:71-76

The psalmist rejoiced in affliction because trials added to his knowledge of God. Lessons in the Lord’s constancy, grace, and provision were more valuable to him than a sack full of gold and silver. Hardship also enriched his heart and spirit.

Affliction acts as spiritual fertilizer on a believer’s faith. Consider how David’s radical pursuit of the Lord developed while he was running from a murderous king. The years between his victory over Goliath and his ascension to the throne were physically demanding and emotionally draining. Yet the challenges that David faced molded him into a wise leader, a cunning warrior, and a humble servant of the Lord.

Psalms 4 and 13 reveal that David’s struggles taught him dependence on God, perseverance, and many other valuable spiritual traits. The Lord also provided comfort even as He stretched the warrior-poet’s faith (Ps. 86:17). As God intended, David’s words continue to offer solace to others who must walk through trials and misery.

By means of affliction, God molds His children into comfort carriers. (See 2 Cor. 1:4.) The message we share with others is the one we learned in our own trials: God is enough. He’s sufficient to meet our needs when the pit is deep, the obstacle high, and the suffering prolonged. Moreover, our own lives prove that no matter the circumstance, God is faithful.

Those whom God leads to triumph over affliction become the fragrance of His care to a hurting world (2 Cor. 2:14). We carry cheer to the discouraged, relief to the hurting, and the message of Christ’s love to all.

Bible in a Year: Job 22-25

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2 Corinthians 11:23-37

Does anything prevent you from feeling confident that God loves you? Perhaps you are convinced some sin from your past blocks His love. In that case, think about Paul. He violently persecuted Christians before he himself finally turned to the Lord. If such a man knew God loved him, would that help you realize you, too, are loved?

Whatever your experiences are, Paul probably encountered something you can relate to. Yet he kept spreading his message of hope: God loves us and sent His Son to die on the cross for our sins.

Maybe you wonder how a God of love could allow you to be hurt or abused. Or possibly you feel alone and unlovable. Paul endured beatings and imprisonment for preaching the gospel, his friends abandoned him, and he was even shipwrecked. But if Paul was able to have faith that God loved him, won’t you believe that God loves you as well?

Continue reading Charles Stanley – The Reality of God’s Love →

2 Chronicles 20:1-25

Faced with His nation’s certain demise, King Jehoshaphat responded with worship. Read his prayer in today’s passage, and you may find it difficult to separate the petition from the praise. Going deeper than familiar expressions like “hallelujah” and “praise the Lord,” he celebrates God’s personhood and extols His virtues.

Furthermore, the king led the people in glorifying God for their past redemption. As they focused on the Lord (instead of the incoming armies), the Israelites recalled anew how their heavenly Father had intervened, sometimes dramatically. This was exactly what God had told them to do—to instruct their children about His ways so they could daily honor Him. (See Deut. 6:7.) Doing so builds courage and strengthens faith.

The people’s praise paved the way for their complete and total dependence upon the Lord. The odds of the small Israelite army beating the united force of three enemies were slim. However, in their worshipful state of mind, the people could admit their weakness and await divine intervention. God gave them an outrageous solution to the problem: to do nothing. Even so, Israel was spiritually prepared to go against human reason and obey His commands. God loves it when we throw ourselves upon His mercy, because then His power can be released in its fullness.

God is also willing to lead you to victory in troubled times. The Israelites’ story is recorded in His Word so that all believers may apply its principles to their life. Bend your heart and mind toward the Lord, and He will enlarge your vision of who He is and what He can do on your behalf.

Bible in a Year: 1 Chronicles 4-6

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1 Peter 2:9-10

Whenever feelings of low self-worth threaten us with discouragement, we need to rely on the truth of God’s Word rather than on our emotions. Today we are going to examine four phrases that describe how the Lord sees every believer.

1. A Chosen Race. God chose you and me to be part of His kingdom and family because He wanted us. No one who has been specially selected by almighty God is insignificant.
2. A Royal Priesthood. As believers, we are children of God and, therefore, part of a royal family. In other words, we are “heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ” (Rom. 8:17). Just as Jesus fulfilled the roles of both king and priest, so God has also entrusted us with priestly responsibilities of worship and intercession for others.
3. A Holy Nation. The church—or body of Christ—is a group of people who are holy, which means “set apart” for the purposes of God. Our lives are never meaningless, because living for the Lord is the greatest purpose one can have.
4. A People for God’s Own Possession. You and I are the heavenly Father’s personal possessions. (See Deut. 14:2; Titus 2:14; 1 Pet. 2:9.) Because He sees us as precious, He sent His Son to die on the cross in our place so we could belong to Him.

Each of these descriptions shows the high value God places on you. Satan may whisper lies of condemnation and criticism, but he can’t change who you really are. Begin today to demonstrate the truth of Scripture by remembering your real identity and living out your high calling from the Lord.

Bible in a Year: 2 Kings 18-20

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Psalm 50:15

In adventure movies, we often see people trapped and helpless, frantically looking for a way to escape. Real life can sometimes feel that way for us, and as we begin to look for a way out, our prayers become filled with requests for rescue—physical healing, changed circumstances, additional provision.

Did you ever consider that even more important than physical rescue is spiritual liberation? (See Eph. 6:12.) First and foremost, Jesus Christ delivered you from the power and penalty of sin. As your living Savior, He also knows your continued helplessness in the face of sinful habits, uncontrolled emotions, and ungodly thoughts. He wants to free you from these sins. So seek out His offer of spiritual rescue every day—whether or not a physical crisis looms over you.

Follow the example of the psalmist, who cried out to God for deliverance. Psalm 50:15 says, “Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I shall rescue you, and you will honor Me.” Start by admitting your helplessness to the Lord and to yourself. Confess any fears, unbelief, or self-reliance that you might detect in your life. Surrender all further attempts at change that are done apart from the heavenly Father. Then turn your gaze toward Him. Think about His relationship with you, who He is, and what He desires. Let the Holy Spirit fill your spirit with the truth of God’s Word. Meditate on it. Commit yourself to following His way. Then trust God, and wait on Him to change you from the inside out. A day will arrive when the helpless feeling will leave to be replaced by the joy of being free. When it does, give God the glory.

Bible in a Year: 2 Kings 10-12

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