God May Use Distress to Expand Your Influence
BIBLE MEDITATION:
"And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that Thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that Thine hand might be with me, and that Thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested." 1 Chronicles 4:10
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
The story of Jabez is one of a man who wanted his influence to be enlarged. God can stretch you, as well.
If you ask that God enlarge your influence, be aware of this: For the Psalmist, Psalm 4:1 says that God enlarged him when he was "in distress." You can expect that God may use distressing circumstances to do that in you. And the pain will be worth it all.
When God enlarges you, He does so to fill you with more of Himself. Don’t be satisfied with God’s filling a small place if God wants to fill a larger place.
ACTION POINT:
Are you ready to say, "God I want more. I want You to enlarge my coasts. I don’t want just a blessing. I want a blessing indeed"? We need to pray big prayers to a big God.
"And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that Thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that Thine hand might be with me, and that Thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested." 1 Chronicles 4:10
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
The story of Jabez is one of a man who wanted his influence to be enlarged. God can stretch you, as well.
If you ask that God enlarge your influence, be aware of this: For the Psalmist, Psalm 4:1 says that God enlarged him when he was "in distress." You can expect that God may use distressing circumstances to do that in you. And the pain will be worth it all.
When God enlarges you, He does so to fill you with more of Himself. Don’t be satisfied with God’s filling a small place if God wants to fill a larger place.
ACTION POINT:
Are you ready to say, "God I want more. I want You to enlarge my coasts. I don’t want just a blessing. I want a blessing indeed"? We need to pray big prayers to a big God.
~Adrian Rogers~
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Giving the Devil Plenty to Mourn About
BIBLE MEDITATION:
"Buried with Him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with Him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised Him from the dead." Colossians2:12
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
People often ask me, "Why do Baptists immerse people—put them fully under the water—when a new convert to Christ is baptized?" Because that’s what God’s Word teaches. When you go under the water, that is a picture of your death and burial. When you come up out of the water, that is a picture of your resurrection. "Buried with Him." "Risen with Him."
If I died and you took me to the cemetery and sprinkled a few granules of dirt on my head, have you truly buried me? No. The very word "baptism" means to immerse.
ACTION POINT:
Your baptism is a funeral service: Dead to the old life. Raised to newness of life. And the devil doesn’t like that. The baptismal is a liquid tomb, and the mourner who comes to that funeral is the devil. Let’s be sure he has plenty to mourn about.
"Buried with Him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with Him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised Him from the dead." Colossians2:12
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
People often ask me, "Why do Baptists immerse people—put them fully under the water—when a new convert to Christ is baptized?" Because that’s what God’s Word teaches. When you go under the water, that is a picture of your death and burial. When you come up out of the water, that is a picture of your resurrection. "Buried with Him." "Risen with Him."
If I died and you took me to the cemetery and sprinkled a few granules of dirt on my head, have you truly buried me? No. The very word "baptism" means to immerse.
ACTION POINT:
Your baptism is a funeral service: Dead to the old life. Raised to newness of life. And the devil doesn’t like that. The baptismal is a liquid tomb, and the mourner who comes to that funeral is the devil. Let’s be sure he has plenty to mourn about.
~Adrian Rogers~
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