“What a waste!” That’s the common response of a novice when the Chronicles are opened. At first glance, the books seem boring, tedious, and needless. But God preserved these books. With meticulous care, He watched over their composition and preservation. In this study, we shall discover how essential these incidentals really are.
Jabez emerges in the midst of epitaphs on tombstones as the Spirit of God is pleased to hover over his life a bit longer than any other mentioned in this context. Because God singles out Jabez, we are wise to pause and learn the truth of the story. By doing so, many who feel their lives are marked by obscurity and insignificance can gain fresh courage to excel.
Pastor Chuck will continue his series on integrity by introducing one of the “unknowns” in the Bible: a man named Jabez, who rose out of a painful and restrictive past into a much broader and honorable place of significance, thanks to his vision for a better life, his unique prayer, and God’s abundant blessings.
Jabez’s heartfelt prayer moved the Lord’s hand of mercy: “God granted him his request” (4:10). By answering Jabez’s prayer, the Lord elevated him as an honourable, distinguished, and respected man in Israel.
Curiosity in the occult can lead to tragedy. What seems like harmless and innocent fun can quickly escalate to the point where you’re involved spiritually and physically. Like Chuck Swindoll says, “Watch out for the enemy. He not only plays dirty; he plays for keeps. And he’s playing for your soul.”
Somewhere back in time, you and I were given a faulty set of instructions. Somewhere we learned that only the most famous or the star athlete or the most publicly gifted individual is worth our time and attention, our respect and our loudest applause. But in reality, if it wasn’t for the people who surround them, these well-known individuals would quickly fade in popularity and become among the most commonplace.
Our default is to embrace a horizontal perspective of life, but once we embrace a vertical perspective we acknowledge God’s hand on our lives. God is sovereign, no matter what happens.
Milestones are worth celebrating. They’re wonderful opportunities to reflect on where you’ve been and evaluate where you’re going.
If it were possible to make all the wrongs right, it would be so much easier, wouldn’t it? When you’re misunderstood sometimes there’s nothing you can do but let it go.
Surrounded by his son, the king-elect Solomon, and an assembly of loyal followers, King David dreamed, rejoiced, gave advice, prayed, and finally died—ending an era that would never again be duplicated in the annals of history.
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