Why not take some poor child in church and buy him a pair of shoes, or some poor lady a dress who does not have a decent dress, etc.

Why not carry a pocket full of quarters and give them to children (and give me the dollars, also, ha).

Why not send some money to a poor college student?

II. OUR PROBLEM – WE ARE ALL BY NATURE SELFISH.

Look at verses 4-7: all the personal pronouns.

His problem here is that he is thinking about (himself) ME. Your pastor and his wife have needs. Every one of our staff members have needs. We all have needs.

Our Pastor has needs and burdens, but will we ever know them. Our lot in life is to meet others’ needs not “my” needs.

We say, “No one ever did anything for ME”. See, there you go again thinking of ME.

III. THE PROMISE – HE WILL DELIVER AND PROTECT US. VERSES 1-3 and Hebrews 13:1-6.

“He will Strengthen and keep me,” etc. He will preserve and keep me when I care about needs of others.

Strengthen: Comfort, refresh, and rescue.

TO BE CONCLUDED TOMORROW!

For those of you reading my daily devotional for the first time; we hope that you will forgive us about being a little happy and shout. Because we have reason to be happy – HE IS OUR HOPE – BLESSED BE OUR GOD.

Mary and others being tested and tried to glorify our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Several promises are found in this text. Look at verse 3 again, “God is merciful.”

I. WE HAVE A GUARANTEED FUTURE – HEAVEN VERSES 3-5.

A. A future in HOPE.

B. “ in HAPPINESS.

C. “ in HOLINESS.

II. WE HAVE GREAT REASON TO REJOICE – REJOICE EVERMORE!

A. Because our trials are only for a season.

B. Our temptations test the quality of our faith:

1 Corinthians 10:13, “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”

True Christianity always shines brightest in the darkest hours.

III. WE WILL HAVE GREAT TRIALS TO TEST US VERSE 7.

A. The test may take us through the fires. Illus: Three Hebrew children.

B. The test will prove the preciousness of:

Christ. 2. The Word of God. 3. The Holy Spirit.

IV. WE WILL GLORY IN HIS PRESENCE VERSE 7.

A. GLORY because we will see Him face to face.

B. GLORY because He will be proven faithful.

Our hope is not in man’s faith, but the faithfulness of God.

WE WILL SEE SIX LESSONS FOR OUR HOPE TOMORROW!

Jabez makes a quick appearance and then he is gone. He is remembered for his prayer, rather than his heroic act.

Jabez acknowledged God as the true center of his work.

When we pray for God’s blessing, we should also pray for Him to take His rightful place as Lord in our work, recreation and family life.

Listen: Obeying Him in our daily life is truly heroic. You are known by what you do, and by what you are. Jabez was known for his prayer.

Though he was from a dysfunctional family. He was a man of prayer. You may be from a dysfunctional family, O.K., but now get over it. Man has been since Adam.

Several lessons from Jabez:

HE WAS DEFINITE IN HIS PRAYER.

He prayed specifically to be protected from evil and disaster.
We must learn to pray definite, or be specific in our praying.

He said, “bless me indeed.”

HE CALLED ON GOD.

We need to call on God, our Father.

I like what someone said: “The church is praying for peanuts, when God wants to give us Continents.”

He is saying, “bless me indeed, expand my vision.”

God granted his prayer. Oh, but he did not stop there.

HE ASKED GOD TO KEEP HIM FROM EVIL, OR PRIDE.

We live in a fallen world where sin abounds, and it is important to ask God to keep us safe from the unavoidable sin that comes our way.

But we need to also avoid evil motives, desires, and actions that begin within us.

Therefore, we must not only seek God’s protection from evil, but also ask God to guard our thoughts and actions.

We will begin to see his protection by filling our minds with holy thoughts and attitudes.

Why can’t we get our prayers answered?
Sometimes it is because we fail to ask.
Sometimes, what we ask for is not good for us.
Sometimes we fail to ask in praise.
Sometimes it is because of sin.
And others because we fail to thank & praise Him.

See the greatest example: 2 Chronicles 20:3-30.

Our children and students must understand the privilege in being called a “servant of God.” Too often the emphasis is placed on what man can do rather than what God is doing through His servants. Let’s place much importance on the joy, blessing and privilege in being called a “servant of God.”

However, there are certain things we must do and realize before becoming a servant of God. No, serving God is not something you do if you have failed at everything else! It is not something you do in your spare time, etc.

Let us consider some of the qualifications of a servant of God:

FIRST OF ALL, THERE MUST BE A CALLING! VERSES. 14-15.

Realize that you must be chosen of God, whether you are a preacher or not. You were chosen the moment of your salvation.

John 15:16, “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.”

Luke 6:13, “And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles.”

John 15:19, “If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.”

Acts 1:24, “And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen.”

Acts 10:41, “Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead.”

Acts 22:14, “And he said, The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest know his will, and see that Just One, and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth.”

Romans 9:21, “Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?”

CONTINUED TOMORROW!