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Tuesday, July 7th, 2015
CityLight Church’s One Year Bible Reading Plan
1 Chronicles 4:5-5:17
Acts 25:1-27
Psalm 5:1-12
Proverbs 18:19
For full text click here: http://bit.ly/VTxdzU
Commentary from Pastor Mike White:
And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, “Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!” So God granted him what he requested. – 1 Chron 4:10
Jabez means, “He will cause pain.” His mother had a hard time bringing him into the world, so she named him accordingly. Some think our names determine our destiny; they define who we are. Jabez seemed destined for a life of causing pain. But one prayer changed all that.
Jabez asked God to bless him. He asked God to enlarge his territory. He asked God to keep His hand on him, and to keep him from evil. He asked God to undo his past, and acknowledged that just because he caused hurt to others in the past did not mean he had to keep living that way.
God desires to bless you. The first thing He did after forming man in His image was bless him (Gen 1:27-28). Ask Him to keep you from evil. Ask Him to bless you for Jesus’ sake, even though you don’t deserve it. God will bless you: not because of anything you’ve done, but because Jesus died on the Cross for you!
Prayer:
God, re-do my destiny! Make me whole. My past does not determine my future. I pray that You would bless me and enlarge my territory! I pray that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil! Hear my prayers, in Jesus’ name!
© Michael D. White, 2015. All rights reserved.