November 4

But Samuel declared: “Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obedience to His voice? Behold, obedience is better than sacrifice, and attentiveness is better than the fat of rams. — 1 Sam 15:22 BSB

Many people pray for sanctification but fail to receive it because they don’t fully understand or believe in God’s appointed means—Jesus Christ and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Similarly, many prayers for the salvation of others are hindered because the person praying takes the wrong steps and relies on methods that, in fact, obstruct their well-intentioned goals.

We’ve known many wives pleading for their husbands' souls, hoping to win them by yielding to their husbands’ worldly preferences, thinking that compromising with these tastes might somehow draw them to Christ. But how much more powerful would it be if they stood firmly with God, fearlessly testifying to their faith in ways that God can bless?

Many congregations wonder why they remain poor and struggling, but they may find that their financial practices are entirely unscriptural and sometimes even lacking basic integrity.

When we ask God for any blessing, we must let Him guide us through the steps He has chosen to bring about the answer.