Before we can pray for God's blessing, we should ask ourselves if our disobedience could hinder his blessing.

God chose Israel not because they were superior but because of what He could do through them for others.

The fear of God does not come naturally to human beings; it must be learned through Scripture, worship, and the hard knocks of experience.

Rejoicing is the essence of genuine worship. A sad face (apart from remorse for sin or regret concerning the pain of others) is an affront to a gracious and generous God.

The heart that delights in God and longs only to see His glory advance will seldom be conscious of sacrifice. God in His wisdom asks that we first love Him and then live in keeping with that core value. He does not want His people to think of what they do as sacrificial, even though from the world's point of view it may be just that. Gratitude for grace of God will always be found near the center of the Biblical Christian's most powerful motivations.

Chastening is a mark of affection, not a sign of rejection.

False teaching - anything that would weaken the believer's ties to his Lord - must be confronted wherever it appears, even if that confrontation requires painful correction.