1Ch 4:9 And Jabez was more honourable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with sorrow.
1Ch 4:10 And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep [me] from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested.
About 10 years ago, it seemed that this prayer was everywhere. You couldn't go to Wal-Mart, much less a Christian bookstore, without seeing it on books, Bible Studies, Coffee Mugs, Sweatshirts, Tee Shirts, plaques, and anything else imaginable. It was so popular, and everyone it seemed was praying it.
Well, have we forgotten it? Jabez, whose name means, "One who causes pain," called on the God of Israel, and God granted him what he requested. That seems so trite, yet it is so monumental. The fact still remains that we have not because we ask not.
We aren't blessed, because we think it would be selfish to ask God to bless us. We don't have new coverts and ministry opportunities, because we don't ask God to give them to us. We've been beaten down into thinking that only pious and self-centered Christians want bigger churches and more people. Now, if that is the sole motive, just to have a bigger name or bigger church to look good in front of people, then we've used up the reward here on earth. However, if your heart is pure, and you genuinely want to do more and reach more for God's glory and God's Kingdom, God wants to bless you in that way! WE HAVE NOT BECAUSE WE ASK NOT!!!
Furthermore, God has promised to be with us when we're fulfilling the Great Commission. He's promised to fill us with the power of the Holy Spirit; and He's promised to keep us from harm, when we're in the center of His will. So why not ask. Jabez was bold enough to ask; and as a result, he went from pain to gain, from expense to expanse, and from harm to Hallelujah! God delights in you! He wants to bless you and raise you up as a mighty conqueror. He wants to give you victory after victory for His glory! Just Ask, and see what God will do!
1 comment:
Thank you so much...
I just got done reading a blog about fasting, and one of the statments was that Fasting is not supposed to be a time where you are requesting something from God. He went on to say that it is a time to get closer to the Lord spiritualy.
Now I will agree that fasting and prayer is a time to get closer to God. However I do not beilive that that is all to the idea of Fasting. Every where I have read in the bible where people fasted and prayed it is because of a problem or issue that they needed an answer for. Look at Nehmiah, he fasted and prayed because he was burdened about the condition of the city of Jerusulum...and there are many others. I beilive that many of us fail to realy understand what power we truly do have accsess to because we are Christians. We are the Bride of Christ, we are children of God, the bible calls us Saints. We are told that we can come to the Father and cry out Abba Father. The problem is not Gods willingness to bless us, it is our unwillingness to seek and ask and knock for a blessing (Mat.7:7) Bill Rice once said that he had a dream, and there stood this Christmas tree with all sorts of Presents under the tree. the presents were covered in cob webs and dust...he asked the Lord what is this. He said the Lord said "These are the gifts I desired to give my people if they were only willing to ask for them.
I pray that in my own life and in the ministry which God has given me that I am not one of those who could have been blessed if I only asked the Lord.
Great Blog...really needed it!!
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