about the "Prayer of
Jabez" which is shown in
the following two verses
in 1 Chronicles. It is
wonderful if people
pray to God and truly
want to get to know him
and to live a life that is
pleasing to him. But I
have some concerns
about this prayer.
Please keep reading.
verses is for emphasis.
1 Chronicles
4:9 And Jabez was more
1 Chronicles
4:9 And Jabez was more
honourable than his
brethren: and his mother
called his name Jabez,
saying, Because I bare
him with sorrow.
4:10 And Jabez called on
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.
From what I have heard
From what I have heard
and read my concerns
with this particular
popular prayer...
(1) people are praying
(1) people are praying
this prayer just to get
blessings from God.
(2) that people are
praying this prayer
repetitiously, which
Jesus Christ himself
told us not to do. Here
are those Bible verses
where Jesus Christ tells
us not to pray
repetitious prayers
like the heathen do.
God wants us to pray
to him from our heart.
Matthew
6:7 But when ye pray,
use not vain repetitions,
as the heathen do: for
they think that they
shall be heard for their
much speaking.
6:8 Be not ye therefore
6:8 Be not ye therefore
like unto them: for your
Father knoweth what
things ye have need of,
before ye ask him.
Are you living in obedience
God wants our intimate,
personal prayers, talking
about specific needs and
cares, not some prayer
we repeat just so we will
get blessings from him.
God wants to have a
personal relationship with
us like he had with Adam
and Eve. But he cannot
have that closeness with
you if you think of him as
just a Big Santa Claus in
the sky waiting to pour
blessings on you.
Ask yourself these
Ask yourself these
questions...
Are you living in obedience
to God's commands?
Are you daily asking
Are you daily asking
God's forgiveness of your
sins?
Are you reading and
Are you reading and
studying God's Holy Word,
the King James Bible, daily
to get to know what his
commands to you are so
you can live a life that is
pleasing to him?
If you love someone,
If you love someone,
you want to please them.
If you love God enough
to want him to give you
blessings, then you
should also love him
enough to want to please
him by living in obedience
to his commands.
When we read the Bible
When we read the Bible
over and over, we see
that many times God's
blessings are conditional.
Conditional blessings
are those that God will
bestow on us but only
after we obey his
commands, i.e.,
repenting of our sins
(being sorry for them
and turning away from
them)!
Here is just one example
Here is just one example
of a 'conditional' blessing
from God:
2 Chronicles 7:14
If my people, which are
2 Chronicles 7:14
If my people, which are
called by my name,
shall humble themselves,
and pray, and seek my
face, and turn from their
wicked ways; then will
I hear from heaven, and
will forgive their sin, and
will heal their land.
Get that? God will hear
Get that? God will hear
our prayers, forgive our
sin, and heal our land,
BUT ONLY IF WE
FIRST DO THIS...
(1) humble ourselves
(2) pray
(3) seek God's face
(4) and turn from our wicked ways.
(1) humble ourselves
(2) pray
(3) seek God's face
(4) and turn from our wicked ways.