Tag: The Prayer of Jabez

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 23:14 — 15.9MB)

Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: 1 Chronicles 4:9-10 (NKJV)

The Prayer of Jabez
Feel My Pain
1 Chronicles 4:9-10 (NKJV)

His mother had named him Jabez, saying, “I gave birth to him in pain.”
(Jabez literally means “to cause pain” or “painful”).

Bringing pain into other people’s lives is a spiritual problem.

When Jesus established the Church, he gave one command and it was repeated throughout the New Testament: Love one another.

God wants us (Christians) to be sensitive to the pain we cause others because if we aren’t–then we can push others away from Christ and away from the God we say we love.

When you think about it that way, Jabez’ prayer: can take on a whole new meaning… “Keep me from evil God so that I won’t cause You pain.”

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 22:17 — 15.3MB)

Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: 1 Chronicles 4:9-10 (TLB)

The Prayer of Jabez
God Helps Those…
1 Chronicles 4:9-10 (TLB)

And I believe that when Jabez cried out in prayer: “Let your hand be with me”, this was the one part of his prayer that particularly touched God’s heart.

Now, what would Jabez have read from the Bible of his day that would have led him to pray “Let your hand be with me”.

These stories would have driven home to Jabez that God’s people were at their strongest when they were led by God’s hand, but at their weakest when they tried to go it alone.

The lesson for us is that if we want to be successful in our business, in our family and in our church, then we need God as our pilot.

When the Lord’s hand was upon Moses in this situation, Moses received God’s approval, favor and protection.

It would just shine out from him so that people would know who he was and who he loved.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 23:24 — 16.1MB)

Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: 1 Chronicles 4:9-10 (NASB95)

The Prayer of Jabez
The Prayer That God Answers
1 Chronicles 4:9-10 (NASB95)

There are many people who have rejected this prayer because they believe that it is so selfish.

So, if God doesn’t answer selfish prayers, what kind of prayer is this prayer of Jabez?

What makes Jabez’ prayer so special was that he prayed was based upon something God already wanted to do: “enlarge my territory.”

I suspect Jabez had read about this promise from God in Exodus, “enlarge my territory”, and Jabez said to himself: “I want that promise for my family.”

This is a promise He’s given to us if we obey Him.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 23:30 — 16.1MB)

Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: 1 Chronicles 4:9-10 (NIV)

The Prayer of Jabez
Receiving the Blessing
1 Chronicles 4:9-10 (NIV)

But here, (in the midst of a very standard, very boring list), the Chronicler pauses and mentions this story about Jabez and his two sentence prayer.

Today we’re going to focus on the 1st of this prayer’s four sections: “Oh, that you would bless me.”

Did God make good on those promises? Did Abraham receive a “great name?”

This is God’s way of people becoming great. They become great by having real value, by making a difference in this world.

If we receive the blessing of Abraham, God will make your life, a brilliant blaze, a superb meteor, a magnificent glow. It will matter that we lived.

In a word, the prayer of Jabez was “amplius“, that God make his life mean more, and accomplish more for His kingdom of Israel.