1 Chronicles 4:9-10 Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, “Because I bore him in pain.” And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, “Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!” So, God granted him what he requested.
This last Sunday, Pastor Kyle preached a special sermon on the “Prayer of Jabez”, a powerful two verses sandwiched between generational lists in the book of 1 Chronicles. Jabez’s prayer matches up with what everybody wants out of life. The principle of God blessing those who bless Him applies to us today as they did back in Jabez”s time. Keep the faith. God honors those who honor Him. Jebez was an honorable man who believed and sought after God. Who or what do you seek. Hebrews 11:5b-6 says, “he [Enoch] pleased God.But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Similarly, Matthew 6:31-33 tells us, “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”
The relationship isn’t a I do “this” in order to get “that” sort of thing. The relationship that God want from all of us is that we want to serve God, no matter what, because He is our reward. And He is our Rewarder. Jabez kept the faith and lived the life honoring to God. The reason that many of us do not experience the full blessing of the Lord and reach our goals in life is because we give up before our breakthrough. People try but give up and reject God for many reasons from selfishness, to calamities, illness, misinformation and outright lies about the Bible. When questions come up, we need to keep the faith because pains pass, feelings subside, and answers come. Tough times never last; tough Christian do.
A man or woman of God who keeps the faith and continues to trust that God honors those who honor Him find that God is their reward and their Rewarder as they diligently seek Him. So, don’t give up because you are not seeing the fruit of God in a certain area of your life right now. People over-estimate what they can accomplish in five years and greatly under-estimate what they can accomplish in ten years and beyond. Know that within a personal relationship with the Lord, God works one life at a time, enlarging their territory, but not overnight.
A problem arises when people despise “small beginnings”, and too short term and give up too quickly. So, start small, think long-term and don’t give up. In Luke 16:10-13, Jesus explains, “He who is faithful in a very little thing is also faithful in much; and he who is dishonest in a very little thing is also dishonest in much. Therefore, if you have not been faithful in the use of earthly wealth, who will entrust the true riches to you? And if you have not been faithful in the use of that [earthly wealth] which belongs to another [whether God or man, and of which you are a trustee], who will give you that which is your own? No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will stand devotedly by the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and mammon [that is, your earthly possessions or anything else you trust in and rely on instead of God].” If we want true spiritual and emotional health within our soul in life, we need to act honorable on the small things in the eyes of the Lord first.
Let's continue pastor Kyle's message on the Prayer of Jabez in the next post.
In Christ, Brian
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