https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/03\/JabezsPrayer.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n\tby Jeffrey W. Hamilton<\/p>\n\t
Text: I Chronicles 4:9-10<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
I. In a long list of names, under the family of Judah is brief mention of a person named Jabez.<\/p>\n A. We learn that his name means “he will cause pain.” Though what kind of pain he\ncaused, outside of childbirth we do not know.\n
B. He is described as being more honorable than his brethren<\/p>\n C. Jewish tradition is that Jabez founded a famous line of doctors of law. It seems to\nbe supported by I Chronicles 2:55, which mentions a city of scribes that is named\nJabez.\n
D. Many wonder what made Jabez so honorable.<\/p>\n
1. Not much is mentioned of him other than his prayer.<\/p>\n
2. Perhaps it is his prayer that made him stand out from those around him.<\/p>\n
II. “Oh, that you would bless me indeed”<\/p>\n
A. For most of us, Jabez’s prayer seems bold and brash.<\/p>\n
1. His prayer revolves entirely around himself.<\/p>\n
2. He asks for great favors from God.<\/p>\n B. It is no more bold than Jacob wrestling with an angel of God, demanding a\nblessing before he would release him – Genesis 32:24-26, 29\n
C. Every good gift is from God – James 1:17<\/p>\n 1. The reason Jesus came was to bring us blessings by turning us from sin. –\nActs 3:26\n
2. Blessings are not just gifts, they are life changing benefits from God.<\/p>\n
3. In Jesus we have all spiritual blessings – Eph 1:3<\/p>\n
4. God will supply all we need – Phil 4:19<\/p>\n
D. Both Jabez and Jacob fully and sincerely believed that God would bless them.<\/p>\n
III. “Enlarge my border”<\/p>\n A. Jabez is not just asking for more territory. He is asking God for more\nresponsibility and work as well.\n B. So many want to ask God for more of this world’s wealth, but what do you plan to\ndo with it? Are you willing to take on the extra burden that comes with it?\n 1. I Tim 6:6-10 – The rich will face more temptations. Will your faith survive\nwhat you are asking for?\n
2. I Tim 6:17-19 – God expects extra duties from the wealthy<\/p>\n
3. We are expected to work so as to have enough to help others – Eph 4:28<\/p>\n
4. We are to give to God as we have prospered – I Cor. 16:2<\/p>\n
C. Enlarging our borders can be more than just physical wealth and responsibilities<\/p>\n
1. John 10:10 – Jesus came to give us an abundant life<\/p>\n
2. An entrance to the heavenly kingdom is abundantly supplied – II Pet 1:11<\/p>\n
3. In Christ, our spiritual borders are enlarged – Eph 3:17-21<\/p>\n 4. But with it comes responsibility and more work. You cannot have more\nwithout expecting to put out more.\n
IV. “That your hand might be with me”<\/p>\n
A. We are strengthen by God’s Spirit within us – Eph 3:16<\/p>\n
B. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me – Phil 4:13<\/p>\n
C. Cast your cares on God and he will care for you – I Pet 5:6-7<\/p>\n
D. David said that God upholds the righteous – Ps 37:23-24<\/p>\n
1. Here again, more is implied than what is said.<\/p>\n 2. If we want God’s help and aid, then we are saying we placed our lives into\nhis care.\n
3. We have volunteer to be God’s servants, his slaves to do his will.<\/p>\n 4. Are you willing to give that much of yourself to receive so much more\nfrom God?\n
E. No one can remove us from the mighty hand of Jesus – John 10:28-29<\/p>\n
V. “That you would keep me from harm that it may not pain me”<\/p>\n
A. God watches over and cares for his people.<\/p>\n B. However, Jabez is acknowledging that his request is spiritually dangerous. He is\nmore open to harm from the enemy and he needs protection and aid.\n 1. Deut 32:15 – Wealth and comfort causes people to forget the Lord who\ngives.\n
2. Deut. 31:20 – It has happened repeatedly in the past.<\/p>\n
C. God doesn’t tempt us with evil – James 1:12-13<\/p>\n 1. But that blessing which we think we want so much can put us into the path\nof evil.\n D. Even in Jesus’ sample prayer he urged his disciples to ask to be delivered from evil\n– Matt 6:13\n
E. God knows how to deliver us – II Pet 2:9<\/p>\n 1. Too many have been bluffed by Satan to think they are too far gone into\nsin.\n
2. God saved Lot from the evils of Sodom (II Peter 2:7-8)<\/p>\n
3. God saved Noah from the evil world (II Peter 2:5)<\/p>\n
4. God can save us as well, if we will but ask<\/p>\n
VI. “God granted him what he requested”<\/p>\n
A. As simply as that. Are you surprised?<\/p>\n B. Matthew 7:7-11 – Are you seeking God’s blessings? Are you looking to do\ngreater work?\n
C. Why not this day imitate the prayer of the honorable Jabez?<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: I Chronicles 4:9-10 I. In a long list of names, under the family of Judah is brief mention of a person named Jabez. A. We learn that his name means “he will cause pain.” Though what kind of pain he caused, outside of childbirth we do not know. B. He is described…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[119,32],"tags":[1653,1510],"class_list":["post-62889","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-audio","category-sermon","tag-jabez","tag-prayers"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":11670,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/a-steward-of-god\/","url_meta":{"origin":62889,"position":0},"title":"A Steward of God","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 1, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Matthew 25:14-30 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Consider Psalm 24:1-2 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0What does it mean that everything belongs to God? \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a01.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0God made it, so therefore He has the right of ownership - Deuteronomy 10:14 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a02.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Even we belong to God - Ezekiel 18:4 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a03.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0God doesn\u2019t owe anyone because He pre-existed all\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":51930,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/were-the-kenites-descendants-of-cain\/","url_meta":{"origin":62889,"position":1},"title":"Were the Kenites descendants of Cain?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 17, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Who were and who are the Kenites (Hebrew word meaning children of Cain, the first murderer)? Answer: Names are not often unique to a single individual. There can be more than one Cain in world history. Thus, at best you can say that the Kenites trace their origins to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":57904,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/lessons-from-genealogy\/","url_meta":{"origin":62889,"position":2},"title":"Lessons from Genealogy","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 14, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"The \"begots\" and \"begats\" of the Bible can be laborious at times and difficult to pronounce. Often throughout the scriptures, time is devoted to accounting for the family lines of thousands of people. The chronology of these individuals is important for two reasons: The nation of Israel was confirmed through\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":68973,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/jesus-wept-at-human-pain-and-hurt\/","url_meta":{"origin":62889,"position":3},"title":"Jesus Wept at Human Pain and Hurt","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"July 23, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"by Terry Wane Benton He saw and cared deeply about how His disciples hurt over Lazarus' death (John 11). Jesus cared so deeply that He wept with them. He suffered with them, and He knew the larger plan would be to raise Lazarus so that more good could come out\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":30469,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/lessons-from-illness\/","url_meta":{"origin":62889,"position":4},"title":"Lessons from Illness","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 13, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jefferson David Tant Some years ago, while recuperating from two emergency room admissions and two subsequent surgeries, there was been plenty of time to think and reflect on some lessons that such experiences can teach us. Lesson #1 - Life Is Uncertain We all have plans for great things\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":52446,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/should-i-just-give-up-asking-god-for-things\/","url_meta":{"origin":62889,"position":5},"title":"Should I just give up asking God for things?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 27, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Hi. I hope things are well with you. I was thinking about something. I have been suffering from a chronic stomach illness since I was 16. I prayed endlessly for healing but never received any. 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