Monday, January 22, 2018
Welcome to my Monday Blog my friends and I thank you for the time you give me each week. You are a blessing to my heart and soul!
Have you ever read that little book, The Prayer of Jabez? Well, several years ago my son called me early one morning and asked me if I had heard of it. Apparently it had not been out in the book stores very long. He went on about what he had heard from a loved one over the weekend and he had just bought it. Naturally, I got the book right away and read it for myself. Afterwards, my son and I discussed it in length and both realized we had found ourselves a little Jesus Jewel.
To this day, I have a music stand from my childhood piano lessons days which stands by my desk at home in my office. This is where I keep my awesome little book and it’s opened to page 92, the last page, where the prayer is printed. I can see it from my desk and when I come into my office each morning I get on my knees and pray the prayer of Jabez. It just starts my day off right, ya know, and there’s just no better way for me to communicate with God than on my knees.
The Prayer of Jabez
“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!”
It’s my joy now to share some excerpts from this small but mighty book, The Prayer of Jabez:
“Jabez had the briefest of Bible biographies, but God surely did bless him! You could think of him as maybe the Bible’s Little Big Man.”
“Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers.” (Chronicles 4:9)
“His Mother called him 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.” (Chronicles 4:9-10)
The author tells us “you just gotta know something about this guy named Jabez. He stands head and shoulders above the rest, yet you won’t find anymore information than we have in these two brief verses…
*Things started badly for a person no one had ever heard of.
*He prayed as unusual, one-sentence prayer.
*Things ended extraordinarily well.
Clearly, the outcome can be traced to his prayer. Something about Jabez’s simple, direct request to God changed his life and left a permanent mark on the history books of Israel.”
The author goes on with profound questions & comments for us throughout this amazing little book:
“Is it possible that God wants you to be more “selfish” in your prayers? When was the last time God worked through you in such a way that you knew beyond doubt God had done it?”
“For the eyes of the Lord run to an fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.” (Chronicles 16:9)
“He eagerly seeks those who are sincerely loyal to Him. Your loyal heart is the only part of His expansion plan that He will not provide. By His touch you can experience supernatural enthusiasm, boldness, and power. It’s up you. Ask every day for the Father’s touch, because for the Christian, dependence is just another word for power.”
“Jesus wept.” (John 11:35)
“Rejoice always.” (1st Thessalonians 5:16))
These two are the shortest verses in the Holy Bible with this verse being a close second:
“Pray without ceasing.” (Thessalonians 5:17)
The prayer of Jabez is the shortest known prayer in the Holy Bible – Only one sentence, with four parts. I believe when we pray, we’re judged by the intent of our loyal heart, not the number of words. Jabez’s prayer is proof of this.
If you haven’t read the book, check it out – It’ll make you feel better – Honest!
The Prayer of Jabez, – Bruce Wilkinson, author – #1 New York Times Bestseller (2000)
This week, my prayer for all of us is that when we go to the Lord in prayer, we go with a loyal heart. And remember, amazing things happen when we call on the name of Jesus! Amen!
GOD is Good! GOD is Great!! Always!!!
I love you,
Margaret
My novel, a spiritual thriller, That Melvin Bray, is available on Amazon – Kindle, Hardcover, Softcover:
Author Margaret McBride 