It Pays To Pray!

Illus: For example, a man in Columbia, South Carolina, was led to the Lord late in life. He was a slow talking southerner. When he prayed publicly, everyone enjoyed listening to him because of his slow southern drawl, and because he was sincere. It sounded like he was having a private conversation with the Lord, and you felt like you were listening in on the conversation. One Sunday, the pastor called on him to pray, and in that slow southern drawl he prayed a simple prayer to the Lord. It was like we talk to each other. When he got through with his prayer he said, “Lord, that is all I can think of now, I will talk to you later!”

It is so refreshing to hear some folks pray. They are not out trying to impress anyone, they are simply talking to the Lord the way we talk with our best friend.

Illus: They are like the man who prayed in church, and when he got through, a man stood up and said, “I could not hear you!” He said, “That’s because I wasn’t talking to you.”

But prayer, like so many other things in God’s church, is often abused. For example:

* Some use prayer to tell everyone how humble they are

* Some use prayer to preach a message to the congregation

* Some use prayers to boast of their greatness

Some use prayer for the right purpose, TO TALK TO GOD.

One of the greatest prayers in the Bible is found in our scripture text today.

Many people call it “THE PRAYER OF JABEZ”.

This prayer is a sermon within itself. It teaches us so many things. Let’s look at what it teaches us.

I. THE PLEA OF JABEZ

Jabez has long since gone to be with His Maker, but yet all over the world preachers like myself still preach about this great man of God.

In 1 Chronicles chapters 1 through 9 we have a list of endless genealogies. We read over and over in these chapters that so and so begat so and so.

But when you get to chapter 4, and it talks about Jabez, the Word of God pauses to tell us a few things about him.

Illus: As we read about these characters, where so and so begat so and so, it makes us think about a passer-by who observed a fellow on a park bench reading a telephone directory. He scanned each page as one might read a novel. Finally the observer questioned the man about his reading the telephone directory.

• He said, “What do you get out of it?”

• He said "The plot isn't much, but man what a cast of characters!"

As we come across this list of names in 1 Chronicles and come to the name of Jabez, we can’t help but to conclude, “WHAT A CHARACTER!”

The Bible takes two verses to tell us a few things about him.

Look at 1 Chronicles 4:9-10, we read, “And Jabez was more honourable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with sorrow. 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.”

God’s Word had these nice things to say about him. Listen, one day you and I will no longer be here. What will people be saying about us?

• Most people live their lives for the short range, and after they die they are soon forgotten.

• But others have learned to live their lives for the long haul, and centuries after they are dead and gone, people are still talking about them.

Illus: All presidents, when they leave office, want to leave a legacy behind them so people will remember the many things they accomplished during their tenure in the White House. For example:

* President Eisenhower for his love for the game of golf

* President Kennedy will be remembered for the great words, “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.”

* President Johnson for the great society.

* President Nixon will be known for Watergate.

* President Ford for his clumsiness.

* President Carter for the hostages in Iran.

* President Reagan for ending the cold war and tearing down the Berlin walls.

* President Bush for forming the coalition to defeat Saddam Hussein.

* President Clinton as a liar and a womanizer.

When you are no longer here, what will people remember about you?

Illus: As you read through these Bible genealogies in 1 Chronicles 1-9, all you read about some of these people is that SO AND SO BEGAT SONS AND DAUGHTERS AND DIED.