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.
They are so typical of many today that live and die. They really do not accomplish that much in their lives because about the only thing they live for each day is for themselves.
Illus: They are no more than a stain on a garment that eventually will wash out, and no one will remember they ever existed.
But something that many of the military men and women do is mark their clothes with a pen that has indelible ink. That is, they can wash their clothes over and over again, and that ink leaves an indelible mark that can not be washed out.
Such is the case with Jabez. Centuries have come and gone and we still find ourselves talking about this man.
WHAT AN INDELIBLE MARK HE HAS MADE ON THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH.
* He was not a great prophet or preacher, like Isaiah or Jeremiah
* He was not a wise ruler over a great nation like Solomon
* He was not famous on the field of battle like King David
He was remembered for two things:
(1) Because he was “More honourable than his brethren”
(2) Because of his prayer
Let’s concentrate on this prayer he prayed.
II. THE PRAYER OF JABEZ
His prayer reveals that he was not happy with things the way they were.
In this modern age we have many conveniences. One is the modern thermostat that keeps the temperature of our homes, schools and churches at a comfort level that we can enjoy.
It was not always this way.
Illus: Some can remember having to stand beside an old potbelly stove, or a fireplace, to get warm. And these potbelly stoves and fireplaces produced plenty of heat. HOWEVER, THE ONLY PROBLEM WAS YOU COULD ONLY HEAT ONE SIDE OF YOUR BODY AT A TIME.
But today with the duct systems in our homes and churches, the heat or air-conditioning is balanced so that the temperature is the same in every area of the building.
These modern thermostats have an automatic switch on them to switch back and forth from heat to air-conditioning to make the proper adjustments as needed.
But I am not sure that this has helped us as a society or as a church.
* For example, it used to be that in the summer time, preachers did not have to be concerned with people getting cozy and going to sleep in our churches. They would open up all the windows in the sanctuary, and bring in a few electric fans if they had any, and give everyone a bulletin or a hand fan to survive the heat. The congregation stayed awake by fanning themselves, and by spitting out the gnats that were flying around trying to get into their ears and mouths.
* In the winter time, the preacher did not have to worry about them getting cozy and going to sleep, because the people sitting in the congregation were so cold, that when they breathed, you could see the vapor from their breath.
Today we have reached a comfort level when it comes to temperature, and people are prone to doze.
Illus: In fact, I think that sometimes people get more rest in churches than they do at the Holiday Inn.
We have these comfortable pews and ideal climate controls, and it is getting difficult to keep people awake these days.
The same thing has happened to our churches spiritually. Many of them have reached a “Comfort Level”, and it is difficult to get people stirred-up for the Lord when they get “Cozy”.
* They are satisfied with the nice buildings they worship in
* They are satisfied with their attendance
* They are satisfied with their giving
* They are satisfied with the number of missionaries they support
When a church reaches this COMFORT ZONE, they are in trouble. They become complacent and self-satisfied. Their attitude is, “Why make any changes, after all we are as cozy as we can be.”
To keep this from happening to us as a Christian Church, we need to pray from our hearts the same prayer that Jabez prayed.
He went down in the history book as a great man of God because he was not content with things the way they were. You can tell what kind of man he was by the prayer he prayed. For example:
A. HE PRAYED FOR SPIRITUAL PROSPERITY
Look at 1 Chronicles 4:9 “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…”
God’s Word says that you have not because you ask not.
Many go through life never having the blessings of God because they never seek them.
We live in an age when:
* Everyone is praying for the ten million dollar sweepstakes
* Everyone is praying for a new house and new car
* Everyone is praying for power and fame
When is the last time you heard anyone pray for SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS! Such as:
* God, I want to get closer to you
* God, I want to win a lost soul to the Lord this week
* God, I want to be used in teaching my Sunday school class this week
* God, I want you to anoint me to sing for your glory
The television preachers have done great harm to the work of God. Thousands and thousands flock to hear these men and women preach, because they are the “Ear Ticklers” that Paul talked about being present in the last days.
They tell people that it is the will of God for them to be millionaires, and by the thousands they believe this stuff.
If everyone were a millionaire, it would wreck our economy. TALK ABOUT INFLATION!
People in the business world charge as much as they feel the public will pay. When people have plenty of money, they keep buying and the prices keep going up.
Illus:For example, in our economy where folks seem to have lots of money, you can have two gas stations side by side, and there can be five cents difference in the price of a gallon of gas. People who are not hurting for money will buy gas at the station that sells for five cents more. Then one day the fellow who is selling his gas for a nickel less, realizes that people are not hurting for money, and they do not mind spending an extra dollar at the station beside him, so he raises his gas price up five cents. But then the other fellow raises his up another nickel because the man next to him raised his to his level. And on and on it goes!
Every society of people needs poor people. They are the ones who keep the prices from going through the ceiling. The reason we have affordable merchandise is because there are so many poor people.
Jesus said in Mark 14:7 “For ye have the poor with you always…”
There are a lot worse things that can happen to people than being poor.
Jabez was not praying for the sweepstakes, he was praying for God to bless him spiritually. He was not satisfied with the status quo. He wanted God's blessings upon his life.
He recognized what was most important in life.
B. HE PRAYED FOR BROADENED HORIZONS
Look at verse 10, we read, "Enlarge my coast.”
* The word “enlarge” means simply to make larger, to extend in limits or dimensions, to extend to more purposes or uses.
* The word “coast” here is used to refer to boundaries and borders.
His desire was to reach out beyond himself...to expand his sphere of influence.
The prayer of every Christian should be, “Lord, I want to do more for you than I am doing now.”
C. HE PRAYED THAT GOD’S HAND WOULD BE WITH HIM
Look at verse 10 again. We read, “…And that thine hand might be with me.”
Jabez recognized that everything that comes into our life is because of the hand of God in our life.
Notice that he prayed that the hand of God, “…might be with me”. He did not want the hand of God against him.
There are people today who we know, that seem to be getting by with something. But God will allow them to get by for a little while, because He is a patient God. But listen, when a man or a woman is not going by what this Bible teaches, the hand of God is AGAINST THEM.
The Bible says Jabez was an honorable man, and he could pray, “God, I WANT YOUR HAND WITH ME!”
D. HE PRAYED FOR DELIVERANCE FROM SIN
Look at verse 10. We read, “…and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me!”
Jabez was well aware that we Christians may fall into sin.
But notice that he knew what sin can do to our lives. He said, he wanted God to keep him from evil. He said “that it may not grieve me!”
The devil tells us that sin brings happiness and joy to our lives, but the fact is that sin brings only grief to our lives.
E. GOD ANSWERED HIS PRAYERS
Look at verse 10 again. We read, “And God granted him that which he requested.” Many times the reason nothing is coming down from above is because nothing is going up.
This great man of God prayed, and the Bible says, “…God granted him that which he requested.” It pays to pray! But it pays to pray the right kind of prayers. Jabez prayed the right kind and God answered it.
Conclusion:
There are several things we need to consider here before we close.
* Suppose Jabez was not an honorable man. Do you think that God would have done these things in his life?
* Suppose Jabez had not prayed this prayer. Do you think that God would have done these things in his life?
These things never would have been done in his life.
But something we have to always remember is that God’s blessings are not always in what He gives, but sometimes in what He withholds.
This is why Jabez prayed for God to bless Him indeed. So often what we call a blessing is not a blessing but a curse. Jabez wanted God’s blessings indeed.
I. THE PLEA OF JABEZ
II. THE PRAYER OF JABEZ
