LIVIN’ LARGE
I Chronicles 4:10
S: Prayer of Jabez: blessing and vision
Th: Prayer: A Passion for His Presence
Pr: WE MUST WANT TO BE MORE AND DO MORE FOR GOD.
?: How? How does this happen?
KW: Situations
TS: In order to be more and do more for God, we must confront three situations as revealed in the life of Jabez.
The _____ situation we must confront is…
I. IDENTIFICATION
II. INABILITY
III. INFLUENCE
RMBC 13 January 02 AM
INTRODUCTION:
Do you find that God answers prayer?
ILL (devil pay for it)
There is a story told of a wonderful, elderly, Christian lady who had very little money and lived in a rundown house, but despite her situation she was always giving praise to the Lord. Her only problem was with the old man who lived next door. He was constantly trying to prove to her that there was no God.
One day, as the old man was walking by this lady’s house, he noticed her through an open window. She was kneeling in prayer. So he crept over to the window to see if he could hear. She was praying, “Lord, you’ve always given me what I’ve needed. And now you know that I don’t have any money, I’m completely out of groceries, and I won’t get another check for a week. O Lord, somehow will You please get me some groceries.”
The man had heard all he needed. He crept away from the window, ran down to the grocery store and bought a basket full of groceries. He then raced back to the woman’s house, set the bags down on by her door, rang the doorbell, and hid behind the shrubs.
You can imagine how the woman reacted to seeing all those groceries. She threw her hands over head and cried out, “Thank you Jesus! You answered my prayer! I was out of food and now you have overflowed my shelves.”
About that time the old man jumped out and said, “I’ve got you now. I told you there was no God. It wasn’t Jesus who gave you these groceries it was me.”
The woman lifted up her arms again and shouted “Oh thank you Jesus! You sent me all this food and made the devil pay for it."
Well, I certainly believe that God answers prayer, and He does it in a variety of ways!
TRANSITION:
1. This year’s theme is “Prayer: A Passion for His Presence.”
One of my goals for us as a congregation is that we would not only grow in our practice of prayer, but that we would grow even more in what is at the heart of prayer.
For what the heart of prayer is our acknowledgement of the relationship we have with God.
It is simply talking with God.
It is the desire to be in His Presence.
It is a passion for God.
To remind us of our dependence…
2. Our theme verse for the year is the prayer of Jabez (I Chronicles 4:10).
“Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.”
“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!” (NKJV)
The popularity of this prayer has been remarkable over the past year.
In fact, the book written by Bruce Wilkinson, was on the bestseller’s list for many weeks.
What has been interesting, but also disturbing, is the secular world’s interpretation of the prayer of Jabez.
Some have claimed it is all just a farce.
They have prayed the prayer and nothing significant has happened.
Others have claimed it is just a tool for the “health and wealth” gospel.
I believe such evaluations completely miss the point.
The prayer of Jabez is not some magical formula or mantra that is to be repeated.
It is not something that is to be memorized perfectly word for word and said every day.
It is not like Aladdin’s lamp where you rub it and a genie comes out and gives you your wishes.
We are mistaken if we think this way.
I do believe, however, that the prayer of Jabez contains precious principles that are useful for us to consider, study and pray.
Prayer is meant to be an expression of the heart, not a matter of repetition.
It is a gift to us to communicate to a God who watches over us and cares for us.
It is a privilege to speak to the matters that are upon our heart.
I believe that the prayer of Jabez, used properly, will help us to do that very thing.
It is meant to be an aid in communicating with our loving Creator God.
As we give attention to this prayer this morning, I want you to observe this principle that I believe is the very heart of this man called Jabez.
It is…
3. WE MUST WANT TO BE MORE AND DO MORE FOR GOD.
So, how does this happen?
Well…
4. In order to be more and do more for God, we must confront three situations as revealed in the life of Jabez.
OUR STUDY:
I. The first situation we must confront is IDENTIFICATION.
1. Jabez’ original prospects were less than inspiring (I Chronicles 4:9).
Notice how Jabez is identified…
His mother had named him Jabez, saying, “I gave birth to him in pain.”
Jabez grew up with a name that nobody wants to grow up with.
Jabez’ name literally means “grief.”
Can you imagine how the other children would have treated him as he grew up?
“Hey, Grief! You are such a pain!”
“Hey, Grief! You are in such a sorry state.”
And the laughter would ensue.
We do not know what possessed Jabez’ mother to name him “Grief.”
Perhaps it was a particularly hard childbirth.
Or perhaps, Jabez’ mom became pregnant before the official marriage took place, the dad took off and abandoned them during the pregnancy.
Or maybe that father died during the pregnancy.
Anyway, the pain is so great that the new baby boy is named “Grief.”
So, here comes the question…
2. Question: Would he have to live up to this name?
Would this name define his future?
I think this prayer demonstrates that he would not be defined by the status quo.
As Bruce Wilkinson puts it, Jabez must have felt, “Surely I was born for more than this!”
And he was, because he is not remembered for His pain, but because of this prayer.
In fact, the text tells us that he was more honorable than his brothers because of this prayer and what it communicated.
This goes to show us that the name that is important is the one that God gives us.
For Jacob, it would be the name Israel that would ultimately describe him.
For a man named Simon, it would be Peter.
For Jabez, it would be the fact that he would share the names that we all share as God’s children: Chosen, Beloved and Friend.
This brings us to…
II. The second situation we must confront is INABILITY.
Last week, when we gave consideration to the story of Jacob, we learned that…
1. We need God’s blessing (Genesis 32:26b).
When Jacob lost a wrestling match, he thought he was winning, but a simple touch of his opponent, Jacob finally said the words that God had been waiting forty years to hear.
He said…
“I will not let you go unless you bless me.”
Jacob was finally confronted with the fact that he was unable to do it on his own.
He was dependent on God.
His desires and his conniving had only landed him in trouble over and over.
Now he knew that God’s blessing was not an extra, it was an essential.
Did you note that?
God’s blessing is not an extra, it is an essential!
This is why Jabez prayed, “Oh, that You would bless me indeed…”
You know…
2. Sometimes, we struggle in asking God for more.
We live in this fear that we are being selfish.
Why ask God for blessing?
We are instructed to think of others, not ourselves.
Or, we feel undeserving.
We know that we already have so much.
We are already so blessed, how can we dare to ask for more?
Or, perhaps we can’t conceive of such a benevolent God.
How could God be that kind?
We should have to fend for ourselves and earn His blessing.
ILL Connor O’Reilly
In the 1800s, Connor O’Reilly’s dream of emigrating to America came true when a wealthy relative bought him passage on an ocean liner. Even though he had a ticket to board, O’Reilly was still worried about not being able to afford means during this voyage. So he planned ahead. The day he boarded, he used his few shillings to buy loaves of bread, then stuffed them into his tattered suitcase.
For the week the ship was at sea, O’Reilly regularly disappeared into his berth to eat. He ate secretly for fear that other poor passengers would ask him to share and he had barely enough for one. While well-to-do passengers were enjoying the delicious fare in the ship’s dining room, he would stand outside, casting longing stares through the windows.
The evening before the ship was to dock in New York, a man asked O’Reilly to join him for the evening meal.
“Ah, many thanks to you,” said Connor. “But I don’t have any money.”
“What are you talking about?” the other passenger exclaimed. “Your ticket to board was also your ticket to the ship’s dining room. You’ve had three lovely meals a day already paid for since you left home!”
Poor O’Reilly. He spent a week eating stale bread when he could have been feasting in the company of fellow passengers. The blessings were already waiting for him.
I think there is a lesson here for us.
We do not know what God has for us because we don’t ask.
We are so busy doing life according to our own ingenuity, that we miss out on the genius of God.
It is a shame to be looking from the outside in on what God desires to do in our lives.
For…
3. We should want nothing more, and nothing less, than what God wants for us (Proverbs 10:22, The Message).
Note how Solomon states it…
“God’s blessing makes life rich; nothing we do can improve on God.”
God desires to bless.
He longs to overflow our lives with His blessings so that our life might be lived to the full.
But please note this, when Jabez prays, “Bless me indeed,” it is with lots of exclamation points.
You know, there comes a time when we realize how great God is and how insignificant we are, and so we plead from the bottom of our heart that God might give to us all that which He desires.
But please note this, prayer is an act of dependence, even when we ask for God’s blessing.
So, it is not on how we want to be blessed, but on how God wants to bless.
When we think of blessing, we most always think financially.
But I believe that God’s blessings are much more creative than our simple desire to have and possess more for ourselves.
He has so much more for us than that…
So comes…
III. The third situation we must confront is INFLUENCE.
The prayer of Jabez asks God to “enlarge my territory.”
1. What does it mean to enlarge our territory?
The wording of the passage is in the context of land.
It is the expansion of borders.
So, is Jabez into a land grab here?
There is no doubt that land was an important commodity during this time.
More land meant a stronger voice and more influence.
It also meant more opportunities.
And this is where my concern is here.
It is easy to get materialistic.
It is easy to look at those around us and desire what they have.
We too often attempt to keep up with Joneses.
But here is the principle that we must consider alongside of this portion of the prayer…
2. We are designed to do good (Ephesians 2:10).
Paul writes…
For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
When we ask the Lord to “enlarge our territory,” I believe that we are asking for an expansion to do good.
We are called to be ministers of grace and goodness.
The Christian is always looking for new opportunities to express and live our the good news.
One thing this prayer makes clear is that…
3. We are not to settle into a comfort zone.
To be honest, most of us look for as little change in our lives as possible.
We already have too much to do.
We are already at the end of our strength.
We are already at the edge of burnout.
But I think we also realize that from time to time, we need to reconsider our schedule and get our priorities straight.
Too often, I believe, many Christians hide in the church building.
What I mean by this is that we want to stay and do what we are comfortable doing.
Have you noted the quote by William Shedd in the worship bulletin yet?
A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.
In the same way, we are not designed to be safe.
4. We need to expand our sphere of influence (Acts 1:8).
Our territory is not in earthly possessions, but in spiritual opportunities.
Note what Jesus says at His ascension…
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.
Now these are expanded borders!
The apostles had more to cover than some worn-out piece of Palestine.
They were to have a worldwide impact.
In the same way, when we pray for the Lord to enlarge our territory, our prayer must be one of seeing and seeking that open door to do great things for God.
As father of the missionary movement, William Carey, said:
Expect great things from God; attempt great things for God.
We should desire to reach more people with the good news and take on more opportunities for ministry.
Sometimes, this desire does not mean adding new things to our lives, but to use the opportunities that God is already giving us.
You see, our relationships, our experiences, and our work can and should be caught up in the larger purposes of God.
Our lives are full of appointments that are divinely set.
Every relationship that you have, whether close or casual, is an opportunity to enlarge your territory.
APPLICATION:
ILL Testimony: Joshua & Ethiopia (if time)
Josh is our modern day Caleb.
At 80 years old, he has said “Give me that mountain!”
There are more people to win for Christ.
ILL Testimony: Nick Yates
Nick Yates now comes with a testimony about how God has been working in his life. It is, I believe, a living example of God enlarging one’s territory.
It is time to do math God’s way…
1. Our Math: My abilities + experience + training + my personality and appearance + my past + the expectations of others = my assigned territory.
That math formula is the one that most of us live by when we are living independent of God’s will.
This happens to us individually and corporately as a church body.
Like most churches, we do not practice dependence as well as we should.
We consistently depend on our own abilities to create endless programs and recruiting endless people.
This is why it is time for us to come back to prayer.
Prayer is not another program.
It is who we are.
Now, I know that I am on the edge when I am asking you to join a prayer gathering once a month.
It is like making a New Year’s resolution for someone else—always a dangerous proposition.
But I must say this…I believe that our various prayer gatherings are going to be accurate barometers in measuring our future.
Now what I don’t want you hear me saying, “You have to be praying,” and “You have to be praying for each other,” even though I believe it.
I don’t want you to hear me saying, “You have to be at a prayer gathering as often as you are able.”
That easily gets legalistic.
And I really don’t want that to be your motivation.
My desire is that you will want to pray and want to pray with others in the church family.
But I do want to say this…
When you pray, note these great benefits…you get to talk to God and you get to worship.
Frankly, those are outstanding benefits that will most positively affect your future forever!
So pray…to be what and do what God desires…to be more and do more for God.
And here is how the formula works…
2. God’s Math: My willingness and weakness + God’s will and supernatural power = my expanding territory.
We shy away from the difficult, even impossible things, because they seem beyond us.
But expanding territory is about the impossible.
It is not something we are supposed to be able to do on our own.
ILL Through the Looking Glass
In Lewis Carroll’s “Alice in Wonderland,” one of the passages goes like this:
Alice laughed. "There’s no use trying," she said. "One can’t believe impossible things."
"I daresay you haven’t had much practice," said the Queen. "When I was your age, I always did it for half-an-hour a day. Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.”
I think that there is something to this.
God has us look at what seems impossible so that we will know that only He could do it.
So, when we pray that God would enlarge our territory and expand our sphere of influence, we pray it for God’s sake, not ours.
We just want to be used by Him to accomplish what He needs to be accomplished.
“Math” formulas come from The Prayer of Jabez by Bruce Wilkinson, pp. 40-41.
BENEDICTION: [Counselors are ]
Be more for God…Don’t be a pain; don’t cause God grief…instead be what God has called you to be…to be the person of God that you are designed to be.
Be more for God…Be blessed by God; for we are going nowhere without God’s blessings…our plans, not matter how strategic and well done, are useless without God’s blessing.
Do more for God…Do not settle for your plans to enlarge your territory…they are too small and comfortable; let God fill you with hope and passion so that the true desires of your heart will be met.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
