The Prayer of Jabez – A Prayer of Blessing

“Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother called his name 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.  (1 Chronicles 4:9 – 10)

Jabez means ‘sorrowing’ and/or ‘one who causes ’.

Illustration:  A Boy Named Sue

Jabez calls out to God to give him a new .

Jabez was ‘’. 

“Asking the Lord to bless you is not self-centered. Why not make it a lifelong commitment to ask God every day to bless you, and while he’s at it to bless you a lot?  God’s bounty is limited only by us, not by his resources, power, or willingness to give.”  (Bruce Wilkinson)

It’s not  to ask for the ‘blessing of God’ in your life! 

How long has it been since you asked God to truly bless you?

‘To bless’ in the biblical sense means to ask for or to impart supernatural . 

“The Lord’s blessing is our greatest wealth; all our work adds nothing to it.” (Proverbs 10:22)

Jesus “commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he , and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.”  (Matthew 14:19)

“Oh, that You would bless me …” (1 Chronicles 4:10) 

It is right and good to ask God to bless us – and to do so .

“Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!”  (Matthew 7:9–11)

“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all of his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, “What shall we eat?” or “What shall we drink?” or “What shall we wear?” For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.”  (Matthew 6:28–32)

“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33)

Righteousness is simply “the  the way God wants it to be.”

The ultimate purpose is not just for  blessing.

Illustration:  A Christian author defines ‘blessing’…

Jabez demonstrates a radical trust in God’s good  toward us.

What we really want is to become wholly  in what God is trying to do in us, through us, and around us.

“Oh, that you would bless me indeed…and keep me from harm so that I will be  from pain”.  (NIV translation)

“Oh, that You would bless me indeed…and keep me from evil, that I may not  pain!”  (NKJV translation)

The purpose of being blessed doesn’t  with you.

“Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on Earth will be blessed  you.” So Abraham left as the Lord had told him.” (Genesis 12:1–4)

You have a  responsibility to ask for God’s blessing.

Illustration:  Catholic author, John Powell.

Often, when we are controlled by worry it means we haven’t  something to God.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and , with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”  (Philippians 4:6 – 7)

Illustration:  A pastor’s ‘formula’ for asking…

“ Things”

“ Things”

“ Things”

Don’t allow whatever this life has  you… to  you. 

“God granted him what he requested.”  (1 Chronicles 4:10)