More Insights Into Jabez’ Prayer

Jabez had a “thorn in his flesh” not totally unlike the Apostle Paul—it was his name, which apparently dogged him continually. Yet, he was honorable in God’s sight. Do you really believe Ephesians 1:6 does mean you? (“…to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us [you, me] accepted in the Beloved.”) Because Jesus has made us to be “somebody” in God’s sight—no longer “insignificant nobodies” in our own minds—we can be honorable to Him.

How can this be? I Samuel 2:30 tells us, “…for them that honour me [God], I will honour” and John 12:26, “…if any man serve me [Jesus], him will my Father honour”.
So, Jabez prayed about his problem, and it looks like he had learned how evil and resulting pain actually occur in a believer’s life—by submitting to temptation to sin. He prayed, “…keep me from evil that I may not cause pain”. We have learned that prayer in the traditional “Lord’s Prayer” in Matthew 6:9-13, “…and do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one”.

His name of Jabez, meaning “he who causes pain”, was a thorn that turned Jabez into a dedicated seeker of God’s blessing and protection on his life. We might even call it a discipline of desperation that guided him, and it could be an example for each of us if we truly desire an honorable walk with the Lord.

Gene Lawley

Visiting the Prayer of Jabez

The account of Jabez is in just two verses, like an oasis out in the middle of a desert of “begots” in I Chronicles 4:9-10, and no direct relationship is tied to any of those named around those two verses. Jabez is an obscure person, whose only claim to fame is that he prayed a simple prayer, in faith, which God answered.

Well, he was first identified as one more honorable than his brothers, however, and that tells us a lot about him right away.

His mother did him no favor by naming him Jabez, meaning “he will cause pain”, because he brought her much pain at birth. Growing up, I can imagine he had a hard time with his peers, wanting to play with them, while they ran away because his name announced the effect of his presence with them. Yet, he is known by God as more honorable than his brothers.
His prayer to the God of Israel has four requests:

1) Oh, that You would bless me indeed and
2) enlarge my territory;
3) that Your hand would be with me, and
4) that You would keep me from evil that I might not cause pain.

(So God granted him what he requested.) Why did the Holy Spirit record this for us to read and ponder over?

Could it be that God is telling us, though we feel obscure and insignificant, and are thought of as weird and peculiar (as sometimes happens), He does hear our prayer, and He does want eagerly to answer it? If there was anything selfish in Jabez’ request, God did not seem to take notice of it. Therefore, I suggest we just ask God what is on our hearts and let Him sort out one thing from another, for He knows all things. “For all the promises of God in Him [Christ] are Yes and in Him, Amen…” I Corinthians 1:20.

Gene Lawley

Plans to Post short Articles Regarding Faith and Practice

I have been writing short articles for my church monthly newsletter, and now plan to post them here for whatever interest there may be. The first of these follows:

God,s Provision for God’s Work

It was Hudson Taylor, I think, who is known for having linked those two thoughts together, that God’s work will enjoy God’s provisions. Historically, He has made some magnificent provisions, meeting the needs of His people and His work.

The crossing of the Red Sea and later, the crossing of the River Jordan are highlights. He owns the cattle on a thousand hills, Psalm 50 declares. Luke reports that there is nothing impossible for God.

He invites us to join Him in all His ministries to the Church and to the World. “Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be put into your bosom, for with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.” (Luke 6:38) God is no man’s debtor; He does not make empty promises! Pray that you might enjoy that kind of partnership.

Gene Lawley

Renewing My Presence on the Web

It has been a while since I have posted anything here; it seems like time just whizzes by, like the sand flowing down the hourglass in the last several grains awaiting their turn.

Bible prophecy is one of my consistent attention -getters because it is practically a daily happening. In the past few months much has happened in that realm. Paramount in that is the almost total turning of the world against Israel, ust as has been preducted in the Bible. Is it not amazing how that pint-sized little nation holds the world hostage and with bated breath, wondering what moves it will make next?

Gathered all around it are nations of the Islamic realm, bound to wipe Israel off the earth. The so-called Palestinians say they will be happy when they get a nation of their own, or rather, land from israel, for that purpose.

Truth is, let the records show as well, they do not want that, for their whole existence thrives and is fed on their gut-wrenching hatred of the Jew. None of the peace agreements so far have settled anything, for that very reason. Israel moved out of Gaza in 2005, forcing their own people out, even dragging them in their resistence to leave their homes and businesses and farms. what has happened?

The remaining inhabitants of Gaza immediately destroyed Jewish built homes, businesses and farms, and have been dependent on crossings into Israel for jobs. They have no infrastructure in Gaza, no industry, no farms, orchards, etc. The nations have given millions to them, and the Hamaas now controlling the whole territory used it to equip a terriorist force and produce or buy and build rockets with which to bombard Israel. Over 6,000 rockets have been fired into Israel's civilian centers by the Hamaas. Does that make any sense? No, but then one can see how totally irrational and devastating their gut-deep hatred extends.

The nations of the world--the USA, EU and others, including the 153 or so third world countries, are keenly pressing towards a New World Order, that great plan for a world utopia which they think will solve all our troubles. But, doggone it, that little country of Israel just keeps getting all the attention and has that whoe area so riled up nothing can be done to move that utopia plan forward. President Obama has been given the baton to bring the USA to its knees, level its sovergnity to that of the third world nations and eliminate its power in the world, and thus its resistence to a One World Government. He told us as much during the campaign and afterward, and none of his appointments, executive orders, agreements, legislation, and overtures to foreign governments and leaders has shown any change of plan. He is doing it.

Most of America's political leadership in both parties and in conservative circles has not dared call a spade a spade (no reference intended toward racial inferences), or we could say, a heart for a heart, for that matter. The liberals are poised to make every effort in the current political campaign to apply the "race card" to any and all efforts of their opposition to expose the truth of the current Congress and Administration's plans and purposes for America.

For every lie told, for every deception, there will be the righteous judgment of God upon any and all, and Bible projections indicate that judgment is not far away. America will fold, there will be a New World Order, a One World Government, but it will be ruled by Satan in the person of the Anti-Christ. That One World Government will be the seventh head of the Beast of Revelation (See Chapter 13:1 and following), but only for a short time, for that Anti-Christ will not want to work with an unruly group of ten kings, so he will take it all over, as the eighth head of the Beast (see Revelation 17:1 and following). In the meantime, that hoped for Utopia the liberals long for, thinking they will be among that elite group, sitting on top of the world, more equal than all those others, that Utopia, will be a total devastation, in the throes of the judgments of the Great Tribulation and pointing to the coming Final Battle.

The only answer is for one to put his trust and commitment into the care of Jesus Christ: "For whosoever calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved" Romans 10:13.

These are tinings which I believe are close upon us; the Bible speaks of them clearly. It is time to prepare, for Jesus said, "When you see these tnings begin to happen, look up, for your redemption draws near." Luke 21:28. (Of course, there is no redemption for a non-believer!)

Gene Lawley
July 19, 2010

Sorting Out Priorities: First Things First

Now being launched into retirement, somewhat, and finding income at a fixed level, and not enough (is it ever?), began to think about the basic, very basic, things of life.

I turned to Matthew 6:24-34. That first verse there nails most of us. You cannot serve two masters, for one will win your heart and the other will become an unwanted burden. The first of the Ten Commandments is laid out there, clearly.
However, notice that the end of the verse says, “you cannot serve God and mammon! So, mammon can be a master of our lives? Yes, that’s what it says. Wait up, there! What is this “mammon”? Read the rest of the passage.

Mammon is all those things that are basic necessities of life—food, clothing, shelter. (Those who study habits of man would show a rising scale of needs that call for satisfaction, as the lower ones are met, such as security, sexual, social relationships, purpose, power, etc.) We see this in that many times a person of wealth, earned or inherited, desire to enter politics, drawn by the desire for power, for all other needs have been met, or confronted with a seemingly desireable result.

So mammon can displace God in my life? Yet, when one is putting God in first place, and trusting Him for the basic needs for survival, his spiritual life is richer than ever before.Unless, of course, he manages to keep the priority in the right order—all through the rising levels of human need. Recall that Jesus said it is harder for a rich man to get into heaven than a camel going through the eye of a needle? You see the relationship here.

Perhaps that is what is back of the saying, “Don’t ever forget where you came from—you just might return to it.”

One who learns to trust God for the basic needs of live and see Him provide those things regularly is much more able to believe Him for the bigger things ahead.
At the end of the passage, He says, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

Things are mammon, and things can root God out of first place in our lives—sometimes, even, because they are so desperately needed.

Gene Lawley
fiddlefax@yahoo.com

Can You Rightly Divide the Word When US Law Says You Can't?

Today I heard news that says the US House has passed a bill under the "hate crime" banner that forbids any--ANY--negative comment, or that which is construed to be negative by the "targeted one", even if it is read from the Bible, having to do with any form of alternate sexual proference lifestyle.

It will set up a special group of people who are elevated above the rest of society in a protected arena, making them and others unequal under the law. I thought the Constitution provided EQUAL protection under the law.

If God has labeled some activity as sinful, or an abomination in His eyes, having recorded that position many centuries ago, how is it that this body of lawmakers can refute that reality? Of course, I just read that Mr. Obama's appointment to head up the government's faith-based commission agency has singularly declared that the Bible's stated position on the so-called alternate lifestyles is not true. That is the affirmed mindset of this administration, it is clear.

What does God have to say about that position? Well, who is the ultimate judge of all mankind? Go figure.
Abraham tried hard to get God to change His mind about Sodom (Genesis 18), but it did not work. Declaring something untrue does not make it so, if in fact it is true. Jesus said this: "Wisdom will be justified by her children." Also stated from another angle: "You shall know them by their fruit."

Truly there is not very much time left. Jesus said, "When you see these things begin to happen, look up, for your redemption draws near."

Gene Lawley
fiddlefax@yahoo.com

Tiny Tips on End Time Prophecy

Tucked away in scripture are unannounced descriptions and alerts about end-time events. Look at jesus' answer to Mary when He came to raise Lazarus from the grave: "Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live; and whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do yiou believe this?'" (John 11:25-26)

Now, compare this with Paul's description of the taking away of the saints from the grave and the earth to meet Christ in the air, in I Thessalonians 4:16-17: "For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord."

The verses in John are identical with the verses in red, above, from I Thessalonians. So, Jesus was announcing the event known among believers as the "rapture", the taking out of His own to Himself,...forever.

We cannot leave this without looking at the next verse in Thessalonians 4, Verse 18: "Therefore comfort one another with these words."

And thus, I so do.

Gene Lawley
fiddlefax@yahoo.com