Title: The Life of Jabez
Contents
*** The Life of Jabez / 1 Chronicles 4:9-10
*** Introduction
1 Chronicles 4:9-10, “9 Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. Her mother called her name Jabez, because she gave birth to me through labor. 10 Jabez called to the God of Israel, saying, “I pray that you will bless me and enlarge my borders, and help me with your hand, so that I may be free from trouble and be troubled. And God allowed him to ask.”
One day, a small dog stood next to a large hound. The hound growled and bit the little dog. "Are you also into remodeling?" The little dog did not dare to go head-to-head with the hound, and replied very politely. "Of course I'm not as big as you, but nobody calls me a cat."
I read the book of Revelation during a family worship service in a family. As I was reading, 7:9, “After these things I saw a great crowd, from every nation, tribe, people, and tongue, that no one could count, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands” It was when it reached A five-year-old boy asked with a worried look, “Jesus, do I have a white robe to wear?”
Guys, isn't a little dog a dog? And will there be a little white robe for a child to wear in heaven? Ladies and gentlemen, a little dog is a dog, and a little Christian is also a Christian. Saints are God's people regardless of gender, age, race, or status, and everyone is special before God. In Psalm 16:3, “The saints on the earth are honored, and all my joy is in them.” In Psalm 50:5, God says, “Gather my saints before you. He is the one who made a covenant with me as a sacrifice.”
As such, God does not want the saints to live a normal, ordinary life, where the wind blows. Saints are designed to live a very special life, and they are created to be unique. In other words, there have been countless people since the creation of the world, and there will be countless people in the future, but among them there is no one like me. God did not call ‘us’, but ‘me’.
The resurrected Jesus was giving his disciples a final warning before the day of his ascension into heaven. He asked Peter three times, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than others?” He gave the mission, “Feed my sheep.” And he talked about his future. Peter pointed out John, who was leaning on Jesus, saying, “What will happen to that man?” Whether Jesus was anxious about Jesus asking questions about the other disciples as if he had made a promise to himself only, and talking about future sufferings. Then Jesus said, “If I want him to stay until I come, what does it matter to you?” He said, “Follow me.” This shows that the mission given to the called saints is unique and special to each saint. Therefore, a believer should not under any circumstances regard his life as lowly, discouraged, or compare it to the lives of others.
In the Bible, the names of many people are recorded. For some, only the name appears in the genealogy, and for others, his life is recorded in detail. In other words, there is a distinction between those who live ordinary lives and those who live extraordinary lives. Among them, a man named Jabez appears. 1 Chronicles 1-9 is a genealogy of the great chosen people, with the names of more than 600 people appearing. Among them, one person who makes you feel very bold is Jabez. Although his life is not directly introduced, it is possible to guess the circumstances through a short passage.
Jabez was the son of Gosh, one of the tribes of Judah, who settled in Tekoa. In the text, “Jabez was more honorable than his brothers.” Here, ‘noble person’ refers to a social leader who is respected because of his wealth, high social status, strong influence, and good personalities. But this Jabez was not a noble man from the beginning. If you look at the text, you can see that Jabez faced many difficulties and sorrows from the time he was born.
Judging from the passage in verse 9, “His mother called his name Jabez,” it seems that his father passed away early. When a child is born, the father usually gives it a name, and the fact that the mother gave the name indicates that there was no father. Another is that the name ‘Jabez’ means ‘one who suffers’. All his life, he was called 'Jabez' and lived with 'pain'. And, as can be seen from the phrase, ‘This I gave birth to,’ it seems that Jabez’s mother had a difficult childbirth. How could Jabez, in such an unhappy environment, become a noble person? In this short text, there are three principles that make us live a special life.
First, Jabez had great aspirations.
Jabez said, "I want God to bless me with my blessings." It is the desire that God thinks of me more than others. He wanted his life to have a special meaning. “God, bless me and broaden my horizons!” What a bold prayer! He earnestly longed for God's special intervention in his life.
Today, many people are wasting without meaning. People who have no goals in life, no plans, no aspirations are risking their lives for the life of the flesh. They just exist like soulless beasts. The saints of God must have holy aspirations. You must have a wish and you must have a dream. In Matthew 15:28, Jesus said to the Canaanite woman who pleaded for her daughter, “Woman, great is your faith. Your wish will be done.' And his wish came true, and from that poem his daughter was healed. Philippians 2:13 says, “It is God who works in you, to will and to do for his good pleasure.” The saints must have a holy desire for the glory of God.
However, there are several reasons why even saints with great powers fall into ordinary life.
1) It is a misunderstanding of fear and humility.
Regarding God’s will, ‘How do I do that? When we say ‘I can’t,’ we think of it as humility. This is not humility, it is fear. True humility means, ‘I can’t do this on my own, but with God’s help I can do it.’
2) You are confusing indolence with contentment.
Paul said, “I have learned to be content in all circumstances.” But this is not to say that there are no goals, plans, or aspirations. Paul had a clear goal and was a man of unmatched aspirations. Paul said that although his goals and aspirations had not yet been fulfilled, he had learned to live a life of contentment in faith. This is the peace that comes from trusting in God. But indolence is laziness without plans or aspirations.
Second, Jabez had a growing faith.
Jabez had faith that he prayed to God and received an answer. As there are no other special records of Jabez, he was an ordinary man of true faith. It was simply his faith that made him believe that God would fulfill his purpose and desire. The fact that he received God's answer indicates that Jabez had faith that was acceptable to God.
Talent, ability, and education are important to the people of God, but more important is ‘faith’. That is, I believe that God will work through me. Faith transforms ordinary people into extraordinary lives. Hebrews 11 is called the “faith chapter”. All the people who appear there are people who have become great because of their faith.
In particular, the name ‘Jabez’ means ‘painful’. As you can see in verse 9 of the text, Jabez had something that made his mother's heart painful from the moment he was born. Aren't these mothers also very interested in whether their children are normal or disabled when they are born? In any case, Jabez must have had some disadvantages that were different from those of ordinary people. Nevertheless, Jabez did not dwell on the unfavorable conditions. Rather, there was a mature faith that turned it into aspiration. No, rather, they would have actively depended on God because of the unfavorable conditions.
Do you have any disadvantages over others? There are no adverse conditions in Jesus Christ. But for those who believe, nothing is impossible. In Mark 9:23, “Jesus said, If you can, what do you mean? Nothing is impossible for those who believe.”
Third, Jabez was a life of prayer.
The life of Jabez was expressed in a single prayer. And his prayer was not an ideal, expressive prayer, nor a formal prayer that obscurely concealed his will. His prayers were simple, realistic, and specific.
‘I want God to bless me. I want to expand my land. I want you to be free from tribulation, and I want you to live a carefree life.’
How realistic, unhidden, concrete and simple prayer is this? Jabez's prayer was life itself. Prayer is by no means a theory, nor is it a fancy form to show others. The Lord rebuked the Pharisees for their prayers, saying, 'Their prayers are formally long, but meaningless mumbles.' In doing so, he taught the Lord's Prayer as an example of prayer. The Lord's Prayer is a short but meaningful prayer.
God allowed Jabez to ask. That's right. A life of genuine prayer, not a formal one, will definitely change your life. In James 4:2, it is said, “You have what you do not have, and you do not ask,” and in Ephesians 3:20, God, who is our Father, “is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that is working in us, according to the power that works in us.” who will do it,” he said. In addition, Jeremiah 33:3 says, “Call to me. I will answer you, and I will show you great and mighty things that you do not know.”
God's work is beyond our imagination. What does God want you to do with your life? God is not burdened with any prayers of the saints. Only when it is true prayer that trusts in God.
Ladies and gentlemen, Jabez had a more difficult environment and circumstances than others, but he made a wish to God and got permission. Let us also have an earnest desire for God. I pray that you will achieve a life of power to open the storehouses of God's heaven through passionate longing, faith, and prayer in anticipation of God's work.