Wanting Something More

Jabez's Prayer

1 Chronicles 4:9,10

DATE: 7 June, 1998   AM 4^th Anniversary Sunday PLACE: BBC Blarney

DATE: 11 June, 2000      3rd Anniversary Sunday PLACE: BBC Mallow

I.      Introduction (Matt 5:6; 6:33; 1 Chron 4:9)

1. 1 and 2 Chronicles are part of God's official history "journals" (Chronicles), recording the names, and events of the His people throughout history.
2. Amidst all the names and places are some precious "gems" of truth and promise
3. One of these "gems"  is a man named Jabez (1 Chron 4:9)

1.        His name means sorrow, sadness, depression, disappointment - that is what his mother called him!

2.        He was born at a time when SHE was very sad and sorrowful

3.        He was part of a large family - evidently, they all were very much alike, until the day came that Jabez said "I want something more!" He wasn't going to settle for second best anymore! Determined no to be defeated!

4.        And that determination is what pleases God enough to record in His Bible this man's prayer requesting just that - something more!

a.       Not a matter of greed - most prayers are just selfish demands of God for things (Jam 4:3), never for something eternal! When your prayers are to obtain THINGS, then you're not praying, you're purchasing!

b.       But Jabez is hungering and thirsting for something that counts - ie, hunger for a real hot cooked meal when all you have eaten is cold cereal for breakfast lunch and supper for 5 days in a row!

4. Jabez is God's example to show us how to get something more - to stop being defeated and "just like everyone around us," and start winning on daily basis
5. God would love to give us something more, if we just knew what to ask for!

II.    Message - Wanting Something More (1 Chronicles 4:9,10)

1. A Greater Blessing - "bless me indeed…" - Obtained only at Salvation. Jabez knew what it was like to seek the pleasures and blessings from this world - always ended in a fizzle. Jabez wanted something real - eternal.

1.        It comes from God - not from the Lotto Office, or from the boss - people are looking for God's blessings in all the wrong places (Acts 13:22)

2.        It comes by FAITH - no effort, no works, except in trusting God's word!

3.        Is when a person is saved from sin and hell (Ps 32:1,2)! There is NO greater blessing! No greater miracle! No greater event in all of history than the moment a sinner falls on their knees and cries out for forgiveness on the basis of Christ's death (Luke 15:10), and receives it (Rom 10:13)!

4.        Is more valuable than the whole world put together (Mk 8:36,37; Lk 10:20) a clean heart; peace with God; a home in heaven

5.        Jabez wants some REAL blessings - and it all begins by asking God to "impute" Christ's righteousness in the place of our sins. If YOU want something more out of your life, that is the place to begin - salvation!

2. A Farther Vision - "enlarge my coast…" - Obtained only by Struggle. Most are in Spiritual Bondage! Even as Christians. Jabez knew what it was like to be stuck among losers - wanted something more than just same-old same-old!

1.        Salvation was easy. Living the Christian life is something else! Do you know why? Because it doesn't stay the same!

a.       Salvation means God imputing righteousness to your account

b.       But the Christian life doesn't stop with just a clean heart

c.       It wants to GROW - like in marriage - start with wedding, and then comes kiddies, and bills, and mortgages, and responsibilities!

d.       When you ask God to enlarge YOUR coasts, you are asking for Him to increase your freedom - increase the territory you can handle control of

1)       As a parent - not freedom FROM children, but freedom to train a godly generation - help you raise your kids for God

2)       As a witness - not freedom from the responsibility of telling folks to be saved, but freedom to preach the good news!

3)       As a servant - not freedom to BE served, but TO serve - "enlarge the area of my ministry for you God" - ie, teaching Sunday School!

2.        Struggle - don't give up, as you:

a.       Take each step of faith like a child - someone with a new set of legs

b.       Accept responsibility as a Christian for how you live you life - quit blaming all you bad habits, and secret sins on others

c.       Don't be hesitant - go as far as God thinks you can go - that's why I am here in Ireland - I got here because God thinks I can build a church here - and by the grace of God, I will - no matter what the struggle!!!

3. A Closer Walk - "let thine hand be with me…" - Obtained by Sensitivity. Jabez knew what it was to be alone, miserable. Wanted something more!

1.        To have God’s hand ON you is bad news - like an officer grabbing you

2.        To have His hand WITH you is different - hand-in-hand, with HIM leading the way, guiding, comforting, instructing, encouraging! We still use this when someone asks for a person's "hand" in marriage!

3.        How to have a Closer Walk with God - it all involves the heart

a.       Want to be with the Lord - in this Book, in prayer, all thru the day. God is only where He is wanted - He forces Himself on NO ONE!

b.       Be sensitive to what He wants in your life. Jabez wanted God with Him, but he had to be sensitive to His presence, not BLIND, ignorant, or numb (1 Kings 19:11,12)

1)       Sensitive to His word - LISTEN to what He says in this Book!

2)       Sensitive to His Holy Spirit - Listen for that still small voice

3)       Be protective of your time with Him - don't treat it like not important - we all need to make our time with God priority!

4. A Stronger Defense - "keep me from evil…" - Obtained by Submission. Jabez knows his enemy, and how it is Jabez that goes astray - so he asks for something more, something that will keep him from "blowing it" after all the above effort!

1.        We need to be stronger than the pressures upon us to sin, and give-in! We tend to be "spiritual push-overs" when it comes to temptation!

2.        How to have a stronger defense in your life (Mt 6:13; Jam 4:7):

a.       Struggle (fight) on your knees - that's what prayer time is - the battle

b.       Submit to God - quit running your own life; quit fighting God - Get in line soldier! - Inclose and protect my weaknesses and wanderings

c.       Stay close to God - the key - Satan can't touch you when you have the Lord Almighty behind you (you are an easy target when alone)

5. A Fuller Joy - "that it not grieve me…" - Obtained by Saturation. Jabez never wanted to go back to being how he used to be - sorrowful, depressed, defeated. He discovered that there was something more (Ps 16:11; John 10:10)! No Christian should be letting things hinder them!

1.        Comes by saturating life with the Book. No fish just samples the water

2.        Comes on purpose - it's not by accident Christians are happy and fulfilled

3.        Comes by not seeking substitutes - but wanting the real thing

III.   Conclusion (John 7:37-39; 2 Cor 4:6)

1. The Greatest Blessing is Imputed Righteousness - Obtain only at Salvation.
2. A Farther Vision is an Increase in Spiritual Freedom - Obtained only by Struggle. Too many in this room are in spiritual bondage (to sin, to financial debt, to depression, to Satan's oppression and  control). Lets ask God to enlarge our spiritual "coasts" - areas that we are FREE in and not hindered like: Parenting, witnessing, working - it will all take some effort, struggle - but that's expected!
3. A Closer Walk is a Heart endeavour - Obtained by Sensitivity. O that Christians would want something more when it comes to their walk with God - not repetitious prayers, empty sayings, but full, and confident dependence
4. A Stronger Defense is a request for a Spiritual Enclosure - Obtained by Submission, struggling on knees, submitted to God, and clinging to Christ!
5. The Fullest Joy comes when Christ's love is instilled - Obtained by Saturation. Let's not be "sampler" Christians - just sampling, nibbling, tasting prayer, and this Bible, and church - let's be SATURATED Christians, through and through! That's where the joy is found!