Standing on God's Word: BIBLE STUDY WEEK 5 (11/12/13)

BIBLE STUDY

"The Prayer of Jabez" BIBLE STUDY

(By Bruce Wilkinson)

WEEK 5

(11/12/13)

Subject: "That it may not be to my sorrow"---Freedom from Sorrow

"It was a prayer for a PAINLESS life"

Scripture: I Chronicles 4:10 (NIV)

"Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, "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." And God granted his request."

This We will Discover:

What it mean to pray in joy and sorrow.

What it means to be strong in the midst of sorrow.

What it means to be a person of prayer.

Gaining honor through communion with God.

Key:

1. If he should be overcome of sin that would cause him grief.

2. And likewise, if he should have a disaster to befall him and take all his material

possessions, it would cause him grief.

3. It is a prayer that covers about everything, and yet it is a very brief, one verse prayer.

To a great extent we find that we must sow in tears before we can reap in joy. Many of our works for Christ have cost us tears. Difficulties and disappointments have wrung our soul with anguish. Yet those projects that have cost us more than ordinary sorrow, have often turned out to be the most honorable of our undertakings. While our grief called the offspring of desire "Benoni," the son of my sorrow, our faith has been afterwards able to give it a name of delight, "Benjamin," the son of my right hand. You may expect a blessing in serving God if you are enabled to persevere under many discouragements. The ship is often long coming home, because detained on the road by excess of cargo. Expect her freight to be the better when she reaches the port. More honorable than his brethren was the child whom his mother bore with sorrow. As for this Jabez, whose aim was so well pointed, his fame so far sounded, his name so lastingly embalmed—he was a man of prayer. The honor he enjoyed would not have been worth having if it had not been vigorously contested and equitably won. His devotion was the key to his promotion. Those are the best honors that come from God, the award of grace with the acknowledgment of service. When Jacob was surnamed Israel, he received his princedom after a memorable night of prayer. Surely it was far more honorable to him than if it had been bestowed upon him as a flattering destinction by some earthly emperor. The best honor is that which a man gains in communion with the Most High. Jabez, we are told, was more honorable than his brethren, and his prayer is forthwith recorded, as if to intimate that he was also more prayerful than his brethren. We are told of what petitions his prayer consisted. All through it was very significant and instructive. We have only time to take one clause of it—indeed, that one clause may be said to comprehend the rest: "Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed!" I commend it as a prayer for yourselves, dear brethren and sisters; one which will be available at all seasons; a prayer to begin Christian life with, a prayer to end it with, and a prayer which would never be unseasonable in your joys or in your sorrows.

Talk Points:

Do you believe that Jabez realized that he caused much pain and he didn't relish in that thought, and wanted to avoid being in that spot ever again? (Great point to talk on, amen!)

Extra:

Just like our salvation, and the grace that we receive, we should never forget that grace is Gods riches at Christ's expense. It is a shame that it has to be this way, but it just seems that everything has a cost. Sometimes its pain we endure, sometimes its pain others endure for us, and sometimes it is the price that Jesus paid on the cross that fixes our pain. Be of good cheer for we believe in God.

The New International Version translates it this way: "…keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain." The New Revised Standard Version translates it: "…that you would keep me from hurt and harm!" The New American Standard translates it "…that You would keep me from harm that it may not pain me!"

Prayer:

"Oh, that it may not be to my sorrow."

Quotes:

"The path of sorrow and that path alone, lead to the place where sorrow is unknown" (Cowper says)

Scriptures: (Luke 22:40)

"And when he was at the place, he said unto them, pray that ye enter not into temptation."

(Matthew 6:13)

"And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen."

Statement:

My new start in a painless life:

To close this week study on a painless life, pray the following prayer aloud, and then pray it every day in the coming week.

Prayer:

Father God, which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine will be done. Amen.