Morton Church of Christ

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Just Why Can’t I

I Chronicles 4:9-10

What did you want to be when you grew up?

    A policeman, fireman, doctor, nurse, astronaut?

    or maybe it was a superhero?

When did things change?    Was it when someone older than you told you to stop being childish?

Have you ever argued with someone about you not being capable of accomplishing something?   How far did it get you?

           Exodus 3 & 4   Moses explaining things to God.

Who put it in our heads that we can not do certain things?  Is it because of certain natural laws? (Law of gravity)   Is it because certain people are not doing certain things and they tell you, you can not do certain things?  Is it society that tells us that we can not do certain things?   I am talking about doing God’s will.

Who put it in our heads that we can not do new different things?  Is it that we are too old to be taught?  Are we too afraid to try new different things?   Are we afraid that we are going to make a mistake or be embarrassed?

Have you ever felt burnt out and / or just can not do it anymore?

Why do we get that way?  I Kings 19:1-18  Elijah runs and hides.

What is the problem with all of this?

This is not part of God’s plan.

What do we need to do?   PRAY!   But I do pray.

Do you pray like Jabez?

Who is Jabez?  He is only found in 1 Chronicles 4:9-10.

His name means, “pain”.  A literal rendering could read “He causes (or will cause) pain”.

He was cursed because of his name.  He wanted to change things but he could not on his own.  God can and God did.

So what did Jabez pray? 

1)      That God will bless him indeed,

2)       Enlarge his territory,

3)      That God’s hand would be with him, and

4)      That God would keep him from evil.

Do you see the insight Jabez has here?  He put his trust in God to accomplish what he could not.

Jabez asked for blessings but notice the radical aspect. Jabez left it entirely up to God to decide what the blessings would be and where, when and how Jabez would receive them.

Luke 11:9-13  Ask and you shall receive it.

 James 4:2-3  you ask amiss.

There is so much more to learn from this scripture of Jabez and his prayer.  First you have to decide that God has no limits, is not afraid, and He can make us so much more.

What are you waiting for, start now with your Jabez prayer.