Beyond Jabez

Today I picked up the book, Beyond Jabez by Bruce Wilkinson.

It is a God thing that I even came into possession of this book. My parents gave me a box of books to donate to the church library and I noticed a bunch of cookbooks in the box, so I decided to sort through and found mostly cookbooks, with a few books that might be appropriate for the library. This was one of them. It has been sitting on my dining room table for a few weeks. I really had no interest in reading it, but it kept sticking out to me. So I picked it up and cried through the first 40 pages. I’m so amazed at God’s ability to provide what we need, when we need it.

It has been the missing piece to the puzzle in my mind. It has brought together a bunch of the thoughts floating through my head, the challenge I have received from Pastor Ralph’s sermons to pray big prayers and begin to realize the awesome-beyond-my-wildest-dreams plan God has for my life and the lives of those around me.

I have been frustrated because I have been afraid to ask God for things. I think I am not good enough to receive them or honestly, why would He want to give them to me? He knows the thoughts and intentions of my heart and I am definitely not worthy to receive them!

But it’s not because I’m worthy or that I deserve them or that I could ever earn them, but because He is a good Father and wants to give me good gifts! A gift is defined as: something given voluntarily without payment in return, as to show favor toward someone, honor an occasion, or make a gesture of assistance; something bestowed or acquired without any particular effort by the recipient or without its being earned.

So why am I afraid to ask? One of my overwhelming desires is to be pleasing to Him and to know what His will is for my life, so why shouldn’t I ask Him for good things? 

I have seen Him bring about so many good things in my life and am so thankful that He is faithful and all knowing!! I have seen Him answer some very specific prayers. Not always in the way or time that I want or think, but...

He is God, so who am I to box Him in?

“And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, ‘Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!” So God granted him what he requested.” -1 Chronicles 4:10

“Don't be fooled, my dear friends. Every good and perfect gift comes down from the Father who created all the lights in the heavens. He is always the same and never makes dark shadows by changing.” –James 1:16-17 CEV

“Ask, and you will receive. Search and you will find. Knock and the door will be opened for you. Everyone who asks will receive. Everyone who searches will find. And the door will be opened for everyone who knocks. Would any of you give your hungry child a stone, if the child asked for some bread? Would you give your child a snake if the child asked for a fish? As bad as you are, you still know how to give good gifts to your children. But your heavenly Father is even more ready to give good things to people who ask.” –Matthew 7:7-11 CEV