sermon_16

8 DECEMBER 2002 NLBC
When We Have Prayed Like Jabez




1Chronicles 4.10 – and Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying , Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that wouldest keep me from evil, that evil may not grieve me! And God granted Him that which he requested.

Lessons:

1. It is not wrong for us to pray that God enlarge our borders as long as we have set those borders within God’s purposes. Cf.” That thou wouldest keep me from evil. Ang mga layunin Niya ay layunin ko.
2. Enlarging our borders means seeing the possibilities he can turn us into. That is seeing His VISION for us. Ang kanyang kinikinita ay akin at nagiisang kinikinita para sa akin.
3. Enlarging our borders also means believing that He can accomplish all these great things He has set before us. That is moving along in FAITH. Kasama ako na may pananampalataya na may gagawin siya sa buhay ko.
4. Enlarging our borders also means the willingness to carry out what the Lord
has already set us to do. This is what we are to do WORK. Ito ay
nangangahulugan na Na sasama tayo sa paggawa ng mga ipapapagawa
niya.

Ang lahat ng mga ito ay nakasalalay sa buhay na walang inilaan para sa
Sarili, isang buhay na nagsasabi na walang bagay sa buhay na exempted
sa kanyang paghari. This is a life that says nothing in our life is
exempted from His Lordship.



Ano ang mangyayari kung tayo ay manalangin kagaya kay Jabez. What will happen when we pray like Jabez? There are two things we get from our praying like Jabez,

1. CROWNS IN FUTURE GLORY . Mga korona sa luwalhati niya
2. JOY AS WE LIVE TODAY. Kasiyahan sa buhay ngayon


There will be crowns for :
1. soul winners (1Thess.2.19)- The crown of rejoicing ”for what is our hope, or
joy, or crown of rejoicing ? Are not even ye in the presence of the Lord Jesus
Christ at His coming?
2. faithful ones (Jas.1.12)- The crown of life “blessed is the man that endureth
temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receiveth crown of life, which the Lord hath
promised to them that love Him.
3. True workers (1Pet.5.4)- The crown of glory “and when the Chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away”
4. The Redeemed ( Rev.4.4) The crown of gold “I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.”


Our concern today will not be on the crowns that we get, but rather the joy that we have as we follow the Lord in obedience as we pray like Jabez did. I take the message today from Psalm 126.5,6 and from at least 3 other places in the Scriptures where the text is further unravelled.

Psalm 126.5,6 – He that goeth forth and weepeth , bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bearing his sheaves with him.

God’s law of sowing and reaping is a constant source of strength and assurance. This law declares that the very pains we experience in sowing are nothing compared to the abundance joy that we have in Him.

There are at least 3 places in the Scriptures where this joy is seen.

1. We have the peace of living according to the Spirit. May kapayapaan tayo na mamuhay ayon sa Banal na Espiritu.
Gal. 6.7-10 Be not deceived God is not mocked, for whatsoever a man soweth, that
shall he reap. v.8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap of
corruption, but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
v.9 And let us not be weary in well doing for in due season we shall reap, if we faint
not.

When we were saved, we were taken away from the marketplace of sin.
Although saved forever there is that civil war in us where part of us wants to run
away from Him. There is peace however when we obey. Obedience is like asking
the Lord to fight for us in this war while we are kept behind Him in peace.
When we obey Him, He keeps us in peace.

Ang pagpanalangin kagaya kay Jabez nangangailangan ng pagiging masunurin
natin sa Banal na Espiritu. Praying like Jabez demands that we obey and walk in
the Spirit. God can only use one who is obedient and walking in Him.
There is peace in obedience and walking in the Spirit because we were
designed by God to obey Him.
Man was created by God to obey. God always begin with someone who obeys Him.
To that obedience God puts the joy that we need. That is our reward.




2. We have the certainty of submission to His divine plan. May kasigurohan tayo
sa pagsunod natin sa plano Niya.
Heb. 12.7-11 if we endure chastening, God dealeth with you as sons….now no chastening for the present seem to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterwards it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

God has a plan for each of our lives. Kung anak tayo ng Diyos meron tayong kasigurohan na may plano Siya sa buhay natin.
Part of his plan includes the discipline we have to go through. Kasama sa mga plano na ito ang pagdisiplina Niya sa atin.
We also have the previlege of being disciplined in a purposive manner as one sure sign of sonship.
Praying like Jabez means having accepted with gladness and joy His plan for us in our lives. This includes even the chastening that we go through.
His plan for us is that we may be in harmony to His masterplan. When God chooses someone for His work, He also changes that someone to be in harmony to His masterplan for that person’s life (using even His loving discipline to accomplish His purpose). His design for us that He may be glorified.




3. We have the joy of seeing people come into His kingdom.
Jn. 4. 34- 36 My meat is to do the will of Him that sent me, and to finish His work. Say not ye, there are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? Behold, I say unto you, lift up your eyes, and look on the field, for they are white already to harvest. And he that receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal : that he that reapeth rejoiceth together. And herein is that saying is true, one soweth and another reapeth. I sent you to reap wherein you bestowed no labor, other men labored and you are entered into their labors.

Sino bang di natutuwa sa isang ani? Who is not happy with a harvest? A Spirit-filled
people, aware that He has a plan for us will always be happy with the harvest God
has through us.

Tingnan natin ang leksiyon ng mga talata na ito. Let us draw lessons from this text:
Gusto natin ng ani?
a. The challenge of going is directed to all of us. Para sa ating lahat ito.
b. We are called to work right where He placed us. Kung saan man tayo.
c. The work set before us is described as not easy. Di ito madali.
d. The harvest is seen as always joyful. Ngunit masaya ito.

A people at peace, living according to the Spirit, a people secure in His plans , and
a people joyful that others are coming to Him. This is what God wants us to be.