Yearly Archives: 2001

Pauline Missions

Posted on by Pastor Joe Watkins

“Those things which ye have both learned and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of Peace shall be with you” (Phil. 4:9).

“METHOD!” answers the question: “How?” How did Paul accomplish in 15 years what has not been duplicated in the last 2000 years? He was the one who took the gospel of Grace from Antioch (Acts 13) halfway across Europe to Rome, the capital of the world at that time. We have the same God, the same Message, the same Holy Spirit, and much better facilities. Certainly the opposition in the time of Paul was greater than today. Wasn’t he hindered at every turn and even imprisoned at the peak of his ministry? His persecution was “above measure.”

Roland Allen, in his book “Missionary Methods, St. Paul’s or Ours,” challenges us to reconsider missionary methods in the light of the early church and to contrast the outcome of the last 150 years with St. Paul’s decade of work in Greece and Asia Minor. Have we produced, with all our modern means and methods, in 150 years what Paul produced with his methods in 15 years? If the answer is “No,” then we should change over to Paul’s methods which are actually simple, and a few hours of study would start us on the right road.

OBJECTIVES

1. Evangelism

For a moment, think about objectives because they are vitally related to methods. Paul’s first objective was evangelism (Acts 26:16-19). The one goal constantly before Paul was, “Evangelize the world.” If we are going to follow Paul, this same driving goal must constrain us, and nothing must deter us from the goal of evangelism.

2. Establishing the Local Church:

Paul was careful to gather new converts into a local assembly, “a church in a house” (Rom. 16:5). Paul did not tell his converts to attend the church of their choice. I believe Paul’s ultimate objective was to establish a local assembly. Evangelism wasn’t complete until a church was established and the converts were attending a local church established by Paul. I believe Paul sets a pattern for us in Acts 14:21-23.

METHODS

1. Training Church Leaders and Church Planters—II Tim. 2:1-3:

Paul’s training of church leaders was done in the church. He never took pastors out of a church and trained them in a foreign place, but he selected those in the church who were already leaders and trained them, laying hands on them.

From each church he selected other men and women to leave the church and follow him in church planting. Acts 16 tells of the call of Timothy. Acts 20:4 lists a number of men from various churches who accompanied Paul.

He trained church leaders in the church and he trained field workers in the field. “On the job training” was used by Paul. Just now, men are beginning to realize the effectiveness of this method after all. We see more and more Grace churches starting Bible schools to train their own people for ministry.

2. Correction & Further Training:

When a local church fell into error, Paul did several things: (1) wrote letters (2) sent a fellow evangelist to the church (3) went himself (4) prayed constantly for the church. This is also how he gave further training to the leaders in the churches. Missions is a GOING business. We go to the lost, not asking or waiting for them to come to us. We go to the churches to teach and train, not asking the church to come to us. We go with the evangelists to train them, not sending them out to train themselves.

3. Message:

Paul, in every church, emphasized the truth that was revealed to him by the Lord Jesus Christ. I think Scofield summed up the importance of Paul’s message when he said: “In his writings alone we find the doctrine, position, walk and destiny of the Church.” The church is not only established for fellowship and worship, but also for teaching and training members in the message that Paul revealed to the Gentiles (Eph. 3:1-10; Rom. 11:13).

In 1958, Things to Come Mission began its ministry in the Republic of the Philippines. The first thing we did was to establish objectives for the ministry. We also felt the objectives we set for the Philippine ministry would be used later in other countries.

The objective would be the same as the Apostle Paul’s—establish local churches. In order to accomplish this objective we also followed Paul in method. The first method was evangelism. The converts from evangelism would be brought together into a local church. In the Philippine ministry several methods were used to evangelize: radio broadcasts on local stations, liter-ature (gospel tracts, Bible Correspondence Courses, and books), and open-air evangelistic meetings.

The second method was training of the national leaders. Thus the Bible Schools were established, church-related training centers were established to train elders, the TEE program was set up, and special seminars are held annually throughout the Philippines for our churches.

As the ministry grew, we saw the need for establishing a youth department. This department is responsible to train and equip the youth in the local churches. The youth department has developed into a large ministry from which they regularly send out evangelistic teams to hold meetings.

The ministry in the Philippines has grown to over 500 Grace churches; all committed to teaching the special message revealed to and through Paul. There are now Filipino missionaries serving the Lord in Kenya, Indonesia, and Brazil. There are five resident-type Bible Schools in the Philippines, with many students preparing for the ministry. To further train our pastors, a two-week intensive postgraduate school is held every year or so.

The objectives that were established in the Philippines have also become the objectives for TCM’s ministries in Kenya, South Africa, Indonesia, and Brazil. In each country there are a number of churches established and ongoing training programs.

Paul’s objective and methods work in the 21st century. We must continue following Paul in doctrine, and practice.

“Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ” (I Cor. 11:1).

“Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me” (I Cor. 4:16).

Berean Searchlight – October 2001

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Jesus Loves Us So

Posted on by Pastor Cornelius R. Stam

There is much in the Holy Scriptures that the best and wisest among us do not yet understand. In fact, the best and wisest of us have only begun to grasp the truths contained in that blessed Book.

Among these, bless God! are those which we cannot understand because they are too wonderful for us mortals to comprehend.

It was concerning such truths that David exclaimed:

“Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain unto it” (Psa. 139:6).

Far more has been revealed to us than David ever dreamed of, and we have graciously been given divine help to understand truths then unknown. But still God has kept far ahead of us with His revelations of blessing, and there are precious passages, especially in the Pauline epistles, which we will never fully grasp in this life, simply because they are “too wonderful” and “high” for us to fully comprehend. We can believe them, however, and rejoice in them.

Thus we believe and rejoice in the glorious revelation of our position in Christ in the heavenlies, though we are only beginning to understand this precious “mystery.” Thus, too, we rejoice in “the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge” (Eph. 3:19) and “the peace of God, which passeth all understanding” (Phil. 4:7).

One such passage which has always gripped this writer, yet has left him ever again overcome with wonder, is II Corinthians 5:21:

“For He [God] hath made Him [Christ] to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.”

Again and again, as the writer has pondered over this verse, he has responded: “Can it be! He made sin that I might be made, not merely righteous, but `the righteousness of God in Him’! Lord, I cannot take this in. It is too wonderful for this poor sinful heart to fully grasp. Yet I do believe it and rejoice over it `with joy unspeakable and full of glory.'”

But there is another kind of passage which in another way is equally hard, for this writer at least, to grasp in its fulness. One example of this kind of passage is Ephesians 4:30:

“And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.”

Again I ask: “Can it be! GOD grieved!” How it can be that eternal and almighty God can be grieved over anything that I, a poor speck of sinful dust, might do, is more than I can grasp. It overwhelms me that He is so deeply concerned about me.

Yet I know that it is so, for as far back as Genesis 6:5,6 I read a striking statement about our sovereign God:

“And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

“And it repented the Lord that He had made man on the earth, and it grieved Him at His heart.”

If, then, a sovereign God was grieved over the wickedness of the ante-deluvian race, how He must be grieved when I, His son in Christ, fail Him!

While as yet we are unable to comprehend all this, such passages as Ephesians 4:30 can bring us untold blessing if we simply believe them.

Surely this passage teaches us that God loves us deeply. Indeed, He has scarcely besought us not to grieve His Holy Spirit when, almost in the same breath, He assures us that the Holy Spirit has sealed and does seal us unto the day of redemption.

And is not this the reason for the exhortation? He says, as it were: “Do not grieve the Spirit, who loves you; who loves you so that regardless of your faithfulness or failure He continues to keep you safe in His care.”

It is well that so many children’s songs emphasize the fact that Jesus loves them, for it is this that is most apt to draw from them a response of faith and love while they are still young.

Perhaps the greatest hymn ever written was that wonderful children’s hymn:

“Jesus loves me, this I know,
For the Bible tells me so.”

We, their elders who have come to know the Lord Jesus Christ, should sing these words with greater joy and deeper gratitude than they. There it is again! Let us not grieve Him—for He loves us so.

The Day of the Lord — What Is It?

Posted on by Pastor Cornelius R. Stam

The Scriptures have much to say about “the day of the Lord,” but precisely what is the day of the Lord?

Generally speaking, of course, it refers to the time when the day of man, or “the times of the Gentiles,” will be brought to an end and “the Lord alone shall be exalted” (Isa. 2:11,17). But will it include more than the actual return and reign of Christ? Will it include the prophesied tribulation period, during which God will bring Gentile rule to an end? We believe it will.

One pastor who teaches that the Body of Christ will go through the tribulation and that its Rapture to be with Christ will follow the tribulation, writes:

“The day of the Lord follows the tribulation and it is the day of the Lord’s wrath upon those who `know not God and obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ’ (II Thes. 1:8). It comes as `a thief in the night,’ which is not so with the tribulation.”

But this interpretation does not take into account all that is said in Scripture about the day of the Lord—and contradicts some of it.

When our Lord returns to earth in person, “in flaming fire taking vengeance” and “punishing” with “everlasting destruction,” He will evidently dispatch His enemies forthwith. There is no evidence that this will cover a protracted period of time. Paul, describing the arrival of the day of the Lord in I Thessalonians 5:1-3 says nothing about the personal return of Christ, but he does describe a protracted period of suffering and trouble. Read this statement carefully:

“The day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night, for when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.”

First, note that the phrase “thief in the night” is not used to describe suddenness, but unexpectedness. The thief plans his visit for the time when he will be least expected. This phrase is so used of our Lord’s return to earth in Matthew 24:43,44. But I Thessalonians 5:1-3 states that the “destruction” of “the day of the Lord” will also come as “a thief in the night.”

The Antichrist will have made a seven-year covenant with Israel and the world will enjoy three and a half years of “peace and safety.” Then, unexpectedly, he will break the covenant and defile the temple, plunging the nations into the most terrible time of trouble they have ever experienced (See Dan. 9:27; 12:1; Matt. 24:21).

Actually God will take over as the “great tribulation” breaks, letting the nations of the world bring their uncalled-for rebellion to a head.

Next, note the phrase, “as travail upon a woman with child.” When Antichrist breaks his covenant with Israel “in the midst of the week”1 (Dan. 9:27), “destruction” will break out suddenly. This does not mean, however, that it will run its course in a moment. Rather, it will “come upon them” suddenly, and run its course “as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.”

The travail of a woman with child takes time. The birth pangs increase both in frequency and in intensity until the child is born.

This, we suggest, illustrates the “great tribulation” far more accurately than it does the actual return of Christ, for during the great tribulation the world’s troubles will indeed increase both in frequency and intensity “and they shall not escape.” This “destruction,” to take place during “the day of the Lord,” will overtake the world of the ungodly unexpectedly, just when they are congratulating themselves as having attained “Peace and safety” (I Thes. 5:3).

Now please think carefully. Will anyone be saying, “Peace and safety” at the close of the “great tribulation”? Will anyone rejoice in “Peace and safety” as the battle of Armageddon rages? How, then, can this passage about “the day of the Lord” refer only to the return of Christ after the tribulation?

But when we see that “the day of the Lord” begins with, rather than after the tribulation, all is in order.

As we know, the seven years of the tribulation will begin with the rider on the “white horse” (Rev. 6:1,2—evidently Antichrist cf. Rev. 19:11—the true Christ), who goes forth “conquering and to conquer.” Like Antiochus Epiphanes, he will “come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries” (Dan. 11:21). All will go well for him and he will bring to the world a kind of peace that will win him universal allegiance. “Peace and safety”! the world will exclaim.

But of the rider on the next horse we read: “and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth” (Rev. 6:4). Then follow war, famine and death (Vers. 3-8).

This “destruction” will come suddenly when, after three and a half years (“in the midst of the week”), Antichrist will betray Israel and break his seven-year covenant with them (Dan. 9:27), and will, like An-tiochus Epiphanes, desecrate the temple (Dan. 9:27; 11:31; Matt. 24:15; II Thes. 2:3,4).

There we have it! Our “post-tribulation” brethren say that “the day of the Lord follows the tribulation.” Paul, in I Thessalonians 5:1-3, makes it clear that the day of the Lord includes the tribulation. They have men in the closing, most terrible hours of the tribulation saying, “Peace and safety”! They have the Lord’s speedy judgment of the ungodly described by “travail upon a woman with child”!

No, the Rapture of the Body of Christ to be with Him will not follow the tribulation; it will precede it. Thus the Apostle Paul, after writing about the Rapture of the Body in I Thessalonians 4, continues in Chapter 5 with the word “But,” to show the disrelation of God’s prophesied “times and seasons” and “the day of the Lord,” from that blessed day for which every believer should be “looking,” “waiting” and “watching.”

“Wherefore comfort one another with these words” (I Thes. 4:18), and “be not soon troubled” (II Thes. 2:2), for like the Thessalonian believers we are to “serve the living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven…who hath delivered us from the wrath to come” (I Thes. 1:9,10).

THE BEGINNING OF SORROWS

As we have demonstrated, the prophesied day of the Lord takes us back to the middle of the Tribulation when the “peace and safety” that Antichrist brings, will be suddenly broken, and the horrors of the “great tribulation” will come upon this world “as travail upon a woman with child.”

With God’s help, we will seek further to show from Scripture that the “day of the Lord” takes us back even to the beginning of the Tribulation period, for the first three and a half years of the Tribulation are the introduction to the rest.

Here we must ask what will cause men to say “peace and safety”? II Thessalonians 2 gives us light on this.

In Verse 7 the Apostle says:

“For the mystery of iniquity doth already work, only He who now letteth [hindereth] will let [hinder], until He be taken out of the way.”

We take this to be the Holy Spirit in the Church. Not that the Holy Spirit will not be operating on earth during the Tribulation, but He will be taken out of the way as a restraining force when the Church is caught up to be with Christ.

Verse 8: “And then shall that Wicked [one] be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of His mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of His coming.”

The “then” of Verse 8 is also used in a broad sense, for it is obvious that while the full manifestation of Antichrist will take place in the midst of the seven years of the Tribulation, his destruction will take place at the end of the seven years. Doubtless his manifestation will be a gradual matter, for when he sits in the temple of God, posing as God (Ver. 4), he will already have held sway for three and a half years. See what the Apostle says about this deceiver in Verses 9 and 10:

“Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan, with all power and signs and lying wonders,

“And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish, because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved.”

It should be observed that not all wars begin with a battle, and God here begins to wage war on this Christ-rejecting world by simply letting them believe the big lie that they have always wanted to believe. How could God state more clearly that He will begin to judge this wicked world than by removing the restraining influence and giving men up to Antichrist? And, as we say, this takes us back to the beginning of the Tribulation. This first part of the Tribulation ushers in the judgments of God for grace rejected.

Though God has sent a message of grace to all nations, they have turned a deaf ear to it. They do not wish to acknowledge their sin and their need of Christ. In John 5:40,43, we have the words of our Lord:

“Ye will not come unto Me that ye might have life.”

“I am come in My Father’s name, and ye receive Me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.”

And this is exactly the case. The world has never received Christ, but when Antichrist comes they will go wild over him. He is described in the Book of Revelation as the rider on the white horse, going forth “conquering and to conquer.”

Well do we remember the days of Hitler as one nation after another fell before his armies. He indeed went forth conquering, and many feared that he would continue “to conquer” until the whole world was under his sway. This, thankfully, did not take place, but with Antichrist his conquests will continue until he dominates all mankind.

It is of the utmost importance here to notice that this is God’s judgment upon “them that perish, because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved.”

“And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie, that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness” (II Thes. 2:10-12).

This, then, is included in “the day of the Lord” in its broadest sense, for this is how God will begin to bring the day of man, or “the times of the Gentiles [nations],” to an end.

Thus we do not agree that “the day of the Lord follows the Tribulation” and that only His return to earth is “the day of the Lord’s wrath upon those who `know not God and obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.'” God begins to judge man by giving him up to Antichrist; then comes the “great tribulation,” the latter half of the seven years, and then our Lord’s return to bring to a speedy end that which began as “travail upon a woman with child.”

Thus, the day of the Lord, as it is spoken of in Scripture, may be referred to in a narrow sense, or in a broader sense. In its narrowest sense it refers to the reign of Christ on earth, but in its broader sense it includes the whole Tribulation period. As some theologians might put it, we have the day of the Lord proper, and the day of the Lord general, the latter including the reign of Christ and the Tribulation, when God begins to intervene in man’s affairs by giving him the Antichrist, the big lie men have always wanted.

Any who have not acknowledged their sin and have not yet trusted Christ as Savior should remember that while God is gracious and patient, He will not allow man to go on forever rejecting and insulting His Son. And when His anger is finally aroused it will be “the cup of His indignation, poured out without mixture.”

God is not the soft “do-gooder” of man’s conception. True, He is the very personification of love, but He is also the personification of righteousness and justice and truth and, in anger against love spurned, He will finally judge this world by giving men up to the kind of Christ they have always desired—Antichrist. They will perish “because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved” and “for this cause God shall send them strong delusion,” by removing the restraints that have hindered the reign of Antichrist.

Since the Rapture of the Church could take place at any moment and bring to a close this dispensation of Grace, how important it is to trust Christ without delay, before it is eternally too late.

“The Father loveth the Son and hath given all things into His hands,

“He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life; and He that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him” (John 3:35,36).

“…behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (II Cor. 6:2).

“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved…” (Acts 16:31).

“For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures;

“And that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures” (I Cor. 15:3,4).

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Revealed By Fire

Posted on by Fred Wisniewski

“For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is” (I Cor. 3:11-13).

Every true believer, we would think, looks forward to that first happy moment when, being absent from the body, he or she will be present with the Lord. After all, this is what we have been living for since the day we first trusted Christ.

At the same time, we may experience a little apprehension, knowing that in glory we must stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ (II Cor. 5:10). Not that we need be concerned about our eternal destiny. We are in Christ, and in Christ we are secure. We are confident that He loves us, because while we were yet sinners Christ died for us, and we were “accepted in the Beloved” once we trusted Him for our eternal salvation. No, it’s not a question of whether we are saved or lost; God’s Word assures us we are saved forevermore. Our sins have all been judged at the Cross of Calvary; we have been redeemed and forgiven through His blood. Rather it’s a question of what will be our station for the duration of our salvation.

Scripture makes it plain that God has a system of rewards in place for His children in Christ when we reach our heavenly home.

“If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire” (I Cor. 3:14-15).

“And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible” (I Cor. 9:25).

“It is required of stewards that a man be found faithful,” and many of us already know that we haven’t always been very faithful. Certainly a lot less faithful in His service than we could have been, and should have been. With the world clamoring for our attention on every side, and our inherent moral weakness, willful pride and self-serving ambition, we often lose the focus of our mission as “ambassadors for Christ.”

So, looking forward to that day when we will stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ, to “give an account” of ourselves to God, we may feel a bit sheepish. There will be some anxiety, because we know that while we may have successfully hidden some of our faults and failings from the world, it was impossible to hide them from God,

“Who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God” (I Cor. 4:5).

Sometimes it was just plain dereliction of duty, “as many, which corrupt the Word of God” (II Cor. 2:17). For Scripture tells us that carefully building on “the foundation that was laid” starts with rightly dividing the Word of truth (II Tim. 2:15). God’s Word also counsels us to

“be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into Him in all things, which is the Head, even Christ” (Eph. 4:14-15).

“Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck” (I Tim. 1:19).

We will know there were times we did the right things, but for the wrong reasons.

“For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple” (Rom. 16:18).

“And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ” (I Cor. 8:11-12).

Sometimes we had the appearance, but not the substance.

“…and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing” (I Cor. 13:2-3).

And sometimes, well, we just refused to grow in our Christian experience.

“For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?” (I Cor. 3:3).

Faithful or unfaithful, each of us will be giving an account of himself to God. Not for our sins, which have been forgiven through the blood of Jesus Christ (Eph. 1:7). But for how we built on the foundation that was laid; for our works in His service, “which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them” (Eph. 2:10).

Since each believer is a member of His Body, Christ has perfect knowledge of how each member functions, whether in thought, word, or deed. When we stand before His Judgment Seat,

“Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is” (I Cor 3:13).

When that day comes for you and for me, we will be privileged to stand in our Lord’s presence and look Him in the eye. Hopefully we won’t have to be ashamed to look Him in the eye. The Apostle John, describing the appearance of Christ in the Book of Revelation, states that “His eyes were as a flame of fire” (Rev. 1:14; 2:18; 19:12). It may be that the fire with which Christ will test the believer’s works will be the “fire” in His eyes, for:

“Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in His sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do” (Heb. 4:13).

It may be we will hear Him say what was said to the saints at Thyatira:

“I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first. Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee…” (Rev. 2:19-20).

The question then will be how much of our works, and charity, and service, and faith, will survive that fiery gaze, or whatever else may be the source of the blaze, to determine whether we “receive a reward,” or “suffer loss.”

Christian friend, have you given thought to that coming day when, being absent from the body, you will stand before the Lord, to

“receive the things done in [your] body, according to that [you] hath done, whether it be good or bad” (II Cor. 5:10).

Let us hope that you and I can stand before Him with the confidence of the Apostle Paul who, having fought a good fight, having finished his course, having kept the faith, could write to Timothy:

“Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love His appearing” (II Tim. 4:8).

Berean Searchlight – September 2001

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Gracious Youth Ministry

Posted on by Jeremy Clark

Those us of us in ministry positions who know and understand the grace message appreciate the freedom and peace it brings to our mind and spirit. We have seen the excitement in others when they first understood the exceptional nature of Paul’s gospel (Rom. 16:25). Next to seeing a lost soul come into a saving knowledge of Jesus, watching the light come on as a Christian realizes that he or she does not have to ignore the “contradictions” in God’s Word is a joyous occasion. We who minister, imitating Paul as he imitates Christ (1 Cor. 11:1), desire and long to teach the precepts of the gospel of grace. But isn’t there more?

For the past two years, I have served as a part-time youth minister as one who understands the mystery (Col. 1:24-26) as you do. I have spent hours instructing students and adults alike in the gospel of grace so that I might “commit these [teachings] to faithful men who will be able to teach others also” (2 Tim. 2:2). For a moment, enter the mind of today’s student and ask yourself how you would like to be in my youth group. No doubt you are eager to sit and listen to some guy talk about the Pauline revelation as compared to the dispensation of the law and the reinstatement of the Kingdom program that God put on hold due to Israel’s rejection of her King. I can sense the yawns.

I want to back up one verse and share with you a secret, if you will, that I learned early on as I began my ministry to students. While the following principle certainly applies to youth ministry, it also applies to anyone who ministers in the Church. Paul urges Timothy (a young pastor himself) to “be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus” (2 Tim. 2:1). We understand what grace is all about. We understand that we have been given the unsearchable riches of Christ (Eph. 3:8). The question for us who minister, and especially to today’s students, is how do we minister BY grace instead of ministering ABOUT grace. We want to be strong in grace both in word and in DEED.

To understand ministering by grace, you must understand what it means to minister without grace. Legalism is the practical antithesis of grace. Bondage to laws (especially man-made ones—Col. 2:20-22) is the opposite of living the life of grace. Likewise, a ministry bound to a ministry “formula”, bound to an unalterable schedule, bound to man-made ideas of what youth ministry is all about is ministry by legalism. How many of us treat ministry like a job with a checklist of items we have to accomplish in order to “feel” that we have had a successful week? The world has taught us to treat a job in this manner. Consider the consequences of running your ministry this way: Because you have written ten notes to students, you have led a Bible study and a Sunday school class, you spent time talking to a parent, and then prayed in front of the congregation during the worship hour, you feel as if you have done enough to meet your job requirements for the week and become proud of your accomplishment. During other weeks, you do not feel as if you have done enough and then are overcome with guilt since you have not checked off enough items from your list. The consequence of ministry by legalism is either pride or guilt. Neither is fruitful.

I often tell my students that if they want to know how to live the Christian life to its utmost and fullest, then they must constantly ask themselves what it is that they can do to bear fruit for God (Rom. 7:4). What things can they do that will please God? (Eph. 5:8-11). Think about the following absurd example: How would your mom feel if you told her one day that you love her, and to show her that you love her you are not going to beat her. You go on to tell her that the reason you are not going to beat her is that it is against the law. Do you think that she would sense that she is loved? Probably not. Most people refrain from beating their moms because they love them first and as a consequence of their acts of love they fulfill the law (Rom. 13:8-10). Likewise, we know that God does not want us to serve him legalistically since it shows no love towards Him, but only increases our pride. He wants us to find out what pleases Him and to do those things (Eph. 5:10).

If you are weak in grace as a minister, how will you conduct yourself? Instead of finding out how you can help to bring forth fruit in the lives of your students and others with every act of service, you will attempt to accomplish certain tasks and objectives that will make you feel good and take away any sense of guilt. Notes, Bible studies, Sunday school, talking to parents, and praying are all great things. However, ask yourself if you are doing them because they are the most effective ways to bear fruit in your ministry or because you are ministering by legalism.

The great thing about students is that they do not want to be part of a legalistic ministry. They want someone who is real and genuinely cares about them. Students know when we are not strong in grace and when we are ministering out of a sense of self-imposed obligation, pride, and legalism. They know when we are being real. Besides, ministry by grace is a whole lot more fulfilling, meaningful, and fun!

Sense and Nonsense

Posted on by David M. Havard

“Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ” (Eph. 4:13).

It is amazing to me how some theologians can get things so mixed up—how they can take something simple and make it complex. As one old-timer puts it, “Some people are educated beyond their intelligence.”

The Bible is God’s revelation to man. The word “revelation” means that the purpose of the Bible is to reveal God to us. This reflects God’s intention that His Word be understood by everyone, not just the scholar. It should be no wonder then, that Paul’s epistles were not given to the church in classical Greek; rather, they were recorded for us in Koine Greek—what we might call the working man’s language. The untrained person in the pew with a little common sense often does better at understanding the Bible than the trained theologian (so-called).

There are a number of strange doctrines circulating within the Grace Movement that do not pass the “common sense” test. Christians, who for years thought they understood what the Bible clearly says, are now confused because certain folks have come into their assembly and told them that the Bible doesn’t really mean what it says.

Of course, the irony of this is that understanding Paul’s gospel is built upon letting the Bible mean what it says to whom it is written. To abandon the old adage of “when common sense makes sense, seek no other sense” is folly indeed.

SHOULD YOU FIRE YOUR PASTOR?

An ongoing example of this type of reasoning is the teaching that the gift of pastor-teacher is not for today. Though I’m sure that I will be accused of over-simplifying their argument, it goes something like this: In Ephesians 4:13 we read that the gift of pastor-teacher will be “till we come…unto a perfect man.” Then we are taken to Colossians 1:25 where we read that Paul was given the job of fulfilling the Word of God. Next, we are told that the word “perfect” in Ephesians 4:13 means “complete,” and since the Word of God was fulfilled or completed by Paul, the church is now a “perfect man.” Therefore, they conclude, we no longer need the gift of pastor-teacher because the Word of God is completed. All we need now is to read the Word of God.

You may initially believe their fast talk. But you need to keep them within the context. It is always dangerous to do a word study and then try to force fit that one meaning of the word into every context. Context is always king! It is true that the word teleios, rendered “perfect” in Ephesians 4:13 may be translated as complete. It may also be translated as “mature.” For example, in 1 Corinthians 13:10, teleios is better translated as “complete” because that best fits the context.

Do we believe that the Word of God was completed or fulfilled by Paul? Absolutely! But is it good hermeneutics to say that “a perfect man” in Ephesians 4:13 is referring to the perfected Body of Christ because the Scriptures are completed? I don’t think so!

Let us look at Ephesians 4:13 in its context and see what it says as to the purpose and duration of the gifts to the Body of Christ.

Now the completion of the Word of God does have an impact on the duration on the first two of these gifted men given to the church. The gifts of apostle and prophet have passed away upon the completion of the Word of God—specifically the revelation of the mystery given to Paul.1 However, it does not follow that just because the gifts of apostle and prophet have passed away, that the gifts of evangelist and pastor-teacher have also passed away.

To back that up, let us first look at the purpose of these gifts given to the Body of Christ. Ephesians 4:12 gives us a progressive set of reasons for these gifts. The first reason given (denoted by the word “for” in our Bible) is the perfecting of the saints. The word for perfecting here is katartizo and it has the idea of “to equip for service.” The pastor is to be equipping us for the work of the ministry. This work of the ministry that we (the ENTIRE Body of Christ) are to be doing is supposed to result in the edification or building up of the Body of Christ. This is similar to what Paul says in verse 16 where he talks about “every joint” doing its part which “maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.” So then, the purpose of these gifts to the church is so that the saints will be equipped for the work of the ministry, which will result in the church building itself up in love.

Now, the next question to be answered is, “How long is this supposed to take place?” Some tell us that this only takes place until the completion of the canon of Scripture. Does that mean that these gifts stopped when Paul stopped writing? Or does it mean that they did not cease until the church had settled the issue of canonicity many years later?

In addition, even if it was logical to connect the cessation of the gift of pastor with the completion of the Scriptures (which is isn’t), it would still not hold true because the selected phrase “unto a perfect man” is only one of four statements in verse 13.

Verse 13 starts with the word “til”—these gifts will be operational until we ALL come into:

1) The unity of the faith

2) The knowledge of the Son of God

3) Unto a perfect man

4) Unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ

We, the Body of Christ, need to reach unity in doctrine—unity of the faith, the body of truth committed to the Apostle Paul. Look around and it quickly becomes obvious that this condition has not been met. Even within a local church this is not true, not to mention how it is not true in the confused and divided church at large.

Do we have full, precise, and correct knowledge of the Son of God? Would anyone dare to claim this? Paul did not. In Philippians he said that this was his desire, not something that he had already attained (Phil. 3:10).

Are we fully mature—have we attained unto a perfect man? Well, if we have, then we dare claim what Paul himself did not dare to claim because we read in Philippians 3:12, “Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.” He did not claim to be perfected. Are we better than he? Apparently, some think so.

The fourth condition is arriving to the “measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.” Wow! Who can honestly say that he is at this point in his Christian life? This is speaking of no less than being in the image of Christ. While we are certainly predestined to be conformed to the image of Christ, I have yet to meet anyone who has indeed done so this side of glory.

The gift of pastor-teacher will be in effect until ALL of the conditions in verse 13 are met, and a “perfect man” is only one of them. Surely you can see that these conditions will never be fully realized this side of heaven. The gift of pastor-teacher will be here until the rapture!

In addition, this teaching fails the reality test. Church history does not back up these claims. In every dispensation, God has worked through His chosen vessels. To say that all you need is your Bible and your intellect disregards the teachings of Christ regarding the purpose of the Body of Christ. Just having the Bible and your brain will not make you a mature Christian. You cannot eliminate the work of the Holy Spirit (yes, He is still active today!—but that’s a whole other article) and the Body of Christ in your spiritual development. Knowledge is essential, but knowledge, of itself, only puffs up. As Paul tells the Corinthians, “we all have knowledge” (1 Cor. 8:1) and the implication is “So what?” What counts, Paul says, is not knowledge per se, but faith working itself out through love (Gal. 5:6).

IS IT WRONG TO PRAY?

Another, and perhaps the most disturbing example of misguided theology, is the notion that God is only interested in spiritual things today. According to some, He is neither interested nor involved in anything physical today. This means, they say, that we should pray only for “spiritual” things. In their view, God is not interested in anything having to do with physical needs or wants. He will not intervene, so don’t waste your time praying about such things. To back up their argument, they go to verses where Paul is praying for spiritual knowledge and wisdom for the saints.

Let’s look at a few of these verses. One such verse is Colossians 1:9, “For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.” See, they say, this shows that you should only pray for spiritual things like being filled with the knowledge of God’s will (which they say means knowing the mystery).

But remember context? Don’t let them stop with verse 9. Go on and read verse 10, because it shows us the reason that Paul made the prayer request: “That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God.” The purpose for praying for the knowledge of God’s will is so that we can walk worthy of the Lord, being fruitful in every good work. This is intensely practical! This deals with the practical business of living out our Christian life in the real (physical) world on a day to day basis.

Another verse is 1 Thessalonians 5:23 which reads, “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Is this physical or spiritual? Why would Paul pray that we be “blameless” unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ? Aren’t we already complete in Christ and accepted in the beloved (Col. 2:10; Eph. 1:6)? Aren’t we free from judgment (Rom. 8:33)? So, if we are already blameless spiritually because of our position in Christ, what is Paul talking about here? Well, just like Colossians 1:9-10, he is talking about our walk. We need to be walking worthy of our calling in Christ. It is the things done in the body that will be judged at the Bema Seat of Christ—spiritual consequences for physical actions!

What is conveniently left out are all the verses where Paul DOES pray for physical things. Perhaps one of the first verses to come to mind is Philippians 4:6 where we are told to pray about “everything.” Some will tell us that “everything” means only spiritual things. But is this true? Does it fit the context? Well, even in Greek, all means “all.” And that is the word that is used here (pas). In addition, in Philippians 4:10-20, Paul is talking about physical things, not just spiritual things. In verses 10-13 he talks about having abundance and suffering need. If there is any doubt that this is referring to physical things, his talking about learning “to be full and to be hungry” in verse 12 and “necessities” in verse 16 should remove any doubt. Also, in Philippians 1:19, Paul expresses his confidence that their prayers will result in his deliverance from prison.

DOES ALL REALLY MEAN ALL?

This erroneous idea that God is only interested in spiritual things has other ramifications as well. In addition to robbing dear believers of their intimacy with the Lord through prayer, this teaching also removes any sense of comfort that we get from knowing that God is sovereign over what happens in our lives.

A prime example of this is found in Romans 8:28. For centuries, Christians have found comfort in this verse which tell us that all things work together for good to those who love God, who are the called according to His purpose. “Oh,” this wise one tells us, “Surely you know that all doesn’t really mean all. That verse only refers to spiritual things. Only spiritual things are working together for good.”

Thankfully, I can tell you that such talk is not true. Again, even in the Greek, all means ALL! It’s that same word pas again. It is the context that will determine what “all” is referring to here. So, based on the context of Romans 8:28, does all literally mean all, or does all refer only to spiritual things?

Context includes both the verses before and the verses after. To get the preceding context, look at Romans 8:18. Sufferings here obviously refers to physical sufferings, otherwise, what he is saying makes no sense.

For the following context, look at Romans 8:31-39. In verse 35, Paul is undeniably talking about physical things—tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, and sword. Then notice what he says in verse 37, “In all these things we are more than conquerors though Him who loved us.” What things? Those physical things just mentioned previously. When you keep Romans 8:28 in its context, it is clear that all really does mean all—spiritual AND physical!

In addition to the Biblical proof that we are to pray about physical things, the dispensation of grace has many examples of godly men and women who had prayer answered regarding physical things (William Carey comes readily to mind). I have clearly had prayer answered in my own life. It is not just coincidence. God is still sovereign. He can still choose to work through circumstances and other believers to answer our prayers. He still can give us inner peace or not as we listen to His “still, small voice” as He speaks to our heart.

If God is not involved in physical things today, if He does not answer prayer today, if He is disinterested in what is going on in the world today, then why bother—we may as well be atheists. For all practical purposes, this teaching is the same as Deism or Gnosticism.

God does want to hear from His children. We have a personal relationship with Him through our Lord Jesus Christ. This is why we can approach Him and call Him “Abba, Father” (Rom. 8:15)—a term of close endearment. And, like a father, God wants to hear about whatever it is that is concerning us.

CONCLUSION

Paul wrote often about Judaizers who came into the church and tried to rob the believers of their joy. These instigators tried to remove them from the simplicity they had in Christ. They tried to put them under the bondage of the law.

Unfortunately, the same types of people are in the church today. You find them stirring up trouble and causing believers to doubt things which they should not be doubting and causing them to stumble in their walk with the Lord.

Paul also says that the reason for such troublemakers is their desire to create a following after themselves (Acts 20:30). They desire to put you into bondage—only in this case it is not the Mosaic Law, but their elitist and misguided interpretation of the Scriptures.

What then is to be our response? I can think of no better admonition than that of our Apostle Paul who said, “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage” (Gal. 5:1).

Notes:

  1. It is only tradition that dates the writing of the book of Revelation around 90-95 ad. I believe that Paul was the last writer of the New Testament. I believe that the internal evidence (not tradition) indicates that the kingdom writings of the New Testament (Matthew-Luke, the General Epistles, and Revelation) were all written before 70 a.d. and the destruction of the temple.

Berean Searchlight – August 2001

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The Prayer of Jabez, Its Principle, and Paul

Posted on by Pastor Rollin E. Wilson

In the recent past, I’ve heard numerous media preachers and Bible teachers make reference to “the prayer of Jabez.” In my Bible reading I recalled a Bible person with that name, and looking him up in a concordance I re-read what is here stated:

1 Chron. 4:9 And Jabez was more honourable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with sorrow.

1 Chron. 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 thou wouldest keep [me] from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested.

Scanning the above text one finds some interesting facts and probably things that could develop into deeper applications. However, such would be the case in most Scriptures that we might study, specially as we remember Paul’s teaching from Romans 15:4:

Rom. 15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.

Within the past month a book was placed in my hands entitled: The Prayer of Jabez with the subtitle: Breaking Through to the Blessed Life. The book is authored by Bruce Wilkinson, founder and president of Walk Thru the Bible Ministries. The book is published by Multnomah Publishers, Sisters, Oregon, and carries a copyright date of 2000. The back cover of this book offers impressive advertisements of its contents: “Do you want to be extravagantly blessed by God? Are you ready to reach for the extraordinary? To ask God for the abundant blessings He longs to give you? Join Bruce Wilkinson to discover how the remarkable prayer of a little-known Bible hero can release God’s favor, power, and protection. You’ll see how one daily prayer can help you leave the past behind—and break through to the life you were meant to live.”

Wilkinson’s book, The Prayer of Jabez, contains the following preface:

“Dear Reader,

“I want to teach you how to pray a daring prayer that God always answers. It is brief—only one sentence with four parts—and tucked away in the Bible, but I believe it contains the key to a life of extraordinary favor with God.

“This petition has radically changed what I expect from God and what I experience every day by His power. In fact, thousands of believers who are applying its truths are seeing miracles happen on a regular basis.

“Will you join me for a personal exploration of Jabez? I hope you will!”—Bruce H. Wilkinson

Well, needless to say I was ready to read on. So, while I admit that there were a few red flags that crossed my mind in reading the above advertisements, I did read on through the book. It is a small volume of some 93 pages. It is easy to see why The Prayer of Jabez has been so well and widely received among [not only] the evangelical church in the USA but evangelicals around the world.

Before I proceed farther, it will be necessary for me to explain the last word placed in this article’s title: Paul. The present dispensation of grace has been set in order by God within a block of Scripture written by the apostle Paul, and it is this unit which I take as the standard by which The Prayer of Jabez and Its Principle must be weighed/evaluated. The following are offered as representative of support for using Paul’s writings as the standard for the church in the present dispensation of God’s grace:

Rom. 16:17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.

Phil. 3:17 Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.

2 Thes. 3:6 Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.

2 Thes. 3:7 For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you;

2 Tim. 3:10 But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience,

The point to be made from these references to Paul is that his doctrine was set forth by the Holy Spirit by direct revelation from the Lord Jesus Christ, to be the norm and standard for the Church today in its principles and practices. As we get into the main points of Wilkinson’s book on Jabez, it will be clear that what is there offered as found in 1 Chronicles has been already adequately handled by Paul in much clearer dimensions under grace. Yes, I acknowledge there are truths for us regarding Jabez, but the book in question seems to make these the principle for today rather than seeing that Paul has the abundantly higher and grander teachings in grace for this breakthrough to the blessed life.

The four parts of Jabez’s prayer, in one sentence, will be reviewed in what I will call the Pauline perspective, and then the reader will be able to make his own conclusions as to what is the real breakthrough to the blessed life.

JABEZ AND PAIN, PAUL AND SUFFERING

The Hebrew word Jabez means: “to grieve, or be sorrowful.”1 The text of 1 Chronicles 4:9 explains how this name came to be, as Jabez’s mother “bare him with sorrow,” and therefore called his name: Jabez, i.e. sorrow, or pain. In order to memorialize whatever pain/sorrow she had, Jabez’s name would forever remind the son of what his mother experienced. However, as part of the Prayer of Jabez, he asks that “it would not grieve me.” The word grieve here is italicized because its the same Hebrew word translated sorrow in verse 9, and is from the root word Jabez. Observe this interesting quote: “The reason of this is probably that the vow had acquired importance sufficient to make it worthy of being handed down only from God’s having so fulfilled his wish, that his life became a contradiction of his name; the son of sorrow having been free from pain in life, and having attained to greater happiness and reputation than his brothers.”2

Therefore, God was faithful in responding to Jabez’s request if for no other reason than that his name [sorrow] was reversed in his life and his reputation outshined that of his peers.

Now, by comparison, let’s look at Paul the apostle. Shortly after his Damascus’ road conversion, it was told to Ananias by the Lord:

Acts 9:16 For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.

If ever there was a man who suffered for the name of the Lord Jesus Christ it was Paul. And yet, throughout that life of pain, sorrow, and suffering, we hear from his lips and pen words like the following:

2 Cor. 12:8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.

2 Cor. 12:9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

2 Cor. 12:10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

Phil. 1:29 For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;

Phil. 3:7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.

Phil. 3:8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things [but] loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them [but] dung, that I may win Christ,

1 Thes. 3:3 That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto.

2 Tim. 2:9 Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, [even] unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound.

Paul was not named sorrowful as was Jabez by his mother. Rather Paul was permitted to bear the name of Jesus Christ among the Gentile world with great suffering by God’s choice. Jabez was successful in reversing his reputation/name [i.e. sorrow] in his lifetime and this was accomplished by God for him. Paul planted the seed of the gospel of the grace of God as Christ’s apostle by means of great suffering so that we who follow may be pointed to that same sustaining grace of God, and God of all grace.

I. POINT #1 OF JABEZ’S PRAYER

“And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed…” 1 Chronicles 4:9a.

The author of The Prayer of Jabez has been praying this prayer for over 30 years and attributes it, and God’s answer thereto, to having revolutionized his life and ministry above anything else. It is certainly not my, nor anyone’s, responsibility to deny results from this prayer of Jabez. What we do need to address is the legitimate components of this prayer, yes, the principle that it has been allowed to become by virtue of its supposed results. The Prayer of Jabez points out that this first part of his prayer evidences a desire in a believer to reach for God’s fullest blessing in his life. Nothing less says the author, will do.

What could be more commendable than to ask God daily to bless us? If we were living back in Jabez’s day, his prayer would be most appropriate and commendable. Israel, in that time of her history, knew little of God’s blessing due to national spiritual erosion and disobedience to Moses’ Law. And what kind of blessings was Jabez asking of God and expecting from Him? Surely these would be blessings consistent with God’s covenant promises to Israel.

Now in regard to asking God today for blessing, and even a blessing indeed, how does this resonate or harmonize with Paul’s teachings? Paul does speak of blessing, in fact he speaks of blessings. In fact he added some very critical words to this word blessing in Ephesians 1:3:

Eph. 1:3 Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly [places] in Christ:

Note the added words that Paul places in this matter of blessing: he writes of “blessings” plural, and to this he adds “spiritual.” And to these Paul adds: “all.” Therefore, Paul informs the believer today that “all spiritual blessings” are available to those “in Christ.” Observe also that Paul qualifies these blessings as being related to heaven. This is where the believer is seated with Christ as per Ephesians 2:6 and Colossians 3:1. However, there’s one major additional fact to note here in Ephesians 1:3! We are not instructed to ask, beg, nor pray for these! We are rather told that we have already been blessed [i.e. past tense verb]; it’s not a future expectation, but a past accomplishment by God on our behalf.

When I read the book, The Prayer of Jabez, and especially that section on asking God to bless me, I was in great expectation that the author would surely lead us eventually to the truth of Ephesians 1:3. But I was disappointed. Unless I overlooked it, there was not one reference in the book to Ephesians 1:3 and the all spiritual blessings that the believer already possesses in Christ. Is it possible then, that this prayer of Jabez-emphasis is something better or beyond the all spiritual blessings in Christ? If this prayer of Jabez-emphasis is not something better than what the believer already possesses in Christ, then is it as good or equal to it? Where is one today to place the emphasis in his praying? Should the pattern and principle be Jabez or Paul? Should we pray to the God of Israel or to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, as per Ephesians 1:3?

What right does a believer have to ask God for blessings which he already possesses in Christ? Isn’t this tantamount to ignoring what has been clearly recorded for our faith obedience?

And just what might be some of these “all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ?” One does not have to leave the immediate context of Ephesians 1 to find some of these spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: observe:

1) Chosen in him before the foundation of the world, 1:4

2) Holy and without blame before him, 1:4

3) In love predestinated unto adoption by Christ, to himself, 1:5

4) To the praise of the glory of his grace, 1:6

5) Accepted in the beloved (One), 1:6

6) In Him, redemption, forgiveness, according to the riches of his grace, 1:7

7) He has abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence, 1:8

8) Made know to us the mystery (secret) of His will, as purposed in himself, 1:9

And more follows in chapter one of Ephesians. In fact, the first three chapters of Ephesians could well be titled: “Some of the all spiritual blessings we have in heavenly places in Christ.”

In The Prayer of Jabez we are told on page 23, “To bless in the Biblical sense is to ask for or to impart some supernatural favor.” When given an example of God’s blessing in this sense, we are given:

Prov. 10:22 The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.

This is supposed to be the kind of richness Jabez’s prayer produces! Again, the author reaches back to Old Testament teaching for principle and practice for today. Why not appeal to Paul’s [kind of blessings] “all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ?” An interesting sidenote from this Proverbs 10:22 reference is that the word “sorrow” in Hebrew comes from the root Jabez!

Another point from the book is that the believer is expected to “ask” from God according to Matthew 7:2 and James 4:2. And, once again, Paul is overlooked in this emphasis and the contexts of these two cited passages are not explained.

The book makes this statement on page 29: “His kindness in recording Jabez’s story in the Bible is proof that it’s not who you are, or what your parents decided for you, or what you were `fated’ to be that counts. What counts is knowing who you want to be and asking for it.” Now, lets suppose we could find a text that says the believer is complete in Christ. That all the fulness of God resides in Christ, and that the believer in Christ today is filled full in Christ. Would it be right for us, then, to pray that we be complete in Christ? Surely to so pray would be in ignorance of what we had found in Scripture and what God had already said we had/were in Christ. Well, such a text does exist—see Colossians 2:9,10. Who could want more than what we already are and have in Christ? Wouldn’t it be better to ask God to help us understand what all this is and means, rather than for us to decide what we want to be and then asking Him for it?

II. POINT #2 OF JABEZ’S PRAYER

“…and enlarge my coast,” 1 Chronicles 4:10.

“The next part of the Jabez prayer—a plea for more territory—is where you ask God to enlarge your life so you can make a greater impact for Him.3

This chapter deals with what the author calls: the Jabez appointments, the Jabez opportunities, or Operation Jabez. All of these are really challenges to one’s faith to ask God to do more and greater things in one’s life and ministry.

Wilkinson suggests that “the highest form of Jabez’s prayer for more territory might sound something like:

“O God and King, please expand my opportunities and my impact in such a way that I touch more lives for Your glory. Let me do more for You.”4

Surely what we’ve cited here is commendable and challenging to one’s faith in any dispensation, is it not?

What troubles me about Chapter 3, Living Large for God, is that no reference is made therein, even by way of example or illustration, to the ministry of the apostle Paul. Nor is there reference made to Paul’s grace teaching, which [today] is God’s highest level of motivational and instructional dynamic for living large for God!

To fortify and support this Pauline dynamic for “Living Large for God,” we want to look at just one example from Paul’s teachings and how he applied this to his own life. This is the simple but profound principle of [what we’ll call here] Grace in Service.

One of the biggest, if not the largest, words in God’s vocabulary today is: Grace! We live in what the Holy Spirit calls “the dispensation of the grace of God,” Ephesians 3:2:

If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:

To dramatize the change that God has made from His previous dispensation, Paul wrote that we are no longer under the Law but under Grace, Romans 6:14,15:

For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.

Today, grace not only is God’s factor in saving people, but also His educating feature for those who become saved, Titus 2:11,12:

For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,

Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

Paul teaches in his 13 letters a principle of grace that is the prime factor in the believer’s service for Christ. We’ll cite here three major texts and comment on them in order:

2 Cor. 6:1 We then, [as] workers together [with him], beseech [you] also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.

1 Cor. 15:9 For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

1 Cor. 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which [was bestowed] upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

2 Cor. 9:8 And God [is] able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all [things], may abound to every good work:

What does Paul mean, not to receive the grace of God in vain? Surely he’s not talking of saving-grace, for none can receive that in vain; one is either saved by grace or he isn’t! The context makes it plain that Paul is here talking about grace in service, which all too often is received by believers in vain. Paul offers himself as one who did not receive God’s grace in vain [see 1 Corinthians 15:10 above]. Grace in service motivated and moved Paul to labor more abundantly than they all! Just who in context might have been they all? Paul is referring to those listed who witnessed Christ in resurrection [as per 1 Corinthians 15:5-8]. In other words, one apostle of the Gentiles, motivated by grace, out-labored the Twelve apostles. Now, Paul makes it plain here, that it was not he “…but the grace of God which was with me.” To whom does God point the Church to emulate this matter of grace in service? The Holy Spirit guided Paul in writing these things to the Gentile churches so that in following Paul we’d actually be imitating [the] Christ Who the apostle emulated, see 1 Corinthians 11:1:

Be ye followers of me, even as I also [am] of Christ.

Now, for the third major text [above]: 2 Corinthians 9:8. God is able to make all grace abound…God starts with grace, then He adds all, and now He has all grace. But He’s not finished with it on behalf of the believer; He makes this all grace abound. And, as we receive this in our service for Him and He through us, we then have all sufficiency in all things and abound unto all good works. Now this is really Living Large for God, and doing it squarely on the solid foundation of Pauline grace in service.

Please understand, Jabez lived large for God in his time and under the dispensation of the Law regarding the God of Israel. But we today have much greater principles and foundations for doing this by grace. Therefore, would it not seem below God’s standards today to reach back under the shadowy past of the Law dispensation for principles to live large for God in the present era of the glory of His grace?

III. POINT #3 OF JABEZ’S PRAYER

“…and that thine hand might be with me…” 1 Chronicles 4:10.

This part of Jabez’s prayer is said to demonstrate the idea of dependence upon God, His power and presence, according to author Bruce Wilkinson. He suggests that often in a given endeavor for God the believer eventually comes to the place where he realizes his abilities and resources have worn thin and spiritual panic sets in:

“Maybe the new ministry opportunities you prayed for and received are turning out to require a person with much more ability than you will ever have.

“You have taken up an armload of God’s blessings, marched into new territory…and stumbled into overwhelming circumstances. When believers find themselves in this kind of unexpected quandary, they often feel afraid. Misled. Abandoned. A little angry. I did….”5

This feeling of inadequacy is what one is supposed to experience, Wilkinson found out, and therefore cites this as the reason why Jabez asked for God’s hand now upon him. And, in his book, this becomes the title of chapter four: The Touch of Greatness.

Just what is this touch of greatness from God? And how does one feel/experience the hand of God on the believer? Wilkinson seems to answer these questions by the one word: dependence. Dependence, of course, upon God.

Again we are hearing truth that is applicable to every dispensation of God. From Adam to the present dispensation of grace, God has always expected man to depend upon Him, by faith. The very essence of grace teaching demonstrates that God has done it all [in the spiritual area of our Salvation and need], and desires to have the believer experientially prove this in his or her daily walk with Him. Well then, if this be so, the current chapter may stand on its own and needs no critique in reference to applying further Pauline teaching.

Admittedly we don’t find as much to address in chapter four, but there are a few items that need to be pointed out.

First, Wilkinson sees the evidence of God’s hand on the believer today in the filling ministry of the Holy Spirit. The evidence of this is cited from Acts 1:8; 4:13; 5:29; 7:51; and 9:27.

The implication from the above texts is that God’s hand on us will produce today the same results He did back there. “When we ask for God’s mighty presence like Jabez and the early church did, we will also see tremendous results that can be explained only as from the hand of God.”6

Although the Holy Spirit as God is changeless, we know His ministry of filling has changed from the [early] Acts period until now. In early Acts, the Holy Spirit’s filling meant the recipient spoke in tongues whereas Paul taught that the Holy Spirit’s ministry later was a totally spiritual one and did not include the speaking of tongues, see Ephesians 5:18, 1 Corinthians 13:8-11,

Eph. 5:18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

1 Cor. 13:8 Charity never faileth: but whether [there be] prophecies, they shall fail; whether [there be] tongues, they shall cease; whether [there be] knowledge, it shall vanish away.

1 Cor. 13:9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.

1 Cor. 13:10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

1 Cor. 13:11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

Secondly, a recurring phrase used by Wilkinson hints at a possible charismatic bent. By charismatic bent I mean an accommodation of the modern charismatic7 movement that emphasizes the supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit. In fairness to Wilkinson, he does not directly identify nor link himself with the charismatic movement. However, the use in his book of the word “miracle” or “miraculous” in reference to God’s power through the believer today may accommodate those in the charismatic persuasion. At least by using these terms he does not disassociate nor distance himself from that movement.

Paul’s clear teaching to the church today is that the early Acts gifts of the Spirit have ceased with the coming of the full revelation of the mystery truth given progressively to the apostle of the Gentiles. Therefore, God’s power is, through the Holy Spirit, filling the believer as per Ephesians 5:18,19, and this is in conjunction with the Word of God rightly divided as seen in Colossians 3:16 and 2 Timothy 2:15,

Eph. 5:18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess, but be filled with the Spirit;

Eph. 5:19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;

Col. 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

2 Tim. 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

The point that I’m making in this article is that Wilkinson will point to non-Pauline events, people, and texts as the norm for today, all the while giving mere lip service to Paul’s direct teachings on the same issue. For example, we’ll quote the author’s words and ask the reader to note his major emphasis [on the early Acts texts] and then his minor emphasis on Paul’s teaching:

“What strikes me about the early church was that believers continually sought to be filled by God (see Acts 4:23-31). They were known as a community who spent hours and even days in prayer together, waiting upon God and asking for His power (see Acts 2:42-47). They were longing to receive more of God’s `hand’—a fresh spiritual in-filling of God’s power that would turn impending, certain failure into a miracle and make their extraordinary assignment possible.

“Paul told the Christians at Ephesus to make it a priority to be `filled with all the fulness of God’ (Ephesians 3:19). To that end, he prayed that God would bless and strengthen them `with might through His Spirit.’ (3:16).”8

It all comes down to a matter of emphasis…and The Prayer of Jabez does not emphasize Paul’s teachings.

IV. POINT #4 OF JABEZ’S PRAYER

“…Oh, that you would keep me from evil…” 1 Chronicles 4:10.

Chapter five of The Prayer of Jabez is entitled: “Keeping the Legacy Safe.” The issue here is to be kept from evil, or an encounter with the evil [one] i.e. the devil. The author reasons that since Jabez has asked for God’s blessing [and obviously received it], and he has asked for his borders to be enlarged [and obviously received it], he well knew that in such times of success evil would be lurking to defeat him. This is summed up in the chapter with the words: The Perils of Spiritual Success. This is proven by the author pointing to many Christian leaders who at the pinnacle of their success succumbed to temptation and ultimately dropped out of ministry. It is stated that this is an accepted rule of thumb, “In fact, if your experience is anything but that, be concerned.”9

This matter of being kept from evil is cited as part of the model prayer Jesus gave his followers [Wilkinson’s words on page 67]… “`And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one’ (Matthew 6:13).” Surely most believers would want to follow the words of Jesus, and in most cases they do with regard to repeating this [so called Lord’s] prayer, in Matthew 6:9-13,

Matt. 6:9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

Matt. 6:10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as [it is] in heaven.

Matt. 6:11 Give us this day our daily bread.

Matt. 6:12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

Matt. 6:13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

But what really causes confusion here is to read carefully all of the above verses and note that the prayer asks the Father for His Kingdom in heaven to come to earth. Paul tells the Church today we are already seated with Christ in heaven and awaiting Christ to take us there, Ephesians 2:6 and 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17,

Eph. 2:6 And hath raised [us] up together, and made [us] sit together in heavenly [places] in Christ Jesus:

1 Thes. 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

1 Thes. 4:17 Then we which are alive [and] remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

Further, this model prayer of Matthew 6:9-13 requires of those praying that they forgive others if they would be forgiven. The implication is: if one doesn’t forgive others, God will not forgive him! How different this is from Paul’s teaching in Ephesians 4:32 and Colossians 2:13,

Eph. 4:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

Col. 2:13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;

In these two verses Paul makes plain that, under grace, God has already forgiven the believer all sins. We do not pray to receive forgiveness nor must we today forgive in order to be forgiven.

Surely, the context then of this Matthew 6:9-13 model prayer demonstrates that prayer is directed for Israel in yet a coming day when Christ will return to earth with that expected Kingdom.

But might not this part of Jabez’s prayer to be kept from evil and that part of Christ’s Kingdom prayer [in Matthew 6:9-13] mentioning the same be found “parallel”10 to our present dispensation of grace? If we could find a text from Paul where this concept of praying to be kept from the evil one [i.e. the devil], it might prove helpful. What The Jabez Prayer makes its emphasis is not Paul’s direct teaching of grace. Therefore, if and when Paul is cited/quoted it’s almost as an accommodation or as another possible resource, not in any sense showing that his teaching is the norm and standard under grace today.

Some Pauline Teachings About the Evil One:

1. Eph. 6:11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

Eph. 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [places].

We don’t find in the [above] verses the words “evil one” but surely the references to the devil and the evil day and God’s protection [whole armour of God] against this spiritual wickedness are legitimate synonyms. The point in this context of Ephesians 6:10-18 is that God has equipped the believer under grace to stand against the attacks of our enemy Satan.

2. 2 Thes. 3:3 But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep [you] from evil.

In 2 Thessalonians 3:3, we have a similar Greek text to Matthew 6:13 with the use of the words: “the evil,” and therefore the word “one,” may be added. Therefore, Paul says that the Lord will keep us from “the evil one.” Here, it’s a stated fact. Not something to be asked or to be prayed. One cannot help but compare [i.e. contrast] Jabez’s prayer: “…and that thou wouldest keep me from evil,” with Paul’s declared statement of fact: “the Lord will keep you from [the] evil [one].”

Perhaps this is the key and crucial point in The Prayer of Jabez book: that what the author sees in Jabez’s prayer that should result in a larger life for the believer today, we already possess in greater abundance in Christ, as clearly stated by Paul. Why is this so hard for the Church to see?  Why has it been relegated to less than front page in our best selling books among evangelicals today?

God has placed the revelation of His grace in the present dispensation in the writings of the Apostle Paul. The apostle made every effort to acknowledge this God given emphasis in his writings and ministry as he laid stress on his apostleship; see Romans 11:13:

Rom. 11:13 For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:

The word the Holy Spirit used that is here translated magnify is the Greek word: DOXAZO and means “to make any one important, to invest with dignity, to glorify.” Paul’s office and ministry were tantamount to the very words of Christ which believers today dare not demean nor depreciate to less than God’s norm and standard for breaking through to the blessed life.

V. POINT #5 OF JABEZ’S PRAYER

Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, see 1 Chronicles 4:9.

Chapter 6 of the Prayer of Jabez book is entitled: Welcome To God’s Honor Roll. Jabez is shown to be one of God’s favorites as God honored him beyond his peers. “Simply put, God favors those who ask. He holds back nothing from those who want and earnestly long for what He wants.”11

The author sees in the Hebrews 11 Hall of Faith chapter “ordinary easy-to-overlook people who had faith in an extraordinary, miraculous God and stepped out to act on that faith.”12

The point of this chapter seems to be that God’s highest reward is wrapped up in the principle of Jabez’s prayer and even Paul is cited as proof that this should be pursued as in Philippians [which by the way Wilkinson says was Paul’s last epistle!]13 3:14,

Phil. 3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Surely Wilkinson is correct: God desires that believers earnestly long for what He wants. But is the prayer of Jabez the essence and totality of what God wants from believers today under grace? Isn’t the prayer of Jabez that the believer would enjoy blessing and expanded/enlarged borders and deliverance from the evil one? When we analyze these components, it appears that the benefactor here becomes the one praying Jabez’s prayer. And we understand that God has always desired to bless those who would believe Him and obey His Word; see Hebrews 11:6:

Heb. 11:6 But without faith [it is] impossible to please [him]: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and [that] he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

God’s Desire and Will for the Church Today

The Jabez Prayer places an emphasis which to me is really out of focus with what God desires first and foremost today. God’s prime desire today centers in and around what Paul wrote in Ephesians 1:15-23,

Eph. 1:15 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,

Eph. 1:16 Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;

Eph. 1:17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:

Eph. 1:18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

Eph. 1:19 And what [is] the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,

Eph. 1:20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set [him] at his own right hand in the heavenly [places],

Eph. 1:21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:

Eph. 1:22 And hath put all [things] under his feet, and gave him [to be] the head over all [things] to the church,

Eph. 1:23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

Just to read these verses and contemplate what Paul is telling us that God the Father wants is awe-inspiring, is it not?! Actually, what we have here is part of Paul’s prayer for these Ephesians. And, since we’re dealing with the subject of prayer in this article, why not look at one of the classics available from the pen of Paul himself. How many believers have ever prayed this prayer? And if not, why not? Wouldn’t we all agree this would certainly be what God the Father desires and wants?

Throughout this prayer the references are pointed at, and focused upon, the Lord Jesus Christ, as we’ll note:

1) That believers might receive from the Father the knowledge of him [i.e. Christ], 1:17

2) That believers, being enlightened, would know the hope of his calling, and his inheritance in the saints, 1:18

3) And the exceeding greatness of his power who believe according to his mighty power, 1:19

4) Which the Father wrought when He raised Christ from the dead and set him at His own right hand in the heavenly places, 1:20

5) Far above all…not only in this world, but also in that which is to come, 1:21

6) All things put under his feet, gave him to be the head over all things to the church, 1:22

7) Which [i.e. church] is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all, 1:23

To emphasize the centrality of Christ in this prayer, we’ve italicized those words directly referring to our Lord Himself. If this were the only text from Paul that so emphasized our Lord Jesus Christ as the epitome of what God wants and desires today, it would be enough. But many are the similar Pauline texts that could be added to this one in Ephesians 1. Paul says it this way in Colossians 1:19 and 2:9,10:

Col. 1:19 For it pleased [the Father] that in him should all fulness dwell;

Col. 2:9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.

Col. 2:10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:

The believer will not go astray by praying the prayers of Paul which are as equally inspired of the Holy Spirit as is the prayer of Jabez. Therefore, the issue is not which is more inspired but which is God’s emphasis today in this dispensation of His grace and the fulness of the glorified Christ.

VI. POINT #6 OF THE JABEZ PRAYER

“And God granted him that which he requested…” 1 Chronicles 4:10.

Wilkinson’s final chapter 7, is entitled: Making Jabez Mine. He challenges his readers to make the prayer of Jabez a treasured and life long habit. He suggests 6 steps to be followed, some each day, some once a week, others involving one’s family, friends, and local church. From the author’s personal experience, the Jabez Prayer and Principle is legitimate having contributed to his success in his personal life and ministry with Walk Thru the Bible, of which he is the founder and president. One cannot argue with the success of his ministry which he attributes to “God’s grace and Jabez praying….”14

Obviously Wilkinson does not suggest that all who [as does he] pray the Jabez prayer, will experience the ministry successes as he has. But, none the less, one cannot miss that he has written The Jabez Prayer as a norm and standard for other believers to follow.

My thesis in this critique of the book, The Jabez Prayer, has been that God’s principle in prayer and the breaking through to the blessed life is to be found in Paul’s letters to the Church, the Body of Christ. When we realize what the Jabez Prayer asks believers today to pray and practice, and when we realize what Paul’s grace teachings claim that believers already possess in Christ, it should be easy to respond accordingly in faith.

And one final prayer:

Eph. 3:14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

Eph. 3:15 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,

Eph. 3:16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;

Eph. 3:17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,

Eph. 3:18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what [is] the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;

Eph. 3:19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

Eph. 3:20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,

Eph. 3:21 Unto him [be] glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

 Endnotes

1. GodSpeed computer software, Strong’s listings, see under 1 Chronicles 4:10.

2. Keil and Delitzsch, Commentary on the Old Testament in Ten Volumes, Vol III, by C.F. Keil, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, MI, reprinted 1978, p. 88.

3. Dr. Bruce Wilkinson, The Prayer of Jabez, Multnomah Publishers, Sisters, Oregon, 2000, p. 30.

4. Ibid, p. 32.

5. Ibid, p. 46.

6. Ibid, p. 55.

7. From the Greek word for “gift” CHARISMA and thus applied to those who seek to revive that early Acts ministry of the Holy Spirit.

8. Ibid, p. 56.

9. Ibid, p. 64.

10. “Parallel” meaning: a truth that is similar but not identical, and therefore being of inter-dispensational application.

11. Ibid, p. 76.

12. Ibid, p. 77.

13. Your author holds that actually 2 Timothy was Paul’s final letter, see 2 Timothy 4:6 et al.

14. Ibid, p. 89.