The Prayer of Jabez

January 24, 2024 at 3:49 pm | Posted in Biblical prayer, I Chronicles | 2 Comments
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One of the best-selling Christian books of recent times is Bruce Wilkinson’s The Prayer of Jabez. Its subtitle is “Breaking Through to the Blessed Life.” Of course, the actual prayer of Jabez in the Bible is not a magic incantation, and it is not a guarantee of prosperity for us today, but it is an important passage of Scripture. 

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

I Chronicles 4:9

The name Jabez meant “pain” or “sorrow,” yet he is described as being more “honorable.” This reminds us of the Bereans in Acts 17:10-11, who were “more noble” than the Thessalonians because they were people who loved the Word of God, searched out its meaning diligently, and sought to obey it faithfully. However, the reason for Jabez’s honorable distinction is given more explicitly in the next verse: 

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.

I Chronicles 4:10

This prayer has four elements: two material requests and two spiritual requests. “Bless me indeed” was no doubt intended as a petition for earthly prosperity – basically a way of saying, “Make me wealthy and healthy,” which, despite its misuse in the modern Charismatic movement, is not a terrible prayer to pray, depending upon our motives, intentions, and designs. “Enlarge my coast” was Jabez’s way of asking for more land (more territory) – but also more influence. 

While these first two requests are material requests on their face, even they have strong spiritual implications to them, too. “Bless me” also means, “Lord, You decide what is good for me, and just do it.” “Enlarge my coast” also means, “Help me to reach more people and bring You more glory.”

“That Thine hand might be with me” acknowledges the need for God’s favor, but also admits the necessity of His protection and His preventing Jabez from moving out of God’s will, which goes along with “that Thou wouldest keep me from evil.” This sounds a lot like “lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil,” so we can certainly understand how God in the Old Testament would approve of, and answer, this prayer.

And that is the real point of Jabez’s prayer being recorded here in II Chronicles 4 – not to give a formula for prayer, but to show that God – even in the days after Solomon and the evil kings who succeeded him – was still answering prayers and working in the lives of people who would sincerely call upon Him and obey Him.

Jabez’s prayer is noticeable because it is anomalous among the lists of names in I Chronicles 4 and 5, and there is another anomaly in Chapter 5 dealing with Reuben’s tribe and his descendants in one of the battles for the conquest of Canaan. 

The sons of Reuben, and the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh, of valiant men, men able to bear buckler and sword, and to shoot with bow, and skilful in war, were four and forty thousand seven hundred and threescore, that went out to the war.

I Chronicles 5:18

The tribes mentioned in Verse 18 were the so-called Transjordanian tribes: the ones who settled on the wilderness side of the Jordan River, but just inside Canaan territory.

19 And they made war with the Hagarites, with Jetur, and Nephish, and Nodab. 20 And they were helped against them, and the Hagarites were delivered into their hand, and all that were with them: for they cried to God in the battle, and he was intreated of them; because they put their trust in him.

I Chronicles 5:19-20

The first part of Verse 20 makes it sound like they received military reinforcements, but the second part makes it clear that God delivered their enemies into their hands in response to their intreaty (prayer) and trust in Him. 

And they took away their cattle; of their camels fifty thousand, and of sheep two hundred and fifty thousand, and of asses two thousand, and of men an hundred thousand.

I Chronicles 5:21

44,760 men defeated well over 100,000 (that’s how many captives were taken; we don’t know how many more died). 

For there fell down many slain, because the war was of God. And they dwelt in their steads until the captivity.

I Chronicles 5:22

In the Old Testament God often gave His people the possessions of their enemies. God owns everything, and when pagans mismanage God’s property He may very well take it from them and give it to new managers.

The Old Testament Version of the Model Prayer

October 23, 2023 at 4:19 pm | Posted in Biblical prayer, I Chronicles | 1 Comment
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Then David gave to Solomon his son the pattern of the porch, and of the houses thereof, and of the treasuries thereof, and of the upper chambers thereof, and of the inner parlours thereof, and of the place of the mercy seat,

I Chronicles 28:11

This porch is mentioned in John 10:23, where, in the winter, at the Feast of Dedication, Jesus proclaimed His Deity, saying that He and the Father are one. It is mentioned again in Acts 3:11, where the lame man was healed by Peter and John, and in Acts 5:12, where the Apostles were exhibiting many signs and wonders, and the people were all in one accord.

And the pattern of all that he had by the spirit, of the courts of the house of the Lord, and of all the chambers round about, of the treasuries of the house of God, and of the treasuries of the dedicated things:

I Chronicles 28:12

David made it clear that God had supernaturally revealed and given to him these plans to give to Solomon, just as God had given the plans and instructions for the Tabernacle to Moses (Exodus 25). These plans included the responsibilities and courses (divisions by turns) of the priests and Levites for serving in the Temple. They also included instructions concerning vessels, gold and silver, utensils, plates, cups, candlesticks and lamps for lighting, tables for shewbread, fleshhooks for butchering sacrifices, basons for catching blood, altars for incense, and gold for the altar and the Ark and the cherubim.

19 All this, said David, the Lord made me understand in writing by his hand upon me, even all the works of this pattern. 20 And David said to Solomon his son, Be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the Lord God, even my God, will be with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the Lord.

I Chronicles 28:19-20 (emphasis added)

This reminder to be strong and brave – like the exhortation given by Moses to Joshua – was also a reminder to always trust in the Lord. The Bible’s definition of courage is somewhat specialized. It is trusting in God’s promises to the point of acting on them, even when everything visible and likely seems to suggest that they won’t come true, or that too much harm will come to us while waiting for them to come to pass.

Chapter 29 is the address to the whole congregation.

Furthermore David the king said unto all the congregation, Solomon my son, whom alone God hath chosen, is yet young and tender, and the work is great: for the palace is not for man, but for the Lord God.

I Chronicles 29:1

God alone chose Solomon, but not for his wisdom or experience or strength or even his humble heart. He chose him to do a great work, but the work was great only because it was being done for the great God.

Now I have prepared with all my might for the house of my God the gold for things to be made of gold, and the silver for things of silver, and the brass for things of brass, the iron for things of iron, and wood for things of wood; onyx stones, and stones to be set, glistering stones, and of divers colours, and all manner of precious stones, and marble stones in abundance.

I Chronicles 29:2 (emphasis added)

These precious stones prefigure the works of New Testament Christians (I Corinthians 3:12), whose works are done for the purpose not of building a temple, but for building Christ’s Church.

Moreover, because I have set my affection to the house of my God, I have of mine own proper good, of gold and silver, which I have given to the house of my God, over and above all that I have prepared for the holy house.

I Chronicles 29:3

David gave his own personal resources to build the Temple, hoping to inspire others to do the same.

The gold for things of gold, and the silver for things of silver, and for all manner of work to be made by the hands of artificers. And who then is willing to consecrate his service this day unto the Lord?

I Chronicles 29:5

And it worked:

6 Then the chief of the fathers and princes of the tribes of Israel and the captains of thousands and of hundreds, with the rulers of the king’s work, offered willingly, 7 And gave for the service of the house of God of gold five thousand talents and ten thousand drams, and of silver ten thousand talents, and of brass eighteen thousand talents, and one hundred thousand talents of iron.

I Chronicles 29:6-7

They did not begrudge giving their personal goods.

Then the people rejoiced, for that they offered willingly, because with perfect heart they offered willingly to the Lord: and David the king also rejoiced with great joy.

I Chronicles 29:9

God loves cheerful givers (II Corinthians 9:7). Here, David began a service of praise and a benediction over the work, invoking the greatness and majesty of God, and reminding everyone again that this whole thing was not only designed BY Him, but designed FOR Him.

10 Wherefore David blessed the Lord before all the congregation: and David said, Blessed be thou, Lord God of Israel our father, for ever and ever. 11 Thine, O Lord is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all.

I Chronicles 29:10-11

There are echoes of this prayer in Jesus’s closing of the model prayer.

Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all.

I Chronicles 29:12

Anything “given” to God really belonged to Him in the first place and all along.

13 Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name. 14 But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee.

I Chronicles 29:13-14

This recognition should not prompt a defeatist spirit of, “Oh well, I’m just a middle man.” Not at all: it should give us a profound sense of humility and gratefulness and awe.

For we are strangers before thee, and sojourners, as were all our fathers: our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding.

I Chronicles 29:15

We are not strangers in the sense of being unknown to God, but in the sense of having no claim of belonging with Him apart from His free grace.

16 O Lord our God, all this store that we have prepared to build thee an house for thine holy name cometh of thine hand, and is all thine own. 17 I know also, my God, that thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of mine heart I have willingly offered all these things: and now have I seen with joy thy people, which are present here, to offer willingly unto thee.

I Chronicles 29:16-17

God RETAINS and MAINTAINS control over all the blessings of His grace that He gives to us. The logical and right and God-pleasing response to this is not envy or grudge-holding, but sheer unbridled joy.

19 And give unto Solomon my son a perfect heart, to keep thy commandments, thy testimonies, and thy statutes, and to do all these things, and to build the palace, for the which I have made provision.

I Chronicles 29:19

This is a great prayer for any parent to pray for his or her child. Sadly, the part about the “perfect heart” was not granted in this case. Solomon’s heart became fatally divided and the nation itself would suffer catastrophic consequences, but God’s faithfulness shines through in the fact that Chronicles was being written at a time when the faithful remnant of God’s people were once again coming together in Jerusalem, intending to worship Him, and to look for the promise of the greater “Son of David:” not Solomon, not Zerubbabel – but Jesus.

Closing in Prayer

October 17, 2023 at 1:30 pm | Posted in Biblical prayer, Ephesians | 1 Comment
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Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

Ephesians 6:18

A general definition for prayer is that it is simply speaking to God. Supplication is asking God to supply what is missing: “wants” or needs. “All prayer” would include intercessions (praying for others), praise, thanksgiving, and confession and request for repentance.

And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,

Ephesians 6:19

Paul knew he needed prayer. We should should pray that God would help us to evangelize boldly and to speak correctly.

For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

Ephesians 6:20

The last few verses in the Book of Ephesians are the closing of the letter, but they are also intended as encouragement. Encouragement is very important in the Christian life. Just as the sovereign God chooses to work through armor and prayer, He also provides the assignments He commands us to do, and He knows the things we need.

Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 6:23 (emphasis added)

Peace is God’s gift. Love is God’s gift. Faith is God’s gift. They are “FROM” God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. They are provided by God’s grace. No one can love God with sincerity apart from God’s enabling grace.

Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen.

Ephesians 6:24

This comes back to the idea that the power to live a Spirit-filled life must come from the Lord.

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

Ephesians 6:10

Prayer as a Means of Grace

August 28, 2023 at 2:23 pm | Posted in Biblical prayer, Ephesians, Means of Grace | 8 Comments
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It is often assumed that prayer is lacking in the life of even otherwise faithful Christians. Of course, we don’t really know if this is true of not. However, it is often listed in surveys as the spiritual discipline that Christians struggle with most. Even Jesus’s closest disciples seemed to have some difficulty in comprehending it or in confidently practicing it, since Scripture records them asking Jesus, “Teach us to pray.”

The main point of the lesson on Bible study as a means of grace was a reminder that, when we read the Bible we are HEARING FROM GOD HIMSELF. We need to recover a sense of reverence and awe in order to grasp the importance of taking it seriously. Similarly, in prayer, we need to remember that we are not merely uttering words as a form of discipling ourselves. We are actually TALKING TO GOD. The awesome God who speaks to us in His Word is the same awesome God who hears us when we speak our heartfelt words to Him.

Bow down thine ear, O Lord, hear me: for I am poor and needy.

Psalm 86:1

The psalmist asked God to “recline” or “decline” or “condescend” to our level. This is a prayer asking God to hear our prayers, not because God is reluctant to do so, nor because He is too busy or too transcendent, but as a reminder to us not to take this for granted. Prayer is a privilege, not a right. It comes from us, in a sense, but, admitting that we are “poor and needy,” we recognize that the ability to do it is first and foremost a gift from Him.

2 Preserve my soul; for I am holy: O thou my God, save thy servant that trusteth in thee. 3 Be merciful unto me, O Lord: for I cry unto thee daily.

Psalm 86:2-3

We need prayer, and we need it every day. We “cry” to God; prayer should not be dispassionate. Here are some principles to keep in mind as God uses prayer as a means of grace in our lives:

1. Humbly pray that God would make you humble.

And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

Matthew 6:5

Public prayer is good, assuming it is true prayer to the true God and not a make-believe show or a form of crass self-promotion. Keeping in mind that public prayer is good, though, also keep in mind that private prayer is better.

But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

Matthew 6:6

I don’t believe that you must literally go into a closest to pray, but finding a place where we won’t be distracted, and where we won’t be too self-conscious, seems necessary.

2. Simply pray that God would keep your prayers simple.

But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

Matthew 6:7

Public prayer requires a certain formality, but not an excessive formality.

Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.

Matthew 6:8

God never needs things “explained” to Him. You can safely assume that you and God are on the same page when it comes to what’s on your heart. God is not like a lawyer scouring your petitions for legal loopholes.

Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

Romans 8:26

If the efficacy of our prayers depended on us impressing God with our eloquence or even the precision of our language, we would have no hope of seeing them answered favorably.

3. Biblically pray for God to help you to pray Biblically.

16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. 17 Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. 18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.

James 5:16-18

This is one of the many ways that Bible study goes hand in hand with prayer. We need to bring up to God specific examples of Scriptural promises or Bible stories in our prayers. God recorded these for us so we can know His character, and so that we can be encouraged, and so that we can learn from past examples of men and women who prayed the right way for the rights things with the right heart attitude.

4. Confidently pray that God would give you confidence in Him.

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,

Ephesians 3:20

We need to pray, truly believing that God is sovereign over all. He is not limited by what we are able to comprehend or even imagine. We need to pray in faith, but not faith in our prayers. We need to pray with faith in the One Who hears our prayers, and we need to believe that He will glorify Himself in us for the sake of Jesus. Christian prayers are special prayers. We have special access to God, and He has a vested interest in us.

Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

Ephesians 3:21

5. Joyfully pray that God would help you find your joy in Him.

    Rejoice the soul of thy servant: for unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.

    Psalm 86:4

    We should find joy in praying. However, we may not limit our prayers only to times when are joyful. Therefore, we need to pray for joy and pray that God would making praying a time of rejoicing for us. God will do a better job of giving us joy than introverted pep talks, self-help techniques, chemical substances (or food), or even mood-enhancing music. We must lift up our soul to God Himself – whatever emotional state it’s in – and say, “Here, Lord, transform it; make it happy about the right things. Make it grateful. Make it satisfied. Make it peaceful. Make it excited and vibrant. Make it compassionate but not fatalistic.

    3 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, 4 Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy, 5 For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now;

    Philippians 1:3-5

    Two practical things that will help your to pray joyfully:

    a. Pray in fellowship with others, or at least a partner.

    b. Start your prayers with gratitude and praise – thanksgiving and worship. Think of prayer itself as a place of unburdening and relief

    O what peace we often forfeit,
    O what needless pain we bear,
    All because we do not carry
    Everything to God in prayer!

    Joseph Scriven, “What a Friend We Have in Jesus”

    6. Pray with focus that God would cause you to focus on prayer.

    Teach me thy way, O Lord; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.

    Psalm 86:11

    Distraction is the enemy of focused and fervent prayer. God can help us to focus. Having a united heart is very important. The opposite of a united heart and a united mind is a divided heart and a divided mind (which sounds not coincidentally like idolatry).

    5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. 7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. 8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

    James 1:5-8

    The topic here is asking God for wisdom, but it would apply to any prayer. We are asking God to unite our hearts and makes us single-minded TO FEAR HIM – to recognize that all our prayers need to be focused on glorifying His name and seeing His will done. Whether the topic of the prayer is finances, health, relationships, even spiritual growth and maturity, we are to be directed by and for His purposes. We are not good shepherds of our own minds. They tend to wander all over the place. This can be helpful when when we want to be imaginative and creative, but not so great when we are seriously bringing our petitions and requests before the Lord. He will help you focus and have integrity (be whole).

    7. Persist in praying for God to make you persistent in prayer.

    Asking God to Keep His Word

    August 14, 2023 at 1:24 pm | Posted in Biblical prayer, I Chronicles | 5 Comments
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    Now it came to pass, as David sat in his house, that David said to Nathan the prophet, Lo, I dwell in an house of cedars, but the ark of the covenant of the Lord remaineth under curtains.

    I Chronicles 17:1

    David recognized the danger in ease and comfort. He also recognized what the difference in appearance between “his” home and the place where the Ark was housed could say (or mean) about his reverence or lack of reverence for the Lord.

    Then Nathan said unto David, Do all that is in thine heart; for God is with thee.

    I Chronicles 17:2

    This was not necessarily bad advice, but it is important to note the difference between sound advice and Divine revelation.

    And it came to pass the same night, that the word of God came to Nathan, saying,

    I Chronicles 17:3

    Nathan spoke for himself before, but now he was clearly speaking for God in the first-person voice.

    4 Go and tell David my servant, Thus saith the Lord, Thou shalt not build me an house to dwell in: 5 For I have not dwelt in an house since the day that I brought up Israel unto this day; but have gone from tent to tent, and from one tabernacle to another. 6 Wheresoever I have walked with all Israel, spake I a word to any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my people, saying, Why have ye not built me an house of cedars?

    I Chronicles 17:4-6

    God reminded David that even a sincere desire to please the Lord is no substitute for actually adhering to the Lord’s specific instructions. With all that David had been through in uniting the nation of Israel and in preparing a central location for the people to worship at Jerusalem, he probably needed a strong reminder that all his accomplishments were really God’s accomplishments. We all need that reminder every day! Look at all the first-person language in 17:7-14. Praise the Lord for anything and everything that has happened in your life. His hand was at work whether we perceived them as “good times” or “bad times” while they were going on.

    7 Now therefore thus shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, even from following the sheep, that thou shouldest be ruler over my people Israel:

    I Chronicles 17:7

    The Lord wanted to make it clear that He is the one Who must initiate even those ideas which demonstrate His own glory. By way of illustration, which would please you more as a wife?

    Option one (from Husband): “Here is a bouquet of flowers and a diamond pendant and a lobster dinner and a 14-stanza love poem that I wrote for you because I was thinking about you and I loved you and I hoped that you would enjoy these things.”

    OR

    Option two (from husband): “Here is the bouquet of flowers and the diamond pendant that you told me to get for you, and the lobster dinner that you demanded, and this Hallmark card which mentions all the things that you always remind me that you do for me.”

    In other words, do you appreciate spontaneous, self-generated, self-willed demonstrations of love and affection and devotion? Or do you appreciate your husband’s willingness to do what he’s told and show that he pays attention and knows how to follow orders? In your sentimentality, I am guessing that you are choosing option one, but I wonder if you might be secretly admiring option two. Regardless, I would argue that, God, being God and not being like us in this way, actually very openly prefers option two. It is not wrong at all for God to be the initiator of grace and covenant blessings.

    And I have been with thee whithersoever thou hast walked, and have cut off all thine enemies from before thee, and have made thee a name like the name of the great men that are in the earth.

    I Chronicles 17:8

    It’s not wrong to have a highly-respected name, IF we remember to qualify our fame or influence with attributing it to God.

    Also I will ordain a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, and they shall dwell in their place, and shall be moved no more; neither shall the children of wickedness waste them any more, as at the beginning,

    I Chronicles 17:9

    These are things that David would play a key role in, but could only be truly accomplished by the power of God.

    And since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel. Moreover I will subdue all thine enemies. Furthermore I tell thee that the Lord will build thee an house.

    I Chronicles 17:10

    David thought he would build God a house, but he thought too small. Instead, God would build David a house that would bring glory to God.

    And it shall come to pass, when thy days be expired that thou must go to be with thy fathers, that I will raise up thy seed after thee, which shall be of thy sons; and I will establish his kingdom.

    I Chronicles 17:11

    Note the promise of being reunited with ancestors in Heaven. The “seed after thee, which shall be of thy sons” appears to refer to Solomon, who WOULD build the Temple, but, in a deeper sense, it is a reference to Jesus.

    12 He shall build me an house, and I will stablish his throne for ever. 13 I will be his father, and he shall be my son: and I will not take my mercy away from him, as I took it from him that was before thee: 14 But I will settle him in mine house and in my kingdom for ever: and his throne shall be established for evermore. 15 According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto David.

    I Chronicles 17:12-15

    God had chosen David when he was a mere shepherd boy taking care of literal sheep, and ordained that he would one day be the shepherd-king over God’s own people. What a privilege! David must have felt pretty special and really proud of himself for having merited God’s favor in this way. Not so fast. Look at David’s reaction to the grace that God bestowed on him: David did not dance at this news. He did not sing and celebrate. He did not find smug satisfaction in thinking that he – rather than someone else – had been chosen by God. God’s grace makes us humble, not proud.

    And David the king came and sat before the Lord, and said, Who am I, O Lord God, and what is mine house, that thou hast brought me hitherto?

    I Chronicles 17:16

    David “the king” sat humbly before the King of Kings.

    17 And yet this was a small thing in thine eyes, O God; for thou hast also spoken of thy servant’s house for a great while to come, and hast regarded me according to the estate of a man of high degree, O Lord God. 18 What can David speak more to thee for the honour of thy servant? for thou knowest thy servant. 19 O Lord, for thy servant’s sake, and according to thine own heart, hast thou done all this greatness, in making known all these great things. 20 O Lord, there is none like thee, neither is there any God beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears.

    I Chronicles 17:17-20

    This is a real understanding of the holiness of God, and it is something easy for us to forget since we have no way of comparing Him to anyone or anything else.

    21 And what one nation in the earth is like thy people Israel, whom God went to redeem to be his own people, to make thee a name of greatness and terribleness, by driving out nations from before thy people whom thou hast redeemed out of Egypt? 22 For thy people Israel didst thou make thine own people for ever; and thou, Lord, becamest their God. 23 Therefore now, Lord, let the thing that thou hast spoken concerning thy servant and concerning his house be established for ever, and do as thou hast said.

    I Chronicles 17:21-23

    David prayed that God would do what He already said He was going to do. Ever since Pelagius objected to Augustine making a similar petition, this has been a controversial way to pray, but it is a very Biblical way to pray.

    Let it even be established, that thy name may be magnified for ever, saying, The Lord of hosts is the God of Israel, even a God to Israel: and let the house of David thy servant be established before thee.

    I Chronicles 17:24

    Only with this type of humility do we dare ask God to exalt us in any way.

    25 For thou, O my God, hast told thy servant that thou wilt build him an house: therefore thy servant hath found in his heart to pray before thee. 26 And now, Lord, thou art God, and hast promised this goodness unto thy servant: 27 Now therefore let it please thee to bless the house of thy servant, that it may be before thee for ever: for thou blessest, O Lord, and it shall be blessed for ever.

    I Chronicles 17:25-27

    I Chronicles 18-20 document David’s successes in war, especially in light of the covenant just described in Chapter 17. David’s enemies were subdued/defeated:

    Now after this it came to pass, that David smote the Philistines, and subdued them, and took Gath and her towns out of the hand of the Philistines.

    I Chronicles 18:1 (emphasis added)

    David did a lot of smiting at this time.

    Did God Really Choose?

    March 2, 2022 at 1:46 pm | Posted in Biblical prayer, Ephesians, Uncategorized | 6 Comments
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    Question: I Timothy 2:4 tells us that God desires for all people to be saved, so how can you say that God chose who would be saved?

    Answer: I can say it because I’m merely repeating what the Bible specifically and plainly says in Ephesians 1:4: “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:”

    You seem to imply that I Timothy 2:4 and Ephesians 1:4 couldn’t both be true, but, since they are both in Bible, they must both be true. We can’t champion I Timothy 2:4 and deny Ephesians 1:4, just because we happen to like one better than the other.

    However, let’s look at I Timothy 2:4 and see if it somehow contradicts Ephesians 1:4.

    Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

    I Timothy 2:4

    When the King James Version of the Bible says that God “will have” all men to be saved, it is talking about God’s desire for people. It is talking about His nature and how He wants us to express that nature toward other human beings. It is not talking about what God sovereignly decreed to happen in eternity past. So there is no conflict in these verses. One is talking about what God, in a sense, desires, and one is talking about what God actually determined to do.

    If you are using I Timothy 2:4 to try to refute Ephesians 1:4, you are comparing apples and oranges, as they say. One is about prayer, the other is about Divine election.

    Of course, we might reasonably wonder why, if God, who is all-powerful, wanted to save all people, then why didn’t He? Even though that question is infinitely above our pay grade, and no one can really answer the “why” to every aspect of everything God does (Isaiah 55:8-9), we can get some insight from the context of I Timothy 2:4. Let’s look at the first three verses in the chapter, and see what leads up to the statement in Verse 4 about what God desires:

    I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;

    I Timothy 2:1

    Clearly this verse is talking about prayer. (Remember, Ephesians 1:4 is not talking about prayer. It’s talking about praising the triune God for what He did for us before He made us, not how we are supposed to think about carrying out His will AFTER He made us.) For whom should we, as Christians, pray? Easy: all men! What about the ones who were not chosen by God? Them, too! But why should we pray for them if God didn’t choose them? That’s easy, too – because we don’t know who was chosen and who wasn’t! God wants us to care about, and serve, everyone. We don’t control their destiny, but our loving and faithful God does. Let’s keep going:

    For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.

    I Timothy 2:2

    Verse 2 gives us some good insight about another reason why we might pray for government rulers who may or may not have been chosen by God. Praying for them is the means by which God has chosen to help us live our lives in peace, godliness, and honesty. We should pray for peace in our government, our society, our nation, and our world, because peace glorifies God and makes it easier to proclaim the Gospel.

    For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;

    I Timothy 2:3

    That’s yet a third reason to pray for people who might not have been chosen by God: God says it is good and acceptable. It pleases Him. That really ought to be all the “reason” we need!

    Now, when you look at Verse 4 again, it becomes even clearer. God does not take any dispositional delight in the death of the wicked (Ezekiel 18:23; 33:11), so it stands to reason that He does not enjoy seeing them reject His Son. He could have chosen everyone, but, for His own good and glorious and incomprehensible (to us) reasons, He decided it would bring Him more glory, and it would be objectively and eternally the best thing, to choose to save the elect only (Matthew 24:31; Mark 13:27; John 15:19; Romans 8:33; II Thessalonians 2:13; I Peter 1:2).

    Prayers for Howling, Healing, and Hiding

    July 19, 2021 at 10:20 am | Posted in Biblical prayer, James | 3 Comments
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    James 5 is a great chapter on prayer, and, specifically, on praying in times of trouble.

    Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.

    James 5:4

    1. Cheated workers can cry out to God for help.

    The world’s system holds little help for those who have been cheated by others who are already powerful. Taking matters into our own hands only makes things worse, but God is especially attuned to the cries of the poor.

    Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.

    James 5:1

    The cries of the poor will cause the rich to howl and cry.  

    Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.

    James 5:9

    2.  The physically afflicted can cry out for healing.

    As my wife once said, we ask for God to turn down the heat, but He says, no, I’m going to turn up the grace.

    And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.  Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

    James 5:15-16

    God graciously uses or allows sickness to prompt us to seek and receive forgiveness. Even the elders are blessed as they must seek to know the will of God in order to pray the right way for the sick person: in order to pray the “prayer of faith.”

    And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:  And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

    I John 5:14-15

    3. Brothers in Christ can pray for backslidden believers whose sins affect others (the congregation, their families, etc.).

    Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.

    James 5:19

    Praying through Lists of Names?

    September 24, 2020 at 3:55 pm | Posted in Biblical names, Biblical prayer, Uncategorized | 4 Comments
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    Question: We were praying through the Wednesday night prayer journal, and we got into a disagreement over how to pray for some of the longer lists of people who we don’t personally know. Should we pray for each name individually or can we just ask God to save or heal “everyone on this list?”

    Answer: That’s a good question, and I could not find a Bible verse that specifically addresses it, although I do believe that it would be best to pray for each name specifically, for the following reasons:

    1. Individuals are significant to God. The Bible contains several long lists of genealogies. We don’t know all the people named in all of them, and few, if any, details are given about many of them in Scripture, but their names are apparently important to God since He put them in the Bible and wants us to read them.

    2. There are times in the Bible when we are told that the Apostle Paul prayed for people specifically by name (Ephesians 1:16; Philemon v. 4).

    3. Praying for people by name will help us to remember their names and circumstances, so that if we meet them later, or hear of an opportunity to minister to them, we will be informed and “prayed up” concerning their situations.

    Having said all that, though, I know that you probably have a lot to pray about in your personal prayer time that is not in the Wednesday night prayer journal, and that time is limited, so praying for “everyone on the list” is a better alternative than not praying at all.

    Finally, I want to commend you and thank you for praying, regardless of what method you use. For those who don’t attend regular prayer meetings at the local church to which you belong, the “prayer journal” mentioned above is a pre-printed pamphlet updated and handed out at each prayer meeting. If your church does this, let me encourage you to pick one up and pray for your church family, friends, and missionaries throughout the week.

    The Prayer for the Chosen

    June 22, 2020 at 3:11 pm | Posted in Biblical prayer, John | 10 Comments
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    The prayer in Matthew 6:9-13 and Luke 11:2-4 is commonly referred to as “The Lord’s Prayer,” but it is really a model prayer which Jesus taught to His disciples as an example of how THEY ought to pray. He would not have prayed this prayer for Himself. However, John Chapter 17 is a prayer that Jesus DID in fact pray for Himself and His disciples. As far back as the mid- to late-1500s this prayer (possibly given the name by theologian David Chytraeus) has been known as “The High Priestly Prayer.” If anyone asked me (and they haven’t!), I would call John 17 “The Lord’s Prayer,” and give the other one a different name. I hope that you appreicate the awesome privilege of being able to permissively eavesdrop on this amazing moment of loving intimacy, intercession, and insight between the eternal Son and the eternal Father.

    John 17 is a chapter of the Bible which inspires special solemnity and humility and worship.

    These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:

    John 17:1

    This possibly took place while Jesus and the Disciples were still in the upper room, or they might have already started making their way to the Garden of Gethsemane. The word “glory” or “glorified” is used eight times in the prayer, and five of them are in the first five verses. Was it egocentric for Jesus to ask God to glorify Him? No, the Father and Son share the glory that the Son receives in His Incarnation, His Crucifixion, His Resurrection, His Ascension, and His Exaltation.

    As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.

    John 17:2

    In the opening verses He prayed for Himself. He spoke directly to the Father, but He spoke of Himself in the third person. This indicates that Jesus was praying personally, but still formally, and with an awareness that this was a semi-public prayer, and that the Disciples were listening and were supposed to be listening, and that this would become inspired Scripture – to be read by us even today.

    And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.

    John 17:3-5

    Here eternal life is defined as “knowing” God, so it can’t mean a mere intellectual grasp that the Biblical God is the correct God. It is a personal, intimate knowledge. Those who are in Christ, as shown in I Corinthians, are the “Knows,” and no one can really know God in a saving way without knowing Christ.

    Jesus’s love for the Father is tied to His obedience, just as our love for Jesus is tied to our obedience.

    The Word had been with God, and the Word had laid aside His glory (not His Deity).

    He prayed in preparation for what He was about to go through, and He prayed (not selfishly) that God would glorify Him for the glory of the Father. He asked for the return of His preincarnate glory. Then He went on to pray for His Disciples – the capital D Disciples, the ones who were with Him at the time.

    I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine. And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them. And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.

    John 17:9-11

    The “world” is another major concept in this prayer, along with “glory.” If you are a Christian you were “of the world” at one time. If you are not a Christian you are still “of the world.” If you are a Christian, even though you were “of the world” before trusting Jesus, you actually secretly belonged to God. He gave you to Jesus, and Jesus prayed for you in this prayer before you were ever born. In a very real sense you were chosen by Jesus, knowing that you already belonged to God, so that Jesus could present you back to God in Him, and He would be glorified for rescuing you from a system in which you had been captive. Yet you remain “in the world,” although you are no longer “of the world,” and Jesus has prayed for your protection, that you would be kept in God’s name, and we share in the love of the Father and the Son and in their eternal covenant, not as gods ourselves, but as redeemed children eternally united to God and Christ.

    This was a prayer for the Disciples’ protection and their continuance in the faith, as well as for their sanctification.

    I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

    John 17:14-17

    He ultimately prayed also for you and me – all future Christians.

    Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.

    John 17:20-21

    He prayed for our unity in the faith, and, coming back full circle to the idea of glory, that even we may be glorified with the Son and the Father.

    And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me. And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.

    John 17:22-26

    Persistent Pleas, Powerful Prayers, a Proud Pharisee, and a Penitent Publican

    February 10, 2020 at 3:23 pm | Posted in Biblical Power, Biblical prayer, Luke | 3 Comments
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    Luke Chapter 18 starts of with the parable that is sometimes called the parable of the unjust judge or the parable of the persistent widow. The primary lesson of this parable is: keep praying; don’t quit.

    And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?

    Luke 18:1-8

    There are four characters in the story: the judge, God, the widow, and her adversary. Obviously setting aside any comparisons between ourselves and God, with which of the remaining three characters do you identify? The judge did not fear God, which is a huge problem for any human being. Fear of God is the solution to overcoming fear of man. The fear of man is a snare, but the fear of God is the beginning of both knowledge and wisdom. This was a judge who forgot that he himself would be judged AND he didn’t care about helping others. Don’t care about people so much that you disregard God, but don’t think that God wants you to disregard people.

    Widows were particularly vulnerable in the culture where the parable is set. Both because of their gender and the lack of a male protector, they were often the victims of injustice. Somebody had done her an injustice and she had no recourse, except for one thing: persistence. She would not leave the judge alone. Do you identify with the widow? Do you feel powerless because of a lack of money and influence? If so, remember that you can still be persistent. This lady was waiting for the judge every time he showed his face, and she would plead her case continually.

    Perhaps you are like the adversary in the parable. Have you taken advantage of someone who was easy to take advantage of? I hope not, but, if so, remember that God often takes up the cause of those who seem helpless, and often punishes those who mistreat the poor.

    If even an unjust judge will be moved by continual petitions, how MUCH MORE will our loving Heavenly Father be moved by our persistence in prayer?

    The second parable in Luke 18 deals with the prayers of two distinct types of people.

    And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:

    Luke 18:9

    The parable of the praying Pharisee and the praying publican is intended to show the danger of self-righteousness.

    Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.

    Luke 18:10

    One man appeared outwardly religious and one man was openly sinful, and, while we know something of Jesus’s teachings and ministry and can guess who is going to be commended by Jesus and who is going to be condemned, the lesson would have been very controversial and surprising to Jesus’s audience when He originally taught it.

    The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.

    Luke 18:11

    The Pharisee stood to pray, and there is nothing inherently wrong with standing while we pray if we are standing for the right reasons. Posture is not as important as piety when it comes to prayer. The verse says that he “prayed thus with himself,” and this is perhaps intentionally worded to make it seem like he’s somewhat unconsciously praying TO himself and addressing himself as God. The Pharisee’s prayer amounted to arrogance and contempt disguised as gratitude. He even worked in an insult to the person praying next to him.

    I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.

    Luke 18:12

    The Pharisee clearly considered himself even more religious than he was required to be, and was very impressed with himself.

    And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.

    Luke 18:13

    Both the Pharisee and the publican were in the vicinity of the Temple, but one of them strode arrogantly right up, and one meekly stood far off.

    I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

    Luke 18:14

    Self-righteousness is just as much a sin as the sins of which the Pharisee accused others. Furthermore, it is an even greater bar to justification. God gives grace to, and justifies, the humble. He resists the proud and self-righteous. If we persist in trying to justify ourselves, then God will not justify us.

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