O That You Would Bless Me
1 Chron. 4: 9-10

Pastor Jack Anderson

Introduction As you read the first nine chapters of I Chronicles, you find that they resemble a Hebrew telephone directory, with more than 500 names mentioned, most of which we have never heard of.

In a dull and boring list of names in a genealogy of the Southern Kingdom of Judah, we find one name that the Holy Spirit has marked out in a unique manner to draw out our attention to a powerful message.

The name of the man is Ja-bez. Though he is not mentioned any other time in scripture, he is a man who was the cream of the crop, a cut above, and one who stood out in a crowd. All that we know of Jabez is contained in these two short verses.

A> His unusual Name

The name Ja-bez means "he will cause pain, or son of sorrow." He was tagged with such an unusual name, because of the hard labour his mother had, in giving birth to him.
Perhaps he was named Jabez as a constant reminder to not only his mother, but to him as well, of just who he was. Or, perhaps this name was to remind him of his personal roots, and lineage.
Whatever the case may be, his name, no doubt, was an unusual name.

His mother had branded her son with the name "Pain" for the rest of his life. Throughout his early years, Jabez may have been ridiculed, laughed at, and made fun of because of his strange name. "Hello Pain" men may have known him as Pain, but he was precious to God.

1. Jabez was an Honoured Person

B>. His unique notoriety

Verse 9. Not only do we see his unusual name, but his unique notoriety. Note, the Bible tells us that he was "more honourable than his brethren."

It's somewhat strange to discover that a man, with such an unusual name, would receive such notoriety.
How could a person, whose name brought the remembrance of continual sorrow, and pain, be a person with such attention, and such acclamation from God.

His name meant nothing but "sorrow" on earth; his name meant nothing but "satisfaction" in heaven. In the sight of God, Ja-bez was a man who had obtained divine favour, and honour.

I can't help but glean from this, that the way we may appear to men, may not be the way we appear to God, and visa-versa. But, blessed be God, He can take your dishonour, and turn it into honour. He can take your disadvantages, and make them advantages. He can take your weaknesses, and make them strengths.

V 9 "Now Jabez was more honorable than his brethren." What exactly did Ja-bez do to rise above the rest of the crowd? Why did God include his prayer in the Bible? What made his prayer so special and why did God bless it abundantly?

The context is, Israel going in and taking possession of the promised land of Canaan.
God had promised His people an inheritance in Canaan, but His people could not drive out the inhabitants of the land in their own strength.

It was beyond them. They were not a war machine marching in to conquer, but a multitude of second-generation slaves, who were incapable, on their own, of possessing the land.

Only God could do it in and through them. Ja-bez was acutely aware of his own insufficiency and prayed out to God for help. He begged God for His supernatural blessing. He boldly asked God to enlarge his inheritance in the Promised Land.

Although Ja-bez was not well known of men, and may have been despised by men, he was extremely well known by God, who noted that he was more honourable than all his brethren. Jabez was more honourable in character, in his business dealings, in his speech, in his walk with God. All of which sprang from his prayer life.

Illustration: The great preacher G. Campbell Morgan preached on May 2, 1888, a trial sermon in a large Methodist church.
He received word from the church that they were not even considering him any longer. He felt totally humiliated, and utterly rejected. Morgan sent his father a one word telegram, "Rejected!"

His father replied, "Rejected on Earth, Accepted in Heaven!" As you know, Campbell Morgan was mightily used of God, and became the best-known Bible expositor in the English-speaking world.
Friend, you may not feel like, or look like much in the eyes of the world, but God has a special, and a specific task for you to perform.

You may think that you're nothing, but God can make you something. He took Ja-bez, a man unknown, unappreciated, and undeserving, and took the dishonour of his person, and used it for the honour of His purpose. He may have had an Unusual Name, but God gave him Unique Notoriety. Thus, in the sight of the Almighty, he was A Person that was honoured!

1. Jabez was an Honoured Person

2. Jabez made a Honourable Prayer

1 Chr 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!

We not only see a person who was honoured, but a petition that was honourable and yet humble. I believe that this is one of the greatest prayers in all of the Word of God. It only consists of 33 words, but how it touched heaven, and moved God.

A> Jabez Approached a Sovereign Person

This was a Prayer to God from an Honourable man, it was an earnest Prayer v10 And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying Oh, that Thou wouldest bless me indeed".

This was a Prayer for definite Blessing. Jabez had the conviction that the "God of Israel" was for him. He was the God of his fathers, the God who delivered His people out of the Egyptian bondage by miracles and made a covenant with the children of Abraham to be a chosen people. He was the God of the covenant with Israel. If you were to carefully observe these first nine chapters, you would not find any of the other, 500 plus persons that are mentioned, in prayer. Ja-bez was the man who knew how to get in contact with God. Prayer does not change God, but it changes the one who prays.

Illustration: I'm reminded of a story I read about an old Scottish preacher named Jim.
He was a man, who had a wonderful, and a personal relationship with the Lord. When he prayed, you would almost want to look and see if Jesus was sitting by him.
Once, when he was preaching and things weren't going too well, Jim stopped preaching, got down on his knees, and said, "Hello Lord-- this is Jim.
This service isn't going too well. Lord, how about you coming down and taking control?"

Jim would often get on his knees and say, "Hello Lord Jesus this is Jim. We've got a problem down here and we can't seem to work it out. Lord!
How about You coming and working this problem out?" Soon the problem would be sorted
Here was a man who really knew God, and how to get a hold of God. So it was with Ja-bez

Oh, may we be like Ja-bez. Though we may have our limitations, liabilities, and losses, may we realize as David did in Psalm 121:2, that, our "help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth." Ja-bez turned to none other than God.

A> Jabez Approached a Sovereign Person

B> Jabez Acknowledged a Supreme Purpose

1 Chr 4:10 And Jabez called on the God of Israel, ---
Saying, Oh that thou wouldest blesses 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!

The God of Israel/ This was the God Jabez knew and he knew the values His blessings above all else. "Oh, that You would bless me, greatly." He wants a real, permanent, abiding blessing that comes in wave after wave from the hand of God.
Lord, I leave it up to you as to what form it may take. Just bless me, Oh Lord, bless me and enlarge my tent.

As the Redeemed of the Lord, we have the right to ask God to Bless, and we can be assured that our Father in heaven longs to Bless His people. God wants to bless you beyond your imagination, but with God's blessings come our responsibilities

Mal 3:9"Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this," says the LORD of hosts, "if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows."

This is not a prosperity gospel I am preaching, just name it and claim it. God is not in the business of blessing us for blessings sake. He does not bless us to fulfill our selfish desires for more possessions and prosperity.

As you read this short, but powerful prayer, you will not find one selfish motive, intent, or desire expressed. He's not asking for a bigger home, a new car, or even a better job. He is not looking for the material but the Spiritual. He's praying, totally, for God's will, God's work, and God's way to be done in his life.

Responsibility comes with this prayer of Jabez. God wants to bless us so that we will be a blessing to others. He wants to bless us so that we will bear fruit for His honor and glory.
Bless me Lord that I may be a blessing to others. Lord, keep your hand on me and fill me with Your Spirit and enlarge my opportunities to minister. Use me to bring honor and glory to your name."

These blessings can now only come to us through Jesus Christ. The spiritual blessings given by God are "in Christ," which means "in Jesus only."

D. M. Lloyd-Jones once said, "If you leave out the 'in Christ,' you will never have any blessings at all. Every blessing, we enjoy as Christians comes to us through the Lord Jesus Christ.

I ask you, as I would ask myself, how long has it been since you've come before the Lord, not to bring all of the things you desire, and want; but, to just, yield yourself to Him and longing for His blessing?

What does anyone have apart from the blessings of the Lord Jesus Christ? Jacob wrestled with the Angel of the LORD until daybreak and cried out,
"I will not let you go unless you bless me." (Gen. 32:26).

Jacob went away limping, but he could declare, "I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been preserved" When was the last time you wrestled with God and won?
Moses said, "I pray You, show me your glory!" And then the LORD descended in the cloud and stood there with him, as he called upon the name of the LORD. Then the LORD passed by in front of him. .

The apostle Paul opens his letter to the church at Ephesus saying,
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ" (1:3).

The very nature of God is to have goodness in so much abundance that it overflows into our unworthy lives." The Grace of God is written all over the prayer and life of Jabez".
We would do well to follow the example, of Ja-bez; who not only approached a Sovereign person, but he acknowledged the Supreme purpose of God, and that is to Bless His own people.

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

To ask for the blessings of God is asking for "Nothing more and nothing less than what God wants for us."
God the Father wants fruit, more fruit, indeed, abundant fruit from His vineyard. He is always bringing us to areas of new growth so that He can keep on blessing us, in order to produce more of the likeness of Christ. Have we taken possession of all the spiritual blessings in the heavenliest in Christ Jesus?

1. Jabez Asked for God's Providing Hand

As he opens his petition, Ja-bez says,
"Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast…"

He is not asking for material or temporal blessing. He is asking God for bigger responsibilities, and greater opportunities to serve Him. He was grateful for what he had, but he wanted to serve God in a greater way.

Ja-bez, is saying, "Lord, if you'll enlarge my coast, and give me greater responsibly; then, I will be able to do more for you God promised an enlargement to Israel if they were obedient.
Exod 34: 24 for I will cast out the nations before thee, and enlarge thy borders:

We, too, can come like Jabez of old, and pray for the Lord to enlarge our coast, our capacity for more of Him. Lord, prune away any sinful foliage in my personal life. Cut it back and make more room for yourself in my heart.

Enlarge Your presence in my life, in my time, my possessions, my pleasure, my duties and obligations, Enlarge Your presence in my worries and cares, my ambitions and goals, my home life, my family, my marriage, my profession-in all of these make room for Yourself. Oh Lord, there is much of the spiritual land that yet needs to be possessed.

If we are going to be "living larger than life" then we have to move the boundary lines of our lives. We have to start praying differently by asking for more rather than for less.

1. Jabez Asked for God's Providing Hand
Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast…"

2. Jabez asked for God's Performing hand

Notice, he says, "and that thine hand might be with me…" This man is not only asking for a greater place to serve, but also for greater power to serve with!
Jabez wanted to live larger than life! He was seeking to live life by the motto, "Wanting to be more, and do more for God."
Illustration--William Carey, the founder of modern missions, prayed, "Oh God, Oh God, help me to be the man that you want me to be!"
It was Carey who also said, "Attempt great things for God. Expect great things from God."

Ja-bez realized from where his power came. He realized that it wasn't by "might, nor by power, but the Spirit of the Lord.
Above anything else, Ja-bez wanted God's hand to be upon him. He wanted to be empowered, enabled, and equipped to serve the Lord.

May we glean from his desire? May we desire greater avenues to serve God; but may we also desire the power that it takes to do it, the Power of the risen Glorified Christ- the power of the Resurrection. "That Thine hand might be with me"

Beloved, when was the last time you stood back, in awe and wonder, knowing that God did it? That His hand was upon you and His power with you?
I am speaking of those moments, when you know beyond a shadow of doubt that you were in a helpless situation, at the end of your own wisdom and strength then God stepped in and took you over the rains, and gave you the solution and the victory
Are you ready to exchange your need and your problems for God's plenty? We are talking about trusting God. Jabez was not speaking of human blessings on a human scale.

He is crying out to God for a supernatural blessing. He wants a God-sized blessing. He is not asking for more of what he can obtain himself. Jabez is not saying, "God helps those who help themselves." He is asking God to bless him abundantly, supernaturally. "That Thine hand might be with me" Are you willing to step out by faith and ask God to bless you with His unlimited grace that only He has the power to do?

1>. Jabez Asked for God's Providing Hand
Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast…"

2>. Jabez asked for God's Performing hand
"That Thine hand might be with me"

3>. Jabez asked for God's Protecting hand

Not only did Ja-bez ask for the Almighty's providing hand, and performing hand; but for His protecting hand. And that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me!"

This dear man of God-this child of sorrow realized, that if he was to serve God in a greater capacity, then he would not only need God's provision, and God's performance, but also God's protection. Along with the blessings from God, we need to pray for His protective hand to be upon us to keep us from evil. Why?

1>. When we pray in boldness, like Jabez did … we threaten Satan, and he is going to do all he can to get us to fall. "By far, our most important strategy for defeating the roaring lion is to stay out of the arena".
1 Th 5:22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.

2>. Blessings tend to make us presumptuous to think that we don't need to depend on God so much, now that things are going good.
Having received the blessings of God …

Jabez understood he now needed to live safe. Though he had received honour, blessings, and influence, he knew better than to jump into the ring with a lion … and so he prayed, Lord, that you would keep me from evil, that I might not cause pain!

This dear man of God-this child of sorrow realized, that if he was to serve God in a greater capacity, then he would not only need God's provision, and God's performance, but also God's protection.
Eph 6:11 Put on the whole Armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

God gives us the armour … but it is up to you and I to put it on for protection against the evils of the day. The prayer for protection is not some magical formula or mystical force field that avails itself to protect us in a life of disobedience. The prayer for protection, as Jabez was requesting, is prayed in the willingness to be submissive to God and His Word.

1. Jabez was an Honoured Person

2. Jabez made a Honourable Prayer

3. Jabez Received a Heavenly Prosperity

"And God granted him that which he requested"

The word "granted" denotes the meaning of "giving, passing onto, or extending."
The word speaks of the idea of not only giving something, but also giving it with great pleasure.

God granted Jabez all that he requested. He was blessed indeed, His coast was enlarged, the hand of God was with him, and he was preserved from evil.

The Lord will do the same for you and I if we will come to Him and ask in faith. " He who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him" (Heb. 11:6).

Charles Simeon If we were more earnest in our desires, and more enlarged in our expectations for God, there would be no bounds to the mercy, which God would exercise toward us.

Let's come boldly before God's throne of grace daily, praying that God will bless us indeed. Pray daily.

"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"!