2018-05-04
1 Chronicles 4:10 NKJV
Not only did Jabez have great ambition, he had a growing faith and a deep trust in God. He had enough faith to pray and expect an answer. He was like the pioneer missionary William Carey, who said, “Expect great things from God, and attempt great things for God.” There’s no mention of Jabez having any special ability or talent. The Bible doesn’t say he was wealthy or educated. He was simply a common man with an uncommon faith. Don’t worry about what you don’t have – if you have faith! God will give you the necessary power. He loves to use ordinary people who are willing to trust Him, and see them succeed. Lots of super-talented people sit on the sidelines while ordinary people with faith score the goals and win. And you can be one of them. Another interesting fact about Jabez is he apparently had some type of handicap or disability. In the Hebrew language “Jabez” means “painful.” Jabez caused his mother so much grief during childbirth that she named him Painful. How would you like to go through life with that name? He may have been unwanted and unloved. But he was stronger than his handicap, and his faith kept him going. His eyes weren’t on the past, they were on the future. He believed that if God blessed him, then his future would be greater than his past. What’s your handicap? Is it physical? Is it spiritual? Is it an unhappy childhood? Is it a frustrating job or a broken marriage? Whatever it may be, Jesus said, “Everything is possible for him who believes” (Mark 9:23 NIV).
Soul food: Deut 5-7; Mark 6:14-29; Ps 37:1-7; Prov 11:24-26
2018-05-03
1 Kronieke 4:10 NLV
Toe Jabes gebid het, ‘vergroot my grond,’ het hy gesê, ‘Here, ek wil meer hê as wat ek tans het en ek vra U daarvoor!’ Hierdie man het groot ambisie gehad en God het hom geseën. Daar is drie algemene wanopvattings wat ons het wat ons keer om groot ambisies te hê: 1) Ons verwar vrees met nederigheid. Ons sê, ‘O, ek sal dit nooit kan doen nie,’ en dink dat ons nederig is. Dis nie nederigheid nie. Dis vrees; dis gebrek aan geloof. ‘n Persoon wat waarlik nederig is sal sê, ‘Met God se hulp kan ek dit doen. Met God se seën sal ek dit doen. Ek sal dit dalk nie op my eie kan doen nie, maar met God se hulp kan ek.’ Dis ware nederigheid. 2) Ons verwar luiheid met tevredenheid. Ons haal Paulus aan: ‘…Ek het geleer om tevrede te wees met dit wat ek het’ (Filippense 4:11 ABA). Dit beteken nie dat jy nie doelwitte moet stel nie. Paulus het nie gesê, ‘Ek het geen ambisies of toekomsplanne nie.’ Inderwaarheid net die teenoorgestelde. Hy het gesê dat hy hom ‘…uit[strek] na dit wat voorlê’ (Filippense 3:13 NLV). As jy nie ‘n droom of ‘n doelwit het nie, vra God vir een. 3) Ons verwar klein gedagtes met geestelikheid. Sommige mense sê, ‘Ek dien God op my klein manier.’ Hoekom begin jy Hom nie op ‘n groter manier dien nie? Hoekom laat jy Hom nie toe om jou meer te gebruik nie? Ander mense sê, ‘Ek is tevrede net soos ek is. Dis hoe God my gemaak het.’ Dis verkeerd om God vir jou gebrek aan groei te blameer, omdat Hy jou met al die idees en hulpbronne voorsien wat jou in staat stel om te groei. Dus: droom groot!
Sielskos: Deut 3-4; Mark 6:7-13; Ps 2; Spr 11:22-23
1 Chronicles 4:10 NKJV
When Jabez prayed, “Enlarge my territory,” he was saying, “Lord, I want more than I’ve got, and I’m asking You for it!” This man had great ambitions, and God blessed them. There are three common misconceptions that can keep us from having great ambitions: (1) We confuse fear with humility. We say, “Oh, I could never do that,” and think we’re being humble. But that’s not humility. That’s fear; that’s lack of faith. A truly humble person would say, “With God’s help I can do it. With God’s blessing I will do it. I may not be able to do it on my own, but with God’s help I can.” That’s real humility. (2) We tend to confuse laziness with contentment. We quote Paul: “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances” (Philippians 4:11 NIV). But this doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t set goals. Paul wasn’t saying, “I don’t have any ambitions or future plans.” Just the opposite, in fact! He spoke of “reaching forth [to] those things which are before” (Philippians 3:13). If you don’t have a dream or a goal, ask God for one. (3) We confuse small thinking with spirituality. Some people say, “I serve God in my little way.” Why don’t you start serving Him in a bigger way? Why not let Him use you more? Other people say, “Well, I’m just fine the way I am. That’s the way God made me.” It’s wrong to blame God for your lack of growth, because He has provided all the tools and ideas you need in order to grow. Bottom line: Think big or you’ll get in God’s way!
Soul food: Deut 3-4; Mark 6:7-13; Ps 2; Prov 11:22-23
2018-05-02
1 Chronicles 4:10 NKJV
Jabez prayed that God would bless him in three specific ways: (1) “Enlarge my territory.” He had a dream of owning more land, and he asked God to bless that dream. When you stop dreaming you lose direction. When you stop setting goals you stop growing. You must have something you’re pushing toward. As long as your horizon is expanding, you’ll be spiritually and emotionally healthy. (2) “That Your hand would be with me.” God’s hand represents His power. Jabez realized that if he got more territory it meant he would have more responsibility. He would have greater demands and more pressure, and he would really need God’s help in his life. So he requested God to be with him. And when you ask for God’s presence in your life, you can be sure He’ll answer. (3) “That You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain.” Jabez asked God for His protection. Why? Because in those days the more land you owned, the more influence you had, and the better known you were. And that made you a bigger target. It’s still like that today. The more successful you are, the more critics you have. The more territory you own, the more your enemies will attack you. The closer you grow to the Lord and the stronger you become as a Christian, the more the Devil will harass you because he doesn’t want you to grow. But you can be sure, as Jabez was, that with God’s protection you don’t have to fear anyone or anything. Do you want to break out of mediocrity? Then pray the prayer that Jabez prayed.
Soul food: Deut 1-2; Mark 6:1-6; Ps 35; Prov 11:19-21
1 Kronieke 4:10 NLV
Jabes het gebid dat God hom op drie spesifieke maniere moet seën: 1) ‘…vergroot my grond…’ Hy het ‘n droom gehad om meer grond te besit en hy het vir God gevra om daardie droom te seën. Wanneer jy ophou droom, verloor jy rigting. Wanneer jy ophou om doelwitte vir jouself te stel, hou jy op groei. Jy moet iets hê waarna jy reik. Solank as wat jou horison vergroot, sal jy geestelik en emosioneel gesond wees. 2) ‘…Wees asseblief met my in alles wat ek doen…’ Jabes het besef dat hy meer verantwoordelikheid sou hê as sy grond vergroot word. Hy sou meer druk en meer eise ervaar en hy sou God se hulp in sy lewe nodig hê. Dus het hy vir God gevra om by hom te wees. Wanneer jy vir God se teenwoordigheid in jou lewe vra, kan jy seker wees dat Hy sal antwoord. 3) ‘…bewaar my van moeilikheid en pyn…’ Jabes het vir God vir beskerming gevra. Hoekom? In daardie dae was jy ‘n groter teiken hoe meer grond jy besit het, hoe meer invloed jy gehad het en hoe bekender jy was. Dis nog steeds so vandag. Hoe suksesvoller jy is, hoe meer kritiek sal jy kry. Hoe meer grond jy besit, hoe meer sal vyande jou aanval. Hoe nader jy aan God groei en hoe sterker jy as Christen word, hoe meer sal die duiwel jou teister, omdat hy nie wil hê dat jy moet groei nie. Jy kan egter seker wees, soos Jabes was, dat jy met God se beskerming niemand of niks hoef te vrees nie. Wil jy bo middelmatigheid uitstyg? Bid dan die gebed wat Jabes gebid het.
Sielskos: Deut 1-2; Mark 6:1-6; Ps 35; Spr 11:19-21
