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| | From:  base301 (Original Message) | Sent: 4/3/2005 11:37 PM |
Let us pray. Heavenly Father, as we begin this study of Your word, I ask that You will bless each who participate, with a desire to learn Your Will for a greater purpose in our lives. Give us wisdom and understanding of the scriptures. I ask for guidance as I lead this study, that we will experience a change in our lives as You see fit. Bring about the moving of the Holy Spirit in our hearts to the completion of this study. Thank You Father, for the blessings we will receive. I pray in Jesus name. To You be the glory and praise forever. Amen!<o:p></o:p> To save space and time for downloads, we will not use clip art or long responses, ok? Please stay within the study guideline (as presented). Thank you. May we be blessed beyond, compare.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> The prayer of Jabez Bible Study is written by Bruce Wilkinson, who referenced the newer versions of the Bible (if you use a newer version, our references may not be word for word). I will use the King James Version of the "Holy Bible," for this study, but it is not required. Since this Bible Study book I’m using for guidelines, is copy written, I will not infringe on those rights. Except for the introduction below, I will be writing in my own words, as best I can or using other study references. continued in next post.... |
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I just got in here and reading what everyone is saying. I am so enjoying this girls. I do not know if this is the proper date one. It is April 8th as I am in here. Please inform me as what Book, chapter, verses I must study.Are you in book of Romans what chapter and verses your reading for study. Thank you. I want to folow you. Is this a weekly study or daily. hugs, Carol |
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| | | From: base301 | Sent: 4/9/2005 3:09 AM |
Welcome Carol, great to have you join us! This is a 4 week Bible Study on the "Prayer of Jabez." Many scriptures in several Books of the Bible, are used through out this study, as references. So to catch up to this point, you will need to read the posted messages that are archived,,look just below Message #1 (with the yellow background up top) and at the left bottom of that message you will see "Go To Replies" click on that and you can read where we started. I am using the Bible Study Book "The Prayer of Jabez", you may already have a copy of the small book. I will post the rest of todays lesson, and maybe tomorrows too. Then on sunday we will start the second week. This is moving along pretty fast, I don't expect this study to last a full 4 weeks. Hope you are blessed. Love Betty |
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| | | From: base301 | Sent: 4/9/2005 3:26 AM |
Sorry Carol, the post 2 - 25 messages have archived off the site. As we post more messages the white one at the top archives. So hurry and do this.... So here are the basics: Read Jabez's prayer..1 Chronicles 4: 9-10. Jabez wanted to be more and do more for God, and as we discover by the end of verse 10..God granted him (Jabez) his request. This will get you started, then just pick up here with us, in messages #35, before it archives, ok? |
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| | | From: base301 | Sent: 4/9/2005 3:46 AM |
Let me repost message #35, so I can keep up with where we are in the study... Abraham: The Man God Chose To Bless (Genesis 12:1-3). Jacob: The Man who Wrestled To Be Blessed (Genesis 32: 22-29). David: The Man who Understood The Source of Blessings (1 Chronicles 29: 9-18) Note how the person's faith in GOD relate to the blessings that he recieves. Jabez traced his "blessing inheritance" back to Abraham, the father of the Jewish people. One day God promised Abraham, "I will bless you...and you shall be a blessing" (Genesis 12:2). Abraham believed (trusted) God and traveled to the Promised Land (Canaan) in pursuit of the blessing. But Abraham didn't earn God's goodness. In fact, if you trace his life story (Genesis 12:25), you'll see a man who made a lot of mistakes. But he never stopped reaching for God's favor. thats why the Bible calls Abraham "friend of GOd" (James 2:23) and "father of all those who believe" (Romans 4:11). Abraham saw God as the source of guaranteed blessings (Read Hebrews 11: 1-2,6 and 8-12). What one thing did Abraham do that pleased God? How does a person's faith in God relate to the blessings that he or she receives? *********************Continuing todays lesson************ Jacob: Read Genesis 32: 22-29..........God renewed His promise of blessong to Abraham's son Isaac (Gensis 26:24) and again to Isaac's son Jacob (35:9). Jacob, whose name meant "schemer" or "grabber," started out his life manipulating others to get ahead. But one night, Jacob came face to face with the real source of blessings. An angelic being met him in the dark and they wrestled. All night Jacob struggled to win. By morning, Jacob knew what he was really fighting for. He cried out, "I will not let you go unless You bless me!" (Genesis 32:26). It was a cry that God was waiting to hear. The angel gave Jacob God's blessing. And Jacob recieved a new name - Israel, or "prince of God." How do you think people today struggle and wrestle with God? Why did Jacob wrestle with God before he asked for the blessing? Continued with David in next post... |
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| | | From: base301 | Sent: 4/9/2005 3:58 AM |
One more question about Jacob....What would you have said if you had been Jacob and the angel said to you, "I will bless you! Now what specific blessing do you want? David: Read 1 Chronicles 29:9-18. (Remember now that, David was the man who understood the source of blessings) The lavish generosity of the Jewish people in donating to the temple highlighted the last days of King David. Perhaps more than any other person in the Old Testament, David understood the frofound role of God in this act of sacrificial worship. List the blessings found in this passage that David reveals come form God. Describe the best thing that happened to you in the last three months. Read James 1:17...Did you link it to God's blessing and thank Him for it? |
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| | | From: redda | Sent: 4/9/2005 6:00 AM |
List the blessings found in this passage that David reveals come form God. Describe the best thing that happened to you in the last three months. 1 Chronicles 29:9-18. These are the blessing I found in these verses: power, glory, victory, riches, honour, joy and a prepared heart. Now I will try and describe the best thing that has happened to me in the last three months. Seeing my grandson take his first steps. My son found a job here in Texas and is living now in the same town as I. All prayers were answered. But the best blessing of them all, I am still alive and looking forward to whatever God has planed for me in the coming years. |
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| | | From: base301 | Sent: 4/10/2005 8:02 PM |
Praise the Lord!! I'm glad AAron is back!! and what a blessing..Timothy's first steps In the past three months, God granted us a safe trip to Texas and fellowship with family I hadn't see in years. He kept my family and myself, well throw the flu season and blessed me with a full days work at my office-pain free!! I know if I stay fatihful to His will, He will continue to bless me. |
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| | | From: base301 | Sent: 4/10/2005 8:32 PM |
How Do I Maximize God's Blessings? Insight #1: "It's not selfish to pray, 'Bless me, indeed!" For many Christians, the whole idea of praying for personal blessings sounds wrong. Certainy asking for blessings isn't the only way to pray. We are taught to intercede for others, to confess, to worship, and to give thanks. The Jabez prayer simply starts with our urgent desire to recieve God's special favor. It is based on a ratical trust that God will answer in great love. Getting specific...God is pleased when, like Jabez, we trustingly ask Him for His best without specifying exactly how we want Him to bless us. But it's okay to go beyond the Jabez prayer and askGod to bless us in a specific way. Those prayers please the Lord, too. just be careful to check your motives...and to keep your eyes open for God's surprising answers. Insight #2. "Blessing doesn't always equal 'health and wealth" Unfortunately, some teach that God wants every believer to prosper materially and that your prosperity proves God's favor. Not so!! That would mean if you don't have the house and car you want, something is wrong with your faith. This teaching is a distortion of what the Bible clearly says in 1 Timothy 6: 5-10.."Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.
But godliness with contentment is great gain.
For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.
But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.
For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. It also contradicts not only the call of Jesus to take up our crosses and follow Him (Luke 9:23-25), but also His own example of setting aside wordly comforts to do the will of His Father, even to the point of death on the cross (Philippains 2:5-8)! |
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| | | From: base301 | Sent: 4/10/2005 8:58 PM |
So how do we pray for generous blessings without crossing over into God-dishonoring prayer? Study points: (fill in the blanks, you don't have to post answers. You may want to just study these on your own). Pray with___________motives. James 4:3. Pray according to God's__________. 1 John 5:14. Seek_______________the kingdom of God. Matthew 6:33. Make sure that a love for the world and its values has not replaced your________for God. 1 John 2: 15-17. Don't pray just for yourself, but the needs of_____.1 Timothy 2:1. Evaluate everything you do and want and pray for, and decide if it is something that will bring God_______. 1 Corinthians 10:31. Ask for and pursue a growning relationship with ________ so that you can become more like Him. How do I recieve God's blessings in my life? It's very simple: Do what Jabez did. He "called on the God of Israel." Even though God has the poer to drop every good thing into our lives automatically, He has another plan. His plan is our task, and our task is to ask! "At Least Take A Bucket" Asking is the beginning of receiving. Make sure you don't go to the ocean with a teaspoon. At least take a bucket so the kids won't laugh at you. Jim Rohn |
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| | | From: redda | Sent: 4/11/2005 2:15 AM |
My Comment on this part�? (Unfortunately, some teach that God wants every believer to prosper materially and that your prosperity proves God's favor. Not so!! That would mean if you don't have the house and car you want, something is wrong with your faith.) Seek ye first the kingdom of God. Matthew 6:33. Mt 6:20-21 “But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.�?/FONT> This is so sad; today so many are so busy seeking earthly goods that they are neglecting to lay up treasures in heaven. All our prosperity on earth is very temporal. We must get our eyes off the things that are seen (money, best car, best house, best clothes etc.) and keep our eyes on the things that are not seen.2Co 4:18 While I know God wants us to prosper in this life\ we must rightly divide the word of truth. 2Ti 2:15) Folks it doesn’t matter whether you are lying on beds of satin or sitting as a beggar at the rich mans gate. When death comes we are all �?U>poor folk�?~“For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.�?/FONT>1Ti 6:7 But praise God! “We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the Excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.�?2Co 4:7 |
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| | | From: base301 | Sent: 4/11/2005 4:34 AM |
Amen Sister! I agree.. Seek ye first the kingdom of God. Matthew 6:33. Because without the kingdom of God we have nothing anyway!! Mt 7:11
If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? What would my life look like if I asked for blessings? Look for clues to the blessed life in these letters.. "Changing the Equation", "Selfish Prayer Changes Selfish Person", "Up and Running", "Marriage Set Free"...from The Prayer of Jabez website www.prayerofjabez.com . As believers we know to seek first the Kingdom of God. But if we do not ask, we are cutting ourselfs off from His abundant best here on earth. such as help with our marriage, our business, etc. To close this study on blessing, pray the following prayer every day in the coming week... My Prayer for Blessing Dear Lord, I want every single blessing that You would love to give me. Forgive me for not desiring these enough to ask for them. Please open Your heart, and be gracious to me. You are good, and everything You do is good. so let me experience You today, in all of Your abundant lovingkindness, even though I am in all of my unworthiness. Touch my life in ways that are very personal so that I don't miss Your fingerprints. Bless me, Lord, I pray - bless me, indeed! And I will praise You, from whom all blessings flow. Amen! God be merciful to us and bless us, and cause His face to shine upon us. That Your way may be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations. Psalm 67:1-2. ( You can reply to this in this thread, and I will start next weeks lesson in a "New Discussion"). |
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Matthew 6:33 states,"But seek ye first the kingdom of God,and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." �?FONT size=4>One of the hardest things a Christian has to learn is to rely onGod's ability and not our strength…our own sufficiency…Relying on self has to literally die…God tells us to put our trust in Him…We may be having problems…God tells us to seek Him out…Prayer is communicating withGod…Through Jesus Christ we can enter into the very presence of God…We can take our failings…our problems…our fears…our needs…any troubles or trials that beset us…and seek God…and He promises He will be found and will answer us…Praying is actually talking to our Father…who holds all the to our every need…our Mediator is Jesus…The fears we have…the troubles we may be experiencing…seem to get stronger more menacing in the dark…in our minds…God directs us to bring them into the light of His presence�?Cast thy burden upon the Lord(Psalm55:22)…God tells us over and over again�?Be not anxious"…He wants us to put our trust in for Him…Look to Him for all our needs…As we seek first the Kingdom of God,and His righteousness…in other words as we pray…talk to God in Jesus' name…as we rely on our Father's ability ..on our Father's. strength…we see the hand of God working in our lives…He opens up the way for us…He makes the paths straight for us…He guides us…He leads us in the way we should go…He answers our prayers …He takes care of our needs…Don't worry about fancy phrases…or fancy prayers…Just seek God out…talk to Him ,really tell Him what is on your heart…tell Him of your joys.. .your problems …the things that bother you or whatever is weighing you down…Hand everything over to Him…seek His answers…prayer is a form of praising God�?Psalm145:18) says, "The Lord is nigh unto all them all them that call upon Him." Amen |
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| | | From: redda | Sent: 4/15/2005 9:28 PM |
Sis we need to start a new thread this is taking forever to load with my slow provider and pc. |
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