Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #34808 in Books
• Published on: 2000-05-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 93 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
Even well-versed Biblical scholars might be perplexed if asked about Jabez, a little-known man listed in 1 Chronicles, chapter 4. Yet his simple petition is the cornerstone of The Prayer of Jabez and has become a call to live a more "blessed life" for countless readers.

The prayer is a simple one: "And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, 'Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain.' So God granted him what he requested."

In an era where many Christians shy away from anything that smacks of "name it and claim it," author Bruce Wilkinson alleviates misgivings by putting the prayer into perspective. Wilkinson, founder and president of Walk through the Bible Ministries and a popular speaker for Promise Keepers, writes in a persuasive, conversational style that will woo even the most cynical reader. He has used the Jabez prayer for more than 30 years, and testifies enthusiastically to the changes it has wrought in his own life. Wilkinson challenges readers to recite the Jabez prayer every morning and keep a record of the changes that occur. The power, he emphasises, is not in the prayer itself, but "rather, the power is in what you believe will happen as a result of the prayer, and the action you take". Wilkinson makes a convincing case. --Cindy Crosby

Synopsis
The author discusses how a brief, little known prayer from the Old Testament can provide the inspiration to live a more blessed life.

Customer Reviews

a sceptic till I read it.
When I heard about this book I was not too enthusiastic about reading it. Mainly because I was taught you cannot base a doctrine on one scripture, and a whole book on one passage seemed absurd. I saw it was the #1 N.Y Times Bestseller but that held no sway with me. On the surface it sounded too much like a christian get rich quick plan, but upon reading this I was gently surprised. It is a good little book. His definition of Blessed did not centre around money but more on the spiritual aspect which was refreshing. He uses other scripture to back up what he says and they are all relevant. I really liked how he conveyed enlarging your vision in the work place. Most of all it is short and sweet. Worth a read.

Weak but appealing
While always a good thing to be encouraging prayer, there are some disquieting elements in the book, not least the suggestion that you read it every few weeks to gain more spiritual insights. It's really not that big a book...
Also, I am concerned by the superficial degree of biblical interpretation. Yes, jabez prayed a prayer that God answered. But Jabez was also honourable in God's sight...read the whole of Chronicles and begin to understand the nature of covenant, and this book might be useful.
But if you're not looking at it from the perspective of the new testament, you can pray a formula till the cows come home. It's knowing Jesus that matters...

Rewarding Perspectives of Faith and Prayer
As much as the Bible teaches me, I find that I learn even more by hearing about the interpretations that others make of the Bible. Those interpretations are most beneficial when they include witnessing one's own experiences. Bruce Wilkinson has provided us with many soulful insights from 30 years of reciting a little-noticed prayer in this inspiring book.

One reason that it is nice to hear what others say about the Bible is that some of them read Hebrew, which I do not. Knowing what the original text said should provide more clues to its precise meaning. Mr. Wilkinson has provided many insights from the Hebrew texts to help us understand what the translations mean.

The Prayer of Jabez is found in 1 Chronicles 4:10 following a brief introduction of Jabez in 1 Chronicles 4:9. This text is in the middle of a long list of about 500 Hebrew names beginning with Adam in providing a geneology. The casual Bible reader might never notice this material.

Since there is so little text, the plain meaning of what is found here can certainly be confusing. "Jabez" means "pain" in Hebrew. Jabez was named this by his mother "Because I bore him in pain." Since almost all babies bring pain, it is hard to know exactly what was different about Jabez, if anything.

Jabez is remembered for having his prayer answered. The prayer was:

"Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!"

Mr. Wilkinson provides several perspectives on this prayer that added much to my understanding of the Scripture. First, Mr. Wilkinson interprets this as meaning that the person praying is asking to play a bigger role in achieving God's purposes. That was a new thought for me. I tend to feel that each of us is kept pretty busy trying to do God's will in whatever roles we already have. How can we do more? Obviously, only with God's help. By taking on even larger roles, we probably move closer to a state of humility by knowing that we cannot possibly succeed without Divine guidance and assistance. So what seems like a prideful thing actually turns out to be the opposite. What is your reaction to that?

Second, I was startled a few years ago to hear a group of rabbis and ministers talk about how the traditional concept of the moral life was to never be tempted. I feel tempted all of the time, and overcome temptations only after sincere struggles. Mr. Wilkinson points out that the best way to avoid evil is not to be tempted in the first place. "Without temptation, we will not sin." So this text encouraged me to ask even more for being kept away from evil. Naturally, the Lord's Prayer does that, but this important point had been partially lost on me until I read this book.

Beyond those Biblical insights, I also learned from Mr. Wilkinson's experiences. He takes on big tasks, uses the Jabez prayer, and keeps track of how things work out. I, too, believe in the power of prayer. It had never occurred to me to keep a journal about my experiences with prayer. I am sure that there is much to be learned.

My own interpretation of the book and the prayer is that it is just another example of God's listening to and answering our prayers. So I felt encouraged to pray, rather than to use only this specific prayer. I did find myself revising some prayers that I am fond of to incorporate elements of the Jabez prayer.

Mr. Wilkinson also sets a good example that I intend to follow. He walks up to strangers and says, "How can I help you?" Now, I do that with people who call me on the telephone and people I work with. It had never occurred to me to do so with strangers, but it is probably more helpful with strangers. I look forward to the experiences I will have as a result.

If you are like me, it will be hard to tell where Biblical interpretation ends and witnessing begins in this book. I'm not sure it's all that important to draw a line between them. The key thing is to feel closer to God and God's wisdom and love. I certainly did after reading The Prayer of Jabez. I pray that you will too!

What else can you pray for that may serve God's purposes in more ways that you have not considered before?