"He Is Listening"

Today the message the Lord gave me to share is about a truth that all too often is taken for granted or even neglected by His people.  He would remind us by having us take a look at a guy who is not necessarily someone that everyone hears very much about, especially since he didn't do something incredibly amazing like parting the Red Sea the way Moses did. He didn't miraculously defeat a giant named Goliath like David did with just a slingshot and a stone and he wasn't one who took down the walls of Jericho with a shout like Joshua. He didn't make an uncompromising stand for God by facing lions in a lions den or get thrown in a fiery furnace for not bowing to idols. He isn't at all famous for doing something extraordinary or miraculous. But! And here is the thing, he did do something that the Lord  wishes we as His people would dare to do a little more often.

So, what great feat did he do that merits the Lord's reminder to us today? 

The truth is he actually did the one thing that you and I not only can do but should be doing!

He talked with God believing that God was listening!

So, as you may have guessed the person we're talking about today is a guy named Jabez and we can find him in 1 Chronicles 4:9-10. He only gets two verse and his story is simply this...Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, "Because I bore him in pain." 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." ...Did you catch his claim to  fame?

The amazingly simple thing he did that has made him famous was simply ...to cry out to God! It is called...

His claim to fame was that he was a man who prayed his prayer in faith believing ... And God granted him his request! The key to his claim to fame is not just that he dared to ask but to receive as well because God granted him is request.

He simply asked God ... to bless him, ... to give him favor by enlarging his territory, ...to be with him, and ...to help not to sin and cause others pain. He simply put the desires of his heart before God who not only heard his prayer but as it says,  'He granted him his request' which simply means ... He got what he wanted!

"And all things, whatever you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive." Matthew 21:22

"And I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Luke 11:9-10

"If you ask anything in My name, I will do it." John 14:14

"If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives it liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, ..." James 1:5-6a

"Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, an you will have them." Marl 11:24

"If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you." John 15:7

The effective fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. Elijah was a man with a nature like our, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit. James 5:16b-18

And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. 1 John 3:22

Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him. 1 John 5:14-15

Jabez's claim to fame?

His hearts desire laid before THE GOD he knew was listening!  He believed that ...
   
     The Lord is near to all who call upon Him,
     To all who call upon Him in truth. Psalm 145:18

I challenge you to take time today and everyday to trust Him with your hearts desires! His heart is that we as His people would  takethe time to talk with Him! He hears our prayers, and as our heavenly Father, it is His heart to give us the kingdom!

His heart is Indeed: ... to bless you, ...to give you favor, ...to prosper your way, ...to help you in EVERY area of your life.   ...TAKE THE TIME TO ASK...HE IS LISTENING!

God Bless!!!