1 Chronicles 4:9-10 ~ that Your Hand might be with me

 

1 Chronicles 4:9-10

Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. 

And his mother called his name Jabez, saying, “Because I bore him in pain.”

 10 Jabez called upon the God of Israel, saying, “Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my border, and that your hand might be with me, and that you would keep me from harm so that it might not bring me pain!”

And God granted what he asked.

We are familiar with Jabez. This was a huge prayer of all the Church in the 1990s. Oddly, we were all dressed in black, like the movie the "Matrix" at the time. Isn't it a dichotomy of light and dark? And going with this thought, 1 Chronicles 4 is about listing family. Jabez is also listed by God Himself as a descendant of Judah. The Tribe of Jesus and David.

I'd place bets, this is similar to God's Book of Life. A glimpse of Heaven.

We would all like to know how God would be moved to answer this Blessing!

And there is something to say about this Blessing.
As Father God removed Jesus from this life, Jesus said will have troubles; For Jabez - there was no more journey, or adventure or anything worth writing about. We know Jabez isn't permanently marked as being in the cemetery as dead forever, yet there is no more to the story. These few verses have a finality.

Most of our ideas, thoughts and dreams come from what we have witnessed in others.
The Bible teaches us in relationship how life Progresses. We are built to love and care for others. To have the Light of Jesus Christ making Light and Life.









This is Most Certainly, not, a Jabez Portion of Life.
When the decades progress, what will you tell of this time? What is the story of, the glory of - Love? It's not a Jabez Season. You might want to think about Your Story for the Generation Yet Unborn.

Fewer places to go in life with the present changes.

Jeremiah suffered many seasons of some pretty terrible life.

Jeremiah 33:1-4

While Jeremiah was still locked up in the courtyard of the guards,
the message from the Lord came to him a second time:
“The Lord made the earth, and he keeps it safe. The Lord is his name.

He says, 
 ‘Judah, pray to me, and I will answer you. I will tell you important secrets. You have never heard these things before.’ 4 The Lord is the God of Israel.

When we move past a time of extreme emotions, people become dissatisfied. And they are more fortunate, but less willing to put themselves in emotional places that aren't fulfilling. It's easier to become lukewarm to life.  We also pray, in our times of difficulties, to keep our hearts warm.

How did Jeremiah survive even before God's Word arrived? He believed.

Jeremiah 1

6 Then I said, “Ah, Lord God! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth.” 7 But the Lord said to me,

“Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’;
for to all to whom I send you, you shall go,
and whatever I command you, you shall speak.
8 Do not be afraid of them,
for I am with you to deliver you,
declares the Lord.”

18 And I, behold, I make you this day a fortified city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls, against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests, and the people of the land. 19 They will fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you, for I am with you, declares the Lord, to deliver you.”

We sometimes wonder about Jeremiah.

What became of him? History tells us the captives of Nebuchadnezzar II, in Babylon, received many letters from Jeremiah encouraging them and they drew profound strength from the Word of God in the Holy Spirit in Jeremiah.

God's Word never goes unfilled. Jeremiah had God's Promise. Jeremiah was directed to plan on, to purchase  settling in Jerusalem's area and stay. We know what happened to Jeremiah.

Romans 12. Jesus fulfills every dot and iota.

Holy and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.

2 Do not
be conformed to this world,
but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

Then you will be able to discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.
For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but think of yourself with sober judgment, according to the measure of faith God has given you.

Jabez has lived with the waters of trouble pulled from him. Pain is removed. God's Word tells us Jabez is filled.

Wouldn't we see:

Not conforming to the world.
Transformation and renewal of the mind.

Discerning goodness, pleasing God and seeking Him first to find His Perfect Will.
Some humility. Knowing what is what.
Sober judgment.
And a measure of faith God has given as a gift.

1 Chronicles 4:9-10

Jabez was more honorable than his brothers; and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, “Because I bore him in pain.” 10 Jabez called upon the God of Israel, saying, “Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my border, and that your hand might be with me, and that you would keep me from harm so that it might not bring me pain!” And God granted what he asked.

Jabez was pretty impudent to ask God. Beyond his circumstances labelled by life.

Jesus found Jairus to be this honorable. And we do not see Jairus flop like a fish, create a scene, jump up and down saying he was the ruler of the Synagogue. Except like the woman from Tyre, Jairus really placed Himself at the feet of Jesus. And like the woman from Tyre, Jesus seemed too busy.

The Blessing of Jabez was not to feel pain. Jairus certainly did not give Jesus any pain or harm. He knew Jesus was God. Exactly like the woman from Tyre. The anger of man does not produce the Righteousness of God. According to James, who grew up with Jesus. Self-control is a Fruit of the Spirit - especially when addressing God Himself. A Blessing of Jabez, going along with faith and trust in the Goodness of God.

Jesus Christ is the Light of the world

Jesus Christ is the Light of mankind

Light has no borders or boundaries. † One of the most important images Jesus  is giving us.  

Jesus wants us to see in His Message Eternally is His Nature. 

Jesus is the Messiah of God. Both God and man.

Jesus is Light of the world

Abba, Father,

A Psalm of David

The earth is the Lord's 
and 
the fullness thereof
the world 
and those
 who dwell therein

He has founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the rivers.

Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord?

And who shall stand in His holy place?

4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
who does not lift up his soul to what is false
and does not swear deceitfully.

5 He will receive blessing from the Lord
and righteousness from the God of his salvation.

6 Such is the generation of those who seek him,
who seek the face of the God of Jacob. 
Selah!

 Lift up your heads, O gates!

And be lifted up, O ancient doors!

The King of glory may come in.

8 Who is this King of glory?

The Lord, strong and mighty,
the Lord, mighty in battle!

9 Lift up your heads, O gates!
And lift them up, O ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.

10 Who is this King of glory?

The Lord of hosts,
He is the King of glory! 
Selah!

♔ LORD JESUS SAVES †

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Psalm 19:14 ~ Lord, my rock and my redeemer †

 This week we considered the Widow of Zarepheth, not a Jew. And, today, we will look at the Prophetic gifts of Balaam. 

Balaam and the donkey are extremely memorable.

The broad stroke of God, the length God the Almighty goes to using only regular day to day tools in His own design. The Lord is overwhelmingly appealing!

Why would this be a subject for today? 
So many are so discouraged. We have to hold our Light brighter and realize God has not given up on so many.  If we feel strong armed at work or at home, God is not giving up. Renaissance mankind looked with expectancy God would act and bring forth good, in every day life.

Balaam left what we could consider rare published works. 

Balaam's history is found in caves of Jordan. This would have been about 1200 B.C. But the fragments are from 800 B.C. This could be the written history, of an oral history of Balaam. Or someone who impersonated Balaam. We don't know.   Jordan records Balaam as someone they considered worthy to read and consider.

In 1967, at Deir Alla, Jordan, archaeologists found 119 pieces of inked plaster containing an unknown prophecy by Balaam written in a previously unattested dialect with Aramaic and South Canaanite characteristics and employing an idiosyncratic script. The inscription is datable to circa 840–760 B.C. . Painted in red and black inks, apparently to emphasize the text, on fragments of a plastered wall. This is not the correct time frame. This would have been during Uzziah's reign. Perhaps it is another Balaam, or Balaam was still being quoted.

Agreeing with the Balaam testimony is John, Jesus' beloved disciple, Balaam as not part of the Children of Israel, instead working against them. Balaam tried to work within what God told him to do and tried to bring the Children of Israel down from within instead. Not good for Balaam.

Revelation 2:14
But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality.

Balaam held the interest of Jude, brother of Jesus:

Jude 1:11
What sorrow awaits them! For they follow in the footsteps of Cain, who killed his brother. Like Balaam, they deceive people for money. And like Korah, they perish in their rebellion.

Peter was also interested in Balaam.

2 Peter 2:15
Forsaking the right way, they have gone astray. They have followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved gain from wrongdoing,

What is remarkable of Balaam.... his defiance, bold resistance to opposing God or an angel of the Lord's authority.... to continue to do the wrong thing.

Numbers 22
²⁹ And Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have made a fool of me,
I wish I had a sword in my hand, for then I would kill you.” ³⁰ And the donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey, on which you have ridden all your life long to this day? Is it my habit to treat you this way?” And he said, “No.”

³¹ Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, with his drawn sword in his hand. And he bowed down and fell on his face. ³² And the angel of the LORD said to him, “Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out to oppose you because your way is perverse before me. ³³ The donkey saw me and turned aside before me these three times. If she had not turned aside from me, surely just now I would have killed you and let her live.”

³⁴ Then Balaam said to the angel of the LORD, “I have sinned, for I did not know that you stood in the road against me. Now therefore, if it is evil in your sight, I will turn back.” ³⁵ And the angel of the LORD said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but speak only the word that I tell you.”

Numbers 24

When Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he did not go, as at other times, to look for omens, but set his face toward the wilderness. ² And Balaam lifted up his eyes and saw Israel camping tribe by tribe. And the Spirit of God came upon him, ³ and he took up his discourse and said,

“The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor,
the oracle of the man whose eye is opened,
⁴ the oracle of him who hears the words of God,
who sees the vision of the Almighty,
falling down with his eyes uncovered:
⁵ How lovely are your tents, O Jacob,
your encampments, O Israel!
⁶ Like palm groves that stretch afar,
like gardens beside a river,
like aloes that the LORD has planted,
like cedar trees beside the waters.
⁷ Water shall flow from his buckets,
and his seed shall be in many waters;
his king shall be higher than Agag,
and his kingdom shall be exalted.

⁸ God brings him out of Egypt
and is for him like the horns of the wild ox;
he shall eat up the nations, his adversaries,
and shall break their bones in pieces
and pierce them through with his arrows.
⁹ He crouched, he lay down like a lion
and like a lioness; who will rouse him up?
Blessed are those who bless you,
and cursed are those who curse you.”

¹⁰ And Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he struck his hands together. And Balak said to Balaam, “I called you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have blessed them these three times. ¹¹ Therefore now flee to your own place. I said, ‘I will certainly honor you,’ but the LORD has held you back from honor.” ¹

² And Balaam said to Balak, “Did I not tell your messengers whom you sent to me, ¹³ ‘If Balak should give me his house full of silver and gold, I would not be able to go beyond the word of the LORD, to do either good or bad of my own will. What the LORD speaks, that will I speak’? ¹⁴ And now, behold, I am going to my people. Come, I will let you know what this people will do to your people in the latter days.”

It is up to each of us not turn from what we know is right. 

With the grace of God. God speaks to us in our hearts, we believe & He tells us this in the New Testament. God is good, forgiving and gracious in the way He records Balaam in the Book of Numbers; the New Testament says Balaam continued to work against God's anointed people.

Psalm 19:14

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart 

be acceptable in your sight, 

O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.

When the Prophet Nathan needed David to pay attention to the Lord.

Nathan told King David about the poor man with the beloved, one small lamb. He wanted to put aside the ire of the King, and put him where he was a good man, to set aside jokes. Nathan did so well, David repented and named one of his sons after Nathan. Nathan worked ard to reach David where he truly existed and lived. Just as Jesus crossed the Sea of Galilee to find the one person, Abba had planned for Jesus to meet and, probably, heal that day.

We know the area of Jordan, knew of Balaam and considered him to be of worthy spiritual merit. Perhaps this is why the Lord chose Balaam's lifelong pet and working companion. Elijah was sent horses. Noah was sent a Dove. Jesus spoke of Sparrows and of Hens and chicks. And Herod was described to be a Fox. The Psalmist spoke of what we consider to be whales, found to be more interested in people than we know, Leviathan. 

Abba, Father,

Blessed are those who Love the Lord.
Dwell in us and make us Glad.

Dwell in us and make us mindful of Your Glory.

Dwell in us and be our Salvation in each moment of our lives.

Bring this Love to those we Love.

Teach us and lead us to always seek You first.

And our expectations for Heaven on earth will 

change our perspective daily.

We ask You to finish well.

This week I saw an altercation between

a store clerk and an elderly woman.

This really came to insults, and fortunately for the woman

who was threatening the young store clerk, his job,

his employer was standing there placing moderation

and polite remarks to make sensible human beings again.

We pray for this Nation

when all this anger occurs

in our decisions made during times

we feel we have not 'Lived'. Pandemic times.

We ask the Lord God, Father of us all,

to encourage us in Your Mercy.

Today, we remembered

we are all ok, yes Ok, Okay Yes.

OKAY, YES. Really, suddenly not so ok.

And this is the stress of Pandemic.

And after self adapting, we are alright again

and helped by Jesus Christ, Helper.

We pray the peace and God's mercy on those who are ill,

the young and the old,

those who endure,

those who grieve

and those who adapt and help others.

We ask these prayers in expectation,

Jesus Christ is the Highest Name given by You, Father.

Our Salvation. Amen.

Abba, Father,

In Jesus Christ, we will never give up.

Jesus the God of ALL.

Jesus, we pray Life and healing

Joy and Love in all of us.

Jesus, God of Encouragement.

Jesus, Hope and Future.

Jesus the Lord

saves the world

Amen.

♔ LORD JESUS SAVES †

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2 Corinthians 7 ~ I rejoice, because I have complete confidence in you

Exodus 33

Moses asked: If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people.” 

14 The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, 

and I will give you rest.”

1 Thessalonians 4:16

For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.

  

Philippians 1:6

Being confident of this, 

that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion 

until the day of Christ Jesus.  

  

1 Corinthians 1:8

He will sustain you to the end, 

so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

  

  

Philippians 2:16

as you hold forth the word of life, in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain.

2 Corinthians 1:5

  you have already understood us in part, so that you may boast of us just as we will boast of you in the day of our Lord Jesus. 15 Confident of this, I planned to visit you first, so that you might receive a double blessing.  

  

Philippians 1:25,26

And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith 

  

Daniel 4:3

How great are His signs, how mighty His wonders! 

His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, 

and His dominion endures from generation to generation.

Daniel 6:27 

He delivers and rescues; He performs signs and wonders in the heavens

 and on the earth, for He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions 

 John 14:1 

 Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. Baptize others.

 Matthew 28:19 

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, 

baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of

 the Holy Spirit

Mark 16:15

  He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation."

2 Corinthians 7

Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.

2 Make room in your hearts for us. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have taken advantage of no one. 3 I do not say this to condemn you, for I said before that you are in our hearts, to die together and to live together. 4 I am acting with great boldness toward you; I have great pride in you; I am filled with comfort. In all our affliction, I am overflowing with joy.

5 For even when we came into Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were afflicted at every turn—fighting without and fear within. 6 But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, 7 and not only by his coming but also by the comfort with which he was comforted by you, as he told us of your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced still more. 8 For even if I made you grieve with my letter, I do not regret it—though I did regret it, for I see that that letter grieved you, though only for a while. 9 As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us.

10 For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death. 11 For see what earnestness this godly grief has produced in you, but also what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what punishment! At every point you have proved yourselves innocent in the matter. 12 So although I wrote to you, it was not for the sake of the one who did the wrong, nor for the sake of the one who suffered the wrong, but in order that your earnestness for us might be revealed to you in the sight of God. 

13 Therefore we are comforted.

And besides our own comfort, we rejoiced still more at the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been refreshed by you all. 14 For whatever boasts I made to him about you, I was not put to shame. But just as everything we said to you was true, so also our boasting before Titus has proved true.  

And his affection for you is even greater, as he remembers the obedience of you all, how you received him with fear and trembling. 16 I rejoice, because I have complete confidence in you.

When we find the richness of this Chapter, 

we see

Promises of God, Reverence, His Holiness. Covered. 

Belief Billy Graham was right, this will turn out.

Making Room in our hearts. 

Comfort, in trouble finding, boldly finding comfort, overflow with Joy.

Meaningful Life.

Real Life.

Fighting fear. Affliction.

Finding Comfort. Fellowship.  Changing to pleasing God. With a great amount of emotion:

earnestness this godly grief has produced in you, but also what eagerness 

to clear yourselves, 

what indignation, 

what fear, 

what longing, 

what zeal, 

what punishment

Strong emotion. Not a life unlived.

And then we pick up what we have left and began with:

earnestness for us might be revealed to you in the sight of God

Comforted

Truth the affection is greater

Complete confidence 

and from seeing people who believe.

2 Corinthians 7, Papyrus 46

What would we see in the 2 Corinthians 7 passage, written by the Holy Spirit and Paul?

Something the world discovered separately in 1969:

The five stages of grief model, Kübler-Ross model, those experiencing grief go through a series of five emotions: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. Although commonly referenced in popular culture. The model was introduced by Swiss-American psychiatrist Elisabeth Kübler-Ross in her 1969 book On Death and Dying.

2 Corinthians 7 suggests something the Kübler-Ross model doesn't teach. Finding people who have gone through something similar and thrive, is a healing model God calls Fellowship. Titus is the one who lived with the Greek Dispersion and lived to ripe old age with Christianity, finding Joy and Mercy allowing this to flourish. Compassion with and from those who have lived through this, is our Biblical encouragement. 

Believing God is the beginning and the new acceptance of His Promises again.

Abba, Father,

Dwell in us, we ask in the Highest Name of Jesus.

Your Mercies Renew each day.

God of Love.

God of Encouragement.

Dwell in those we Love.

Let the Light of Jesus Christ be present in mankind.

Light of the world.

Through Him all things were made

without Him nothing was made

Jesus has the whole world in His Hands.

Jesus teaches we will always pray with Hope.

Yet to all who did receive Him,

to those who believe in His Name,

He gave the right 

to become

Children of God

To the Beloved child of God,

Grace, mercy and peace 

from God the Father

and Christ Jesus our Lord.

We remember and Thank God.

We ought always to thank God for you,

brothers and sisters loved by the Lord,

because God chose you as firstfruits

to be saved

through the sanctifying work

of the Spirit

and through belief in the truth.

We pray for India, Belgium, Germany

and Austria among many others, suffering Covid.

Jesus Christ is the way,

the truth

and the Life.

So that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.

To give to His people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, 

because of the tender mercy of our God, 

 by which the Sun will visit us from on high, 

 to shine on those who live in darkness and in the shadow of death, 

 to guide our feet into the path of peace.

Dear friends, 

although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share,

 contend for the faith 

that the Lord has once for all entrusted to us, 

His people.

You are my Beloved Child,

who I Love,

with you, 

I am well pleased.

Who comforts us in all our troubles,

so that we can comfort those in any trouble 

with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.           

          

May the God who gives endurance and encouragement 

give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had.

          

God did this so that, by two unchangeable things 

in which it is impossible for God to lie, 

we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged. 

Blessed to be taught to ask

more of Heaven upon this earth.

Blessed to be taught to pray with hope.

Blessed to be taught to know and seek and find

new mercies renewed each day.

And we know that God works all things together for the good 

of those who love Him, 

who are called according to His purpose.

Meaningful life

for the good

working for His purposes

Love Him.

          

May our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, 

who loved us and by His grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope. 

We pray

in the Highest Name

of Jesus Christ.

Amen.

  

♔ LORD JESUS SAVES †

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