Have you put God in a box?

1 Chronicles 4:9-10 “Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, “Because I bore him in pain.” ¹⁰ 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.” (NKJV)

Many times when we pray, we put God in a box by what we ask for in prayer. When we take a look at the prayer of Jabez, one of the first things we notice is that Jaybez did not put a limit on what he was asking God for. Jaybez asked God to enlarge his territory, but did not ask for a specific amount. “And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying “Oh that you would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory”.  This kind of praying will take the limits off of what God can do for us.

Our thought life can have an effect on our prayer life. If we think small or continue to have small thoughts, then we will continue to pray small prayers.

Proverbs 23:7 “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he” (NKJV)  

Instead of praying and asking God for a new car, we can pray and ask God for a car dealership. This way when the prayer is answered, we not only receive a blessing for ourselves, but will be in a position to bless others also. We have enlarged our territory and have not put God “in a box”.

This kind of praying will require faith and believing, without having any doubt.

Matthew 21:21-22  “ So Jesus answered and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done. ²² And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.” (NKJV)

We serve a God that has no limits; He is bigger than big and larger than large. God can do anything but fail. So when we come to him asking, we must believe that He hears and will answer our prayer.

Mark 11:24 “Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. (NKJV)

Jabez also reached out to God for guidance in receiving the enlarged territory. Receiving “enlarged territory” comes with having “enlarged responsibilities”, and a person has to be very careful with what God has blessed them with. Jabez wanted to be sure that he was being led by God      in making the right decisions “that Your hand would be with me”, and also not to become greedy or hurt others with the blessing he received “and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!”  God heard the petition from Jabez and granted everything that was asked for “So God granted him what he requested.”

The prayer of Jabez is a powerful example of the kind of prayer that not only will take the limits off of God, but also will not put “God in a box”.

“God I thank you for not being a God of limits. From this day forward, let the prayers of the righteous be without limits, and outside of the box.”

“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.”

In Jesus name…Amen

Continuing in His service…Rev

Danger seen and unseen

Psalm 91:11-12 For He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you in all your ways. ¹² In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.

Angels are members of an order of heavenly beings created by God. These heavenly creations are superior to human beings both in power, intelligence and have several other functions. One of these other functions is providing “Devine Protection” for God’s people in times danger seen or unseen.

One example in the bible of angels providing “Devine Protection” to one of God’s people, is found in the book of Daniel.

Daniel 6:16 “So the king gave the command, and they brought Daniel and cast him into the den of lions, But the king spoke, saying to Daniel, “Your God whom you serve continually, He will deliver you.”

On the next morning, the King went to the den of lions where Daniel was, and cried out to Daniel asking the question, has your God delivered you from the lions? Daniel responded first by acknowledging the king, then told the king that God sent an angel to shut the lion’s mouth.

God will also use nature as a source of “Devine Protection” for His people.

Exodus 14:19-20 “And the Angel of God, who went before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud went from before them and stood behind them. Vs.20 So it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel. Thus it was a cloud and darkness to the one, and it gave light by night to the other, so that the one did not come near the other all that night.”

Here we see in these two verses that God used a cloud to protect the Israelites from the army of the Egyptians.

When it was time to cross the Red Sea, God again used nature as a source of “Devine Protection” for His people by parting the waters, which would enable the Israelites to cross over on dry land.

Exodus 14:21 “Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea into dry land, and the waters were divided. 22 So the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea on the dry ground, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.”

What God uses to protect His people, He can also use to destroy their enemies.

Exodus 14:27-28 “And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and when the morning appeared, the sea returned to its full depth, while the Egyptians were fleeing into it. So the Lord overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea. 28 Then the waters returned and covered the chariots, the horsemen, and all the army of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them. Not so much as one of them remained.”

God can, and will show Himself strong, and personally walk side by side with His people in the midst of danger with “Devine Protection”. The bible records God doing this with the three Hebrew boys that were thrown into the fiery furnace at king Nebuchadnezzar’s command.

Daniel 3:23-25 “And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. 24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished; and he rose in haste and spoke, saying to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.” 25 “Look!” he answered, “I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.”

Father in heaven, thank you for providing “Divine Protection” to your people and remaining true to your word that “No weapon formed against us will prosper.” In Jesus name…Amen!

Continuing in His service…Rev

Change

Romans 12:2 “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way that you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect”. (NLT)

When a person continues to do what they have always done, that person will continue to get the same results.

If it isn’t broken, then it doesn’t need to be fixed. A change is needed when a person is not satisfied with the results they are getting. If you want better, you have to do better.

How a change is being made can have an impact on the outcome of the change. When someone allows themselves to be conformed, their change is coming from outside pressure. When a person’s change is coming from being transformed, their change is starting from the inside.

Over a period of time when change has not occurred, a person can become comfortable with a situation or what has been happening. This can be identified as being in a “comfort zone”.

If someone is comfortable with being in a “comfort zone”, it can be difficult to make a decision to make or accept a change that will move that person out of their “comfort zone”.

Hebrews 12 1:2 “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. 2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.^* Because of the joy^* awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne”. (NLT)

Fear can be looked at as a weight that will slow down a change that a person is trying to make. Because of fear, a person may be reluctant to making a change from what they know, to something that is unknown or different.

Over coming fear can start with the way a person thinks and their thoughts. In other words making a change can start with the way a person thinks.

Philippians 4:8-9 “And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise”. (NLT)

Changing the way a person thinks, can start with changing what is being focused on.

Colossians 3:2 “Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth”. (NLT)

Focusing on the supernatural, and not the natural can give strength and vision to someone that wants, and is trying to make a change.

Father in heaven, it is my prayer that your people who are called by your Name, will look to You for strength, vision and wisdom that will help them make the needed changes their lives to live victorious lives. In Jesus name…Amen.

Continuing in His service…Rev