Quote from Forum Archives on March 30, 2001, 3:34 pm

Posted by: masinick <masinick@...>

Dear friends,

The title for today's message comes from a prayer. If you
are familiar with 2 Chronicles 7:14, you may recognize the
phrase. It is the same words that Michael Card uses in his
song, "If My People..." These words are used as part of
a theme for the National Day of Prayer, which I will be
mentioning again in the upcoming days. I refer to these
words below, in my introduction to this week's Sowing
Seeds of Faith devotional.

Here is this week's message from Larry Davies. In case you
haven't noticed before, Larry uses creative stories to help us
to understand important truths about ourselves. This week, he
continues to write about The Prayer of Jabez. This time, he
manages to relate this prayer to playing the game, 'Mousetrap'.

I pray that we are not caught in a trap by our own intricate
ways, as the game teaches. Read Larry's story and see if you
catch how important it is to be part of the body of Christ, as
the apostle Paul writes about in Romans.

Dear Lord, may we be as direct with you as Jabez. I have a
feeling that Jabez really sought You, Lord. We don't know much
about him for sure, but we do know from Your Word that You
desire a relationship with us, but we also know that You are
Holy, and we cannot even begin to approach You unless our hearts
are right. Therefore, my first prayer is that You would help us
see the uncleanness of our individual deeds and confess our need
to be cleansed and changed. My second prayer is that You would
change our hearts, so that we would be more like Jabez. My
third prayer is that you would touch our nation and our world,
honoring the promise You made in 2 Chronicles 7:14: "...if my
people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and
pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will
I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal
their land."

Brother Brian
=============

"Spiritual Gifts, The Prayer of Jabez and 'Mousetrap'"
by Larry Davies

Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special
function, so it is with Christ's body. We are all parts of his
one body and each of us has different work to do. And since we
are all one body in Christ, we belong to each other and each of
us needs all the others. (Romans 12:4-5)

If you walk by my office this week, you may be concerned about
my sanity or at least my work habits. Why would a preacher take
time out from a hectic schedule to play, 'Mousetrap'? But it's
so exciting! Watch. 'This is the crank' that turns the shoe'
that kicks the marble back and forth down the stairs' then rolls
down the chute' that moves the hand' that drops the marble
through the thing-a-mi-jig into the tub' that flips the diver'
into the pool' that triggers the cage' that traps the mouse!'

Isn't this fun? No, I'm not crazy! (Well, maybe a little.)
'Mousetrap' is an interesting way to explain how a church
functions. (You are crazy!) No, I'm serious. The game is a
fascinating mixture of cranks, marbles, stairs, chutes, tubs,
divers and pools all designed to trigger a cage that traps a
mouse. But if you remove even one piece from the formula' the
trap no longer works and the mouse goes free.

How is that like a church? Well, A church is an interesting
mixture of preachers, teachers, musicians, secretaries, youth,
children, single adults, families, new Christians, old
Christians, laborers and sales people all designed to trigger an
atmosphere of encouragement that will help you deepen your
relationship with God, discover your spiritual gifts and use
them to reach out to others. But if you remove even one piece
from the formula, the church weakens and others remain
unreached.

But pieces have been removed from the formula! As I wrote last
week, the church is not doing well. A survey taken among active
Christians discovered that most of us never or rarely encourage
someone to believe in God, seldom talk about our faith and
rarely pray or read the Bible. If this is true then how can the
church change? A friend recommended that I read, The Prayer of
Jabez by Bruce Wilkinson.

There is a virtually unknown Bible character hidden in First
Chronicles named Jabez, whose name means, 'pain.' What a name!
After giving birth, his mother names him 'pain.' Yet, Jabez
apparently overcame his 'painful' background because he alone is
singled out as being blessed by God. Why? Because Jabez said a
prayer and God granted his request. Obviously, this is a very
special prayer.

So, let's examine this prayer more carefully:

1.Oh, that you would bless me indeed: sounds selfish at first
but Bruce Wilkinson describes blessings as supernatural favors
from God. Asking for a blessing is seeking the power of God to
flow through you. You are requesting miracles so don't be
surprised when God provides.

2.And enlarge my territory: challenges you to go beyond what is
comfortable. Today as you begin your day ask God to look for
someone or something new in your life. Take risks for God.

3.That your hand would be with me: Stepping beyond what is
comfortable can be dangerous. You are in uncharted territory.
Ask for God's Hand to look after you.

4.And that you would keep me from evil: is simple recognition
that you will be tempted in so many ways. Your success with this
prayer can cause feelings of no longer needing God. There are
more distractions and more temptations. A reminder that you
always need God.

Here is the Prayer of Jabez challenge from the book: Every day
for thirty days, use this prayer as often as possible. Paste
copies wherever you can easily see it. 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. Then simply be alert
for what opportunities God sends your way. Will you take the
challenge with me'

Now, I'm excited! I anticipate a 'Mousetrap' church coming
together. As you and your church begin to pray, God starts the
miracle: The crank is turning and the shoe kicks the marble down
the stairs then rolls down the chute that moves the hand that
drops another marble through the thing-a-mi-jig into the tub
that flips the diver into the pool that triggers the cage that
traps the' well, that's the exciting part!

Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special
function, so it is with Christ's body...

Larry's Latest Book is Out!

Hot Issues

A Christian Response:

Judgment or Ministry'

What are some of the toughest issues we face as Christians: Sex,
Suicide, Homosexuality, Money, Abortion, Racism, Death, Divorce'
Hot Issues contains twenty-two devotions that will do much more
than simply answer your questions. You will be changed.

"I am sitting here with tears streaming down my face .. thankful
to Jesus that after hours of surfing the net ... typing in the
words "Christian & Divorce" over and over again .. reading
endless opinions (mostly condemnation and hopelessness) feeling
that perhaps my best bet would be to drive my car over a bridge
rather then face the rest of my life as a divorced Christian
woman I came across Larry's "From Ashes to Soap" and God caused
a tiny glimmer of hope to rise up in me .."

Larry Davies,
Sowing Seeds of Faith, taken from the Web site
www.sowingseedsoffaith.com/weeklydev.htm

Last modified March 29, 2001.

=====
--
Brian Masinick, "The Mas", mailto:masinick@yahoo.com
Home page: www.geocities.com/masinick/
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