Prior Book | Prior Chapter | Prior Verse | Next Verse | Next Chapter | Next Book | Viewing NASB and Amplified 2015 | |
NASB | 1 Chronicles 4:10 Now Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, "Oh that You would bless me indeed and enlarge my border, and that Your hand might be with me, and that You would keep me from harm that it may not pain me!" And God granted him what he requested. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | 1 Chronicles 4:10 Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, saying, "Oh that You would indeed bless me and enlarge my border [property], and that Your hand would be with me, and You would keep me from evil so that it does not hurt me!" And God granted his request. |
Subject: Is prayer of Jabez special? |
Bible Note: Joe, my only "anger" towards you is that you said the words and I didn't! I believe you ventured into the realm of giving a powerful, moving testimony -- something we don't read often enough these days from believers. You "brought the barn down" in the style of some of the old-time gospel preachers, going as far back as the one who was not ashamed of the gospel of Christ. Paul, I believe his name was. Each generation has its own peculiar inventory of fads and gimmicks within the Christian community. Today it is the curious marriage of "feel good" religion and end-times stuff, or eschatology. A generation or two ago, the "positive thinking" sub-culture was the train to ride if one really expected to go places in this world. Its gurus went about chanting the mantra "think positive. think positive, go to church, pray positive prayers and you will be healthy, wealthy and wise. God was a tool in the positive thinker's tool kit to be used to make him succcessful. Eternal salvation was, if anything, an incidental benefit for those who might feel they needed it...In our time, reading entertaining Bible stories based on "fact" and so-called Christian fiction is a deplorable substitute for feeding directly upon the life-changing Word of God. I happen to know some people who devour avidly the latest release of this or that "Christian" book, and who can recall the minute details of many of these books, but who would be hard-pressed to name the books that constitute the Torah. I taught an adult Sunday school class for 25 years. I am amazed still by the scant knowledge that so many Christians have of the Bible. It reminds me of the story of some years ago, when Cecil B. DeMille was making all those epic pictures of Bible times. Just days before the release of his epic called "The Bible" two blue-haired old ladies were sitting in a church pew, chatting away before the beginning of the service. One asked the other, "Ethel, have you ever read the Bible through and through?" To which Ethel replied, "Well, Mildred, I've started it several times, but I can't seem to get much past Genesis. I suppose now I'll just wait and see the movie." Ethel is still among us. --Hank |