Heroic Living - How do we do this?

Heroic Living - How do we do this? (ex. Prayer of Jabez)

Heroic Living!   What does that mean to be heroic?  It is defined as behavior or talk that is bold or dramatic, especially excessively or unexpectedly so.   Jabez was a man who desired to be bold, follow God, in unexpected ways. He talked with Him. He asked Him to use him. Is this what praying is, just talking to God, asking for opportunities to serve him?  

I talk with God each day, much more than I use to...Why? I think it has something to do with believing He is hearing me, that He cares to hear what I have to say, to complain about, and to ask for. I want Him to do unexpected things in my life. To use me!

The Prayer of Jabez may sound self-serving, however, when we start our day, talking with God, asking Him to be the Lord of our lives, we are asking for His Will to be done!  

Located in 1 Chronicles, where the descendants of Judah are listed, here the Bible notes how Jabez is an honorable man, more than his brothers. We find information about Jabez, and that “He was the one who prayed to the God of Israel…

Oh, that you would bless me and expand my territory!  Please be with me in all I do and keep me from all trouble and pain! And God granted him his request.

(1 Chronicles 4:10 NLT)

In this prayer, we are making God the center of our life, we are asking Him:

• To bless me
• To use me
• To guard my thoughts and actions
• To keep me protected from all evil!

When we are like Jabez, and we want God to be the Lord of our life, we make it a priority to talk with God. I think about how I have struggled to know the right way to go, before I started to include God in my decisions. The weight felt heavier, in the past. Today, I feel relieved to have someone so powerful to have the ability to chime in on my decisions. I do not feel alone now.

We are asking God to take His rightful place as Lord over our work, our family time, and our recreation, when we are including Him in our decisions, choices, and thoughts.

Living in this fallen world, as we do, filled with sin – it is important to ask God to protect us from ALL evil – Our evil thoughts, evil desires, evil actions and reactions!

For Matthew 7:7 tells us what to do for effective prayer, as we align our self with Him:

“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.”

Obeying God in daily responsibilities is Heroic Living!

Are you living heroically?

 

 Rita Shipman, MCC

480-861-4487

Rita is a Christian Counselor who wishes to help others to grow in their relationship with God. Rita has found that God's Will for her life is to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with as many people as possible. She enjoys searching through scripture to grow in understanding and knowledge of God's Ways, Truth and Life. "To be supremely happy with Him in the next" (Serenity Prayer).


Challenge you:  Say this prayer every morning, for a week, and see if God's Power is evident in each new day!