“The Prayer of Jabez: A Prayer, Not A Model” The prayer of Jabez has become much more than a biblical narrative exemplifying God’s Grace of answered prayer. With the help of Bruce Wilkinson’s book “The Prayer of Jabez,” this single prayer has been magnified to millions as a model prayer to unlock a life of blessing. Unfortunately, the prayer of Jabez was never meant to be a model prayer for blessing. Yet, like so many promising and obscure “Christian” trends, Wilkinson’s book has spread like wildfire. Even our churches are buying into this pragmatic mindset. “Christians,” not just business owners, seem to crave a formula for success. They want a prayer that guarantees the profit of blessing. Yet scripture never describes prayer as a formula that moves the Almighty, but as an avenue of fellowship with Him. There is great danger in making a pattern out of the prayer of Jabez. The concept is not Biblical. Christians are not beggars begging daily for God’s blessing. Such an attitude is insulting to a God who has given us every spiritual blessing in Christ upon our salvation.
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“ An Educational Sermon ” Everyone should have a chance to hear this sermon, because the Bile tells us not to be ignorant. This sermon will help you know the trust and the truth will set you free.
Joseph Rennie Woody, Jr. (3/30/2010)
from Brazil
“ Great Sermon! ” A sermon to open our ears and our discernment. Here in Brazil the Prayer of Jabez has swept through churches and left people hungering for instant rewards from God. This sermon is right on target. Want to translate/Transcribe it.
JRWoody, Jr.
Marie (8/19/2004)
from Houston
“ Great Sermon! ” Congratulations! God Bless you!
I'm also looking for work. It's tough, but I know I can rely on the Lord for strength when things get tough :-)
Gale Toufexis (8/17/2004)
from Montreal, Canada
“ Requested Forgiveness from Church ” Thank-you so much for your godly insight to this topic. I had read the book and was hoping that it would take me into a more financial sound place.... But God had other plans. We had learn to rely on God, as we were out of work for 14 months. The hardest time however, the most blessed. After my husband received a job I heard this message, I was so overwhelmed with guilt, due to the fact that I had highly reccommended it to my church, in our Church Herald. I got up the following Sunday to ask for Forgiveness for my inability to discern the truth. It is humbling but God gave me the grace to do so. I listen to a sermon a day from your wealth of sermons, but not only listen but apply the truths that I have learned. Praise our Heavenly Father because of His willing servant.
Michael (5/19/2004)
from Hixson, TN
“ Appreciate This Sermaon ” What a wonderful example of letting the Scriptures be light in giving us clear discernment in something that would lead us astray from what is obedient to God.
Aaron Crawford (3/27/2004)
from West Swanzey, NH
“ This sermon spoke my mind ” This sermon speaks my mind pretty much on what what the book represents as a whole. It's disturbing sometimes to have some of these types of books such as "The Prayer of Jabez" on the market today. In many ways books like these reflect the moneychanger attitude that many Christians have today. I agree with Brother Caldwell in the fact that I have more of a problem with the Jabez book being associated with people who believe the Bible to be the infallible word of God than if the book was in the hands of non Bible Christians. If I was unsaved (and I was at the time when Jabez came out)and I see some of the movements like the Jabez movement, I would be repelled from Christ if the Jabez movement was Biblical. God Bless you brother!!
OLive (6/24/2002)
“ Honest speech! ” North American church is not very uplifting and could face their spiritual reality as they should do. It is encouraged that this pastor could point out some of the sickness among the church. With blessed logics and biblical doctrins, the speech is refreshing and uplifting.
Phillip Montano (4/16/2002)
from New Mexico
“ Great Sermon! ” Insightful sermon! I appreciate the beacon of light that Pastor Caldwell sheds on this very controversial prayer. Thankfully all discernment is not lost in this generation of murky christianity, shown by Pastor Caldwell's exortation and knowledge of the word of God. This sermon is also tactfull in giving us the wise insight that its not just one author's confusion of the word of God, but a matter of the heart of the church. "Our God is Sovereign and will NOT be minipulated!" Well said and God Bless.
Geoff Bishop (4/5/2002)
from Sydney Australia
“ Great Sermon! ” Richards closing remark that " Our God is Sovereign and cannot and will not be manipulated " is a message that we need to give urgent attention to regarding this particular book and others like it and the plethora of preachers and television evangelists who seem to think that God is some sort of sugar daddy who will give the petitioner anything he or she wants as long as they ask for it long and often enough. How sad that we try and reduce the true and living God, terrible in majesty,glorious in holiness and abundant in mercy who loved us so much that He was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself and bore our sins in His own body on a tree, to reduce Him to a mere request granter. We urgently need revival and it must start in our own hearts and probably with these words..Oh wretched man that I am..
Geoff Bishop
Sydney Australia
Mike Betancourt (2/24/2002)
from North Charleston, SC, USA
“ Very helpful Sermon! ” As I was listening I was struck with the thought of just how much the American Church suffers from Biblical illiteracy--not just in facts but in understanding what our position in Christ really is. In Him we are wealthly beyond comprehension and are afforded every spiritual blessing, yet we act as paupers who have been deprived and thus must manipulate God to bless as if He were relunctant to do so. Thank God we don't need "gnostic" keys to open doors that promise feelings of spiritual euphoria or that advertise a higher plane of spiritual experience.
The other thing that struck me is that for the most part the average Christian has seemingly lost his will to discern for fear of being labeled either "too negative" or "legalistic." We are seemingly more oriented towards "what works" and jumping on the bandwagon rather than taking the time to analyze every fad or trend with the accurate and skillful use of God's word. We have become too lazy and careless. Thanks for uploading this sermon.
Deb (2/16/2002)
“ Thank You! Great Sermon! ” Thank you, Thank you for speaking out. I knew there wasn't something right about this new trend, but I just couldn't put my finger on it. Praise be to God! I highly recommend this sermon.
christian (2/15/2002)
from Sydney, Australia
“ wise, biblical, Christ-centred arguing ” Richard Caldwell has argued convincingly that Bruce Wilkinson has carelessly mishandled the word of God and that:
1) The Jabez prayer is not a model prayer
2) Its content is not consistent with how we are instructed to pray by Jesus
3) The notion of prayer repitition is also opposed to Jesus's teaching
4) The key to real blessing in life is not the prayer of Jabez but rather it is Jesus Christ
Now please download it and listen for yourselves!
Mike E. (2/9/2002)
from Long Beach, CA
“ Thanks For Your Insight ” Great sermon. Very true and Biblically based. Everyone needs to hear this in order to question those who practice the Prayer of Jabez.
Joseph Mawhinney (9/30/2001)
from Carrickfergus, Co. Antrim
“ Great Sermon! ” A really helpful sermon. You have confirmed what I was thinking but you have pinpointed the various reasons very clearly. I would have liked a printed copy but was unable to do so. God bless you.
Matt Bjorklund (9/4/2001)
from St. Paul, MN
“ Excellent! ” I wish more people could hear this message. Many of my friends and family have become hostages to the superstitous use of this prayer. May God use this message to reach all those who have been decieved by "The Prayer of Jabez".
ToddL (8/21/2001)
from Dallas TX
“ Could not agree more!!! ” Pastor Caldwell has put his finger
directly on the problems with the
JABEZ phenomenon that is sweeping
the church.
This is a MUST listen to anyone who
has either read the book already or
is curious about the book.
Way to go Pastor Caldwell.
TL
David Sturgeon (8/12/2001)
from Charlotte Harbor FL
“ Great Sermon! ” A much needed presentation,I might go one step further and suggest what many call "The Lord,s Prayer" is not a model for repetition in the Body of Christ to day ,but for the setting up of the Kingdom of Heaven as in our Lord's earthly ministry, and again in Tribulation days when the 144,000 present the claims of the Crucified,Risen,Glofified,Soon Coming Lord of Glory to the Mount of Olives. These will be days when the Kingdom is in question,when bread is scarce, when the Glory has left the House.
Repetition of this prayer may be the norm during Tribulation days by many who are willing to lay down their lives for the Testimony of Jesus, but in spite of it all ,Israel will say when they see Him in His Glory, "What are these wounds in Thine hands,and He shall say unto them, these are they with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.
May the Lord richly bless your ministry for His Glory.
Karen Stepina (8/9/2001)
from Billings, MT
“ Thank You So Much! ” Keep standing on the Word of God and telling the truth! Keep on defending our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ!
The Rev. Mr. Daniel Berry (8/6/2001)
from Newport News, VA
“ Great Sermon! ” This sermon was exceptionally helpful in setting the record straight on the prayer of Jabez. Often, we feel that something may not be quite right in a particular trend among Christians, but we may not be able to pinpoint quite why we feel uncomfortable. Well, Richard Caldwell, Jr. pinpoints it--and does it respectfully, cogently, thoroughly, and in an outstanding fashion! Many thanks.
Richard Caldwell Jr. is the Pastor-Teacher at Founders Baptist Church. Richard and his wife Jacque have been married for 24 years and have four children, Richard III, Amber, Christopher and Reagan. Richard has served at Founders Baptist (previously named Spring Memorial) since...
