Reading the Bible through with me? Then grab your pen and journal and read 1 Chronicles 4-6. In thirty-six chapters, this book records around five hundred names. None of them receives any greater biography than that of Jabez in 4:9-10. He was, without a doubt, a man of God. He was . . .
* Honorable - worthy of respect, living a life of faith and obedience
* Spiritually alert - in prayer, in God’s word, and in the community of Faith
* Properly mentored - someone had taught him, challenged him, and encouraged him in his private life and faith. The result was he had learned to pray with chutzpah. The pronunciation of this Hebrew word is “HOOTS pah.” It is more than strong-willed. It is audacious, a nerve that stops just short of being obnoxious. With our southern manners, chutzpah is out of the comfort zone. But Middle Easterners and Europeans know it all too well. Why am I telling you this? Because sometimes our prayers are too timid. Throughout the Gospels, we find Jesus responding to chutzpah. Read Matthew 15:21-28 to see an example. In Luke 18:1-8, He told a parable about a widow who showed some chutzpah to get what she needed from the king. Jesus was teaching about prayer in that parable. Look for other evidence of chutzpah in the scriptures. But remember, God does not respond to a bully, but He is always inclined to those who love Him wholeheartedly. See James 1:2-8. Do not be afraid to ask! Be persistent! Be patient! Trust and obey!
