Break Out

Happy Sunday!
Bishop Alexis A. Thomas continued to preach about CHANGE today, and he used another powerful reference scripture. He used 1 Chronicles 4:9-10 and entitled the message, "Breaking Out The Box!"

A chronicle is a historical account of facts and events. First and Second Chronicles in the Bible are just that. They chronicle the genealogy and the history of the descendents of Adam, the first man. If you ever have insomnia, perhaps these are the books to read. But in the fourth chapter of 1 Chronicles the writer stops to make note of an extraordinary man. The writer tells us that this man was "more honorable than his brothers". His name was Jabez. His name in Hebrew literally means, "He makes sorrowful". What would cause his mother to name him "pain or sorrow" is not noted in the text. Typically in that culture fathers named the children. Perhaps, his father died, or abandoned the family. Whatever the cause, this mother was distressed enough to name her child "pain or sorrow". In that culture names were prophetic. Your name spoke to what you would be and what you could accomplish. Jabez experienced what many of us have also experienced. Someone spoke negatively about him. Bishop Thomas said, "Sometimes the way people treat you has nothing to do with you". It has been said "hurting people, hurt people". Parents, relatives, teachers, and even so -called friends may have said you were, "No good", "Not worth the salt in your bread", "Never gonna be anything", "Just like your no good Daddy", or "Just like your crazy Mama". Maybe a colleague or classmate has said, "you will never get that position", "you can't travel the world", "they would never hire you", or "you can't succeed in this business". But no matter what others have said you must rely on what God says. How can you know what God says? I'm glad you asked.

Jesus said, "Every word I’ve spoken to you is a Spirit-word, and so it is life-making". You can learn what God say through his Word. The more you study, meditate on, and hear the Word the more you will know what God says about you. Thankfully at some point in Jabez' life he was exposed to the things of God. He knew enough to ask the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to help him.

This is what he prayed, “Oh, that you would bless me and expand my territory! Please be with me in all that I do, and keep me from all trouble and pain!” 1 Chronicles 4:10 (New Living Translation)

What happened to Jabez? "God granted him that which he requested". What can we learn from this scripture? God wants to bless you! Yes, he wants to bless you! He doesn't care what anyone has said about you. He doesn't care what anyone thinks about you. He created you in his image. You are a miracle! Millions of babies don't make it to full term. You made it! You were born, and you are alive now reading this e-mail. You are designed by God and you are special. The world is waiting for you to be all that God created you to be.

Walt Disney, Michael Jordan, and Lucille Ball were all told that they could not succeed. The evidence that they did succeed is the very fact that you know their names. God told Abraham, "I am going to put a special blessing on you and cause your reputation to grow so that you will become a blessing and example to others". Genesis 12:2 (Voice Translation) "This is what God had in mind all along: the blessing He gave to Abraham might extend to all nations through the Anointed One, Jesus; and we are the beneficiaries of this promise of the Spirit that comes only through faith." Galatians 3:14 (Voice Translation)

Did you get that? When we accepted Jesus as our personal savior we became the beneficiaries to the promise made to Abraham! Through faith we have access to the blessing that can dramatically change our spiritual, physical, emotional, and financial lives!

Break out of the box!

Love and prayers, Cynthia