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Josh
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« on: July 24, 2003, 10:46:03 PM » |
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I just came across an EXCELLENT essay on The Prayer of Jabez, written by none other than Derek Webb. He sums up my thoughts on the book with much more insight and tact than I ever could, so, if you're not tired of the subject,... voila! |
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oneafroboy
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« Reply #1 on: July 24, 2003, 11:02:59 PM » |
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Wow. I wondered why that book was so big. I've never read it myself, but if what Derek says is true about its teachings and the teachings of its author... Geez. I think I'll give this more of a looksie. But what Derek is saying seems to match up scripturally. Thanks for posting this, Josh.
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\"Living your life like you're trapped in a bad rap video is just not that appealing.\"
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Vlad!
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« Reply #2 on: July 25, 2003, 08:07:39 AM » |
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I thought it was a good essay. I don't agree with all of it, but I think it does a good job of adminishing Christians in general and Wilkerson in particular for taking an obscure passage and running with it and for making unwarranted and unsupported statements about what God does and (this is particularly concerning) MUST do...
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If you don’t have freedom as a principle, you can never see a reason not to make an exception. There are constantly going to be times when for one reason or another there’s some practical convenience in making an exception.
rms
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rebel546
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« Reply #3 on: August 06, 2003, 07:26:26 PM » |
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Thanks for posting the link. A lot of what he said changed my view on the book... that praying a certain prayer certainly CAN'T give us extraordinary favor with God.
However, some of his points are dead wrong, at least according to the book. I, myself, have never heard the man speak, so I'm only basing what I say on the book, which I have read six times, I believe.
First of all, bruce never says if you pray this prayer for 30 days you will start to experience blessing. He says at the end of the book he challenges you to read the book each week for the rest of the month and continue to pray that prayer. But he does say you will start to experience the flood-gates open... which I now see is a bunch of crap...
However, just because God has blessings planned for yourself, that doesn't mean you shouldn't pray for them. And because Christ says in the Bible "ask and you will receive" then we should, indeed, ask for greater territory... to further the kingdom of Christ. We are admonished to pray... and that DOES line up with the Bible... and if you read the book as a suggestion to pray through an example, such as The Lord's Prayer, then I do believe rewards will come of it... if not in this life, than in the life to come... because prayer is simply getting close to the heart of Christ... to realize that we truly are the bride of Christ, though we are all whores, through prayer, through the PRAYER OF JABEZ, even, we can begin to realize the beauty of who we are...
If you pray it... and you don't have to pray the exact words, but if you pray the ideas (because prayer should never be words anyway... words sometimes just try to paint the picture of our prayer when the time is right to express it in that way) then more power to you... no HARM will come of it... and I can testify the prayer of Jabez has benefited me in my walk with Christ.
But if you don't... you won't go to heaven and see all the blessings that could have come if you prayed these magical words.
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beautifulmess
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« Reply #4 on: August 06, 2003, 07:54:37 PM » |
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This isn't directed at anyone on this phorum but I think the Prayer of Jabez has gotten a lot of people too focused upon themselves. The moment we take on Christianity and make it about us is the moment I believe we've missed the point. I believe it's fine to ask God to bless us but before we ask that, we must make ourselves blessings to Him. To me, it almost seems wrong to ask God to pour out all of this wealth upon us without first asking Him how we can be used to benefit Him.
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« Last Edit: August 06, 2003, 07:55:42 PM by beautifulmess »
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My Journal*My Poetry\"The quiche made me look fat.\" --Kirk, from Gilmore Girls when Lorelai asked why he was in a hot dog suit
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Josh
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« Reply #5 on: August 06, 2003, 08:59:11 PM » |
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I agree. If anything, Jabez (the book, not the actual Scripture) has increased idolatry in the church.
The book is bad news.
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rebel546
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« Reply #6 on: August 11, 2003, 11:31:37 PM » |
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I agree with what Beautifulmess says... but I don't agree that "the book is bad news." it's only how people interpret the book that can be bad news.
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Vlad!
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« Reply #7 on: August 12, 2003, 08:21:04 AM » |
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I agree with what Beautifulmess says... but I don't agree that "the book is bad news." it's only how people interpret the book that can be bad news. Well, Wilkerson does give a pretty clear message that praying this 'magic formula' will break some sort of barrier God has set up and our blessings will begin to flow. Encouraging people to pray is good, but God doesn't want people praying some prayer by rote every day. That's not going to make Him want to bless us! If I said the same thing to my mom every morning when I woke up, it wouldn't make her love me more, it would drive her crazy! |
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If you don’t have freedom as a principle, you can never see a reason not to make an exception. There are constantly going to be times when for one reason or another there’s some practical convenience in making an exception.
rms
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Josh
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« Reply #8 on: August 12, 2003, 09:22:17 AM » |
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Yeah, I think the book itself is just plain wrong. It's not just a matter of interpretation, but of the actual text.
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