Seorang anak kecil dengan mata berbinar-binar, dan dengan wajah mungil yang bercahaya berkata, ”Papa, sudah saatnya untuk sekolah minggu. Ayo kita pergi.” “Oh, maaf sayangku, tidak hari ini. Ayah sangat lelah telah bekerja keras selama 6 hari penuh. Kini saatnya papa mau pergi memancing, selagi matahari belum panas. Jadi pegilah nonton TV atau bermain. Jangan ganggu papa.” Maka pergilah anak itu dengan kecewa. Bulan berganti bulan, tahun berganti tahun, tidak terdengar lagi suara si anak mengajak papanya ke sekolah minggu. Masa kanak-kanak telah berakhir. Masa remaja sudah datang. Dan sang papa sudah mulai tua dan renta. Ketika waktunya sudah dekat, ia ingin sekali pergi ke gereja. Tapi, apa yang ia temukan pada anaknya? “Maaf papa, tidak hari ini. Saya begadang hampir tiap malam, dan kini aku merasa lelah, aku ingin tidur.” Kemudian sang papa mengangkat tangannya yang bergetar untuk menghapus air mata. Sekali lagi ia teringat wajah anak kecil yang bercahaya dengan mata berbinar berkata, “Saatnya untuk sekolah minggu. Ayo papa, tidakkah engkau mau pergi?”

Pada tahun 1971 surat kabar New York Post menulis kisah nyata tentang seorang pria yang hidup di sebuah kota kecil di White Oak, Georgia, Amerika. Pria ini menikahi seorang wanita yang cantik dan baik, sayangnya dia tidak pernah menghargai istrinya. Dia tidak menjadi seorang suami dan ayah yang baik. Dia sering pulang malam- malam dalam keadaan mabuk, lalu memukuli anak dan isterinya. Satu malam dia memutuskan untuk mengadu nasib ke kota besar, New York. Dia mencuri uang tabungan isterinya, lalu dia naik bis menuju ke utara, ke kota besar, ke kehidupan yang baru. Bersama-sama beberapa temannya dia memulai bisnis baru. Untuk beberapa saat dia menikmati hidupnya. Sex, gambling, drug. Dia menikmati semuanya. Bulan berlalu. Tahun berlalu. Bisnisnya gagal, dan ia mulai kekurangan uang. Lalu dia mulai terlibat dalam perbuatan kriminal. Ia menulis cek palsu dan menggunakannya untuk menipu uang orang. Akhirnya pada suatu saat naas, dia tertangkap. Polisi menjebloskannya ke dalam penjara, dan pengadilan menghukum dia tiga tahun penjara. Menjelang akhir masa penjaranya, dia mulai merindukan rumahnya. Dia merindukan istrinya. Dia rindu keluarganya. Akhirnya dia memutuskan untuk menulis surat kepada istrinya, untuk menceritakan betapa menyesalnya dia. Bahwa dia masih mencintai isteri dan anak-anaknya. Dia berharap dia masih boleh kembali. Namun dia juga mengerti bahwa mungkin sekarang sudah terlambat, oleh karena itu ia mengakhiri suratnya dengan menulis, "Sayang, engkau tidak perlu menunggu aku. Namun jika engkau masih ada perasaan padaku, maukah kau nyatakan? Jika kau masih mau aku kembali padamu, ikatkanlah sehelai pita kuning bagiku, pada satu-satunya pohon beringin yang berada di pusat kota. Apabila aku lewat dan tidak menemukan sehelai pita kuning, tidak apa-apa. Aku akan tahu dan mengerti. Aku tidak akan turun dari bis, dan akan terus menuju Miami. Dan aku berjanji aku tidak akan pernah lagi menganggu engkau dan anak-anak seumur hidupku." Akhirnya hari pelepasannya tiba. Dia sangat gelisah. Dia tidak menerima surat balasan dari isterinya. Dia tidak tahu apakah isterinya menerima suratnya atau sekalipun dia membaca suratnya, apakah dia mau mengampuninya? Dia naik bis menuju Miami, Florida, yang melewati kampung halamannya, White Oak. Dia sangat sangat gugup. Seisi bis mendengar ceritanya, dan mereka meminta kepada sopir bus itu, "Tolong, pas lewat White Oak, jalan pelan-pelan. ..kita mesti lihat apa yang akan terjadi..." Hatinya berdebar-debar saat bis mendekati pusat kota White Oak. Dia tidak berani mengangkat kepalanya. Keringat dingin mengucur deras. Akhirnya dia melihat pohon itu. Air mata menetas di matanya... Dia tidak melihat sehelai pita kuning... Tidak ada sehelai pita kuning.... Tidak ada sehelai..... . Melainkan ada seratus helai pita-pita kuning....bergantungan di pohon beringin itu...Ooh... seluruh pohon itu dipenuhi pita kuning...!!! !!!!!!!!! Kisah nyata ini menjadi lagu hits nomor satu pada tahun 1973 di Amerika. Sang sopir langsung menelpon surat kabar dan menceritakan kisah ini. Seorang penulis lagu menuliskan kisah ini menjadi lagu, "Tie a Yellow Ribbon around the Old Oak Tree", dan ketika album ini di-rilis pada bulan Februari 1973, langsung menjadi hits pada bulan April 1973. I'm coming home I've done my time And I have to know what is or isn't mine If you received my letter Telling you I'd soon be free Then you'd know just what to do If you still want me If you still want me Oh tie a yellow ribbon 'Round the old oak tree

It's been three long years Do you still want me If I don't see a yellow ribbon 'Round the old oak tree I'll stay on the bus, forget about us Put the blame on me If I don't see a yellow ribbon 'Round the old oak tree Bus driver please look for me 'Cause I couldn't bare to see what I might see I'm really still in prison And my love she holds the key A simple yellow ribbon's all I need to set me free I wrote and told her please Oh tie a yellow ribbon 'Round the old oak tree

It's been three long years Do you still want me If I don't see a yellow ribbon 'Round the old oak tree I'll stay on the bus, forget about us Put the blame on me If I don't see a yellow ribbon 'Round the old oak tree

Now the whole damn bus is cheering And I can't believe I see A hundred yellow ribbons 'Round the old, the old oak tree

'Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, 'Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.' And God granted his request.' 1Cronicles 4:10

This is a simple bold prayer of the Bible in the midst of boring genealogies, that has changed the lives of thousands!... Christians and non Christians...a prayer that has brought prosperity to many homes, and love and joy and peace... and it is not a selfish prayer, but a biblical one, according to the will of God... made by God for us to pray...

A short, one verse prayer, with four requests, granted by God.

Who was Jabez?: A simple man, like you and me... 1Cr.4:9 says that Jabez enjoyed greater respect than his brothers, he was a religious man, living in God... his mother named him Jabez (sorrow maker), 'because I bore him in pain'.

1- 'Jabez cried out to the God ofIsrael':

This was the attitude of Jabez, he lived constantly in the presence of God... 'trust in God' is the message of every page of the Bible... 'faith in Christ' in the New Testament, which is almost the same...

Do your best... and then 'trust in God'... it is the formula that never fails in this life... and in the next!... the one of Joshua in his first chapter.

- Rejoice and delight in God, your Father.

- Give thanks to God with joy in every circumstance in your life (1 Thes.5:16-18, Eph.5:20).

- Believe always in God, your Creator, your Father...

- Make your prayer requests to God...'Our Father who are in Heaven...' (Mt.6:9)

- Rebuke Satan in the name of Jesus.(Mr.16:17).

- Use the name of the God of Israel as your shelter and your strength.

2- 'Oh, that you would bless me!':

This is what Jabez was crying out in every circumstance of his life... his first request.

What that is mean to be blessed by God in the Bible:

Let's read it in Deuteronomy 28:1-14

If you fully obey the LORD your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations on earth.

All these blessings will come upon you and accompany you if you obey the LORD your God:

You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country.

The fruit of your womb will be blessed, and the crops of your land and the young of your livestock--the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks.

Your basket and your kneading trough will be blessed.

You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out.

The LORD will grant that the enemies who rise up against you will be defeated before you. They will come at you from one direction but flee from you in seven.

The LORD will send a blessing on your barns and on everything you put your hand to. The LORD your God will bless you in the land he is giving you.

The LORD will establish you as his holy people, as he promised you on oath, if you keep the commands of the LORD your God and walk in his ways.

Then all the peoples on earth will see that you are called by the name of the LORD, and they will fear you.

The LORD will grant you abundant prosperity--in the fruit of your womb, the young of your livestock and the crops of your ground--in the land he swore to your forefathers to give you.

The LORD will open the heavens, the storehouse of his bounty, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations but will borrow from none.

The LORD will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the LORD your God that I give you this day and carefully follow them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom.

Do not turn aside from any of the commands I give you today, to the right or to the left, following other gods and serving them.

Do like Jabez who literally cried out to God to bless him... it is very biblical... try it!... you never know!... until you see the blessings God wants to give you...

Jabez did like Jacob, a most perseverant man in the Bible: 'I will not let you go until you bless me'...and God blessed 'Jacob', which means 'cheater', and changed his name into 'Israel', which means 'prince of God'... God changed the whole life of Jacob, from the most deceiving man in the Bible into the most kind in the Bible when he was in Egypt (Gen.32:24-28).

In the New Testament... let's read it in 3 John 2:

'Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in good health, just as your soul prospers'... just have faith in Jesus Christ, the Lord God.

God Himself wants you to prosper!... in all things!... in your job, at home, in your social life, be in good health... just ask for His blessing with the simple prayer of Jabez.

'The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.'... that's what Jesus says to you right now! (John1:10)

- Ask God, your Father, to bless you... God wants to bless you... it is very biblical.

- Pray about your personal needs... your own crisis.

- Pray to God for the little things and the big ones...

- Ask God to have abundant life.

- Pray for your family, friends, enemies, neighbors.. for your church, the nation, the world.... God is great!... He can do it!... he wants to do it!...He just needs your trust in Him, shown in your perseverant prayer of faith and love.

3- '... and enlarge my territory!':

Yes!...Jabez asked God to give him a larger home, a better job... do the same!... this was Jabez's second request.

Yes!... another bold request... Ask God to give you big things... He can do it!... He wants to do it!... to enlarge your wisdom, and understanding, and humility, and patience, and your love and joy... to have good health, to enlarge your physical strength... to enlarge your charismas in the mind, in the spirit, in your character...

Ask God of Israel to give you more influence to help others, your family, your church, your city, the nation, the world...

Pray God to make you an apostle, an evangelist... one of His friends... you may start by telling your friends about this small page...

Pray the God of Israel to fill you with the Holy Spirit, in the name of Jesus, for the glory of the Father, for the good of the Church, and for your own good... this is a bold request for your life, and God wants to do it!... just pray and trust in God!.

4- 'Let your hand be with me':

This is Jabez's third request: Let your hand be with me, your presence, your love, your power, in every minute of my life... Jabez's life was centered in God... try to do the same!.

With so many blessings in your life come more responsibilities... you, by yourself, can do nothing... (Jn.15:5)... but you can do everything through Him who gives you strength, alleluia! (Phil.4:13).

'And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus' (Phil. 4:19)... not according to your needs, but according to His riches in Glory!

5- '... and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.'

This was the fourth and last bold request of Jabez... keep me from harm, from pain, from sicknesses, from suffering...

Ask you the same to God: Keep me from harm, from physical pain, from anxieties, from fears, from slander, from bankruptcies, from the evil one... deliver me from evil... me and my family, and my friends, and my enemies... deliver all of us from evil... it is a very biblical prayer ((Mt.6:13).

Cry out to the God of Israel to deliver you from alcohol, drugs, tobacco, overweight... from loneliness or from being abused... from your problems at home, with the wife or husband or children... from the struggles at work... from all harm and evil to be free from pain!.

6- 'And God granted his request.':

It needs no explanation, no comments... Try it!... it has helped thousands, millions...

If you are not a Christian nor a Jew...Try it!... many have profit from it... it costs you nothing... and you never know!.

The little, bold, prayer of Jabez:

'Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, - 'Oh, that you would bless me - and enlarge my territory! - Let your hand be with me, - and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.' And God granted his request.'

Jabez prayed!... when he had a problem, a crisis, he did not decided to go to school, nor to the influenced men, nor to work much harder... He just prayed!.

Jabez prayed with boldness and perseverance, like Jacob!... When things didn't work out for him, he did not complained, or started a strike or a riot... he just prayed, he cried out to the God of Israel!.

When Jabez had a hopeless and desperate situation, he prayed God-size prayers... God can do the impossible!(Lk.1:37).

Prayer is the fine thread that moves the hand of God... it is the atomic bomb of old times, and of our days!...

Do you want a breakthrough in your spiritual life?...at home?... at work?... Pray, pray, pray!

Start praying the Prayer of Jabez every morning...

Pray with faith and humility and confidence and perseverance, like Jacob!... until God blesses you!...

Pray at home with your family... the family that prays together stays together...

Pray at work, with some co-workers... or with your friends or neighbors... in small groups...

Pray always, continually, without ceasing! (Lk.18:1, 1Thes.5:16-18)... In Two Ways: 1- Giving thanks to God with joy in all circumstances, at all times and for everything in the name of Jesus (1Thes5:16-18,Eph.5:20). 2- Seeing Jesus in your neighbor... Whatever you do unto your neighbor, you do it to Jesus (Mt.25:31-46).

And watch out!... In any storm in your life, God always answers every prayer with a BIG YES!... in two ways: 1- Either He calms the storm... the sickness is healed, the problem solved... 2- Or He calms you... and you will pass the storm with peace and even with joy... your child may die, but you will be at peace... and even with joy!, when you realize that your 3 year-old child went to eternal Heaven so soon in life...

Start a diary on how God answers any of your prayers... God makes miracles daily in our lives...

... But we often look like Herod in Luke 23: He heard much about Jesus, he wanted to see Jesus, he wanted to see a miracle made by Jesus...like you and me?... and Jesus did not made a miracle in his presence!...but, wait a minute!: Imagine the scene: Herod gave Jesus a glass of water and asked: Convert it into wine... and nothing!... he gave a piece of bread, and asked Jesus to multiply it... and nothing!... but read the end of the story in Lk.23:12, 'Pilate and Herod who were enemies before, became friends from that day'... and it is harder to convert an enemy into a friend than water into wine!... and more profitable!...So, Herod had his miracle!... but he didn't see it!... like you and me every day?...