Your Hand would be with Me

Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother called his name Jabez saying, “Because I bore him in pain.” (1Chr. 4:9). Amongst the many names mentioned in this chapter, we find that the Bible describes Jabez as the more honorable of his brothers. The word “honorable” implies more spiritual strength than his brothers. This is in contrast with the Cretans “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” (Titus 1: 12) who were spiritually weak as they succumbed to the sin of lying. The Lord wants us to have a strong spiritual impact. “Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent council member, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, coming and taking courage, went in to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.” (Mark 15:43). Joseph was influential because he was concerned with spiritual matters. Putting spiritual matters first in our lives causes us to become influential.

Jabez was spiritually influential because he was a man of prayer. His mother named him Jabez because she delivered him in pain; however, he brought about great joy even more than his brothers. The Lord blessed him in a very special way which is why he is mentioned in scriptures. Many things that are brought through difficulty and labor in prayer produce Jabez, who brings joy! “Epaphras, who is one of you, a bondservant of Christ, greets you, always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God” (Colossians 4:12). He labors in prayer that the believers might stand perfect and be fruitful in the kingdom of God.

“And Jabez called on the God of Israel” (1Chronicles 4:10). Change came about in his life as he was a man of prayer. During that time, the nation lived a loose life giving in to sin, but he lived differently calling on the God of Israel whom he knew was a strong God; faithful in his promises, for he is the God of victories and the God of healing. He brought his people out of Egypt, the land of slavery, with a mighty hand and with great plagues on the Egyptians. Therefore Jabez can trust the Lord, as he is the one who delivers on all his promises.

“Oh, that You would bless me indeed” (1Chronicles 4:10). He expects great unceasing blessings from his great God.

“And enlarge my territory” (1Chronicles 4:10) Enlarging his territory means taking over the land from the enemy through battle. He requested the Lord’s support in this matter. Truth is: there is no gain in spiritual or material matters without going into warfare. This means standing against the old nature and the influence of the world. Also, resisting the attacks of evil spirits using the name of the Lord Jesus, proclaiming the power of the precious blood of Jesus, and using the Word of God which is the sword of the Spirit. “How long will you neglect to go and possess the land which the Lord God of your fathers has given you?” (Joshua 18:3)

“That Your hand would be with me” (1Chronicles 4:10) longing to always enjoy the presence of the Lord. “Then I proclaimed a fast there at the river of Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from Him the right way for us and our little ones and all our possessions ... The hand of our God is upon all those for good who seek Him” (Ezra 8:21, 22). We need to pray so as the Lord can give us straight paths, send his fear before us, and have His hand upon us to save us from

the enemy and from ambush along the road. A New Testament example of people who were spiritually influential were the ones who were scattered after the persecution, “Now those who were scattered after the persecution ... And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord” (Acts 11:19, 21). Prayer was the key to their strength in the ministry.

“And You would keep me from evil so that it does not hurt me!” (1Chronicles 4:9 [AMP]) His prayer was for protection from not prevention of evil, that he might not be destroyed. That’s exactly what happened with Paul and Silas in prison! Evil was conquered before them as they prayed and praised the Lord, and the prison became a place for the enlargement of the Kingdom of God!!

Prayer: I want to thank you Lord because you are good to me. Your love for me is tied to the covenant built on your blood sacrifice on my behalf. I also want to thank you for the great blessings that never fade. I thank you that you want me to conquer and enlarge my territory and for protecting me from evil!!

The New Beginning

The New Beginning

The Lord is calling you to new beginnings in all areas of your life: relationship with the Lord, ministry, family, and work. Beware that Satan wants you to slide backwards and never advance forward. Proclaim that Satan's work will ultimately fail.

“'I have loved you,' says the Lord 'Yet you say, ‘In what way have You loved us?’ ... Even though Edom has said, 'We have been impoverished But we will return and build the desolate places,'”.(Malachi 1: 2, 4) In the above passage, the Lord declares his love for his people despite their miserable condition; they doubted the Lord's love for them which is the worst thing that can happen to anyone. "Many waters cannot quench love" (Song of Solomon 8:7). The Lord's love is steadfast in spite of our sins, wanderings, betrayal, and ingratitude. A new beginning, brings about deliverance from all bondages and all that Satan has done in your life in the past.

Proclaim in faith that the Lord demolishes all that Satan built in your life!

"Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth;" (Isaiah 43:19). The Lord is speaking about a new beginning that will come upon Jerusalem in the future. "'The Lord has forsaken me, And my Lord has forgotten me'. 'Can a woman forget her nursing child, And not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, Yet I will not forget you. See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; ... Your destroyers and those who laid you waste shall go away from you.'"(Isaiah 49: 14-17) The Lord never forgot you; for you are inscribed on the palm of his Hands. He deeply cares about you and will do new things in your life; He will remove all that Satan brought into your life. If you come to the Lord, He will stop all that works against your thoughts, feelings, and health.

"Now the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying,

' This month shall be your beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year to you.'" (Exodus 12:1, 2) The Lord addresses you while you are in the land of slavery, disgrace, and bitterness telling you He is able to start a new beginning in you marking this beginning as the head of the months. The blood of Jesus have brought about this new beginning. As the lamb was slain, the people got out of Egypt ending the authority of Pharaoh (Satan) and enjoying complete freedom. Satan's efforts will be brought to naught, for nothing stands before the power of the blood "And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb." (Revelations 12:11)

"When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, ... And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2: 1, 2, 4) The disciples were praying with one accord for the infilling of the Holy Spirit according to the Lord's promise. "Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high" (Luke 24:49). When we pray with one accord seeking divine power we will be able to resist sin and the world. Be humble before the Lord, confess your sins to be cleansed by the blood and seek the infilling of the Holy Spirit for wisdom, love, strength, and guidance.

The Lord called Jeremiah to be a prophet to the nations. However, he suffered from low self-esteem. Besides, the king and the people were against him, so he gave in to self-pity and started to blame the Lord. "Why is my pain perpetual And my wound incurable, Which refuses to be healed? Will You surely be to me like an unreliable stream, As waters that fail?" (Jeremiah 15: 18) The Lord told him to refute these evil thoughts; "If you take out the precious from the vile You shall be as My mouth ... And I will make you to this people a fortified bronze wall; And they will fight against you, But they shall not prevail against you; For I am with you to save you And deliver you,” says the Lord" (Jeremiah 15: 19, 20). Get rid of all self- pity, and grumbling against the Lord and be sure that your life has a great meaning and a great plan from the Lord. Envision yourself as a fortified city and that even though your enemies might attack you they will surely not be able to overcome you.

In new beginnings, we need the blood of Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and the confidence that in Satan's war against us we are more than conquerors, because the Lord has prepared for us a great plan to walk in, to be always above only going from glory to glory, restoring the years that the locusts have eaten.

The Lord Loves Me

New Beginnings Album Dubai 2015 Conference

The Lord Loves Me

Peter said to Him, “Lord, why can I not follow You now? I will lay down my life for Your sake.” (John 13: 37), "Peter answered and said to Him, 'Even if all are made to stumble because of You, I will never be made to stumble.'" (Matt. 26: 33), also "But he spoke more vehemently, 'If I have to die with You, I will not deny You!'” (Mark 14: 31). Peter's dependence on his own will and love for Jesus resulted in his great failure and denial of the Lord. We again, invariably fail when we trust in ourselves.

"Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved." (John 13: 23). John enjoyed Jesus' love, which is the privilege that every believer, even the worst, has. Because Jesus was "a friend of tax collectors and sinners!" (Matthew 11: 19), we also can enjoy His love for us. We will never be put to shame because our relationship with the Lord depends on His grace.

Do you enjoy a close relationship with the Lord? Rest assured that He loves you despite your wobbly feelings - pray that you will not fail like Simon Peter who trusted in his love for the Lord.

"Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask who it was of whom He spoke. Then, leaning back[a] on Jesus’ breast, he said to Him, “Lord, who is it?” (John 13: 24, 25) and Jesus answered him. Tell yourself: the Lord loves me, makes me enjoy His bosom, and answers me when I ask Him.

Come to the Lord Jesus now to heal the hardness of your heart. The Lord loves us in spite of our shortcomings, thus there is no reason to fear Him, "There is no fear in love" (1John 4: 18), One can always enjoy the Lord's bosom for He said, "Call to Me, and I will answer you" (Jer. 33: 3). I will ask the Lord and he will answer me at the right time.

"When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, 'Woman, behold your son!' Then He said to the disciple, 'Behold your mother!'" (John 19: 26, 27). John was able to accompany the Lord to the cross because he was established in the Lord's love. "But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities" (Isaiah 53: 5). And he saw "The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1: 29). At the cross, the Lord assigned His mother to the care of John. The Lord still assigns those who rest His love with roles in for His kingdom. Speak to yourself: Jesus loves me, He knows me by name, reveals to me, by the Holy Spirit, how much He suffered for my sake. He will assign me a role and give me the ability to fulfill it, He said, "My grace is sufficient for you" (2Cor. 12: 9)

Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” (John 21: 7) Peter, and some of the disciples went back to fishing without seeking the Lord's guidance. They were unable to catch anything. The Lord came to them to correct

their mistakes and even make those mistakes work for their good. The Lord comes to the shore of our failures and shame and mends everything. In this incidence, John was the first disciple to recognize the Lord; as if he was claiming: I am John whom the Lord loves, corrects when I am wrong, mends my mistakes, puts on the right track, and does not leave in failure or privation.

The Lord loves you and wants to lavish His love on you, answer your questions, assign you with tasks to accomplish, and He comes to you to correct you when wrong, and fulfill all your needs. Lean on His love, come to Him and surrender your life to Him to live the life of glory and enjoyment!!

New Beginnings Album Dubai 2015 Conference