United Faith – United Power …Myfaith.ianoint.com
admin
This user hasn't shared any biographical information
Posts by admin
Discrimination Law Against Discrimination Law?!
Jun 3rd
Discrimination Law Against Discrimination Law?!
Very often on our courses, we illustrate the positive and negative pendulum that can hold sway in a diverse society. Positively, you make an improvement for one individual or a group and you secure a spin off benefit for those outside the group. Removing debris from a footpath will make things safer for those with mobility issues but also will enhance the environment and help those carrying shopping or even pushing a pram!
But sometimes, you make an improvement in one area and create tension, resentment, jealousy and at worse a severe backlash. The battle of the sexes, the perceived notion that “they” are getting more benefits than me and impatience with those less able is all part of this potentially poisonous cocktail! But nowhere it seems is this negative backlash more to the fore than between those who hold genuinely religious beliefs and those who wish to be free to live their lives under the law as gay, lesbian or bisexual individuals.
In recent months, there seem to have been an avalanche of claims reaching tribunals reflecting these theological and secular tensions. The overarching lessons emerging from what have been largely employers victories are to be found in common sense key questions:-
“Have you carefully considered the complaint or request in front of you?”
And if you have, has your response been:-
· Reasonable?
· Practical?
· Proportionate?
Viewed against this backcloth, the following recent cases can be seen in real perspective:-
Miss Ladale v Islington Borough Council
The applicant, a devout Christian, was employed as a registrar with the local authority. Her duties included registering marriages. When the Civil Partnership Act 2004 was introduced in December 2005, all registrars were required to carry out civil partnership ceremeonies.These were generally shared out in approximately the same proportion as marriage duties. Miss Ladale refused to carry out these new duties. Initially, she won her claim of direct and indirect discrimination as well as harassment. But an essential part of the Employment Appeal Tribunal ruling which overturned the earlier victory is interesting:-
“ The Council was entitled to decide that Miss Ladale could not pick and choose which duties she would perform depending on her religious views, at least in circumstances where her personal stance involved discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation.”
Gary McFarlane v Relate
Mr McFarlane was employed by Relate as a counsellor. He was trained by them to be a psychosexual therapist and his role in consequence was extended to giving advice on sexual problems encountered by couples. He too was a devout and practicing Christian. When he refused to give advice to same sex couples, he was initially suspended and ultimately dismissed for failing to uphold Relates equal opportunities policies. The tribunal ruled against him, with the telling comments:-
“His dismissal by Relate was a proportionate means of achieving the legitimate aim of maintaining its commitment to providing a service to all sections of the community without any suggestions of discrimination. Relate would have treated any other employee in the same way, who, for reasons unrelated to religion had acted in a way so at odds with its equal opportunity policy.”
Mohammed Ahmed v TESCO
Mr Ahmed, recruited by the supermarket giant, as a forklift truck operator refused to handle alcoholic goods as part of his duties. He is a devout Muslim and as such he said could not handle alcohol. TESCO, who won the case, said that on appointment Mr Ahmed had never raised such objections and was indeed told in his job interview about the wide range of goods that were stored and subsequently sold in their supermarkets, including alcoholic drink.
John Mitchell v Strathclyde Fire Service
Mr Mitchell, a Christian fireman, was amongst a group of fire-fighters at a Glasgow fire station who refused to attend a gay pride march with some claiming that they were too embarrassed to attend in uniform and others saying that their presence would be “contrary to their moral beliefs”. They received a range of disciplinary sanctions from demotion to written warnings. The Fire Service decided to reach a settlement with Mr Mitchell in relation to his complaint, with an apology and an agreement to prevent him from discussing the case being part of the out of court settlement. This would have been an interesting case had it gone the whole way but it does point to the potential for “win-win” solutions outside the legislative framework.
“Win-Wins” have been secured in recent times in terms of:-
Scotland Yard creating a hybrid or composite helmet based on the traditional model combined with a turban for Sikh officers
British Airways allowing discreet jewellery such as the Christian fish symbol to be worn on their uniforms
Merseyside Housing Associations asking their builders to cover the boots(personal protective equipment) with plastic wraps before entering a Muslim home
And, of course, the recent case of the Christian bus driver agreeing to drive buses with “No God” adverts only if no other vehicles were available. Other passenger transport authorities across the country have reached a similar compromise.
Many employment cases can be resolved on a “win-win” basis. But if they cannot, the overarching principles that lie paradoxically at the heart of any attempt at consensus will generally prevail in law. Namely, what is reasonable, practical and proportionate?
These are, of course, employment issues. Laws governing the provision of goods, facilities and services now embrace the religion & belief strand as well as sexual orientation and gender identity. It will be interesting in the months ahead if the same tensions between religious beliefs and the notion that the “customer is always right” prevail in this hard headed commercial environment?!
QED Training provides a wide range of courses on equality laws, diversity issues and cultural awareness linked to both employment and customer care. Get in touch if we can be of assistance to you.
qedworks.com
UK training expert in equality laws and diversity issues
Find More Muslim Lessons Articles
Thai Temples in the United States Part 3
Jun 3rd
Thai Temples in the United States Part 3
Presently, according to the notification the Temple has made to the city government, Wat Thai of Los Angeles usually holds twelve festivals and celebrations every year, viz.,
1) New Year Festival on the first day of January;
2) Magha Puja Day on the full moon day of the third lunar month (usually in the middle of February) in commemoration of the Great Assembly of Disciples;
3) Wan Waikhru or Teacher-Respecting Day on any Thursday in March;
4) Songkran or Water Festival on April 13;
5) Visakha Puja Day on the full moon day of the sixth lunar month (usually in the middle or towards the end of May) in commemoration of the Birth, the Enlightenment and the Passing away of the Buddha;
6) Lawthien or Candle-Casting Ceremony on any day of June some weeks before the beginning of the Vassa residence;
7) Asalฺha Puja Day on the full moon day of the eighth lunar month (usually in the middle or towards the end of July) in Commemoration of the Buddha’s First Sermon;
8) H.M. the Queen’s Birthday on August 12;
9) Sarada Ceremony on the new moon day of the tenth lunar month (usually in September) to transfer merit to the departed;
10) Ok Pansa or the end of Vassa residence (period of retreat during the rains or the Buddhist Lent) on the full moon day of the eleventh month (usually in the middle or towards the end of October);
11) Tot Kathin or the Post-Lenten Robe-Offering Ceremony on any day during one month following Ok Pansa to present robes to the monks who have completed the Vassa residence;
12) H.M. the King’s Birthday on December 5.
Not counting the Thai people and the Americans of the Thai origin who are naturally of the greatest number, refugees from Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam, especially the Laotians, are the most numerous
of all the participants in the religious activities of Wat Thai.
To propagate the teachings of the Buddha, Buddhist beliefs and practices, and Thai culture and to publicize its activities, the Temple publishes “Duang Pratip”, a monthly magazine which is bilingual, though its articles in English are fewer than those in Thai. To realize Buddhist educational objectives, it runs Buddhist Sunday School classes for children who learn Thai language, Thai culture and Buddhist morality and offers regular meditation training to Thais, Americans and people of other nationalities who are interested. A vocational school for adults has also been opened to teach sewing, Thai cooking and the art of preparing decorative food by fruit and vegetable carving. It is notable that, as a service to the local community, the temple grounds are made use of, in the same way as in Thailand, as the location where polling booths are set up for political elections.
It is a great pleasure to the Thais that Her Majesty the Queen of Thailand has several times graced the Thai community of Southern California with her royal visits to Wat Thai of Los Angeles. With Her Majesty’s four donations to the Temple, amounting to ,000, a fund has been established to help Wat Thai of Los Angeles in the realization of its beneficial objectives.
In the latest development, Wat Thai of Los Angeles in cooperation with the Faculty of Education of Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok has developed the Research Project for Developing Curriculum and Teaching in “Thai Language and Culture”. Under this project, a number of professors and lecturers from the Faculty of Education of Chulalongkorn University will come to stay for some months in Los Angeles to conduct the summer educational activities at Wat Thai, teaching Thai language and culture to a class of 30-40 young Thai students who live in the United States. The teaching, which is planned to be experimental in this first year of the Project, will last from July through September 2527/1984.
Thirty minute documentary on Stephens work. Broadcasted on national television in Holland on 20 April, 2008 as “Boeddhisme Zonder Geloof” (“Buddhism Without Beliefs”). It is in English with Dutch subtitles. It was made by Jurgen Gude and Jaap Verhoeven for the Boeddhistische Omroep Stichtung (BOS). The first independent Buddhist Broadcasting Foundation in the West to produce and broadcast Buddhist programmes within a countrys Public Broadcasting System.
Find More Buddhist Belief Articles
Christian Belief|Christian Debt Consolidation
Jun 3rd
Christian Debt Consolidation
Christian Debt Consolidation
Many Christians feel uncomfortable with the notion of being in debt, and even more so when the debt has gotten out of control. Some say that it is not acceptable for Christians to owe any money, even for such necessities as a home. Others feel that such debts are acceptable as long as debt does not place a burden on the family’s finances. In recent years, the number of debt consolidation and credit counseling firms that specialize in catering to Christian clients have increased dramatically.
Christian debt consolidation and credit counseling agencies are aware of the concerns Christians have about debt. They can help you consolidate your debt, establish a repayment schedule, arrange to allow you to continue tithing, and provide the additional spiritual counseling that you may need to help you stay out of debt. All of this is done in a way that is consistent with Christian beliefs and the teachings of the Bible.
Creditors recognize that people who enter a debt consolidation program are trying to repay their obligations in good faith. Creditors are more willing to extend favorable terms to such clients in the hope that they (the creditor) will avoid the significant expense of turning the account over to a collections firm or avoid an extended drawn out process if the account holder goes through the expense of declaring bankruptcy.
Experienced Christian Debt consolidation and credit counseling services know this, and they have experience working with creditors to ease the burden of repayment. They can help you renegotiate loans, reshape payment schedules, reduce your interest rate or obtain a loan that consolidates your debt. Many of these firms are nonprofit; they are in the business strictly so that they can help fellow Christians to get back on their feet and free from the burden of unusually heavy debt.
If this sounds like something that suits your personal needs, you should consider contacting a Christian debt consolidation or credit counseling agency.
To learn more about debt relief and how to get started, please visit Debt Relief.bz
Noted Financial Author
One of the saddest lessons of history is this: If we’ve been bamboozled long enough, we tend to reject any evidence of the bamboozle. We’re no longer interested in finding out the truth. The bamboozle has captured us. it is simply too painful to acknowledge — even to ourselves — that we’ve been so credulous. You can’t convince a believer of anything; for their belief is not based on evidence, it’s based on a deep seated need to believe. Part of my message is that we’re not central to the purpose of the Cosmos. I would love to believe that when I die I will live again, that some thinking, feeling, remembering part of me will continue. But much as I want to believe that, and despite the ancient and worldwide cultural traditions that assert an afterlife, I know of nothing to suggest that it is more than wishful thinking. The world is so exquisite with so much love and moral depth, that there is no reason to deceive ourselves with pretty stories for which there’s little good evidence. Far better it seems to me, in our vulnerability, is to look death in the eye and to be grateful every day for the brief but magnificent opportunity that life provides. – Carl Sagan
Christian Lessons|New Christian Fiction & Social Media Releases
Jun 3rd
New Christian Fiction & Social Media Releases
Christian Fiction Literature is a rapidly expanding literary field which has developed considerably over the last several years. Originally seen as the “escapist” and “not so serious” little cousin of more serious works on Biblical Theology, Fiction has developed to be so way more than just entertainment. Historians have long recognized that folks learn thru many ways. Reading facts, historic accounts, and most importantly listening to stories. Before writing there were stories, passed from generation to generation. And these stories both entertained, and taught about significant issues such as morals, effects, lessons and history. Prior to radio, tv and the internet, stories were the principle form of entertainment. Whether over the campfire, pantomimes, puppet theatre or Shakespearean sagas, we have appreciated and fallen in love with our storytellers!
In today’s arena of Christian fiction, getting consumers to acknowledge fiction, and how it can both entertain and educate is not a trivial task. This is where pro publicists may be able to assist. A publicist will work in association with the author and the publishing house to help project both the entertainment value of the book, as well as its Biblical and Scriptural worth. Publicists also find it critical to work closely with retailers, helping with the formulation and construction of campaigns that may at last communicate with patrons round the nation. Without the guidance of publicists it is all to straightforward for a retailer to miss the boat and fail to speak the benefit of a book.
We spoke with Rebeca Seitz, publicist and author at GlassRoad Public Relations, who has been liaising directly with the web services team at one progressive retailer’s Christian Fiction group. The retailing organization – deeperShopping Christian Books has created exclusive web content featuring GlassRoad PR’s most recent projects including Sisters Ink Scrapbooking Fiction and Sibella Giorello’s Geologically inspired Thrillers. The retailer and the publicist both agreed that dropping recent releases of Christian Fiction titles into a database isn’t a good way to educate consumers on the benefits of the book. It is their hope that patrons will be able to understand the inducement and the fact that the author wrote the titles – to find out the way in which the author is so electrified by their relationship with the Living God, that they represent that inspiration in the books they create and the stories that they tell.
So just how does one capture the heart of the author when you are explaining and describing their storylines? This isn’t a straightforward task. And as a retailer or a publicist, what weight should be placed on your outline vs the description the actual author would use themselves?
In creating these new web sites, deeperShopping and GlassRoad PR decided to incorporate a number of new Social Networking features. So they added in references to the author’s twitter feeds, flickr photo buckets and their facebook accounts. The result – simply spectacular. Each author has a web portal that features a biography, details of their latest books, and their latest communications from various social networking sites . The retailer even worked out how to integrate YouTube videos into the shopping experience. Now shoppers can get recent info about each workmen latest featured products alongside news from the artists themselves. The project has been a large success and takes retailing to a new level.
Sales in fiction have lifted as a result of this work, in some cases over 200% Due to the extreme success of the project, the retailer was motivated to begin a project to refresh additional content sections of their website and incorporate some of these new technologies and features.
It is our firm opinion that additional members of the Christian Booksellers Association will beging to udnerstand the benefits of social media and will incorporate these features into their retail websites. By 2010 it is expected that this will become standard operating procedure for Christian publishers.
What a tremendously interesting concept!
Correspondant for the International Christian Retail News Network
Falling Muslims
Jun 3rd
Falling Muslims
Historians are often astonished to note how the Arabs could reach the height of their glory in such a short span of time, fourteen centuries earlier. But in fact there is nothing to be astonished about. Their glory was the natural consequence of acting in the guidance provided by the Quran. The most astonishing thing on the other hand is that which made the Muslim nation, after it reached the pinnacle of its glory by acting on the Quran and after it witnessed the results of such an action with its own eyes, decline in every sphere of life and ultimately fall into an abyss. How did it happen that the veils of darkness mentioned above could manage to fall in between the light of the Quran and the followers of the Quran? The story is most painful and hair-raising and is worth listening to with rapt attention. It runs as follows:
When the forces which opposed the rising tide of Islam in the 7th century A.D. noticed that the uneducated, unskilled, undisciplined and most backward people of the world living on dates for their subsistence, had become the dominant power of the world within a very short period, they became jealous of this. They simply could not bear the aliens treading on their territories and demolishing the structure of their ancient civilisations. The superior nations of that period were the Romans and the Persians who comprise the intelligentsia of that age. They were defeated and overrun by the Arabs who were far inferior to them in material resources. When Hermazan, the defeated Persian Governor was produced before Hazrat Omar !11 Caliph of Islam), the latter asked him why the Persians were now suffering defeat after defeat at the hands of Arabs while previously they could beat them back easily in any encounter. Hermazan replied that earlier the Persians had fought the Arabs alone but now they had to fight against the Arabs plus their God and it was not possible for them to defeat these two forces combined. How true his answer was when we look at the Quranic verse:
“Truly God is with the believers.” Al Anfall 8:19.
The Persians were men of wisdom and insight, they truly realised that Arabs would remain invincible in the battlefield so long as they were close followers of the Quran and that the only way to overpower them was to disassociate them from the guidance of the Quran and thus get them separated from their God. This was an important turning point in the history of Islam, and thus cam in waves of conspiracies which entirely changed the very face of Islam in the years to follow. All the basic concepts of the Quran on which the ‘Deen’ or social order established by Muhammad (peace be upon him), came into existence, were replaced, one by one, by ideas, beliefs and superstitions which were the outcome of human thinking. Muslims in their era of glory and triumph conquered both Romans and Persians but whereas the Roman empire was partly conquered, the Persian empire was not entirely subjugated, but the edifice of its civilisation was completely razed to the ground. It was natural thing which that they felt it deeply and malinged the minds of muslims in coming centuries. We all can see that Muslims of today have become an example of weakness and one with no divine objectives!
Parvez-Video is an author for this article. Article Source: http://www.parvez-video.com/islamic_short_articles.asp
Christian Lessons|Essential tips in customizing Christian home school history curriculum
Jun 3rd
Essential tips in customizing Christian home school history curriculum
History is not just the study of the past. It is the study of peoples, places and the interplay of peoples and places to shape the world that is present at this moment. History is a very tricky subject to explore. It is as diverse and complex as the human nature itself. However, there is no need to provide biases in telling the conditions of the things past. Hence, it is essential to understand the interplay of events and how these are affecting human situations today. This daunting subject creates heated debates about providing biases and incorrect details sometimes and information about critical historical events. Some parents take matters with home schooling to address the said issue. Christian home school history curriculum is available to provide a more custom fitted instruction.
In history, there is local history, topics on geopolitics and the effect of migration in civilization. There is a study in the interplay of nature to culture and survival, and of course technology, sciences and modernity that forever changed the global history. From local to global history, the interplay of many disciplines shape history and so in current improvements for the home, Christian home school history curriculum are combined with disciplines of geography as well as in social sciences to have a firm grounding on the study of history.
In analyzing historical texts, it is essential for parents to ensure that the books they use are historically correct. It is important also to use books that match the grade level of the students for optimum retention of knowledge. It is difficult to be too technical in history and so telling it to them in a way that is comprehensible is essential and will certainly benefit them well. It is the task of the parents then to read and learn history themselves so that they could provide concrete information. Current events are also effective supplemental teaching devices to underscore some historical elements that are present in society at the moment that young adults could understand. These are some great methods to improve the Christian home school history teaching.
History uses a lot of essential dialogue as well as situations and so it is also a good practice for parents to be creative and use these narratives to create stories and to make historical learning much more fun and relatable while making sure that they are historically correct and are based on facts. These aspects could further develop their analytical skills and efficiently absorb the knowledge from textbooks that are sometimes not conducive to read. Understanding the needs of children will make the Christian home school history curriculum education fun and lively and not stereotypical and boring.
Knowing the interplay of past and present will enable children and young adults to be critical of the situations that could happen in the future. The Christian home school history curriculum lessons should not only provide facts and charts but should promote critical thinking as well as development of analytical thinking to embrace history as an essential subject for their future.
There are numerous benefits to Christian Home schooling and choosing the proper home school curriculum for your child. For more information about Home School Curriculums and subjects like Christian Home School History curriculum, please do visit our site – http://www.homeschoolcurriculum.org/
I am a Microsoft Certified Professional. I conduct Training and Certification Guidance for Microsoft .Net Certification Courses through my training institute-Sierra Infotech. I also own and manage a SEO Company and article Directory.
Related Christian Lessons Articles
Islam and Muslims in Modern Society
Jun 3rd
Islam and Muslims in Modern Society
Islam has been reported as being a very ancient or behind the times religion. Muslims who follow the faith of Islam feel very differently. Islam has just as much meaning for Muslims living in today’s modern world as it did when Prophet Muhammad (swt) first spoke his preaching to the people of Makkah. In the past there was clues just as there is now. Islam is a foundation where we can put our worries and trouble into and know that there is a purpose for us which is higher than the almighty dollar.
Today’s society worships mainly one thing, money . We go to our modern churches, which we call banks and see our way to buying the fast cars, large houses and luxuries clothes which are ridiculously over priced. I met a Muslim who once told me ‘I worked hard for my money, so what if I buy expensive things’, is what they will say and they are right. But read again and you will notice that this person keeps referring to himself as ‘I buy’ and ‘my money’. This is the attitude of modern society.
Islam teaches that we need to think of others too which is why we give Zakat, a percentage of our earnings to the poor. We also have fasting and feel the way those less fortunate would feel. ‘Muslims need to learn to integrate’ is what is splashed on papers and TV but I have noticed they have integrated fairly well, disregarding their religious beliefs just to confirm to the ‘norm’.
Shazia Shah has been a driving force behind the Asian Matrimonial website http://www.muslimandsingle.com With Muslim Members from all over the UK and rest of the world.
Thailand the Land of Smiles/visit Northern Thailand
Jun 3rd
Thailand the Land of Smiles/visit Northern Thailand
Thailand is the land of smiles
You will no doubt have heard this said of Thailand and it is by and large true, I say this with tongue in cheek because the Thais are a genuinely friendly people but you
have to bear in mind their circumstances.
Whilst they are a hard working race they get no help from their government. If they have not got, or cannot find work, then they do not eat.
It follows therefore that if they get their hands on a foreign traveller with money they are gonna smile and make sure they do everything possible to keep them happy,
while at the same time helping themselves to some of that money.
Most of my time is spent in northern Thailand, which is considered to be the cultural region.
Should you be going to travel in Thailand please enjoy all it has to offer and believe me that is an awful amount but temper it with consideration for the local population
The King is the most respected individual in the kingdom and is loved by his subjects. Make derogatory remarks about any member of the royal family at your peril.
The second most important institution is the Monkhood of the Buddhist faith, 90%+ of the population follows Buddhism.
Full of beautiful and ancient temples lavished with much adornment by the community it serves. There are more than 7000 Buddhist temples in Thailand.
The wealth of the church in Thailand is probably greater than the monarchy. Every Thai individual will make “merit” by giving to the church at any opportunity. The
theory being that they will get it back in the next world.
The Thais are devout Buddhists in the main with Muslims making up 10% of the population mainly in the Deep South and Christians and other religions making up the
remainder.
It must be born in mind that Thai style Buddhism is a mish mash of true Buddhism and paganism, which has filtered down from the days of the Lanna kingdom.
Most Thais have their own spirit house in the garden for the spirits of the ancestors to reside in and offerings will be made to keep the spirits happy.
The temple is the hub of village and community life. Local government whilst centred in the Ampher House (town hall) gets its message across in the local temple. This is
the same when election time comes around, it all centres on the temple.
Every family expects their sons to join the monkhood in their teens and consider it a great honour for the family. Great ceremony is placed on the son joining the church
followed inevitably by a great party to which everyone is invited. The Thai way is to have a party for any reason however slight and I for one can see no problem with
that.
Weddings are another great opportunity for a party. The day starts with members of the family going to the temple and collecting the community owned tables and chairs
in their trucks and setting them up in the grounds of the brides family home.
The previous evening the fatted pig would have been killed and cut into mouth sized portions and cooked in the largest Wok you have ever seen some five feet in
diameter. It is monitored throughout the night to ensure it gets stirred occasionally, in between the rounds of rice whisky drinking.
The night before is rather like a disco with a group on stage and everybody dancing. The men dance together and not with the ladies. It is most disconcerting to have a
Thai male come up to you and ask you to dance. I find it very difficult to say no without causing offence and so I end up dancing with them. They seem to be happy and
the ladies accept it.
Ask anyone who has visited Thailand if they would return and I know they will say YES! emphatically
I am a 63 yr old British Ex-pat living in Northern Thailand. The photo you see is my wife and I enjoying a little canoodling.
We live in a small village in Lampang Province mid way between Chiang Mai the capital of the North and Lampang City
My main interests are everything to do with Thailand and the Power of the mind. (hypnosis,cosmic ordering and other powerful techniques to improve your life with little or no effort.
Related Buddhist Faith Articles
The Prayer of Jabez, Its Principle, and Paul
Jun 3rd
The Prayer of Jabez, Its Principle, and Paul
In the recent past, I’ve heard numerous media preachers and Bible teachers make reference to “the prayer of Jabez.” In my Bible reading I recalled a Bible person with that name, and looking him up in a concordance I re-read what is here stated:
1 Chron. 4:9 And Jabez was more honourable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with sorrow.
1 Chron. 4:10 And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep [me] from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested.
Scanning the above text one finds some interesting facts and probably things that could develop into deeper applications. However, such would be the case in most Scriptures that we might study, specially as we remember Paul’s teaching from Romans 15:4:
Rom. 15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.
Within the past month a book was placed in my hands entitled: The Prayer of Jabez with the subtitle: Breaking Through to the Blessed Life. The book is authored by Bruce Wilkinson, founder and president of Walk Thru the Bible Ministries. The book is published by Multnomah Publishers, Sisters, Oregon, and carries a copyright date of 2000. The back cover of this book offers impressive advertisements of its contents: “Do you want to be extravagantly blessed by God? Are you ready to reach for the extraordinary? To ask God for the abundant blessings He longs to give you? Join Bruce Wilkinson to discover how the remarkable prayer of a little-known Bible hero can release God’s favor, power, and protection. You’ll see how one daily prayer can help you leave the past behind—and break through to the life you were meant to live.”
The four parts of Jabez’s prayer, in one sentence, will be reviewed in what I will call the Pauline perspective, and then the reader will be able to make his own conclusions as to what is the real breakthrough to the blessed life.
JABEZ AND PAIN, PAUL AND SUFFERING
The Hebrew word Jabez means: “to grieve, or be sorrowful.”1 The text of 1 Chronicles 4:9 explains how this name came to be, as Jabez’s mother “bare him with sorrow,” and therefore called his name: Jabez, i.e. sorrow, or pain. In order to memorialize whatever pain/sorrow she had, Jabez’s name would forever remind the son of what his mother experienced. However, as part of the Prayer of Jabez, he asks that “it would not grieve me.” The word grieve here is italicized because its the same Hebrew word translated sorrow in verse 9, and is from the root word Jabez. Observe this interesting quote: “The reason of this is probably that the vow had acquired importance sufficient to make it worthy of being handed down only from God’s having so fulfilled his wish, that his life became a contradiction of his name; the son of sorrow having been free from pain in life, and having attained to greater happiness and reputation than his brothers.”2
Therefore, God was faithful in responding to Jabez’s request if for no other reason than that his name [sorrow] was reversed in his life and his reputation outshined that of his peers.
Now, by comparison, let’s look at Paul the apostle. Shortly after his Damascus’ road conversion, it was told to Ananias by the Lord:
Acts 9:16 For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.
If ever there was a man who suffered for the name of the Lord Jesus Christ it was Paul. And yet, throughout that life of pain, sorrow, and suffering, we hear from his lips and pen words like the following:
2 Cor. 12:8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.
2 Cor. 12:9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
2 Cor. 12:10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
Phil. 1:29 For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;
Paul was not named sorrowful as was Jabez by his mother. Rather Paul was permitted to bear the name of Jesus Christ among the Gentile world with great suffering by God’s choice. Jabez was successful in reversing his reputation/name [i.e. sorrow] in his lifetime and this was accomplished by God for him. Paul planted the seed of the gospel of the grace of God as Christ’s apostle by means of great suffering so that we who follow may be pointed to that same sustaining grace of God, and God of all grace.
I. POINT #1 OF JABEZ’S PRAYER
“And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed…” 1 Chronicles 4:9a.
The author of The Prayer of Jabez has been praying this prayer for over 30 years and attributes it, and God’s answer thereto, to having revolutionized his life and ministry above anything else. It is certainly not my, nor anyone’s, responsibility to deny results from this prayer of Jabez. What we do need to address is the legitimate components of this prayer, yes, the principle that it has been allowed to become by virtue of its supposed results. The Prayer of Jabez points out that this first part of his prayer evidences a desire in a believer to reach for God’s fullest blessing in his life. Nothing less says the author, will do.
What could be more commendable than to ask God daily to bless us? If we were living back in Jabez’s day, his prayer would be most appropriate and commendable. Israel, in that time of her history, knew little of God’s blessing due to national spiritual erosion and disobedience to Moses’ Law. And what kind of blessings was Jabez asking of God and expecting from Him? Surely these would be blessings consistent with God’s covenant promises to Israel.
Now in regard to asking God today for blessing, and even a blessing indeed, how does this resonate or harmonize with Paul’s teachings? Paul does speak of blessing, in fact he speaks of blessings. In fact he added some very critical words to this word blessing in Ephesians 1:3:
Eph. 1:3 Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly [places] in Christ:
Note the added words that Paul places in this matter of blessing: he writes of “blessings” plural, and to this he adds “spiritual.” And to these Paul adds: “all.” Therefore, Paul informs the believer today that “all spiritual blessings” are available to those “in Christ.” Observe also that Paul qualifies these blessings as being related to heaven. This is where the believer is seated with Christ as per Ephesians 2:6 and Colossians 3:1. However, there’s one major additional fact to note here in Ephesians 1:3! We are not instructed to ask, beg, nor pray for these! We are rather told that we have already been blessed [i.e. past tense verb]; it’s not a future expectation, but a past accomplishment by God on our behalf.
When I read the book, The Prayer of Jabez, and especially that section on asking God to bless me, I was in great expectation that the author would surely lead us eventually to the truth of Ephesians 1:3. But I was disappointed. Unless I overlooked it, there was not one reference in the book to Ephesians 1:3 and the all spiritual blessings that the believer already possesses in Christ. Is it possible then, that this prayer of Jabez-emphasis is something better or beyond the all spir-itual blessings in Christ? If this prayer of Jabez-emphasis is not something better than what the believer already possesses in Christ, then is it as good or equal to it? Where is one today to place the emphasis in his praying? Should the pattern and principle be Jabez or Paul? Should we pray to the God of Israel or to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, as per Ephesians 1:3?
What right does a believer have to ask God for blessings which he already possesses in Christ? Isn’t this tantamount to ignoring what has been clearly recorded for our faith obedience?
And just what might be some of these “all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ?” One does not have to leave the immediate context of Ephesians 1 to find some of these spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: observe:
1) Chosen in him before the foundation of the world, 1:4
2) Holy and without blame before him, 1:4
3) In love predestinated unto adoption by Christ, to himself, 1:5
4) To the praise of the glory of his grace, 1:6
5) Accepted in the beloved (One), 1:6
6) In Him, redemption, forgiveness, according to the riches of his grace, 1:7
7) He has abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence, 1:8
Made know to us the mystery (secret) of His will, as purposed in himself, 1:9
And more follows in chapter one of Ephesians. In fact, the first three chapters of Ephesians could well be titled: “Some of the all spiritual blessings we have in heavenly places in Christ.”
Another point from the book is that the believer is expected to “ask” from God according to Matthew 7:2 and James 4:2. And, once again, Paul is overlooked in this emphasis and the contexts of these two cited passages are not explained.
The book makes this statement on page 29: “His kindness in recording Jabez’s story in the Bible is proof that it’s not who you are, or what your parents decided for you, or what you were `fated’ to be that counts. What counts is knowing who you want to be and asking for it.” Now, lets suppose we could find a text that says the believer is complete in Christ. That all the fulness of God resides in Christ, and that the believer in Christ today is filled full in Christ. Would it be right for us, then, to pray that we be complete in Christ? Surely to so pray would be in ignorance of what we had found in Scripture and what God had already said we had/were in Christ. Well, such a text does exist—see Colossians 2:9,10. Who could want more than what we already are and have in Christ? Wouldn’t it be better to ask God to help us understand what all this is and means, rather than for us to decide what we want to be and then asking Him for it?
II. POINT #2 OF JABEZ’S PRAYER
“…and enlarge my coast,” 1 Chronicles 4:10.
“The next part of the Jabez prayer—a plea for more territory—is where you ask God to enlarge your life so you can make a greater impact for Him.3
This chapter deals with what the author calls: the Jabez appointments, the Jabez opportunities, or Operation Jabez. All of these are really challenges to one’s faith to ask God to do more and greater things in one’s life and ministry.
Wilkinson suggests that “the highest form of Jabez’s prayer for more territory might sound something like:
“O God and King, please expand my opportunities and my impact in such a way that I touch more lives for Your glory. Let me do more for You.”4
What troubles me about Chapter 3, Living Large for God, is that no reference is made therein, even by way of example or illustration, to the ministry of the apostle Paul. Nor is there reference made to Paul’s grace teaching, which [today] is God’s highest level of motivational and instructional dynamic for living large for God!
To fortify and support this Pauline dynamic for “Living Large for God,” we want to look at just one example from Paul’s teachings and how he applied this to his own life. This is the simple but profound principle of [what we'll call here] Grace in Service.
One of the biggest, if not the largest, words in God’s vocabulary today is: Grace! We live in what the Holy Spirit calls “the dispensation of the grace of God,” Ephesians 3:2:
If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:
To dramatize the change that God has made from His previous dispensation, Paul wrote that we are no longer under the Law but under Grace, Romans 6:14,15:
For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
Today, grace not only is God’s factor in saving people, but also His educating feature for those who become saved, Titus 2:11,12:
For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
Paul teaches in his 13 letters a principle of grace that is the prime factor in the believer’s service for Christ. We’ll cite here three major texts and comment on them in order:
2 Cor. 6:1 We then, [as] workers together [with him], beseech [you] also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.
1 Cor. 15:9 For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
1 Cor. 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which [was bestowed] upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
2 Cor. 9:8 And God [is] able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all [things], may abound to every good work:
What does Paul mean, not to receive the grace of God in vain? Surely he’s not talking of saving-grace, for none can receive that in vain; one is either saved by grace or he isn’t! The context makes it plain that Paul is here talking about grace in service, which all too often is received by believers in vain. Paul offers himself as one who did not receive God’s grace in vain [see 1 Corinthians 15:10 above]. Grace in service motivated and moved Paul to labor more abundantly than they all! Just who in context might have been they all? Paul is referring to those listed who witnessed Christ in resurrection [as per 1 Corinthians 15:5-8]. In other words, one apostle of the Gentiles, motivated by grace, out-labored the Twelve apostles. Now, Paul makes it plain here, that it was not he “…but the grace of God which was with me.” To whom does God point the Church to emulate this matter of grace in service? The Holy Spirit guided Paul in writing these things to the Gentile churches so that in following Paul we’d actually be imitating [the] Christ Who the apostle emulated, see 1 Corinthians 11:1:
Be ye followers of me, even as I also [am] of Christ.
Now, for the third major text [above]: 2 Corinthians 9:8. God is able to make all grace abound…God starts with grace, then He adds all, and now He has all grace. But He’s not finished with it on behalf of the believer; He makes this all grace abound. And, as we receive this in our service for Him and He through us, we then have all sufficiency in all things and abound unto all good works. Now this is really Living Large for God, and doing it squarely on the solid foundation of Pauline grace in service.
Please understand, Jabez lived large for God in his time and under the dispensation of the Law regarding the God of Israel. But we today have much greater principles and foundations for doing this by grace. Therefore, would it not seem below God’s standards today to reach back under the shadowy past of the Law dispensation for principles to live large for God in the present era of the glory of His grace?
III. POINT #3 OF JABEZ’S PRAYER
“…and that thine hand might be with me…” 1 Chronicles 4:10.
This part of Jabez’s prayer is said to demonstrate the idea of dependence upon God, His power and presence, according to author Bruce Wilkinson. He suggests that often in a given endeavor for God the believer eventually comes to the place where he realizes his abilities and resources have worn thin and spiritual panic sets in:
“Maybe the new ministry opportunities you prayed for and received are turning out to require a person with much more ability than you will ever have.
“You have taken up an armload of God’s blessings, marched into new territory…and stumbled into overwhelming circumstances. When believers find themselves in this kind of unexpected quandary, they often feel afraid. Misled. Abandoned. A little angry. I did….”5
This feeling of inadequacy is what one is supposed to experience, Wilkinson found out, and therefore cites this as the reason why Jabez asked for God’s hand now upon him. And, in his book, this becomes the title of chapter four: The Touch of Greatness.
Just what is this touch of greatness from God? And how does one feel/experience the hand of God on the believer? Wilkinson seems to answer these questions by the one word: dependence. Dependence, of course, upon God.
Again we are hearing truth that is applicable to every dispensation of God. From Adam to the present dispensation of grace, God has always expected man to depend upon Him, by faith. The very essence of grace teaching demonstrates that God has done it all [in the spiritual area of our Salvation and need], and desires to have the believer experientially prove this in his or her daily walk with Him. Well then, if this be so, the current chapter may stand on its own and needs no critique in reference to applying further Pauline teaching.
IV. POINT #4 OF JABEZ’S PRAYER
“…Oh, that you would keep me from evil…” 1 Chronicles 4:10.
Chapter five of The Prayer of Jabez is entitled: “Keeping the Legacy Safe.” The issue here is to be kept from evil, or an encounter with the evil [one] i.e. the devil. The author reasons that since Jabez has asked for God’s blessing [and obviously received it], and he has asked for his borders to be enlarged [and obviously received it], he well knew that in such times of success evil would be lurking to defeat him. This is summed up in the chapter with the words: The Perils of Spiritual Success. This is proven by the author pointing to many Christian leaders who at the pinnacle of their success succumbed to temptation and ultimately dropped out of ministry. It is stated that this is an accepted rule of thumb, “In fact, if your experience is anything but that, be concerned.”9
This matter of being kept from evil is cited as part of the model prayer Jesus gave his followers [Wilkinson's words on page 67]… “`And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one’ (Matthew 6:13).” Surely most believers would want to follow the words of Jesus, and in most cases they do with regard to repeating this [so called Lord's] prayer, in Matthew 6:9-13.
But what really causes confusion here is to read carefully all of the above verses and note that the prayer asks the Father for His Kingdom in heaven to come to earth. Paul tells the Church today we are already seated with Christ in heaven and awaiting Christ to take us there, Ephesians 2:6 and 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17,
Eph. 2:6 And hath raised [us] up together, and made [us] sit together in heavenly [places] in Christ Jesus:
1 Thes. 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
1 Thes. 4:17 Then we which are alive [and] remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
Further, this model prayer of Matthew 6:9-13 requires of those praying that they forgive others if they would be forgiven. The implication is: if one doesn’t forgive others, God will not forgive him! How different this is from Paul’s teaching in Ephesians 4:32 and Colossians 2:13,
Eph. 4:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
Col. 2:13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
In these two verses Paul makes plain that, under grace, God has already forgiven the believer all sins. We do not pray to receive forgiveness nor must we today forgive in order to be forgiven.
Surely, the context then of this Matthew 6:9-13 model prayer demonstrates that prayer is directed for Israel in yet a coming day when Christ will return to earth with that expected Kingdom.
But might not this part of Jabez’s prayer to be kept from evil and that part of Christ’s Kingdom prayer [in Matthew 6:9-13] mentioning the same be found “parallel”10 to our present dispensation of grace? If we could find a text from Paul where this concept of praying to be kept from the evil one [i.e. the devil], it might prove helpful. What The Jabez Prayer makes its emphasis is not Paul’s direct teaching of grace. Therefore, if and when Paul is cited/quoted it’s almost as an accommodation or as another possible resource, not in any sense showing that his teaching is the norm and standard under grace today.
Some Pauline Teachings About the Evil One:
1. Eph. 6:11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
Eph. 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [places].
We don’t find in the [above] verses the words “evil one” but surely the references to the devil and the evil day and God’s protection [whole armour of God] against this spiritual wickedness are legitimate synonyms. The point in this context of Ephesians 6:10-18 is that God has equipped the believer under grace to stand against the attacks of our enemy Satan.
2. 2 Thes. 3:3 But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep [you] from evil.
In 2 Thessalonians 3:3, we have a similar Greek text to Matthew 6:13 with the use of the words: “the evil,” and therefore the word “one,” may be added. Therefore, Paul says that the Lord will keep us from “the evil one.” Here, it’s a stated fact. Not something to be asked or to be prayed. One cannot help but compare [i.e. contrast] Jabez’s prayer: “…and that thou wouldest keep me from evil,” with Paul’s declared statement of fact: “the Lord will keep you from [the] evil [one].”
Perhaps this is the key and crucial point in The Prayer of Jabez book: that what the author sees in Jabez’s prayer that should result in a larger life for the believer today, we already possess in greater abundance in Christ, as clearly stated by Paul. Why is this so hard for the Church to see? Why has it been relegated to less than front page in our best selling books among evangelicals today?
God has placed the revelation of His grace in the present dispensation in the writings of the Apostle Paul. The apostle made every effort to acknowledge this God given emphasis in his writings and ministry as he laid stress on his apostleship; see Romans 11:13:
Rom. 11:13 For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:
V. POINT #5 OF JABEZ’S PRAYER
Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, see 1 Chronicles 4:9.
Chapter 6 of the Prayer of Jabez book is entitled: Welcome To God’s Honor Roll. Jabez is shown to be one of God’s favorites as God honored him beyond his peers. “Simply put, God favors those who ask. He holds back nothing from those who want and earnestly long for what He wants.”11
The author sees in the Hebrews 11 Hall of Faith chapter “ordinary easy-to-overlook people who had faith in an extraordinary, miraculous God and stepped out to act on that faith.”12
The point of this chapter seems to be that God’s highest reward is wrapped up in the principle of Jabez’s prayer and even Paul is cited as proof that this should be pursued as in Philippians [which by the way Wilkinson says was Paul's last epistle!]13 3:14,
Phil. 3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Surely Wilkinson is correct: God desires that believers earnestly long for what He wants. But is the prayer of Jabez the essence and totality of what God wants from believers today under grace? Isn’t the prayer of Jabez that the believer would enjoy blessing and expanded/enlarged borders and deliverance from the evil one? When we analyze these components, it appears that the benefactor here becomes the one praying Jabez’s prayer. And we understand that God has always desired to bless those who would believe Him and obey His Word; see Hebrews 11:6:
Heb. 11:6 But without faith [it is] impossible to please [him]: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and [that] he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
God’s Desire and Will for the Church Today
The Jabez Prayer places an emphasis which to me is really out of focus with what God desires first and foremost today. God’s prime desire today centers in and around what Paul wrote in Ephesians 1:15-23,
Eph. 1:15 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,
Eph. 1:16 Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;
Eph. 1:17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:
Eph. 1:18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
Eph. 1:19 And what [is] the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,
Eph. 1:20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set [him] at his own right hand in the heavenly [places],
Eph. 1:21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:
Eph. 1:22 And hath put all [things] under his feet, and gave him [to be] the head over all [things] to the church,
Eph. 1:23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.
Just to read these verses and contemplate what Paul is telling us that God the Father wants is awe-inspiring, is it not?! Actually, what we have here is part of Paul’s prayer for these Ephesians. And, since we’re dealing with the subject of prayer in this article, why not look at one of the classics available from the pen of Paul himself. How many believers have ever prayed this prayer? And if not, why not? Wouldn’t we all agree this would certainly be what God the Father desires and wants?
The believer will not go astray by praying the prayers of Paul which are as equally inspired of the Holy Spirit as is the prayer of Jabez. Therefore, the issue is not which is more inspired but which is God’s emphasis today in this dispensation of His grace and the fulness of the glorified Christ.
VI. POINT #6 OF THE JABEZ PRAYER
“And God granted him that which he requested…” 1 Chronicles 4:10.
Wilkinson’s final chapter 7, is entitled: Making Jabez Mine. He challenges his readers to make the prayer of Jabez a treasured and life long habit. He suggests 6 steps to be followed, some each day, some once a week, others involving one’s family, friends, and local church. From the author’s personal experience, the Jabez Prayer and Principle is legitimate having contributed to his success in his personal life and ministry with Walk Thru the Bible, of which he is the founder and president. One cannot argue with the success of his ministry which he attributes to “God’s grace and Jabez praying….”14
Obviously Wilkinson does not suggest that all who [as does he] pray the Jabez prayer, will experience the ministry successes as he has. But, none the less, one cannot miss that he has written The Jabez Prayer as a norm and standard for other believers to follow.
My thesis in this critique of the book, The Jabez Prayer, has been that God’s principle in prayer and the breaking through to the blessed life is to be found in Paul’s letters to the Church, the Body of Christ. When we realize what the Jabez Prayer asks believers today to pray and practice, and when we realize what Paul’s grace teachings claim that believers already possess in Christ, it should be easy to respond accordingly in faith.
Get Prayers Sent To Your Cell Phone Start Your daily Prayers Today Click here For Details
Find More Book Of Ephesians Articles
Recent Comments