1 - Introduction - Living like a real Christian JOY | Page 10
notice that in Jabez’s prayer it was God who was to do the enlarging, not him. Jabez was
obviously a person of vision and his desire to grow in his impact could be seen to be highly
commendable. He too, could be seen to be content within the circumference of his life and, by
praying that prayer, he was declaring God to be the enlarger of his territory.
In today’s world, we have become so mesmerized by the power of advertising. The media has
created an environment around us that encourages us to enlarge our own territory, but we
have to contrast this attitude with that of Joseph who did not strive or stress, but was totally
content with the circumference of the life that God had placed him in.
I believe it true to say that there can be no God ordained increase in the circumference of your
life until you are content within the existing circumference; and when you use well that which
God has given to you, within the existing place that he has placed you,you will never see the
increase of God in your life. The test for each one of us here is not just the test of
contentment, but it’s the test of stewarding well that which God has given us in the existing
circumstances of our lives. Do not ask God for more until you are using well that which He has
already given.
Remember too that God is not so interested in what we do as He is about what we become. In
1 Peter 1 v 8 – 9 we read the following, “Though you have not seen him you lov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
?\? ?XY[??X??JK?]8?&\?B??X]]Y?[ ?\??H ] Z[? ?H ?Y??\?[?? ?Y]???? ??H ?YH[? \? X? \?HH?? ??[\?[???