I’m doing a Bible study online and one of the prompts asked to share what we had built with human hands. I wrote down: Building empires instead of hearts!
This got me to thinking…Land is a territory, a boundary. Hands hold territory too.
Hearts also hold territory and boundaries.
This brought me back to a passage:
“Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, “Because I bore him in pain.” And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, “Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!” So God granted him what he requested.”
-1 Chronicles 4:9-10 NKJV
Bible footnote:
God singled out one man from more than 600 others for special recognition in the genealogical lists of 1 Chronicles. Why did the Lord say Jabez lived above average? Because he modeled three qualities that make leaders rise to the top: (1) great ambition, (2) great faith, and (3) great prayer.
Your mothers or fathers don’t always get the final say on your name. When you pray to the Lord, He has the authority to change or reverse your destiny through your name. Period!!
Names are a big deal. When we are born, our name is something that follows us the rest of our days. For some, it haunts them. For others, it elevates them. In this story above, Jabez’s mother birthed him out of pain and so she named him accordingly. We don’t know the year Jabez prayed this prayer, meaning we don't know how old he was, but he was not satisfied with his identity. So, he went to the Father and asked Him to change this decree/destiny. He didn’t want to be known for pain the rest of his days or be a cause of pain for others, and God in His loving kindness granted his request.
God can rebuild anything, even our reputations. Or in this case, the reputation a mother’s decree.
I don’t know who needs to hear this today, but the words spoken over you do not have more POWER than our Father God does!! Yeah, I’m going to say that again. The words spoken over you do not have more power than our FATHER GOD does!! If this strikes a chord, hand that stronghold chord over to Jesus, for it’s impacting the boundary space of your/our hearts. Expansion takes demolition before it can be rebuilt. And this reconstruction is with eternal hands that doesn’t wound, for when He touches things, they bloom and bloom and bloom.
I went into research mode to find a song that fits this message here today, and low and behold, I found this song I had never heard. Yet, it’s beautifully perfect.
It’s called REBUILDING 😍 by One Church Worship: https://youtu.be/bsdDTYVo6Gc
You’re not finished with me, Nooooooo
You’re not done yet
You’re not done yet
I feel a prayer coming, and so we will end today in that very way:
Dear Jesus,
Thank You for this reminder, that no matter the words spoken over us, You’re not finished with us and You’re not done yet. If it’s not good, then You’re not done. Not only are You not done, You are just getting started in this new era calling us forward. You are looking for fully surrendered sons and daughters who are releasing their futures into Your hands, so You can take us into the new territories You have set before us since the beginning of time. Brick by brick, You’re making us new. Jesus, brick by brick, keep building Your people by Your life giving words that are PURE and TRUE. For You replace. You exchange. You add to us MORE. Yes, Jesus do to again! Keep rebuilding us brick by brick until You see Your reflection in our many facial expressions. Amen and amen.
Until next time,
Stay Tender
Connect to the Mender
Be a Sender