Derek Webb, a former member of Caedmon’s Call and now a solo musician with an album titled “She Must and Shall Go Free” (it’s about the church), discusses Bruce Wilkinson’s book “The Prayer of Jabez” in a recent journal entry. (Discovered via A Blog Apart)
now all [of] this is probably troubling to you (in one way or another). but i want to be clear about my concern in all this and why i’m so opposed to this teaching. it’s not necessarily because of the horrendous exegetical work. it’s not necessarily because 98% of bruce’s teaching is unwarranted in scripture. it is for only one reason: because it simply undermines the Gospel.
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what is the difference in what bruce says and what the Gospel says? bruce says that even if you’re a Christian that God has withheld His blessings from you … and that He’ll give them to you if you systematically pray this rather obscure old testament prayer. i would challenge that idea and say that if you believe upon Christ for your salvation today, God has withheld nothing from you. in fact, he has already flooded all of the blessing you could ever imagine into your life, and that IS Jesus.
This examination of the prayer of Jabez seems fair. Check out the whole journal entry for the complete context and perspective.
*Other Resources*
Grab the MP3 for “Wedding Dress” off of Derek’s new album at MP3.com.
Hi my name is Danielle and I am Writing you because I realy liked your book “The Prayre of Jabez for Teens”. The book told me that God is always there for us and that we can grow up to be fully mature adults and still be a good holy person. I have told my friends about this book and they went out and bout it and told me that it reached out and touched there hearts. So thanks for writing it it has taught me to be a better person and Ilove it .
Sincerly
Danielle Voight