". . . 'and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!'. . . " 1 Chronicles 4:10.

Perhaps the most important part of the prayer of Jabez is the fourth request. Why? This request sums up the whole point of the cross of Calvary and the ultimate goal of God, to put an end to sin and restore man into the image of God. Jabez understood this. He also understood human nature. It is not only hard to live up to the standards of God, it is impossible without the Holy Spirit working in and through us.

In light of these verses, it would be wise for us to take the example of Jabez seriously. We, like him, have a fallen, sinful nature that is antagonistic to righteousness. If left to ourselves, we would fast become like the worst of criminals. When we hear about the horrible crimes of mass murderers, our reactions are often of shock and dismay. Yet, few of us realize the power Satan would have in our lives if God would withdraw His Spirit. One need not look far to see the results of rebellion against God and refusing to follow His leading. It seems as though every generation is pushing the limits and defying the "morals and values" of previous generations and the Bible. People have no respect for life or authority, including their own. Why?

In my own experience, I have seen the difference that God has made in my life. When I was a teenager, I chose to live by my own set of rules, laying aside the value system my parents tried so hard to instill in me. In my pursuit of "freedom", I had thrown away the compass of life, the Moral Law & the Bible. With all the "rules" removed, I was now free to enjoy everything this world could offer me. Alcohol, drugs, and immorality quickly began to swallow me up. Finally, I hit rock bottom. Overwhelmed with guilt and shame, lonely because my self-centered lifestyle pushed everyone away, and full of anger, I had finally reached a place where God could get through to me. It finally dawned on me, rebellion isn't the answer to a joyous life. It is the curse that robs joy and happiness from our lives.

At the heart of sin is rebellion against God. This rebellion slowly eats at us from the inside out, until we have gone so far that conscience dies. In order to escape the feelings of guilt, emptiness, and shame, we need to continually be in the action. We know that the minute the lights go out, the music stops, the TV flickers off, the "high" wears off, or we actually stop "going, going, going" that we will be alone with our fears, guilt, and shame just like Adam and Eve were after eating the forbidden fruit.

While we are stuck in this rut, God is seeking us. He is constantly calling out to us and extending the invitation of forgiveness and offering to transform us from the inside out. He loves us and will do anything to help us except use force. He leaves us to make the decisions, but not without giving us plenty of opportunity to see from the experiences of others what the results will be. This is why God has seen fit to preserve His Word. If ever we needed to spend time in God's Word, it is now. Temptations press us from every side. Yet God is reaching out to hopeless humanity, shouting with a loud voice,

God has done so much for us and all He asks is that we surrender ourselves to Him, acknowledging our need of His grace and power. Then, He will do for us what He did for Saul on the road to Damascus. Catching a vision of Who Christ really is and what He has done for us, our conscience will be quickened, and we will strive to die to self that Christ may live within. "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.", Galatians 2:20,21. Let's strive to be transformed into the image of Christ, not because the law demands it, but because Christ has won our hearts by His love and sacrifice.