Soul Food Friday: Territory | Indianapolis Food Blogger 4

Territorial.
Happy Friday! We made it y’all!
Today I’m serving up another dish of soulfood. This week it’s about your territory. What are you doing with it?

Many people have read the popular book series “The Prayer of Jabez” by Dr. Bruce Wilkinson. In the early 2000’s, this book flew off the shelves, into pulpits, into church choir stands and even into tons of homes, even mine. Yep, I have a copy.

This book, based on Scripture-
1 Chronicles 4:9-10, deals with the story of Jabez, and how he cried out to God, asking him to enlarge his territory, and God made it so.

“Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez, saying, “I gave birth to him in pain.” Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, saying, “Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from the evil one.” And God granted his request.”
1 Chronicles 4:9-10 (NIV)

The book is powerful, profound, very a useful tool. I believe the prayer can be life changing-in the right circumstances.
The prayer IS a great prayer. But it seems that people are using it simply out of order. This isn’t some miracle prayer that you pray when you want to go from here to THERE. It’s not a magical bean that will shoot you up to the sky like Jack and the beanstalk and allow you to take claim on all your wants and desires. Sorry. God doesn’t work like that. He’s not an ATM nor is he a magician. Let’s stop treating him as such.
He’s given us a life, designed perfectly with needs, wants, and desires. He placed them there.
Our wants and desires should simply be- God’s will for my life are what I want.

I’d like to pose a question. I know we all want more of God, we want more of this, we want more of that. We simply want more. (Thanks AT&T)
What are you doing with the territory that God has blessed you with-currently?

Before God can take us to the next, we have to master the now. Being faithful and obedient in this season, prepares you for the next season.
If you haven’t mastered the territory that God has entrusted you with currently, why would he enlarge your territory for you fuss and fondle over haphazardly? God knows what he is doing in the time and space he has allotted for us.

Please note- I’m not shading or critiquing “The Prayer of Jabez” by Dr. Wilkinson, I am simply stating this-
God truly does want to bless us with more, but he first wants to know that we can handle that job we hate as low level management before makes us a department head. He wants to see you pay your tithes cheerfully before you get that big raise. God is the master of exceedingly and abundantly, but first we have to do our part.

“His master replied, “We’ll done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!”
Matthew 25:23 (NIV)

Be comfortable in the now, knowing that God is preparing us for the next with the expectation that it will be greater. Everything about God is greater!

Thanks for reading!

Love God. Love People. Eat Good!