Who Said That?

Who said that?

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"The best honor is that which a man gains in communion with the Most High. Jabez, we are told, was more honorable than his brothers, and his prayer is immediately recorded, as if to insinuate that he was also more prayerful than his brothers. We are told of the petitions in his prayer. All through the prayer it was very significant and instructive. We have only time to take one part of it - indeed, that one part may be said to comprehend the rest: `Oh, that you would bless me!'

I recommend [the prayer of Jabez] as a prayer for each one of you, dear brothers and sisters; one which will be available at all times; a prayer to begin Christian life with, a prayer to end it with, a prayer which would always be appropriate in your joys or in your sorrows.  Oh that you, the God of Israel, the covenant God, would bless me!"

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Go to it!  Please, no google searches or cheating!

Update on Monday, June 26, 2006 at 02:42PM by Kim Riddlebarger

As many of you correctly guessed, this is from a sermon by C. H. Spurgeon on the prayer of Jabez.  You can read Spurgeon's sermon here (Click here: The Prayer of Jabez - C. H. Spurgeon). 

In bringing the sermon to a close, Spurgeon said, "I have one thing more to mention before I bring this sermon to a close. The blessings of God’s grace are true blessings, which in all seriousness we ought to seek after.  By these marks shall you know them. True blessings, are such blessings that come from the pierced hand; blessings that come from Calvary’s bloody tree, streaming from the Savior’s wounded side - your pardon, your acceptance, your spiritual life: the bread that is true food, the blood that is true drink - your oneness to Christ, and all that comes of it - these are the true blessings."

This is a far cry from Bruce Wilkinson's version, in which he writes, "God really does have unclaimed blessings waiting for you . . . . And with a handful of core commitments on your part, you can proceed from this day forward with the confidence and expectation that your heavenly father will bring it to pass."

Let's see, Christ's work for me (Spurgeon) or commitment on my part (Wilkinson)?  Gospel or law?  I'll stick with Spurgeon's version!

Comments

[walt]

Bruce Wilkinson

[Terry J]

It seems too obvious to guess Bruce Wilkinson...but who else could it be?

[Richard J]

Charles Spurgeon

[jf]

spurgeon

[plw]

Wow, there were atleast 15 dozen of them playing on this one, so its a real toss-up. I couldn't narrow this one down if I wanted to! I'll make a stab at it and say Joel or Rick..........wait, do they use a Bible? :)

[Chris Coleman]

Bruce Wilkinson. Spurgeon did preach on the Prayer of Jabez, but this doesn't sound like Spurgeon.

[re4mdmom]

James Dobson... they LOVE the Prayer of Jabez over at Focus.

[Jeremy Weaver]

Charles 'Haddog' Spurgeon.

[MLR]

Bruce Wilkins in that accursed book

[BrianR]

Bruce Wilkinson or Spurgeon could have made this quote, but it's what SURROUNDS this quote, the context, which will forever separate these two authors. Wilkinson uses it as a kind of formula for Christians to enter into a "higher level" of Christian life with an emphasis on US getting rewarded for our piousness. Spurgeon would have used it as a springboard to talk about Christ and Him crucified.

Conclusion: Spurgeon. It DOES sound like him.

[Timinator]

Bruce Wilkinson, I can say this as I read the Prayer of Jabez. I am not sure how to get this but Spurgeon put out a pamplet titled The Prayer of Jabez. Spurgeon is a good read not wasting your time testing God or begging him to bless you as Wilkirson suggest.

[Rick B.]

It reads like a Spurgeon sermon.
Whoever the quote belongs to preached it or spoke it.
So I'll stick with Spurgeon.

[Dr. Mike]

The first thought that popped into my mind was that this was E. M. Bounds. The consensus, however, seems to be headed toward the Prince of Preachers. I must remain resolutely ambivalent. I just don't know.

[Andrew C]

I'm pretty sure it's Spurgeon.

[Josh]

I cheated :(

[Santos]

Too late, I ended up cheating :o(

[zrim]

uh-oh, so did i...maybe the SBC should ban the internet...and google...and keyboards...and PC's...and my eyes...they have all caused me to sin.

[Dale Olzer]

If it was Spurgeon, which seems to be the majority view here, it would be interesting for someone to compare and contrast Spurgeons view on the two words "bless me" vs Wilkinson.

[Chris Coleman]

Dang, I was so close! I can believe I thought this was Wilkinson and not Spurgeon! Spurgeon's conclusion is amazing and great example of how to preach Christ and the Gospel from the OT! Amen Dr. Spurgeon!

[zrim]

i like that contrast between spurgeon and wilkinson.

the lamentable reality is, though, that today's reader would very likely see that contrast as a comparison. that is, the spurgeon-interpretation gets spiritualized to *mean* the wilkinson-interpretation. someone might ask of spurgeon, "what do you mean by that?" and the answer would be, "God really does have unclaimed blessings waiting for you . . . . And with a handful of core commitments on your part, you can proceed from this day forward with the confidence and expectation that your heavenly father will bring it to pass."

this is why things like WHI and MR are so needed.