Last week we began our study of The Prayer Of Jabez, a best-selling book by Dr. Bruce Wilkinson which has become a publishing phenomenon.

Jabez begins life with little promise. His name means "pain." Every time his name is mentioned, it is as though he is reminded, "I am a born loser."

A distinguished Bible teacher puts it this way: "We have a picture of a young man who has all the cards stacked against him. There was a struggle in the family of Jabez. If you examine the genealogies in the Book of Chronicles--all include heads of families, fathers, until you get to the one of Jabez. Evidently, he had an irresponsible father whose name had been dropped from the official records at the Temple because he had lost the family’s land and inheritance in a shameful way." (1) Evidently his brothe…