Rating: 
Summary: Theologically Devastating
Review: A bestseller does not necessarily a Christian classic make. Consider the following points:1. If this is a great secret to prayer, then why is it buried in one verse in a genealogy of the Old Testament? 2. The book violates the number #1 rule of sound exegesis: A verse cannot mean something today that it didn't mean to the original hearers. 3. When the disciples asked Jesus how to pray He surprisingly didn't refer to Jabez. If this interpretation were true, wouldn't Jesus have mentioned it??? 4. Our problem as the Bible defines it is SIN. Not a need for blessing. 5. Didn't Jesus comment on mantra-like repetitions? The botton line: You can't grab one verse in a genealogy and formulate a doctrine around it. This violates all sound theological practice. Save your money or spend it on sound teaching.
Rating: 
Summary: Too Simple
Review: There is a reasonably straight-forward formula for writing a book that will sell: keep it short, keep it simple and tell people what they want to hear. 'The Prayer of Jabez' neatly follows this best-seller formula and it has sold millions. Unfortunately, there is no such magic prayer formulae set out in the Bible. And, again unfortunately, 'The Prayer of Jabez' takes the easy and simplistic option of suggesting there is. Basing a Christian theology of anything on two Bible verses - and obscure Bible verses at that - will always be tenuous. Yet this is what 'The Prayer of Jabez' does, taking just two verses (1 Chronicles 4:9 & 10) out of the nine chapter recitation of the genealogy of the Israelites in First Chronicles. If the book was to take this brief story and use it to establish a different perspective on prayer throughout the Bible, the author's initial selectivity may be justified. However, there is little reference to any other prayers or praying from anywhere else in the Bible. The reader is presented with a "magic pill" prayer, which must be suspect if only from the obscurity of the reference and the brevity and ambiguity of the story itself. In contrast with a number of Bible commentaries' admissions that "nothing is known of the circumstances by which God granted the earnest petition of Jabez", Wilkinson reads much into these two short verses. To suggest, as he does, that Jabez was spared from grief and pain for the remainder of his life after praying this prayer is feel-good, pop-Christianity in the extreme. One only needs to look at various anguished prayers in Psalms, the Book of Job or of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane to call into question Wilkinson's formula. Without a doubt, there are great and miraculous answers to prayer. The Bible and the lives of many Christians are filled with these stories. If 'The Prayer of Jabez' triggers a renewed interest in prayer and its important role in the life of a Christian, the book will bring many benefits - and some such stories are related in the book itself. Similarly, a revived interest in some of the lesser-known characters of the Bible is commendable. Many of the sentiments and the urging to seek a closer relationship with God as expressed in 'The Prayer of Jabez' are worthwhile. However the book itself is based on a fragile Biblical premise, which is dangerous when dealing with a topic that has been a source of disappointment and frustration to many Christians over the centuries. 'The Prayer of Jabez' is far too brief and simplistic in dealing with prayer - one of the most mysterious and significant aspects of Christian experience.
Rating:
Summary: Centered on Self rather than cross
Review: I can see why this is a bestseller. Short in words and promising success if only the reader does this and that. Turns biblical prayer on its ear. Purely this is dangerous teaching for only the fact that it seeks to turn our attention away from Christ and upon our own relentless seeking what we want. Scripture is replete with examples against such "name it and claim it" theology. Further, the English translation here of 1 Chronicles 4:9 "and Jabez was more honorable" is faulty and misleading. The preferable Hebrew trnalslation here would be "more honored." See a reliable source such as Keil-Delitzsch, Volume 8, pg. 88. This coupled with the interpretative guideline of scripture interprets scripture will not permit this incorrect application as the book suggests. What about taking up our crosses and following Jesus? What about he who exalts himself I will humble and he who humbles himself I will exalt? Prayer disconnected from our relationship to Christ crucified is what is critical, and is avoided in this book. Further to its false teaching, the author exhibits Pelgiansism (look it up to find out what's involved) on pg. 85 -- speaking of what to do about sin, he writes "I encourage you to rush back into God's presence and make things right, whatever it takes." What about giving it to the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world? This is certainly commendable that Christ's people pray and strengthen their walk of faith, but putting people under the law in his human-centered way and not the way of Christ's cross is unbiblical and dangerous to faith, no matter how high it is on the best-seller's list. For biblical teaching on prayer and life of faith, see either Harold Senkbeil's excellent book "Dying to Live: The Power of Forgiveness," Chapter 8 and Gene Veith's "Spirituality of the Cross."
Rating:
Summary: Scary misrepresetnation of Christianity
Review: I could not finish this book; I stopped with utter disgust. The very idea that we can influence the will of God is anathema to everything taught in the bible. I suppose that this type of book is very, very comforting to people trying to square Christ's teachings of poverty and humility with their desire for a larger SUV and a more spacious house. It is dangerous to emphasize one tiny verse in the bible over the entire message Christ brought in the New Testament. Our society must eventually confront that our greediness, no matter how we name it, is diametrically opposed to Christ's teaching. Any Christian's emphasis needs to be on others before themselves. It is extremely dangerous to tell people that if they honor God they will be rewarded. Honoring and loving God is the end of Christianity, it is not a means to improving our life on Earth. G.K. Chesterton once said that the strongest argument against Christianity is Christians. If I were a non-Christian observing the success of this book, I would agree with GKC as I see thropngs of people flocking to a book that opposes the words and example of the one person Christians base their entire relgigion on. Very, very, very disturbing trend that stresses where today's American Christian places importance: self before others.
Rating: 
Summary: A very important work
Review: Contrary to some of the reviews I've read here, The Prayer of Jabez has nothing to do with a "name it and claim it" school of theology. It has nothing to do with seeking expansion of our territory for our sake. What it does speak to is something which all christians ought to long for, and that is to be used fully by God for His purposes. I'm troubled by many of the reviews I've read here, which seem to be discussing a book other than the one I've read several times! If you think this is a book with a formula to manipulate God somehow, you'll be disappointed. If you'd like a guide to lead you towards increasing your faith and reliance on the God who does what He wants, when He wants to do it, and does it His way, this is a book for you. I couldn't recommend this book more highly. One word of caution, though... it is getting trendy; avoid the leather-bound, gold embossed version!
Rating:
Summary: Down with Jabez!
Review: After perusing a handful of thoroughly obnoxious and nauseating reviews written by a babbling horde of credulous ninnies, I can't help but add my own two cents. Most of the dim bulbs that have written reviews of "The Prayer of Jabez" think (although using the word "think" is a bit of a stretch, as I fear most of these nimrods have never had a clear, coherent thought in their entire lifetime) that just because they have "accepted Christ" and have been "born again," that they are somehow special and different and changed and set apart from the rest of humanity. Think again: once a selfish pig, always a selfish pig. "The Prayer of Jabez" is a book for a very specific breed of selfish pig: the kind that appears (and believes himself to be) blessed and godly, but way down at the bottom of his heart, he is nothing more than a repulsive little pig who cares about nothing more than himself, his possessions, and his own aggrandizement. You know what I'm talking about; the kind of pig that is so blinded by religious rhetoric that he can't even see himself for what he really is. The kind of pig who prays, "Expand my territory! Grant me miracles! Bless me! GIVE ME GLORY!" and actually thinks that is a GOOD THING to pray for! It's enough to make your skin crawl. Truly disgusting. Almost as dangerous as it is ugly... "The Prayer of Jabez": avoid it like the Plague!
Rating:
Summary: The real prayer
Review: Nice idea, nice prayer; unfortunately, that's not how it reads in Hebrew. It would behoove CHristian authors to use a knowledgable translation -- such as the Stone TaNaCh. We Jews have been reading it for 3000 years.
Rating:
Summary: Been Blessed
Review: My sister bought the Prayer of Jabez for me and I was truly blessed by reading it. The way God operates is so awesome that we will never be able to figure Him out. But to read the Prayer of Jabez and to take in the true meaning of the prayer, you will never be the same. By reading it you should not feel the same way about your everyday walk with God as you do now. Read it, absorb it, pray on it. I believe you too will be blessed.
Rating:
Summary: Life Changing
Review: This little book and the dicipline has the power to change lives and enrich our world. Wilkinson powerfully exposes and simply tells of God's love for those who seek Him. As many times as I have read I Chronicles, I never saw this prayer. Thank you Bruce Wilkinson for bringing it to light.
Rating:
Summary: Have you checked the cross-reference to 1 Chronicle 4:10
Review: Deut 12:20 gives some real insight to the prayer of Jabez. It appears that this son of Judah (1 Chron 4:1) was concerned with the promise of the God of Israel to widen out territory, i.e., increase in worshipers of true God. Deut 12:1,2 shows that the cleansing of the land from pagan worship would result in widening it out, all with God's blessing. Jabez's motive was pure in that he was concerned, apparently, with making more true worshipers. So, perhaps the lesson that is really derived from this Hebrew scripture account is for Christians to pray to be successful in making more disciples of Christ, as Jabez wanted to make disciples for God, in a peaceful way. Sounds like an honorable mission indeed.
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