Rating: 
Summary: I know this much
Review: In this book, I think Wilkinson belittled God's greatness and embellished human efforts instead. It's sad because he sounded more like a salesman to me trying to sell an idea. I mean he kept mentioning about how he went around the world to 'teach people of the Prayer of Jabez. And it works!' Don't people know by now that IT never works. Because God is the only one that can make IT work. Besides, I don't think God really wants us to ask Him to expand our territories. Is that even biblical, I wonder? And to ask for more ministries? This is exactly what Christians need to avoid...that mere Christian busyness. God doesn't want that. He wants your heart. He wants to be intimate with you. And that's not even simple enough. So why ask Him to expand 'the territories'? I give it two stars because I wouldn't have known about the prayer if Wilkinson hadn't written a book about it. It's a great prayer but I don't think Wilkinson was the man to analyze it. But I don't question God's miracles. He might have a purpose for this one.
Rating: 
Summary: Jabez Girl
Review: This is a wonderful, profound, practical, yet simple and inspiring book. Based on the Biblical short prayer of a virtual unknown Old Testament fellow named "Jabez," Bruce Wilkerson walks readers through the single sentence prayer. It changed my entire view of not wanting to pray "selfishly" to every day asking God to bless me "a lot." Guess what. He does! Like Wilkerson, I have found there really are days when I have to stop and say, "OK, God, you don't need to bless me this much all at the same time because I can't take any more." I have purchased copies for all my children, sister - in- law, many friends, and plan to keep on doing so. What a gift from the heart for those we love.I disagree with the reviewer that thinks Wilkerson sells this prayer as a cure-all type prayer hidden in all the "begets," therefore implying it is unimportant. EVERYTHING in God's word is important. Could it be that this little prayer is hidden just to see if we would take the time to find, study, contemplate, and pray it? Last, whether is it the "be all, end all" of all prayers, it is simple yet profound philosophy that all of the world could benefit from praying. Who could argue with asking God to: 1. bless us indeed 2. expand our territories for His glory rather than our wishes 3. that His hand would be with us 4. that we be kept from evil (PLEASE!) 5. and that we not cause pain? Oh, that we ALL would live our lives with these 5 basic concepts in the fronts of our minds. What if every world leader, every elected official, every family in every home, prayed this prayer from a sincere heart every day? What impact could it have on our world? Thank you, Bruce Wilkerson, for getting the word out about this wonderful little prayer. I have taken to calling myself Jabez Girl. Others, how about you?? If you have not read this book, do it NOW!!
Rating:
Summary: GOD Wants to Bless You!
Review: This was an amazing little book! So quick to read and packed with so much inspiring advice. Some of the reviews of this book have been so off base. It's message is simple...God wants to bless your life. If you think that money is the only blessing God can provide you then you are limiting your potential. Do not put a limit to what God can do for you...Just ask him (like Jabez did) and see what happens.
Rating: 
Summary: What about the pain?
Review: Overall this book had many good points, but the big disappointment in my view is the author's failure to adequately cover the last line of Jabez' prayer: "THAT I MAY NOT CAUSE PAIN." In the beginning Bruce writes a little about how Jabez means "pain" in Hebrew and how this biblical character was named because his mother felt he caused much pain during his birth. Then each chapter is built on one of the lines of the prayer, but the book stops abruptly, never addressing the fact that this guy wanted to escape the legacy of his name. He didn't want to cause pain. If you read it literally, the prayer of Jabez is the 'prayer of pain." Are we inviting pain when we ask for too much or when we ask to escape the lives we have each been given? There are too many unanswered questions. WHO did Jabez cause pain to besides his mother? Who did he not want to harm? (And just think of the enormous negative influence that the mother had on the poor guy's life...that's a scary thought for those of us who are parents) Did Jabez cause pain to God? Is that why he prayed for blessings, for God's hand, for protection from evil? So that he would not cause his Creator pain? Then you can connect his creators---Mother delivered him, God created him. As a writer and a lifelong student of literature, these questions popped into my mind from Chapter 1 on...I thought, "oh that's what this book is leading up to...the reconciliation of life as we are living it, the desire to escape the mortal, and the potential that could be attained in reaching the immortal state." I was expecting this to be the grand ending and I was really disappointed. I need more from this author. I need him to answer these questions and go deeper than he has.
Rating:
Summary: Life Changing
Review: What a beautiful encouragement - God wants to bless us more! We can be a witness with His words and have His protection. This is a must-read for all Chrisitans - Call upon God's power -just like Jabez - God is waiting ad available.
Rating: 
Summary: Reminds me of my Accountant
Review: Part of me hates to be the ... in this punchbowl, as Lowell Weicker used to refer to himself in jest among his mostly-more conservative Republicans in the Senate, but here goes. My accountant, who also looks just like Wilkinson's photo on the book, keeps telling me to manage my time by doing just little bits of accounting-input work each day or each week. Then it's easier to assemble periodic reports, and major IRS filings. It's just ironic predestination that the guy who gave me a copy of this is also a CPA, who was also recruiting people to fly to one of the most expensive resorts in the Bahamas for a multi-day seminar put on by Wilkinson, to learn more of the blessed life. Here, the Jabez prayer is that little daily time management thing, forming the capillary inputs to the GREAT BIG THING, which here is termed the blessed life. And it's indisputable for a Bible believer because there it is, in the Martindale-Hubbell equivalent entry for one Jabez, in the Chronicles of Israel. Just as the Heidelberg catechism warns against over-repetition of the Mass, or as Jesus warned against repeat-praying as a means of showing how holy you are, I think Wilkinson's selection of the Jabez prayer, and the use of it to authorize requests for individual, personal blessings, sets up an interesting collision with the Lord's Prayer, in which Jesus hits more of a tone of "us" rather than "me." So pick your prayer. Or make your own. I don't doubt that this book has had a great impact on many people, or the genuine commitment of its author to, in his words, fulfilling the Great Commission. There's a lot of room here in the punchbowl.
Rating: 
Summary: Inspiring challenge!
Review: What a book! I approached this book hesitantly, both because I was wary of its fad-like appeal and worried I'd find a "blab-it, grab-it" type of spirituality. It's neither. Wilkinson's work is an inspiring reminder that we serve a BIG God and our prayers ought to be big too. He clearly states that God's in control of answering prayer. Other reviewers object to Wilkinson's not offering a thorough analysis of prayer, but he never promised to. As the title of the book indicates, this book is about the prayer of Jabez. It's a quick read and a terrific challenge.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful News! God DOES Want To Bless Me!
Review: I heard about this book by accident, picking up bits and pieces of an interview with Bruce Wilkinson, on my radio at work. Bruce said a beautiful prayer, which raised my curiosity, so I ordered The Prayer Of Jabez. Less than 100 pages long, it is a quick read, and it has had a tremendous impact on me. What I have concluded, for certain, is that God DOES want to bless me - every day. I think so many feel they do not deserve to be blessed. Mr. Wilkinson's focus is on one simple Bible verse: I Chronicles 4:9 - a simple prayer to God by a man named Jabez. (.."Oh that you would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain."). Verse 10 reads, "So God granted him what he requested." Bruce Wilkinson has been saying this prayer to God for 30 years, and, as a result, he has expanded his ministry from 25 Bible conferences to 2500 Bible conferences. I would sincerely recommend his wonderful story of his 30 year journey, as well as, his suggestion - to try praying the Jabez for 30 days yourself - to anyone who has a sincere desire to be used by God in a special way. I have been doing this for 29 days - my 30th day is tomorrow. Although I told God flat out that I did not believe He wants me to preach the gospel to all nations (like evangelists) I did sincerely ask Him to use my talents(I'm a writer) for His purpose. This prayer has been an enormous eye opener for me and I am full of gratitude. A couple quick examples: I have made very positive decisions about my future - such as, throwing away what I don't need; becoming an expert with any gifts God has given me; and graciously RECEIVING any blessing offered to me for I am loved and forgiven by God- most important to shine His LIGHT and no longer hide it under a bushel. To summarize, get this book - it will open your eyes in a wonderful way.
Rating:
Summary: Bestseller book, but I'm a bit skeptical...
Review: It's fascinating that this small Christian book has been at the top of the bestseller lists. A few people I know have raved about this book, but I had to read it myself, of course. I have the same reservations about this book that some of the other reviewers have. All of a sudden, Bruce Wilkinson finds this prayer in one of the more obscure books of the Old Testament (not that I have anything against 1 Chronicles, or any book of the Bible - I've read them all), and he says that our lives will be changed if we pray this prayer every day for 30 days AND re-read the book once a week. Hmmm... I have written out the prayer and I'm going to incorporate it into my devotional time, and I know that the Bible says that we're to pray with expectancy, but I guess I'm just not convinced. I'm praying about THAT, too! I just looked at the website I suggest you go there and have a look around. You can read testimonies of people who say their lives have been changed by this prayer. Perhaps God IS using this book to bring His people closer to Himself? Praying about "enlarging one's borders" is great - we all need to pray outside our comfort zone. I suggest you take a look at the book's website - and buy this book on Amazon and read it for yourself. I'm going to watch the reviews on this one! If you're interested in being used by the Lord, and "enlarging your borders", check out my review of John Ortberg's book "If You Want to Walk On Water, You Have to Get Out of the Boat".
Rating:
Summary: But does it glorify God?
Review: It's a good book and a great length - can be read quickly enough. Before I found this book, I'd begun the daily habit of asking God to help me realize my full potential. That, for me, was a powerful prayer and I've been blessed exceedingly above all that I could think or ask. I think consistent daily prayers have great value and that's what this little book really brings out. Not because of God, but because we're like the RMS Titanic. It's takes a long, slow mile to turn our thoughts around in a whole new direction. The book does serve to point folks to God, so I give it 4 stars for that reason. It's kind of a prayer primer, and has value for that reason, too. But you can pray big chubby powerful prayers, with or without this book. The Bible (the ultimate prayer book) promises that God is so close to us that we need only groan (don't need to worry with words) and God will hear us and bless us and surprise us in ways that are better and higher than we could imagine. "The Prayer of Jabez" is a good item for the well-read Christian. But don't fear you've missed God's message if you miss this book. A more indepth book on powerful prayers (700 pages) is Science & Health by M. Eddy. Of all the books I've read on prayer (I've read about 300+) Science & Health is my #1 favorite. The prayer of Jabez is a good book - but it's not super colossal great.
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