Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that you would bless me indeed, and enlarge my border, and that your hand might be with me, and that you would keep me from evil, that it not be to my sorrow! God granted him that which he requested.
You believe it, you say. Well, but how do you know? Upon what authority do you gain your confidence? Who told you? “Oh, I believe it.” Yes, but we must be careful of what we believe. Have you any clear evidence of a special interest in the blood of Jesus? Can you give any spiritual reasons for believing that Christ has set you free from sin? I am afraid that some have a hope that has no foundation, like an anchor without the hook blade at the end, which catches in the ground - nothing to grab on with, nothing to lay hold of. They say they are saved, and they really believe that they are, and they think it is wicked to doubt it; but yet they have no reason to warrant their confidence. When the sons of Kohath carried the ark, and touched it with their hands, they did what was right; but when Uzzah touched it he died. There is a great difference between presumption and full assurance. Full assurance is reasonable: it is based on solid ground. Presumption takes things for granted, and with a bold face pronounces something to be its own to which it has no right whatever. Beware, I pray, beware of presuming that you are saved. If with your heart you do trust in Jesus, then you are saved; but if you merely say, “I trust in Jesus,” it does not save you. If your heart is renewed, if you hate the things that you once loved, and love the things that you once hated; if you have really repented; if there is a complete change of mind in you; if you are born again, then you have reason to rejoice: but if there is no real change, no inward godliness; if there is no love to God, no prayer, no work of the Holy Spirit, then your saying, “I am saved,” is nothing but your own assertion, and it may delude, but it will not deliver you. Our prayer ought to be, “Oh, that  you would bless me, with real faith, with real salvation, with the trust in Jesus that is the essential of faith; not with the conceit that produces a lack of caution. God preserve us from imaginary blessings!”
