Walking with Favor

It is kind of cool to be ushered into the front of the line! Doesn’t happen to me often but just the other day I was standing in a very long line to check out at Sam’s. As always I was in a hurry but had to purchase the items. Out of the blue a man came from behind me and gently took my elbow leading me to a register. While guiding me to another line he said, out loud so that everyone in line could hear, “You only have three items so I can push you through!”

What a gift!

I had found “favor” at Sam’s in the long check-out line. Not only that, the words of the store manager took down any threat of “looks or thoughts that would kill” since I didn’t initiate cutting the line. It truly was a gift. I like to see it as a God wink…His provision ….His Favor!

When I take my spiritual temperature, I take the time to confess my sins. I have learned to do it daily, sometimes hourly. There is nothing like living with a light heart! God is ALWAYS gracious enough to show me my sin.

I also have to make time right after my time of confessing to punch Satan in the gut. He works overtime to try and follow my confession time with a condemnation net. He loves to cast it with whispers like:
”You are undeserving.”
“Those words you said killed your light for Christ.”
“You don’t deserve God’s favor.”
“Watch your back. God has a big hand.”
“You are not worthy.”

Those are just a few “net whispers.” I punch Satan with God’s Word like…
Psalm 103:12, ”As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.”
Ephesians 3:20, “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.”
And, Luke 11:11, “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead?”

These are just a few Scriptures that I fire back at the enemy when he lurks with condemnation after my confession. God is a GOOD, GOOD FATHER. At times HE does DISCIPLINE US because that’s what good fathers do. They care about our hearts. Sometimes discipline is painful but for our greater good. We are not to live under condemnation and we are to realize the character of God. He is full of grace, mercy and patience. HE is the only one capable of reading our hearts/motives behind our actions.

Scripture is clear that the prayers of the righteous are powerful and effective. Notice it say “righteous,” not “perfect.” No one who has ever walked the face of the earth was perfect but Jesus. Righteousness is about motives and what is on the inside of our hearts. It is about loving God with all your heart, soul and mind. That is how He judges righteousness. We are imperfect people in need of a HOLY God.

When we seek Him and we Listen, Trust and Obey….we can have the favor of God in our lives. I’m not ever gonna walk in perfection but I want to walk in favor with God…I am learning how to examine that….my character, my conversation and my conduct..the 3 C’s.

Noah and Mary, Jesus’ mother, had God’s favor. When I study the life of Noah, I see that he listened, he trusted and he obeyed. It didn’t just affect his immediate family, but generations to follow. I also see that God asked him to do things that seemed odd and far-fetched.

I also notice he didn’t take a poll with others….he just obeyed. The ark wasn’t built in a day either. It required WORK and intense ridicule. Can you imagine building an ark 450 feet long where there was no water in the wicked generation that Scripture paints? I can only imagine the jeers! God’s favor is for everyone who chooses to seek it. It comes from intently listening to Him, completely trusting Him and completely OBEYING Him even if it doesn’t make human sense….especially with the masses.

To have the favor of God, from the study of Scripture, seems to put you in the minority. You certainly aren’t going to be able to “lean on your own understanding!” Mary was a virgin…. and Noah?…built an ark where there was no water.

Often we all want the favor of God but the big question is: Are we willing to do what it takes to have it?

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