Favor: December 6, 2013

TODAY”S WORD FOR FRIDAY DECEMBER 6, 2013

FAVOR

DEFINITION:

To regard with approval; Goodwill; esteem; backing; kindness.

SCRIPTURE:

But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. Genesis 6:8

And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man. Luke 2:52.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

Once we have accepted Jesus as our Savior we have favor with God. We ask you the question, does it matter then how we act to keep that favor? The Bible responds with an emphatic YES and gives us numerous examples of godly lives to comsider. Today we want to look at four of those godly people from the scriptures.

In the verse we have put above we read about Noah having favor with God. Noah was not perfect but he pleased God because he loved God and was obedient to God. The scripture tells us that Noah responded to God by walking with Him daily. God responds positively to us when we walk closely with Him, live by His Word, and listen carefully to His Holy Spirit. This means that we as believers need to make the scripture a major part of our life but also learn who God is and what He is like.

Moses, despite initial protests, chose to obey the divine call from God and live life God’s way. The Lord favors followers who choose His preferences over their own. God expects us to think about our lives in terms of pleasing Him. This requires being able to submit our will to His perfect will for life, as Moses did.

The apostle Paul, after his conversion, lived with the single-minded focus of serving Jesus. He sought to do his best by means of inward and outward obedience. We learn from Paul that the Lord favors those whose hearts are bent toward Him and willing to serve Him no matter what the cost. Paul willingly gave up all he had to serve the Lord and preach the gospel.

Mary, the mother of Jesus, responded with trust and did not doubt when the angels announced that she would give birth to the Messiah. God blesses those who choose to believe even when the circumstances make it difficult to believe. God looks with favor on those who look to Him in unwavering faith.

We find favor with our heavenly Father through believing minds, responsive hearts, and obedient spirits.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in II Corinthians 9:8.

And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything; you may have abundance for every good deed.

PRAYER:

Help us to serve You in faith so that we may receive Your favor in all that we do. We ask that Your Holy Spirit may guide us daily to do what is Your will for us and not our own. Thank You that by faith in You we are saved and not by our own works. Thank You for Your many blessings that you favor us with each and every day.