Embracing God's Favor Amidst Life's Challenges

Devotional

Day 1: Boasting in God's Work

In our journey of faith, it is essential to recognize that our successes and achievements are not solely the result of our own efforts. Instead, they are manifestations of God's work in our lives. This understanding calls for humility, as we acknowledge that any boasting should be directed towards God, not ourselves. By doing so, we align ourselves with the biblical principle that our boast should be in the Lord. This perspective keeps us grounded and reminds us of the source of our strength and blessings. When we testify about our lives, it is crucial to point back to God's work, ensuring that He receives the glory. [02:49]

Jeremiah 9:23-24 (ESV): "Thus says the Lord: 'Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.'"

Reflection: Think of a recent success or achievement in your life. How can you intentionally redirect the glory to God in your conversations and reflections today?

Day 2: Favor Amidst Opposition

God's favor in our lives does not mean the absence of challenges. In fact, favor often attracts opposition. However, the presence of opposition does not negate God's favor; rather, it highlights it. God's favor provides us with the strength and victory to overcome challenges, reminding us of His unwavering love and support. This understanding encourages us to trust in God's provision and timing, knowing that His plans for us are greater than we can imagine. As we navigate life's challenges, we are called to live with the confidence that we are God's favorites, which transforms our perception of adversity. [05:20]

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (ESV): "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

Reflection: Identify a current challenge or opposition you are facing. How can you see it as an opportunity to experience and demonstrate God's favor and strength in your life?

Day 3: The Unfairness of Favor

Favor is not about fairness in human terms; it is about God's divine choice and grace. Like Joseph, we may find ourselves elevated beyond what seems fair, but this is a testament to God's unique plans for each of us. God's favor is not limited by human opposition or circumstances, and it can elevate us even in the most unfavorable situations. This understanding calls us to trust in God's sovereignty and His plans for our lives, knowing that His ways are higher than ours. As we embrace God's favor, we are reminded of His grace and love that surpasses all understanding. [07:21]

Psalm 75:6-7 (ESV): "For not from the east or from the west and not from the wilderness comes lifting up, but it is God who executes judgment, putting down one and lifting up another."

Reflection: Reflect on a time when you experienced an unexpected blessing or elevation. How did it challenge your understanding of fairness, and how can you embrace God's unique plans for you today?

Day 4: Being Safe for Success

While favor opens doors, our character determines if we can sustain the success it brings. Joseph's ability to forgive and move past his grievances was crucial in his journey. Similarly, we must learn to re-evaluate our past hurts and embrace God's healing power, allowing us to be fruitful even in the land of affliction. This mindset shift from "yeah, but" to "but God" is essential in experiencing the fullness of His favor. By cultivating a character that aligns with God's principles, we position ourselves to sustain the success that favor provides. [36:43]

Proverbs 4:23 (ESV): "Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life."

Reflection: Consider an area of your life where past grievances may be hindering your growth. How can you invite God's healing power to transform this area and prepare you for sustained success?

Day 5: Embracing the "But God" Mindset

Shifting from a "yeah, but" to a "but God" mindset allows us to see God's hand in every situation. This perspective helps us recognize that despite challenges, God's favor is working for our good and His glory. By embracing this mindset, we are encouraged to trust in God's provision and timing, knowing that His plans for us are greater than we can imagine. This shift in perspective transforms how we perceive and navigate life's challenges, allowing us to live with the confidence that we are God's favorites. [43:44]

Genesis 50:20 (ESV): "As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today."

Reflection: Identify a situation where you have been focusing on the negatives. How can you shift your perspective to see God's hand at work and trust in His greater plan for your life?

Sermon Summary

In today's message, we explored the profound concept of God's favor and how it can transform our lives. Reflecting on personal experiences, I shared the importance of recognizing that any boasting should be directed towards God, not ourselves. The essence of our journey is to understand that God's favor is not about fairness in human terms but about His divine grace and love that surpasses all understanding. We delved into the story of Joseph, whose life exemplifies how favor can elevate us even in the most unfavorable circumstances. Joseph's journey from being sold into slavery to becoming a ruler in Egypt illustrates that God's favor is not limited by human opposition or circumstances.

Favor, as we discussed, is not a guarantee of a life without challenges. In fact, it often attracts opposition. However, the presence of opposition does not negate God's favor; rather, it highlights it. Favor is about God's ability to do more for us in a moment than we could achieve in a lifetime of labor. It is about trusting in God's provision and timing, knowing that His plans for us are greater than we can imagine. We are encouraged to live with the confidence that we are God's favorites, which changes how we perceive and navigate life's challenges.

Moreover, we examined the importance of being "safe for success." Favor provides opportunities, but our character determines if we can sustain the success it brings. Joseph's ability to forgive and move past his grievances was crucial in his journey. We must learn to re-evaluate our past hurts and embrace God's healing power, allowing us to be fruitful even in the land of affliction. This mindset shift from "yeah, but" to "but God" is essential in experiencing the fullness of His favor.

Key Takeaways

1. Boasting in God: It's crucial to ensure that our testimonies and successes point back to God's work in our lives, not our own abilities. This humility keeps us grounded and aligned with the biblical principle that our boast should be in the Lord. [02:49]
2. **Favor vs. Opposition**: God's favor does not eliminate challenges but provides victory over them. The presence of opposition often signifies the magnitude of favor we are walking in, reminding us that God's love and support are unwavering. [05:20]
3. Favor's Unfairness: Favor is not about fairness in human terms; it's about God's divine choice and grace. Like Joseph, we may find ourselves elevated beyond what seems fair, but this is a testament to God's unique plans for each of us. [07:21]
4. Safe for Success: Favor opens doors, but our character determines if we can sustain the success it brings. Forgiveness and letting go of past grievances are essential to being safe for the opportunities favor provides. [36:43]
5. "But God" Mindset: Shifting from a "yeah, but" to a "but God" mindset allows us to see God's hand in every situation. This perspective helps us recognize that despite challenges, God's favor is working for our good and His glory. [43:44]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[02:49] - Opening Prayer
[03:39] - Trusting in God's Favor
[05:20] - Favor and Opposition
[06:31] - Judging by God's Standards
[07:21] - Favor's Unfairness
[09:10] - Living as Evidence of God's Goodness
[10:59] - God's Way vs. Man's Way
[11:54] - Joseph's Journey Begins
[12:45] - Favor Beyond the Tunic
[14:35] - Favor for a Lifetime
[16:12] - Favor in Unfavorable Situations
[18:55] - Imagining God's Favor
[20:01] - Asking for Personal Favor
[22:02] - Expecting More from God
[24:25] - Joseph's Favor in Egypt
[29:31] - Favor and Grace
[35:23] - Safe for Success
[36:43] - Forgiveness and Favor
[38:44] - Revaluing Experiences
[43:44] - "But God" Mindset

Sermon Clips

"In attempting to brag on the goodness of God my concern is that I may have overstepped a little bit and made it sound like I was bragging on self and that bothered me all day long because if the Bible says if we're going to boast our boast is in him, right?" [00:00:23] (19 seconds)

"Now what we got to understand is this that just because you're being opposed does not mean. You're not walking in favor. The greater the opposition the greater the favor you're walking and that's why the opposition has come. So understand this favor doesn't eliminate opposition." [00:05:20] (20 seconds)

"Favor ain't never fair. Because if things were fair Ruben would have been wearing that jacket. Ruben was the firstborn in the natural sequence or the natural way of doing things. Ruben would have been the firstborn. He was favored Joseph was number 11." [00:07:27] (20 seconds)

"God wants you and I to live in such a way. That people notice his goodness. That they see it. This is what God wants. God wants people to be able to look at you and you become a living walking evidence proof positive that God is good." [00:08:50] (20 seconds)

"Even in the midst of an unfavorable situation. Now hear me when I say this. Favor is most magnificently visible when you are in an unfavorable situation. That's got to sink in because many times if we're in an unfavorable situation, we lose hope." [00:17:20] (22 seconds)

"Favor will always give you the opportunity for success, but you and I have to prove to be safe for success. Say la. We've got to be safe for success. Proverbs chapter 3, verse 3. Let not mercy and kindness, shutting out all hatred and selfishness and truth, shutting out all deliberate hypocrisy or falsehood, forsake you." [00:36:20] (34 seconds)

"Because bitterness and hatred and jealousy make us unsafe for success. Is this okay? Now, here's the lesson. Joseph had two sons. He had the first son named Manasseh and the second one named... Ephraim." [00:37:47] (19 seconds)

"yeah but you're yet not is gonna keep you down the list of voices 경찰 O - jeżeli down and out the rest of your life because every time god tries to do something for you yeah but i don't deserve it god tries to bring you something new yeah but i ain't never had a new car god tries to do this for you yeah but change your yeah but to but god and then that changes the entire narrative of your life because when when when you remember the pain that you went through you remember what they said you remember what they did you can say man what you did that hurt but god see you stripped me of my coat but check this out but god you took that position from me but god promoted me" [00:44:02] (50 seconds)

"you thought what you were going to do was going to keep me down and out the rest of my life you threw me into a pit and you thought i'd stay there but god you tied my hands and you put me on the back side of a camel and you thought that was the only view i was ever going to have but god you threw me in prison without a trial accused me falsely you said i stole when i didn't steal you told you said i took what i didn't take and you said i raped who i didn't rape but god you see people are not good if you ever notice people are not always going to be kind but god and they're not always going to put you in a favorable situation but god god but god's favor is never going to leave you god's favor is never going to forsake you because god's favor is who he is it's his presence it's just a way can you give me like two two we talk about things like grace and mercy mercy and favor as if they're separate things and we break them down because it's great for the purpose of studying and explaining it's just like dissection is great for study but it sure plays havoc with the frog" [00:44:24] (85 seconds)

"all of these different things are just different facets of the love of god it's like looking at a big giant diamond you know and you're admiring it that big diamond that that's the love of god and it's multi -faceted and we look at it this way and under that light and we think man i've never seen a color like that before what's that color oh that's mercy oh i like mercy mercy is beautiful i've never seen anything as beautiful as oh wait what is that what do you call that color i never seen that color before oh that's grace oh grace man i like it me some grace i want more grace and then you keep looking at it and you change it just a little bit because you're in another season of life and you're like now wait a minute i thought mercy was grand i thought grace what is that that's favor they're all just different facets of the love" [00:46:48] (57 seconds)

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