Friday, February 20, 2015

Favor Like Abraham's

Imperial State Crown, UK $39 million
Most expensive crown in the world.
When it comes to the royalties of being a “Kingdom Kid,” most of us would rather skip the formalities or responsibilities and just gather our gifts. 

After all, what person wouldn’t like a crown and the favor that goes with wearing one?

Being born into a family offers rewards that others don’t have when it comes to perks special to a particular group of people.  Upon becoming a child of God, we automatically receive crowned favor gifts of grace, mercy, forgiveness, eternal life and much more. 
These are gifts that all Christians receive upon salvation, but there are others that are earned.  That may not seem fair, but who said God is fair? 

Welcome new friends this week from:
See if your city/state/country made the list.

New on DFBAmberley & Berkhamsted, England, United Kingdom; Maria Ellend, Lower Austria, Austria; Lima, Peru; South Africa; France; Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Australia; Canada; Trinidad & Tobago, Russia; Ireland; Germany; Kenya; Uganda; Lebanon; Sweden; Spain.
USA Morrisville, NC; Fargo, ND; Winona, MO; Carneys Point, Mount Laurel & Clayton, NJ; Cumming, GA; Tampa & Ormond Beach, FL; Brooklyn, NY; Greenville. TN. 
Thank you for your continued support and sharing Believing Our Belief on Daily Favor.  (DFB - Daily Favor Blog)
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Don't miss out on this week's challenge (below).
Read Messages, updates and visit the Q & A or other sections.

In order to have the favor of Abraham,
you need faith like Abraham.
Faith that receives favor
will be tested and proved to be authentic.

Like Me Back
You didn’t see that one coming did you?  Whether we like it or not, it’s true. The Bible tells us God is faithful and rewards those who seek Him.  Nowhere does it say He is fair, and why should He be?  How fair would you be to someone who refuses to believe in you?
Every day I see people post online how angry they are because someone hasn’t “liked” or “followed” them in a short time frame.  They immediately unlike that person.  If that’s the case, why would they turn around and favor you over those who are faithful to re-tweet or share a post?  Aren’t we asking for favor that is undeserved or earned?
Do we want God to do favors for us, and in turn we’ll serve Him as long as it is within a reasonable amount time or the request isn’t great?  I was wondering that with all the messages I received this week.
 
God Doesn’t Wave A Magic Favor Wand 

People have questioned why I receive favor from the Lord on a daily basis. What they don’t ask is about the size of favor I receive.  Sometimes it’s huge and others it’s not so big.  They never wonder about the sacrifices that are made. 
 

These same people are expecting God to wave a magic wand over them and poof, everything is hunky-dory in their lives.  It doesn’t work that way. 

Let me share a secret with you.  It’s a piece of cake to receive favor from God all the time.  What’s not so easy is staying in faith to believe God, and that’s the part satan is counting on from us.

There’s no trick, no fancy things we have to do and no hoops to jump through when it comes to walking in the favor of God.  If we want to have favor like Abraham fall on us, we have to believe like he did whether we see anything happening or not. 

Oh, father of many nations … 

For anyone who has studied the book of Genesis, you learn quickly that there was one man that everyone knew received continual favor from God.  As a matter of fact, this person is the only one noted to be “a friend” of the Living God. 

What the Bible also states is that Abram wasn’t exempt from falling into sin.  The difference was that he didn’t remain in sin and was willing to do whatever it took to stay in relationship with God.  Notice I didn’t say he was willing to do whatever it took to get God to favor him over someone else. 

Abram’s time and fellowship with God was more important to him than anything on this earth, and that included his family.  His actions proved the love he had for the Father. God rewarded that faithfulness and love by changing Abram’s name. 

Maybe a name change doesn’t seem like a big deal to you, but during those days a name identified a person and their status in life.  In some nations this still holds true.  When God changed Abram’s name to Abraham it repositioned him in the favor line – forever!  

 
Why would God do this for him and not someone else?  It was in those “down” times when things were not going well that Abram remained faithful to following the ways of God.  He chose to serve, give tithes and offerings as he worshipped the Almighty before he received outlandish favor. 

A name change transformed how Abraham viewed his relationship with the LORD.  God made Abram a promise that he would be a father of many nations before he was even a dad.  Therefore, every time anyone uttered the name Abraham, they were calling his destiny into existence.  

It would take several decades before Abraham became a father, but the real test of faith came after he became a dad. 

What it takes to be an Abraham ... 

It’s really nice to have things going good, especially when everything is lining up the way we want.  The journey we’ve been taking here is all about understanding and walking in God’s favor.  If we want to experience favor like Abraham, there are some things we need to remember. 

What does it take to be an Abraham so that we too find favor from God and mankind?  The answer, we’ll have to be tested like he was.  The problem is that most want to live a favored life without walking through the fire. 

When God tested Abraham, He was given instruction to sacrifice his promised son Isaac. (See Genesis 22:1-18) The LORD wasn’t trying to destroy Abraham’s family or faith; He was trying to get Abraham to see the depth of his belief. (See Hebrews 11:1-19)

God didn’t say He would renege on the promise He made to Abraham if he refused to follow the instructions.  The promises of God are true and forever.  This promise God made was with Himself, so Abraham couldn’t break the deal.  So what is it that we need to learn from all this?  It’s huge! 

Here I Am 

While Abraham was in the process of preparing the altar for sacrifice, Isaac called to his father and Abraham replied, “Here I am.”  When Isaac asked where the lamb was, his father made the statement that proved he believed God when he said to Isaac, “God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering.” 

With no lamb to be found, Abraham continued to follow the instructions of God without hesitation.   God saw faith in action. 

“…the Angel of the LORD (Jesus) called to him from Heaven and said, Abraham, Abraham! So he (Abraham) said, Here I am. 

And He said, Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.” (Genesis 22:11-12 NKJV) 

The lesson we learn is that Abraham feared and revered God. Abraham believed God wouldn’t break His promise to him, even if it meant giving up his son.  He believed if the LORD asked this of him, He would surely raise up his son so that the promise of becoming a father of many nations would be fulfilled.  There was no way he didn’t believe or obey God, even if the request seemed heartbreaking. 

How do we know that Abraham believed God despite the strange request?  We know this by what he told his servant as they left to make the sacrifice.  Does this sound like a person who was afraid he was about to lose his son? 

“Stay here with the donkey; the lad and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you.” (Genesis 22:4) 

Abraham never told his wife, his son or his servants that he was going to “off” his kid, because he never doubted in the promise God made to him. Without fail he knew the Lord, Jehovah Jireh would show up and provide.  His faith was unshakable!

Give Nothing Gain Nothing 

When we withhold nothing from God, He will withhold nothing from us.  If we want to have favor like Abraham’s, we have to have faith like his and hold nothing back from the Lord when He asks something of us.  Giving up chocolate for Lent is not what God is talking about even though it may seem like a sacrifice for some. 

Abraham’s decision to obey propelled him and his descendants into positions they could never have achieved in their own strength. 
 
Doors were opened that man refused to give passage, all because Abraham believed God over what things “looked” like.  God sees belief as righteous faith.

“Then the Angel of the LORD (Jesus) called to Abraham a second time out of Heaven, and said: By Myself, I have sworn, says the LORD, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son (the one of promise). 

…(with) blessings (favor) I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the Heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies.  In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.” (Genesis 22:15-18 NKJV) 

Abraham proclaimed that God would provide a lamb Himself, and that promise was fulfilled through Christ Jesus.  Like Abraham, God isn’t asking us to sacrifice what He will provide.  He is asking us to believe that He will, when we lay down our "Isaac" for Him.
 

This Week’s Challenge:
Believe the Promise 

God’s Kingdom kids will always find themselves in the midst of a challenge.  Without fail satan will try to tempt us into doubting that God will follow through on His promises and what we are believing for in prayer.  

It’s because we are heirs of the promises of God that Jesus said trials and tests will come.  Perhaps you need some major favor to come immediately, and things look rather challenging to say the least.  Is that correct?   

I know that if the Holy Spirit directed you to this writing that He is looking at your belief level right now.  You have been looking for that Abraham favor to come into your life, but you haven’t followed through with the testing. 

Favor like Abraham’s comes to those who believe enough
to obey God’s voice no matter the request. 

What has God instructed you to sacrifice (or do) that you are holding back?  If He has made a request of you, it’s because there is something bigger that the Lord has in mind for your journey.  Remember what God did for Abraham when He saw that he believed Him?  You have to believe He will provide. 

As a child of God’s you are heir to His Kingdom, which includes blessings and favor.  What can be greater than that?  Does that mean God favors you over an unbeliever?  Absolutely! 

If you haven’t believed God and received Jesus as your Savior, you can change that by accepting Him.  Read how here. 

No matter how things look, the sacrifice you make will never equal the favor God has in store for your obeying the voice of the Lord.  

 
Through The Fire - the Crabb Family
 

Until next time, believe favor is a Word away.
 

 
“Because you believe Me,
I will bless you with My favor.”
Jesus Christ

 
What’s New This Week: Click on book or link.

 

 
http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?event=AFF&p=1167566&item_no=834743

Unshakable Faith in Unthinkable Circumstances
by Carol Kent
 
 

Maybe you don’t know the Living God that I know, but would like to have this kind of favor in your life also.  Click on the above tab “Tell Me” for more information on becoming a child of the Savior.

Content and Image Copyright from Favored1. Do not copy.
Scripture reference was taken from the New King James Bible Version provided by Gateway Bible.
Image credit: Google Images or Dreamstime Creative Common License if not specified.
Image:  Imperial State Crown United Kingdom  Magic Wand  Abraham Covenant  Abraham & Isaac  Righteous Faith
Disclaimer Notes: Results may vary due to lack of belief.