In the Sight of God and Man (Part 3)

Have you ever been in a situation where you honestly didn’t know how you would ever get out of it unscathed? 

As an adult I’ve had plenty of experiences where I called on God to bail me out of it, but as a teenager I didn’t have much under my belt to fall back on in the mess I was in over the accident.

How in the world was I going to pay back my friend for the car I just totaled when I didn’t even have a job yet?  Plus, it would take a whole lot of “stuff” I didn’t have in order to get back in my parent’s good graces.  I didn’t have a clue how all this would work out … all I could do was hope it would.

Welcome friends …

I am so thankful for your visit and hope that you come back each week as we spend time in the study of God’s Daily Favor "where faith and favor meet"!© 

You are welcome to leave comments or prayer requests below.  All are private. I would love to hear from you and how Daily Favor has worked in your life.  Contact me by leaving a message in the box at the bottom of this week’s post.  

Don't miss out on this week's new product.

Be sure to visit Tell Me, Q & A or other sections.

Read “In Sight of God and Man” Part I 

Read “In Sight of God and Man” Part 2

Mercy and Truth

Months went by and everything seemed to be settled, when a notice arrived for me to appear in court.  Then a letter from the other driver's lawyer came stating that they were going to be suing for damages and that a witness would be called who had seen everything.

My Dad wasn’t a “real” prayer warrior, but mom was and so was our youth group.  Prayer is something I witnessed and learned to do as a child.  Realizing what we were up against the Lord would have to defend the cause if we were to find favor in winning this trumped up case.  King Solomon’s wisdom was heeded.

“My son/daughter, do not forget My law,
But let your heart keep My commands;
For length of days and long life and peace they will add to you.

Let not mercy and truth forsake you; bind them around your neck,
Write them on the tablet of your heart,
And so find favor and high esteem (good understanding)
In the sight of God and man.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
 In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths. (make them smooth or straight)”

(Proverbs 3:1-6 KJV)  

Right then mercy and truth were what we were counting on … mercy of the court and me telling the truth about what really happened that day.

Super Lawyer

Hubby to be told my father about this so-called "witness" and he decided that it would be necessary to get a lawyer.  He hired a lawyer who was probably the toughest and most feared of any in that portion of the state.  This man was no nonsense, direct and just plain tough as nails. 

Everything was set for the court date when we were met with another surprise.  The day of the hearing, "Super Lawyer" couldn't make it and sent confident young "newbie" lawyer to fill in for him.  Dad wasn't happy with the situation especially after forking out money for this attorney that came so highly recommended. I could tell how upset he was which added to my nervousness.

Help from Trouble

The proceedings commenced and the other driver's lawyer put on a good show.  He spurted out all sorts of charges, details and information that didn’t make sense. 

Scripture tells us to go to the Lord and let Him plead our case. Silent prayers in that courtroom and at home were hitting the Heavens rapidly.

“In my distress I cried to the LORD, and He heard me.
Deliver my soul, O Lord, from lying lips and from a deceitful tongue.”

Psalms 120:1-2 NKJV)

No one could understand where he was getting this stuff, and the judge had enough cutting him off in mid-sentence.

When the judge asked about their witness he was told that he couldn't make it but they would go on nonetheless.  I guess the thought of lying under oath didn't appeal to the man.

Then it was "newbies" turn and you could tell that he was nervous.  Not to be disrespectful, but from the moment he opened his mouth and started deliberating you might have thought that he was for the other side.   

Listening to the stand-in that was trying to fight my battle in court, scripture couldn’t have been truer with me thinking,

 “Lord give us help from trouble, for the help of man is useless!”

(Psalm 60:11)

There was no escaping how terrified I was with my defense strategy and I started growing anxious. The courtroom became so intense as everyone listened to my legal adviser who was sinking me deeper in trouble.  All I wanted to do was stand up and stop this man before he had me found guilty and tossed in jail. 

It didn’t look like God had heard our prayers. Who then would deliver and fight for me if He didn’t?  God indeed did hear us and would be faithful to His Word without me having to take the witness stand.

“They will fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you.

For I am with you, says the Lord, to deliver you.”  (Jeremiah 1:19 KJV)

Several times the judge looked at me as if it were him standing on trial desperately waiting for someone to intervene to get him out of the entire ordeal.  Tapping his hands on the desk he was getting uneasy with how things were going and wanted to put an end to it.

Picture this … it was so bad that while he was still rambling on the Judge stopped him.  Straightening his back, he sat up in his chair and leaned forward on the desk.  Adamantly interrupting my counsel.

"Is any more of this necessary?  Because I had already decided on the young lady's innocence before you started talking. If you continue, I might change my mind!"

“The LORD shall preserve (keep) you from all evil;
He shall preserve your soul.
 The LORD shall preserve your going out and your coming in
From this time forth, and even forevermore.”

(Psalm 121:7-8 NKJV)

Praying that he would adhere to the advice of the Magistrate we waited for his answer with baited breath.

Responding in a quivering voice, "Oh no your honor, I'm finished."  

"Good!”

By now Dad was really unsettled quietly saying, "That lawyer almost blew it for us.  I think I just wasted a lot of money."

Turning his chair toward me, he continued with the verdict.

“Miss … you are not guilty.  No points will be assessed to your driving record and the plaintiff has no grounds for suing for damages or court fees."  

When he was finished the Judge chastised the man and his lawyer for wasting the court's time on something that was clearly his fault doubting that much truth had actually come from the statements that they had made.  

Banging his gavel he proclaimed, "Case dismissed". 

Gleaming with pride over winning the case, "newbie" smiled and said, "You're innocent, you may go."

Finding Favor in the Sight of God and Man

With the trouble I was in there was no way I could imagine this turning out for my good, but God knew differently and I began learning about His unmerited, unchanging favor on those who love Him.

“… Don’t forget My law,
… keep My commands so mercy and truth don’t forsake you;

then favor and high esteem will find you

in the sight of God and man.”

(Proverbs 3:1-4 emphasis mine)

Listening to the guidance of godly elders when I was young, (Proverbs 1:8) I kept the commands of God in my heart not forsaking the truth (of the promises of God and in telling it).  When I did my part, it allowed God to do His in order for us to have victory.

God will stand and fight for us until we are delivered, if we believe He is able to do more than we can ever ask or think.  He will cause your enemies to scatter and fall in the battle!

The Lord worked out the differences with my father and his worker (owner of the car), which restored my relationship with both of them.  He caused the finances to come in and also rebuked them from being taken by a liar in court.

God heard the prayers of the Righteous giving favor from a discerning Judge despite all the evidence pointing against me.  Mercy and truth had not forsaken me after all.  He honored and esteemed my police report testimony highly, recognized dishonesty reading between the lines of what people were stating as truth.

“For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly.”

(Psalm 84:11 NKJV)

It has taken many years for me to understand how deep the favor of God really is and how He causes mankind to show it to others.  One life changing thing that I have taken away from this is that His favor doesn’t begin when you can comprehend it, but when you become a child of the Living God. 

Now that’s truth you can live by to sing your victory song!

                                             Fighting for Us by Michael Farren

The Battle is the Lord's by Ron Kenoly

If this series has encouraged or helped you, please consider sharing it by using the social media icons provided at the end of this post.  

Until next time, let mercy and truth find favor for you.

Truth is a weapon for favor.

-        Jesus Christ

*Unless noted, the names in articles are changed to protect the individual(s) privacy.

Note: Emphasis is given in some scriptures to show clarity or understanding and is not to take away from the inspirited Word of God.

When used, the words satan or devil are not capitalized deliberately, because we give him no place in our lives.

Disclaimer: Article information is not meant to be used as treatment for mental or physical issues, but geared toward spiritual awareness. 

New This Week:

How to Let God Solve Your Problems:

12 Keys for Finding Clear Guidance in Life's Trials

By Charles Stanley (eBook)

As always, all proceeds from this site go toward Christian charity.

Favored1 on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest and Articles.  

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 About Jesus” for more information on becoming a child of the Savior.

Content and Get A Clue  Prayer in Court  Proverbs 1:8 

Copyright from Favored1. Do not copy.  7/13/18

Disclaimer Notes: Results may vary due to lack of belief.

Unless noted, scripture reference in series was taken from the New King James Bible Version provided by Bible Gateway.  Image credit:  Creative Common License if not specified. 

News from Fay, Favored1, Daily Favor Blog, Where Faith and Favor Meet, Car Accident, Favor of God, Police Report, Witness, In Sight of God and Man, Judge, Innocent, Guilty, Charles Stanley, Ron Kenoly, Michael Farren

In the Sight of God and Man (Part 2)

Who knew that so much would transpire in such a short amount of time? 

Although I was a Christian quite honestly, I can’t quote Willie Nelson and say Christ “was always on my mind” as a teenager.  There were plenty of other things to sing about that year.

It was a rather exhausting summer come to think of it.  I was fresh out of high school when … “he offered me marriage”.  As a matter of fact, it was graduation night when my boyfriend asked my father for my hand in matrimony.  That didn’t go over well with either of my parents.

Although it was an exciting time for me, let’s say things didn’t go that well for some time after that, which brings me back to my story …

(Read Part 1 here)

Before It Blows

The driver of the oncoming car was going so fast that he smashed into the passenger side of the Camaro, driving my knees up into the steering wheel.  He hit me so hard that the car was pushed across two lanes of traffic, spinning it around to the direction I was headed in before I made the turn!

The moment my spouse to be saw and heard what had happened, a wave of shock came over him causing his adrenaline to kick into high gear.  “Dear God, NO!”

Making an about face in the parking lot and sending stones flying everywhere, he raced his car back to the railroad intersection.  Pulling off onto the grassy shoulder of the road, he jumped out of the car leaving his door open and sprinted to his "beloved" (aka me).

The accident was so loud that it could be heard from inside the building where my fiance’ worked. Immediately one of his co-workers ran back inside and called the police.

The huge battering ram that the guy was driving and the high speed at which the impact occurred, had smashed most of the passenger side of the Camaro with major damage to the area where the gas tank was positioned.  All that was going through his mind was,

“I needed to get her out of that car before it blows!”

Before my sweetheart was even next to the car he started calling:

"Are you O.K., are you O.K.?

Feeling quite dazed by the impact I wasn't thinking all that clearly. For a few minutes I didn’t move wondering if I should or even could.

Reaching the car my intended tried to open the door, but it was jammed shut by the car's twisted frame.  Getting a good grip with both hands, he put all his "umph" into it pulling the noisy door open wide enough for me to slip through into his rescuing arms.  Lifting me out of the crashed vehicle ever so gently, he took me back to his car to wait for the police to come. 

Free Tickets

Within a short time, the accident site was surrounded by on-lookers, good Samaritans and tons of police!  There was barely room for anyone to move around let alone access the situation.

You might have thought they were giving out free tickets to the circus instead of an accident with all the action that took place that afternoon!  Calmly casing the scene, the police went to work and started questioning everyone … even some who actually weren’t there when it happened. 

The Report & The Lying Driver

The police finally got to the other driver and the lies that were trickling out of his mouth were getting to be a bit much to handle. 

“She pulled in front of me.”

That’s odd, since you weren’t there when I started my turn I thought.  He must have come out of the parking lot of another nearby business.  

I could see that the officer was tiring of his showmanship when he abruptly stopped the man and asked,

 "If the young lady cut you off as you say she did, then where are your skid marks?"

More lies ensued when the best one spilled out like a rushing river. 

As my hubby-to-be was standing by the police officer while questioning that fellow, another man suddenly showed up and began walking around.  Apparently, he knew the driver. 

Pointing his friend out to the officer, he professed that he was his witness having been there to see the whole thing!  There’s only one word to sum up that statement … Liar!

He had a witness?  According to him, this guy saw everything and would attest to it, but he had to get to work and left before the police could question him. 

The funny thing is that this witness showed up after the accident and came from a different direction so that he couldn't have seen anything.  Something the man from the accident didn’t know was that my fiance’ knew the guy and could confirm the fact that he wasn't there at the time.

After the police had all their information one asked if I needed medical assistance.  Not giving it any thought, I said no in responding to the officer. At that time my knees hurt, but there was only a small cut on one of them.

My soon to be hubby insisted that I go to the emergency room and be checked out for any injuries that may have occurred since the car was hit extremely hard.

Shielded by Favor 

That day I experienced the protective favor of God surrounding me like a shield, when to look at the wreck … well, you can imagine just how bad it was. 

I'm so glad that even when God wasn't always on my mind, I was always in His heart and in His sight!

“For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous;
With favor You will surround him as with a shield.”

(Psalm 5:12 NKJV)

When I realized what happened I began to cry, not because of how I felt but the fact that the car was totaled!

Did I tell you that the car was a butternut-yellow Classic 1967 Chevy Camaro with a black vinyl top? Oh yeah … Ouch!

I also neglected to tell you that it wasn’t my car but a friend’s. He let me borrow it for a job interview knowing that I was meeting my fiance’ afterwards.  You see, I didn’t own a car but used my mother’s when I needed it.  My jobs were within walking distance.

The story is far from over and trouble with my Dad just doubled!  That friend worked for my father! 

Come back to read what happened next in the sight of God and man!

Until next time, live protected surrounded in God's favor!

Favored1 on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest and Articles.  

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 About Jesus” for more information on becoming a child of the Savior.

Content and Images: My Heart,  Liar,  Camaro  Copyright from Favored1. Do not copy.  6/29/18

Disclaimer Notes: Results may vary due to lack of belief.

Unless noted, scripture reference in series was taken from the New King James Bible Version provided by Bible Gateway.  Image credit:  Creative Common License if not specified. 

News from Fay, Favored1, Daily Favor Blog, Where Faith and Favor Meet, Car Accident, Favor of God, Police Report, Witness, In Sight of God and Man, Camaro

In the Sight of God and Man (Part 1)

At 3:00 a.m. I grabbed my Bible before crawling into bed from exhaustion.  Leaning over to the nightstand I opened the top drawer pulling out my electronic version to reread a passage that was bookmarked.

I’ve been focusing on the books of Psalms and Proverbs at night and wanted to compare a verse from two translations.  As I read the scriptures from the different references something didn’t seem quite right.

By now it was almost daylight and going back and forth over the scriptures I still had no answers.  I was trusting in the Lord, because understanding … well, let’s say it was yet to be found.

Reading through Psalms and Proverbs

I don’t recall how long it’s been since I’ve been reading a Proverb and/or Psalm daily, but I have tried to make it a regular practice.  In my studies I’m near the end of Proverbs and reading through Psalm 119.  Clicking on the passage I bookmarked on the electronic Bible, I saw the word “favor” in the last part of the verse. 

Wait a minute … why didn’t I catch this in the other translation a few months ago when I was reading that passage.  Now I really couldn’t sleep.

In Sight of God and Man

For those who want to study the Bible in depth, the third chapter of Proverbs is divided into three main topics: trusting God, wisdom, with the last section discussing how we should treat others.  Reading the first six verses in the beginning of the chapter there were two words that kept me rereading the passage.

Like many people, after you’ve read something several times you sort of just glance over it and keep going.  When I got to verse four I stopped and did a retake on what I just read. 

“… in the sight of God and man.”

Wait a minute … there are only a few biblical passages that make this claim and they are always attached with stipulations for the promise.  Back tracking a few verses, I found what they were.

Add This to the Mix

I love the book of Proverbs because it’s basically a handbook for Christian living for wisdom and favor from the Lord.  What the reader can gain from this chapter is that keeping the law of God adds days to their life, gives protection, peace and wisdom in decision making.

“My son, do not forget my law,
But let your heart keep My commands;
² For length of days and long life

And peace they will add to you.

(Proverbs 3:1-3 KJV)

Here is where it gets a bit sticky.

^“3 Let not mercy and truth forsake you;
Bind them around your neck,
Write them on the tablet of your heart.”

If you want favor to be added into the mix, it will take maintaining a lifestyle of being merciful and truthful. 

Wow, that’s asking a lot isn’t it? Now not only do I have to memorize the Bible, but I have to be kind, forgiving and tell the truth in order for God to give me instructions of which thing I need to do next?

You Can’t, but He Can

If you don’t think you can keep up with all the requirements, you’re right – YOU can’t, but the Holy Spirit operating in you can!  Anyone can keep or break a law, it has nothing to do with spirituality.  However, receiving God’s favor has everything to do with the born-again spirit.

When we ask Jesus to come into our hearts and forgive us of the sins we have committed against God, he does.  This doesn’t mean that we won’t sin again in our lifetime, but that when we do and ask forgiveness for that transgression, we will be forgiven.

You see, with God all things are possible. (Matthew 19:26) Being forgiven from sin allows us to walk in the Righteousness of Jesus and to receive the gifts of God.  Mercy, grace and favor are automatically made possible for the Christian when they trust in God as their source.

An unbeliever may receive “blessings” because they followed the laws of God, but they are not heirs to the spiritual blessings and favor from Him.  Often times people think that when things go their way it’s because they did something themselves, when it’s actually God causing things to fall in place for His children.

And So Find

^"3 Let not mercy and truth forsake you;
Bind them around your neck,
Write them on the tablet of your heart,
⁴ And so find favor and high esteem (good understanding)
In the sight of God and man.

After I read those two verses I had a little chat with the Lord.  I boldly asked Him to remind when I  as the scripture says, “so found favor and high esteem” placing me in a good light with mankind for being merciful and truthful. 

It didn’t take long for the Holy Spirit to drop something into my memory that took place many years ago.

My Real Fiance’

During a time in my engagement (okay my “last” engagement, no laughing!  This one stuck.), I made arrangements to meet my fiance’ for lunch not far from where he worked as a laboratory glass Lathe operator before he became a carpenter.

Not having much time, we ate in his car enjoying being together in the middle of the day.  Let me rephrase that – he ate, I watched!  Back then I was still shy about eating in front of him. How else was I able to maintain an under 85 pound figure?  I can assure you I’ve gotten over that phase!

It was time for him to return to work.  After making plans for later that night I got back into the Camaro and we started our engines.  

In A Split Second

My future husband went first and since I was going in the same direction I followed behind in my vehicle.  He made a left-hand turn crossing the railroad tracks, then pulling into the parking lot at work he looked in the rearview mirror to see where I was. 

Resting at a complete stop I made sure it was safe to turn left to cross over the railroad tracks as well.  I had almost finished my turn when out of nowhere a car came flying from the lane I had just turned across, avoiding all traffic signs in his direction.   

In a split second my life changed!  

Sorry friends ... you'll have to come back next week to read what happened to me in the sight of God and man!

Until next time, God’s favor is no accident!

Favored1 on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest and Articles.  

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 About Jesus” for more information on becoming a child of the Savior.

Content and Image 1  Image 2  Image 3  Image 4 Copyright from Favored1. Do not copy.  

Disclaimer Notes: Results may vary due to lack of belief. 

Unless noted, scripture reference in series was taken from the New King James Bible Version provided by Bible Gateway.  Image credit:  Creative Common License if not specified. 

Favored1, Daily Favor Blog, Where Faith and Favor Meet, Wear and Share, In the Sight of God and Man,  Car Accident, Hubby Update, Daily Favor Relationships, Favor, Mercy,