Canopy of Favor

I love to be outside just about any time of the day (or night for that matter).  Besides flying insects, not much can keep me from enjoying daily meals, tea breaks and times with God out at our picnic table or on the swing. There is however, something that can prevent me from spending an enormous amount of time in my garden like yard and that it the hot sun! 

Thankfully, we have a wonderful set of trees that blanket the area where we like to sit throughout the day that keeps the burning rays off us.  Their long branches coupled with the massive trumpet vines cascading along the fence, provide the protection we need all day long.  That is, until early spring this year when a tornadic activity came through and ripped out several of the trees.  Now there is a giant gap between the trees and that much needed shield from the elements is sadly gone. 

My husband and I loved having those trees in the yard because they provided a shield from the sun.  We sat under the canopy of branches that stretched out over the entire back area giving us a break from the intense heat.  Without those precious trees the pleasure of fellowshipping under the skimpy canopy that remains is not the same. 

Thinking about what those trees provided for us reminded me of one of my favorite verses I claim in prayer daily from the book of Psalm.  I am pretty sure you know which passage I am referring to as it is one that I have taught on so many times here on Daily Favor.   The latest was early this summer in the teaching Surrounded by His Favor Shield. 

“For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous; With favor You will surround him/her as with a shield.”
 (Psalm 5:12 NKJV) 

When I think of what a shield offers or provides and how it is used, the word protection or covering from harm pops into my head just like those trees did for us.  No matter where we sat in the back yard the shade from the branches wrapped around the area and surrounded us with a coolness that was only available when we were under it.  

If we walked away from the canopy of branches area, the protective shaded covering was immediately gone.  The comfort from the shade was only available while we stayed under the radius of the canopy over us. 

That scenario is the same for those who belong to Christ.  Each new morning the Lord has already set His mercy in motion for us.  His blessing on the righteous falls under the favor covering as kindness and joy unfolds throughout the day. 

"Lord, how wonderfully you bless the righteous. Your favor wraps around each one and covers them under your canopy of kindness and joy.” (Psalm 5:12 TPT) 

We have a canopy of favor (umbrella covering) as children of the Lord. When we use any umbrella in the natural realm, it is to keep something off us, such as the rain or sun. It is a source of protection from harmful elements. The umbrella opens like a canopy to shield us from the conditions around us.  It does not stop it from raining or keep the sun from shining, but prevents the outside conditions from touching us directly.  

There are even times when the rain will get you wet from the wind. The canopy umbrella is a shield only and does not change what is happening in the world.  It will however provide a shelter, a safe place from it.  

I want you to think of this example and apply it deeply into your thoughts.  The next time you are under the shade of a tree or raise an umbrella, remember that God’s shield is already in place for you if you stay under it.  His canopy of protection is always there for those who stay in fellowship with Him.  Step outside that boundary and the shield is no longer effective. 

Study God’s word and stay close to the Lord as He fulfills each promise of hope. His hand is open to give you the desires of your heart.  Daily spend time in fellowship thanking Him for the blessing of His favor that covers you like an umbrella and loving canopy shielding you continually.  

Although my trees are not there to cover me any longer, I have a greater covering source that even the harshest storms of life cannot destroy – the mighty hand of God’s Canopy of Favor.  

“The Lord is gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger and great in mercy. The Lord is good to all, and His tender mercies are over all His works. 

All Your works shall praise You, O Lord, and Your saints shall bless You. They shall speak of the glory of Your Kingdom, and talk of Your power, 
to make known to the sons of men His mighty acts, and the glorious majesty of His Kingdom. 

Your Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom, and Your dominion endures throughout all generations.  The Lord upholds all who fall, and raises up all who are bowed down.  The eyes of all look expectantly to You, and You give them their food in due season. 

You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing. The Lord is righteous in all His ways,
 gracious in all His works.

The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, 
to all who call upon Him in truth." 
(Psalm 145:16-18 NKJV) 

Until next time, Favored Blessings

*For those who trust in Jesus Christ, God gives the promise of life here but also the gift of eternal life (in Heaven; a Kingdom that cannot be shaken) as an inheritance of being His child.  If you would like to have this gift also, click here to learn more.

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

Fay aka Favored1 on Twitter, You Tube, 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 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 Creative Common License if not specified. 

Welcome,  Daily Favor Blog, Favored1, Daily Favor Teaching Blog, Fay Ann Daniels, Favor Shield, Psalm 145, Protection, Canopy of Favor, Shield, Fellowship

Surrounded by His Favor Shield

For the past few months, we have been experiencing major storms, including tornadoes causing tremendous damage throughout the city.

On May 7th, 2024, the winds from a tornado brought down another set of trees in our back yard.  The thing is, we did not even know this had happened until the following morning when my husband went outside to feed the birds.

Going out to see the damage for myself, it only looked like a branch had broken, but that was not the case.  Apparently, one tree was uprooted and fell on the tree near it, resulting in both trees leaning but not quite touching the ground.

When I looked at it, the first thing that came to mind was, "How neat, it looks like a tree rainbow." ... then I followed it back to the roots!  The only thing that appeared to be holding these trees up was the huge trumpet vines that were growing around the base of the trees and along the fence.

As we walked around the area something more amazing caught our attention.  The tree limbs did not crush anything when it fell and they totally missed all the power lines.  As a matter of fact, all the branches "surrounded" our picnic table area where I potted up plants, and they wrapped around the closed umbrella but never touched it in any way!  How was that even possible?  I can tell you how, God kept His promise of protection over us, the house and property.

(Not a branch on the table, just the neighbor's cat!)

How many times have you been in danger and somehow you were spared?  I can remember so many times where angels had to have intervened in a situation or it would have been a disaster.  

There were other incidents where simple things like something falling from above just missed me by a hair!  Who can count the number of times when those things happened, not me!

Then I got to thinking, how many other times was I  in danger and never knew it?  Times where accidents happened and I had been in that intersection or area minutes before it took place.  Or times when people tried to cause harm but they could not ... that's when God surrounded us like a shield with His favor, protection and mercy.

"For You, O LORD, will bless the righteous; with favor You will surround him as with a shield." (Psalm 5:12)

As I was typing this, it was almost ready for posting when the electric went out three times due to a storm that rose suddenly.  Thank God everything was fine and we regained power. Friend, this is another prime example of the Lord's faithfulness to His Word.

The enemy does not want God's children to know that the promise of God's shield of favor is always present, and he will try to stop the message of faith from going forth.  It was no coincidence that I was teaching on Psalm 91 when we lost power, but God's hand of protection prevented the devil from stopping the message of hope from being spread abroad!  This powerful tool, the promise of protection with God's favor shield, is mightier than anything the devil tries to throw your way, so use it by speaking it daily into and over your life.

It is easy to give in to fear over what could or might be, but when you know God is literally watching over your life, you can live in confidence instead of fear.  The Lord's shield of favor is surrounding you in every situation, so quit worrying and begin living the life God has planned for you.

God's faithful promises are your armor and protection, speaking these over your life should be a vital part of every believer's morning and evening routine.

"Those who live in the shelter of the Most High (God) will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.  This I declare about the Lord:  He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; He is my God, and I trust Him." (taken from Psalm 91:1-2 NLT)

Make this declaration a part of your daily confession like we do in our family.

"Thank You Lord that I abide in the shadow of the Almighty, and that You continually surround me (my family, my business, etc.) like a shield with favor, mercy and protection."

Until next time, Favored Blessings

"Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.  This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; He is my God, and I trust Him.  For He will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease, He will cover you with His feathers.  He will shelter you with His wings.  His faithful promises are your armor and protection." (Psalm 91:1-3 NLT)

Scriptures of promises to declare God's Daily Favor: 

Psalm 91, Psalm 5:12

*For those who trust in Jesus Christ, God gives the promise of life here but also the gift of eternal life (in Heaven; a Kingdom that cannot be shaken) as an inheritance of being His child.  If you would like to have this gift also, click here to learn more. 

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

Fay aka Favored1 on Twitter, You Tube, 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 Copyright from Fay Ann Daniels/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 Creative Common License if not specified. 

30 Days of Thanks: Day 9

 
Join us for thirty days of thanks, as we enter into God's throne room to show our gratitude for His goodness and blessings through scripture, praise and prayer.

Day 9: 

Heavenly Father,  During these difficult times people don't believe You will help them or me, but that's not true.

Lord, I thank You for providing a shield of protection from danger, and keeping me safe when I call out to You for help.  You give me victory and restore my courage, even when the enemy is trying to tell me different.

Thank You for Your Holy Spirit who reminds me that You are always with me and that no weapon formed against me will prosper.   Instead of dwelling in fear and doubt, I boldly lift my head knowing You are my defender.

*For those who trust in Jesus Christ, God gives the promise of life here but also the gift of eternal life (in Heaven; a Kingdom that cannot be shaken) as an inheritance of being His child.  If you would like to have this gift also, click here to learn more.

Until next time, favored blessings!

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

Fay aka Favored1 on Twitter, You Tube, Pinterest and Articles.  

Favored1 on Twitter, You Tube, 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 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 Creative Common License if not specified. 

Welcome,  Daily Favor Blog, Favored1, Daily Favor Teaching Blog, Thanksgiving, 30 Days of Thanks, Holiday, National Holiday, Holidays, Fay Ann Daniels,  Challenge, Praise, Prayer, Faithfulness, Gratitude, Glorify God, God's Love, Protection, Shield, Safety

Shielded by Favor

If I were to ask a group of people whether or not they would appreciate a little extra attention and kindness thrown their way from a boss, co-worker, friend or loved one, do you think anyone would turn it down?  Of course not.

Who in their right mind doesn't want to be favored?  I'd say -
Nobody!  Everyone wants good things to come their way.  Regardless of age, we all could use some extra attention concerning favor when it comes to the desires, wants and needs in our life.

Did you realize that as a child of the Living God, the righteous have a shield of favor surrounding them at all times?   It's true, but most don't realize this benefit of salvation let alone know how to walk in God's supernatural favor.

For some time people have been telling me that they feel the devil is having a "field day" in their lives and that nothing is going as planned.  It's no secret that the enemy is always on the lookout for an easy target, but how many realize that their confession is actually activating the power of satan to come against them.

While reviewing some scriptures this passage in Psalm came to my attention.  After my reading, as a reminder of the Promises of God through His favor, I felt led to share three of my archived teachings on this subject.  

The Favor Shield Weapon  (concerning finances and trials) 

Paths of Lights (so appropriate for this time of year)

Favor Surrounds Me (one of our most read posts of all time)

I pray that these lessons will be an encouragement and reignite your faith as you go through these trying times.  No matter what things look like my favored friends, keep a watch over your confessions (don't speak against what God's word says) and never give in to the enemy.  Trust God and believe in His promises to shield you in every situation.  

"For You (God), bless the Righteous, O Lord; 
You cover them with favor as a shield." Psalm 5:12

Until next time, Favored Blessings!

P.S.  The world is experiencing the most difficult times in history.  People are looking for something or someone to believe in that will bring them hope.  You have the opportunity to be that someone!  Be an encouragement to others by sharing this gospel message of faith and favor!   

Read more about how you too can live in the Favor of God.  (Click here: Tell Me About Jesus)

Follow Fay on social media or her other blogs.

Favored1 on Twitter, You Tube, 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 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 Creative Common License if not specified. 

Welcome,  Daily Favor Blog, Favored1, Daily Favor Teaching Blog

God, Save My Shoes!

Can we all agree that contentious people are huge irritations in the overall of life?  I think so.

No one likes to be irritated.  Irritating people are usually contentious, argumentative and seem to find a way to get under our skin.  They rub us the wrong way like sandpaper or stones in our shoes.

Oh, do you remember me talking about sandpaper people as blessings several months ago?  Apparently "pebble" and "sandpaper" people are a big part of our inward journey, and they are placed in our lives to help us become gems for Jesus.

Welcome new friends:

I’m so glad to meet new people on Daily Favor this week.  Welcome friends from Bangladesh, Canada, Australia, Russia, England, Portugal, Slovenia, New Zealand, Netherlands, Serbia and Japan along with our new friends from Kansas, Virginia and Mississippi.  Please remember to pray for your brothers and sisters of faith following Daily Favor from around the globe.

Characters of the Lord

Living with contention isn’t something the Lord finds pleasing, and He especially doesn’t like it when it starts with His own kids (us). 

Being the contentious spirit is much worse than being surrounded with people of that nature, so we must do whatever it takes not to be that kind of individual.

On the other hand, God allows irritants to come into our lives to make us beautiful from the inside out.  When we are put under pressure our true character is revealed and sometimes it’s not that pretty. 

The spirit of jealousy, selfishness, pride, offensiveness and being critical mindedness are revealed when confronted with something that makes us uncomfortable.  These are character traits that God wants to remove from us if we are to walk in love and receive favor from Him.

No matter what we are going through, God will use the situation to test and refine us.  Rather than fight it, we need to submit to the test.

The Best You

Have you ever thought about the precious pearl?  Each pearl is different and during the growth stage their uniqueness is unveiled.

What high value we humans place on such stones to the point of wanting the best there is to offer, never realizing what it took to make sure an exquisite beauty. 

God thinks of us the same way; we are precious, unique and valued by Him, but not in our raw, growing state.  Something has to change from the inside if we are to become the best we can be.

This entire process had me considering that shellfish. You know every little oyster has to go through a lot in order for us to enjoy each stone.  I could compare it to a pebble or stone in the shoe, but we’d simply remove the shoe, dump out the stone and the situation is solved. No, it’s much more than that.  The pebble actually becomes part of the oyster and adds value to its worth.

Being an oyster isn’t easy.  Think about it.  How would you feel if a tiny speck of sand was lodged in your throat and instead of spitting it out, it keeps growing and growing.  When you open your mouth for a drink it sloshes around but doesn’t wash away the object.  How irritating!

The tiny speck over time becomes a pearl not from the water, but from the continual irritations coming in that move it around allowing the water to smooth out the rough edges.  If the pebble is removed too soon the oyster is happy, but the pearl isn’t ready. 

This is what we do.  As soon as an irritation (undesirable person or event) invades our world, we ask God to remove the problem from our lives, but He keeps saying not yet, in due time.  The Water, being the Word of God, needs to wash over our situation to create something new, but are we willing to wait for the final product?

When God allows contentious people into our lives, it isn’t to see how upset or frustrated we can get.  He does it to help us grow into the person we need to be so that His work in us can be established.

If we always ask God to remove the “stone” we would never realize how strong we are in Him, nor would we see His mighty work on our behalf.

For God to remove the irritant, He would be removing the gem that is buried inside of us.  We would never realize our value, who we really are in Him, or reach our full potential.

Double Trouble

You might be experiencing some really tough times at work, home or church.  No matter what we do there are certain person(s) that always cause us turmoil.  The first thing you or I may want to do is give up or quit, but I’m telling you that isn’t the answer.

If God sent these people into your life for a test and you run from it, don’t think you’ve escaped the trial.  As a matter of fact, you can be sure that the next place you go God will double your trial until you pass the test.  He won't add to your difficulty, but keep the tests coming until you are obedient to His prompting by the Holy Spirit.

Fleeing from danger isn’t what I’m referring to here.  When there are difficult people in our lives God needs us to go the next mile in winning them over to Him.  There are times when the contentious soul is a Christian.  God is working on them as well, so don’t think you are a better person than they are.  Only God knows why they are revealing their “not so nice personality” and it’s His job to test not ours.

“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time (situation) are not worth comparing with the glory which will be revealed in us (you and I) at a later time.” (from Romans 8:8 emphasis mine)

Every test is an opportunity for us to grow closer to God, and isn’t that what this year’s journey is all about?  Our attitude needs to be “If God is allowing this into my life I’m going to embrace it and let it refine me.  He's working on making me beautiful!” 

Please don’t get this confused with pain and sufferings that may happen due to a death or tragedy and when life seems unfair.  God will use those instances for His glory, but promises He will never leave or forsake us through it all.

We have to believe that this is all going to work out for our good.  Our “believer” that says we trust God, has to let the Lord do what He needs to, so that we can be promoted into position to receive His blessings.

Waiting it Out

Mary had a job quite a distance from her home.  It would take her about 40 minutes or so on a good day weather permitting.  She actually lived in a different state, and had to take back roads to get to her place of employment.

For several years Mary worked at this lower paying job with little recognition.  When I talked with her about the situation she spoke of how things weren’t that great and that she might quit her job.  Mary didn't feel that she was making a difference and was not appreciated.

Trying to show her the other side of the situation I explained that maybe she and her boss might be the only Christians in the place.  Even though Mary's boss wasn’t acting in the manner of Christ, we don’t know what he is dealing with and that God may need her to lift him up in daily prayer.

I encouraged Mary not to leave her position and that God would open something up for her in His timing, if she remained faithful.

In late December Mary told me that she had another job offer. It was actually the place where she used to work, and that the head of the department that let her go had left the company.

The employee that Mary trained for her position in her old job mentioned Mary's name to the new boss.  They asked her to return. She was given a higher position and a raise, plus it was within 5 minutes of her home.

Mary never sought after another position, but waited it out and let God open the door.  If she followed her feelings she would have missed what God had prepared for her.  Allowing the Lord to refine her in dealing with irritating people and situations, she learned how to step up in leadership.

Stop trying to combat everything you are uncomfortable with in your life.  Don’t give in to offense or having your feelings hurt every time things don’t go as smoothly as you like.  How will you ever know what you are made of if people always bail you out of a situation or you quit whenever you are challenged?

Unless you begin taking the tests sent your way, you will never know the beautiful person inside that God is trying to reveal.

C is for Challenge not Contention

Accept the challenge! God wants to change you into the person He created you to be, so let Him. 

First Peter 4:12-14 tells us the purpose of trials.  They are to show us what needs to be changed and prove the quality of our character. 

Allowing God to take us through life’s tests along our inward journey, lets Him know that we trust Him to bring us to the desired end. (Reference)

If we are always going against God, aren’t we telling Him that we don’t agree with His decisions?  That must get rather old with the Lord.

When we stay in the fight and don’t add to the contention, it gets us ready for the promotion that God has been preparing for us all the time.  Learning to deal with various personalities and character traits in people helps us to become inwardly ready.  It trains us to be the outward leaders God needs if we are to reach our goal and fulfill our calling.

Good leaders know how to handle tough situations without running from them.  They don’t give in to intimidation or frustration, but are challenged to use each incident to benefit the company (or situation) without arguing. 

The Bible tells us that *“Our faith is tried in the fire of affliction just as fire tests and refines gold.” If we allow God to use the situation to refine us, we are in for something good and better than we could imagine.

Let this be the start of an inward refining, and accept the challenge when contention rears its ugly self. Get excited that God believes there is something greater in you waiting to emerge that will wow the world! 

In your daily prayers invite God into your situation.  Don’t ask Him to remove the “stone”, but show you A.N.A. (a new approach) in dealing with the circumstances.  Pray for His strength and wisdom with understanding to carry out a new plan for a better end.

Pastor Charles Swindoll once said,

“Every journey is accomplished one step at a time.”

I’ve added,

“with many pebbles in our shoes.”

Please God, Save My Shoes

Why did I focus on our shoes this week?  Mainly because our feet sometimes have to travel in places that are a bit rocky, muddy or unstable. 

Without God's favor shield, we could step into places we really shouldn't be when it comes to our Christ-like behavior.  We need the Lord to save us from becoming unbalanced and unattractive in our character.

Basically, what I am asking God to do is save me from making the wrong choices that will lead me down the wrong road on my inward journey.

There are bound to be people "pebbles" along the path on our journey that may scuff our life shoes and make them uncomfortable.  Don’t fret over your designer foot coverings; what's inside is the only thing that counts.

Before you say or do anything, take a break … breathe and patiently deal with adversity without getting angry while waiting for God’s instructions.  Allow patience to work for you so that you come out on top of the situation. (James 1:2-8)

God has given you His Spirit of Peace; all you need to do is ask Him to draw it out and activate it. Whether it is night or day, every place your path leads, the Father of Creation is walking with you to ensure a great journey.

You have what it takes not to give in or quit on God while He is working out the details.  If you asked Mary, she would say it’s worth the wait.

Be ecstatic, there’s a new you being made and God thinks you are VERY GOOD. (Genesis 1:31 NKJV)

Father of Creation | Hillsong

Until next time, favor doesn’t come without challenge.

I’d like to recommend that you read “Encouragement for Life”, which helps us deal with the “stones” that are in the path of our journey.  Dr. Swindoll discusses seven aspects that may hinder our relationship with the Lord and how to overcome them.

What's New this week:  Encouragement for Life

Encouragement for Life

Additional Helps: Dr. L. Ronald Durham " Spiritual Sand Paper "

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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 Copyright from Favored1. Do not copy.

*Quote from "Break Out" by Joel Osteen/Faith Words Publishing Copyright 2013.  Disclosure: No advertisement or association with God Save My Shoes is intended or endorsed.

Scripture reference was taken from the New King James Bible Version provide by Bible Gateway

Image credit: Google Images or Dreamstime Creative Common License if not specified.

Image: Pebble in Shoe  Pearl Stages  Trouble  Waiting  Challenge Kid 

Tags: God Save My Shoes, Daily Favor Blog, Favored1, Peace, Holy Spirit, Charles Swindoll, Encouragement, Encouragement for Life Devotional, Weekly Challenge, Joel Osteen, Creation, Favor, Shield, Hillsong.