Half over … it’s after July 4th already and less
than six months until Christmas.
Wow,
and here we are about to celebrate one of the biggest events for America in the
summer.
Throughout the week I have been looking back over all the
things we have studied along our Inner Journey to Jesus. We have covered a lot of ground.
However, a question came to mind wondering if
people really understood what the weekly challenges were about and why we were
doing them.
While sitting in a parking lot of a grocery story last
night I asked my husband to sum up our activities, and if he understood why
Christians received favor. His answer
took me by surprise.
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New York; Souderton, Pennsylvania; Olympia, Washington.
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I don’t know, maybe it was because he was exhausted, but
it was like pulling teeth to get a response out of him. He wasn’t sure where this was leading and
danced all over the question with a final “obedience” as his one word answer.
“Think about the
heroes of faith chapter in Hebrews.” I said trying to draw the
correct answer out of him. He quoted
some of the passages when I chimed in, “What
did Abraham do? All of them, what caused God to show them favor? They …. because
of their …” I paused hoping he would fill in the blanks.
Back it up …
We had to go out of town a few weeks ago; you know about
that because I wrote on how God favored this "Blessed Girl". God didn’t just drop his blessings on us all
day because I asked Him to shower us with it.
Favor came as a result of all the ingredients coming together that met
the plan of God.
Something I didn’t share with you was what happened when
we returned the car.
Let me back up a
few days to Friday the 13th when we picked up the vehicle. The rental place closed before we would be
able to get there, and since we rent from this establishment on a regular basis
they didn’t have a problem leaving the car on the lot ready for us.
It was around 6 o’clock in the evening when we arrived on
the sales lot. I was in our car and my
husband was the one who would drive the other vehicle. We sat in the parking lot about five
minutes. As I was getting out of the car
to see what the problem was he pulled out on to the highway.
When we got home I asked him what was wrong. “The windows had a film over them making it
hard to see.” A few good wipes with
a cleaner and we were set for our trip the following morning.
Fast forward to Monday night; when we returned the
car. Waiting for the sales clerk to
check us in, when it was our turn my husband followed the gentleman and spoke
to him outside in private. He didn’t want to say
anything in front of the other customers who were waiting for their cars.
When they returned to the sales room we waited for him to
serve the others. The manager took a
business card, flipped it over and wrote “50% off” your next rental.
Why did the manager give us favor and bless us? Was it “good policy” or “the customer is
always right?” Maybe, but even so that
doesn’t always happen unless God’s hand is in on the equation.
This is why we received favor from man. I believed we
would, based on God's Word. It is already in God's plan for our journey.
In our career fields we travel a bit and usually rent a
vehicle, this way the miles aren’t racked up on our own car and it’s generally
good business practice. God provided the
vehicle for us to use for His plan, and we did.
When my husband told of his disappointment all I said was,
“God will take care of it”. I didn’t even think about it after that
point. The Lord honored His word in that
He would cause man to show favor on us.
Yes we were obedient, but our faith got God’s attention when we believed
by going into action.
When We Believe
If I haven’t stressed it enough, please get this.
Faith and favor
go together. Faith in action is belief.
If we merely say we have faith and never act on it, then
it’s really not worth anything.
James (the brother of Jesus in the Bible) bluntly says it like this: faith without action
(belief) is dead, worthless and it won’t get you very far.
(See James 3:20 AMP)
It’s true, obedience is more important than sacrifice as stated
in the Bible. However, obedience to God
should be our choice based on love, and that we want to obey because we believe.
Our faith needs to be seen. Years ago a woman told me that she would believe what I
taught when she saw it working in my life.
Well lady, it is, but she didn’t stick around to see it.
How much more can I show or tell you? My faith is nothing if I don’t act on it
believing God will be faithful to His Word and promises.
My husband did get to the answer that it was “their faith believing
in God” that caused those individuals mentioned in Hebrews chapter 11 to
receive His favor.
Jesus has already chosen to give us His favor, but He is waiting
for us to do something. No, it’s not
tithing, doing good deeds or praying more. It’s not getting our life in order
before He can show mercy, blessing and favor either. All He is asking is that we BELIEVE HIM.
Action shows you believe in something, whether it’s good
or bad. When we believe in God, miracles happen, favor shows up in blessings
that cannot be explained by any human.
The whole point of taking this Inner Journey isn’t so we
get rid of all our vices and become "holier than thou", self-righteous Christians. Why do we want to be close to God anyway? Is
it so we can get stuff or to stay in His good graces?
Do we think we are better than others if we pray or read
our Bibles, and that’s why we receive more favor than anyone else? If that is what you were working towards I’m
sorry to inform you that your journey will take a lot longer than God had
ordained.
The Freedom Zone is for All Mankind
As I’m typing this, fireworks are going off in the
streets. People are already celebrating
the fact that they live in America, the “land of the free”.
It is a false freedom zone that is governed
by rules and regulations. When the day
is done the celebration stops, but for the believer our freedom is eternal so
the festivities should be ongoing.
We are living in a time when we need the favor of God and
man to accomplish the commission of Jesus.
If we are not willing to use the freedom of God to change lives, He will
distribute blessing and favor on those who will.
Each of us chooses which freedom zone we want to live by
in how we believe. Zones have boundaries
that bind people to their restrictions. The only zone that cannot hold back an
individual is the faith zone, where there are no boundaries. Christians are encouraged to take liberties
in that zone, breaking into new areas of faith that will bring more blessings
and favor.
Don’t get taken in by the devil’s lies thinking that
salvation is a big set of rules you have to follow or God won’t give you entrance into
His Heaven. Let me enlighten you. The only thing that will keep you out of Heaven is if you choose not
to believe God. That zone is reserved strictly
for those who did believe. The Inner
Journey, in belief by faith, will lead all who believe right into the arms of Jesus.
For the past week the USA has been planning a "freedom" event. They "planned" menus, beverages - "planning serious liver damage a woman posted", fireworks, clothes, music, etc. We're free to make all these plans and carry them out without persecution. That's how the world defines freedom.
Freedom is a gift that is available to every person who has
ever lived, whether they are rich, poor, slaves, in chains or without any
bondage. All mankind is free to serve or
not to serve God; to believe or not believe.
Christians are being persecuted because they chose the
freedom to believe in a living God rather than anything or anyone else. God said we have a free will to believe in
whatever we want, and it doesn’t have to be Him. Just don't expect His favor if you refuse and reject Him.
Man has changed the rules and
states who we are permitted to believe in and what.
The Bible tells us that the blessings are ours through redemption,
because we believed the Lord’s Word.
“Blessed be the
God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every
spiritual blessing in the Heavenly places in Christ. (Ephesians 1:3 NKJV)
Believe & Thank You
We no longer live under the Old Testament Covenant that
kept us inside a zone of laws, but we now abide “in” the New Testament Covenant
zone. It’s a place where freedom is the rule.
Our part is to believe and thank God by acting on what we
believe He has already done through salvation.
The Holy Spirit wants to teach us how to nurture godly
living so we can receive the favor of God in every situation in our life. This
is why we need the Inner Journey to Jesus – so the Holy Spirit can work in us to
reach the goal of our High calling. (See 2 Corinthians 3:8-9 AMP)
Living in the Zone
When I go about my day, I'm not constantly asking God questions or debating back and forth with Him. At the beginning of the day I have already been in prayer and fellowship with the Lord asking Him what He wants or needs me to do.
As I progress in my tasks I lean on the prompting of the Holy Spirit to guide me into all truth. He always lets me know if this is the direction I need to take. When we're living in the peace zone of God, His favor has to come.
My husband and I never make a decision if we are not at total peace about it and in agreement.
If Christians believe God, they won't have a problem doing what He asks and will feel comfortable about their life.
Jehovah Jesus promises He will keep us in perfect peace if we trust Him and go about doing His plan.
"You (God) will keep him (us) in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed (focused) on You, because he trusts in You." (Isaiah 26:3 NKJV)
Crossing Over into Opportunity
Our next leg on this journey will lead us into the
Outward Life of the Favored One. That is,
we have crossed over into living the life of a believer, one who really
believes not just one who believes in salvation. There is a difference.
A true believer knows how to do what Christ said and “Labors
into rest, not (laboring) into work.” We
are going to operate in the Freedom Zone to help others,
because Jesus gave us the power to make a difference. People are going to notice we are serious
about what we believe.
Bill O'Reilly of FOX News made this statement about freedom on June 30th, 2014 concerning being a proud American:
Last night we rented another car for our travels this
holiday weekend. We haven’t even left
town and God is already at work. I saw
fireworks, which I love.
Remember that 50% off deal from the rental
company? The man kept his word and then
some. To rent the car it was $43.99 a
day totaling $175.96. The cost of the 4 day rental was reduced to $110. With
the manager’s deal it became $55.00.
It
didn’t stop there. God’s favor showed up again and it turned out to be $43.50
saving us $132.46. The final cost was less than the original cost to rent the car for only one day!
Maybe you don’t think this is a big deal, because you don’t
understand or you think I am bragging. I'm not, I promised to share my adventures along our journey based on what's happening in my own life.
This company doesn’t make “deals” as they would say, especially on
holiday weekends when they sell out of rental vehicles. Prices don’t go down on holidays, they go up!
When we crossed over in faith, opportunity for favor followed. It didn't come from America or man, but from God.
The believing zone led us to more favor, with my husband
receiving travel expense reimbursements the same day.
This Week’s Challenge:
Move into the Freedom to Believe Zone
It’s a simple challenge, but may be the hardest one for you yet.
Christians don’t have to beg God for these blessings, they are ours through
salvation. Why, because we believe!
Accept the challenge to believe, no
matter what comes your way. Begin by making the proclamation that:
"Freedom reigns in this place,
with showers of mercy, favor and grace!"
Sing about our Freedom in Jesus ...
and what we believe ...
Until
next time, true freedom blesses with favor.
What's New this Week:
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.
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Scripture reference was
taken from the New King James Bible Version provide by Bible Gateway.
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Image: Animated lag by Photobucket Faith in Action James Faith in Action Blessed Freedom Zone John 14:26 Peace Zone
