God’s Favor

Let’s risk the ocean…there’s only grace.

/ Jana / Leave a comment

We have all green lights from God.  All the promises of God are “yes and amen” in Jesus Christ, therefore we can move with ease and confidence in God.  Why does this matter?

So many people are paralyzed about what to do with their lives, what God’s will is, how then should they live, or how are they going to make this work?  They are not paralyzed out of the prospect of handling God’s blessing, they are paralyzed by the fear of losing something, or doing something wrong. But we have green lights from God.

Does that mean that we can do anything sinful that we want? God forbid. However, It does mean that when our hearts are “tuned to sing his praise” and  we are motivated out of love for Him, then we can run full out expecting his favor. And just like in traffic, when danger is present,  a red light appears. God  protects us with a red light when he wants us to stop or sit still.

I have three friends who have stopped dead in their tracks. Not because God has given them a red light, but because they are terrified of just running in His grace. They really don’t trust God to direct and guide and provide, so they are constantly trying to calculate their every action. “I just don’t know what God wants.” they complain.

We can trust  the Holy Spirit to lead us. He uses our aches, groans, hunches and desires to reveal our path. As we mature He leads through the Word  or speaks to us directly. But always He is responsible for getting us to and through our lives.  Therefore we can run in confidence believing our good God will direct our paths.

Listen to the song Sometimes by Dave Crowder. I love the line, “let’s risk the ocean, there’s only grace.”  God stirred that in my heart about four days ago and it is literally haunting me.

What am I willing to risk to follow God? What do I think I will encounter that God won’t handle? How much will I throw myself into His grace? No matter if I choose wrong…there’s only grace.

Check your heart, your plans, your relationships. Are you paralyzed by fear, or are you running in His favor? Your job is to love Him with your whole heart, soul, mind and strength. His job is to take care of everything else. He’s got you.

 

 

Old or New?

/ Jana / 2 Comments

 May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us;
   establish the work of our hands for us—
   yes, establish the work of our hands.
Psalm 90:17

This is now an answered prayer. In the Old Testament, it was a whispered hope. “May this please happen. . . .” God’s people were still looking for the lasting atonement, a sacrifice that did not need to be repeated year after year. They still walked a tight rope of law and mercy. They yearned for the irrevocable favor that could not, would not be lost because of their behavior.  God’s mercy was certainly irrevocable. But they were very aware that their behavior, their sin, their choices had to be paid for. A blood payment.

Today through the eternal, once for all, blood payment of Jesus, the tight rope was broken. What pre-Christ saints could only hope for, we can boldly dance in —  the favor of the Lord. We could re-write that verse:

The favor of the Lord our God rests on us;
He establishes the work of our hands for us —
Yes, He has established the work of our hands.

Here are some word dissections. Favor also means “beauty.”  The beauty of the Lord our God rests on us. We don’t have to work it up, which means we can’t lose it. His beauty lays on top of us, covers us, is on us in every way, every area. Establish means “to make permanent.”  He makes permanent the works of our hands for us. We matter to Him. Our efforts matter in the eternal scope of the world, for our works are ultimately His works.

Of course the enemy would have you only see your weakness and sin. You know why? Because if he can make you think you still have to get it right, you are, in effect, discrediting the Cross. It is the Cross that crucifies the question, “How do I make this right?”  Jesus is the only way to make anything right and it is the joy of the Holy Spirit to now lead you in the path of God’s favor.

Are you still living Old Testament favor? Worried that God is mad, or will be? That you are still needing atonement or might fall off the tight rope? Are you still begging God for mercy?

Or are you dancing in the overwhelming reality that His favor is 100% ours because of the blood payment of Jesus? How will you step into your life differently today just because you know the beauty of the Almighty God covers you, rests on you like a royal robe? He loves you. He likes you. He favors you. This is the permanent work of His nail-pierced hands.