Day 20: Finding Favor Through Suffering

Psalm 90:16-17 NRSV) “Let your work be manifest to your servants and your glorious power to their children. Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and prosper for us the work of our hands— O prosper the work of our hands!” I wanted to finish this devotion with...

Proverbs 24:16 (NIV) “For though a righteous man falls (if the man or woman with favor added jwg) seven times, he rises again.” We are righteous because of what Jesus did for us! Just because we have the favor of God does not mean we will not fall, but it does mean we...

Genesis 39:21-23 (NKJV) “But the LORD was with Joseph and showed him mercy, and He gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph’s hand all the prisoners who were in prison; whatever they did there, it was...

Proverbs 19:12 (NKJV) “The king’s wrath is like the roaring of a lion, But his favor is like dew on the grass.” 1 Peter 5:8 (NKJV) “Be sober, be vigilant; your adversary, the devil, walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” Who is the King’s wrath?...

Proverbs 13:15 (NIV) “Good understanding wins favor, but the way of the unfaithful is hard.” We will find God’s favor when our conduct and actions are right. A good understanding is also learning to apply God’s wisdom and Word daily to everyday situations. God-given...

Proverbs 3:1-4 (ESV) My son, do not forget my teaching but let your heart keep my commandments; for the length of days and years of life and peace, they will add to you. Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the...

Proverbs 12:1-2 (NKJV) “Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid. A good man obtains favor from the LORD, but He will condemn a man of wicked intentions. ”It’s sad for those loved ones we love and want to correct because we love...

Proverbs 11:27 (NLT2) “If you search for good, you will find favor; but if you search for evil, it will find you!” Proverbs 11:27 (KJV) “He that diligently seeketh good procureth favor: but he that seeketh mischief, it shall come unto him.” Many times, without knowing...

Acts 2:47(NKJV)“Praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.” Have you ever wondered why people get saved and baptized almost every Sunday at Journey Church? e truth is, it’s the favor of God....

God’s favor is when God takes the natural and does the supernatural in a person, place, or thing. It can be little or big but it’s always to bring honor and glory to God and further His Kingdom, not simply to favor the person, place, or thing! In other words, the...

Most people think the favor of God is only for a select few, but that’s not true. It’s for you if you know Jesus. When we find Jesus (He finds us), we find favor! I believe Father Abraham had the favor of God but it was not because he was so obedient or so religious,...

Psalm 90:16-17 (NRSV) “Let your work be manifest to your servants, and your glorious power to their children. Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and prosper for us the work of our hands— O prosper the work of our hands!” I love this verse in Psalm 90, and I...

Psalm 90:17 (NAB) “May the favor of the Lord our God be ours. Prosper the work of our hands! Prosper the work of our hands! ” Do all want the favor of God? Not everyone wants what comes with it! #1 - Favor is not always fair. #2 - God has favorites, but God’s always...

Example: Joseph Genesis 37:18-23 (NCV) “Joseph’s brothers saw him (Joseph)coming from far away. Before he reached them, they made a plan to kill him. They said to each other, “Here comes that dreamer. Let’s kill him and throw his body into one of the wells. We can...

Because we are followers of Jesus, we should be different from those people far from God. How so? What sets us apart? Our words, our actions, our attitudes, and our priorities surely do. But do you know what else sets us apart? God’s favor. 1 Peter 2:9 (NKJV) “But you...

Numbers 22:6 (CEV) “They are too powerful for us to defeat, so would you come and place a curse on them? Maybe then we can run them off. I know that anyone you bless will be successful, but anyone you curse will fail. ” King Balak wanted a prophet named Balaam to...

Genesis 30:25-36 (NKJV) “And it came to pass when Rachel had borne Joseph, that Jacob said to Laban, “Send me away, that I may go to my place and my country. Give me my wives and my children for whom I have served you, and let me go; for you know my service which I...

Numbers 32:5 (NKJV)  Therefore they said, “If we have found favor in your sight, let this land be given to your servants as a possession. Do not take us over the Jordan.” The children of Israel were about to cross the Jordan, began to fight, and take over the promised...

Look at how the favor of God protected and prospered the Israelites in the book of Exodus. Before Moses arrived on the scene, the Egyptians viewed themselves as superior to Israelites as slaves to serve them. However, when God’s favor arrived with Moses and Aaron, the...

We often say God’s favor is when God takes the natural and does the supernatural in a person, place, or thing that brings Honor and Glory to Him and furthers His Kingdom. Noah found favor of God and God used him supernaturally to continue the human race. That’s Favor!...

Genesis 19:18-25 (NKJV)   “Then Lot said to them, ‘Please, no, my lords! Indeed now, your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have increased your mercy which you have shown me by saving my life; but I cannot escape to the mountains, lest some evil overtake...

Psalm 34:5 (NKJV) “They looked to Him and were radiant, and their faces were not ashamed.“ The faces of those who stand for God are radiant with joy. We are citizens of the Kingdom for God and marked for heaven. We should be some of the happiest people on the planet!...

Exodus 33:13-15 (NIV) Moses also sought to hear from God. He climbed a mountain, fasted for forty days, and spoke to the Lord face to face. But Moses refused to move forward unless God led him: “‘If You are pleased with me, teach me Your ways so I may know You and...

Exodus 33:17 (TLB)  “And the Lord had replied to Moses, ‘Yes, I will do what you have asked, for you have certainly found favor with me, and you are my friend.’”  What an exciting verse! When we are in the favor of God, He will not only do what we ask but we are His...

Numbers 6:24-26 (NLT2)  “May the LORD bless you and protect you. May the LORD smile on you and be gracious to you. May the LORD show you his favor and give you his peace.” This is a wonderful prayer to pray for your loved ones. In fact, this morning I’m praying this...

Psalm 30:6-7 (TLB) “In my prosperity I said, ‘This is forever; nothing can stop me now! The Lord has shown me his favor. He has made me steady as a mountain.’ Then, Lord, you turned your face away from me and cut off your river of blessings. Suddenly my courage was...

Proverbs 11:24-25 TPT (Passion)  “Generosity brings prosperity, but withholding from charity brings poverty. Those who live to bless others will have blessings heaped upon them, and the one who pours out his life to pour out blessings will be saturated with favor.”...

Psalms 5:12 (NKJV) “For You, O Lord will bless the righteous; with favor, You will surround him as with a shield.” Proverbs 14:9 (NKJV)  “Fools mock at sin, But among the upright there is favor.” Today is an excellent time to be reminded what the favor of God is: The...

Luke 1:28 (NKJV) “And having come in, the angel said to her, ‘Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!’”  Luke 1:42-44 (NKJV)  Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit...

Luke 1:28-29 (NKJV)  “And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!”  “But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying and considered what manner of greeting this was.” Mary was...

Associating with those who are blessed and highly favored will significantly increase our opportunity to have God’s favor.  Two examples are Mary and Elizabeth & Abraham and Lot!   In the case below, Laban was blessed because of Jacob.   Genesis 30:25 (CEV) ...

Proverbs 18:22 (NKJV) “He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the LORD.” The truth is if you have a Godly loving wife, it’s because of the favor of the LORD.  If we are not careful in marriage, we get to thinking it’s what we do and don’t do...

Proverbs 18:24 (NKJV)  “But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” Our friend, God, is with us because of His Son. There’s nothing we can ever do to make Him leave us.  Hebrews 13:5 (NKJV)  “For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake...

This is Lot talking to God who had been living in Sodom and  Gomorrah. These two cities had become so wicked God was going to destroy them. Yet, in spite of Lot not converting one person, including some of his children, God still showed him favor and mercy.  Genesis...

Exodus 12:36 (NKJV)  “And the LORD had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they granted them what they requested. Thus they plundered the Egyptians.” The Egyptians had kept the Children of Israel in bondage for years, then they finally cried...

Acts 2:46-47 (TLB) “They worshiped together regularly at the Temple each day, met in small groups in homes for Communion, and shared their meals with great joy and thankfulness, praising God. The whole city was favorable to them, and each day God added to them all who...

Psalm 30:5 (NKJV) “For His anger is, but for a moment, His favor is for life; weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.” I love this verse because it says, “His favor is for life.” It’s not just when I’m good; it’s when I’ve done wrong. It’s when...

Psalm 84:11 (NRSV)  “For the LORD God is a sun and shield; he bestows (grants) favor and honor. No good thing does the LORD withhold from those who walk uprightly.” It is God who wants to bestow favor and honor on us. It is God that wants to protect us and provide for...

Deuteronomy 33:23 (NKJV)  “And of Naphtali he said: “O Naphtali, satisfied with favor, And full of the blessing of the LORD, possess the west and the south.”  Naphtali’s favor brought satisfaction, blessings, and physical land/possessions. Moses did not just come up...

Genesis 4:3-7 (NIV)  “In the course of time, Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD. But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his...

Genesis 39:4 (NKJV)  “So Joseph found favor in his sight and served him. Then he made him overseer of his house, and all that he had he put under his authority.” Favor first led to Joseph being the overseer of the house. Genesis 41:41 (NKJV)  “And Pharaoh said to...

Most people think the favor of God is just for a few special people, but it’s not. It’s for everyone willing to accept it. God wants to take the ordinary and do the extraordinary. That’s what is so exciting about the favor of God.  Luke 4:19 (NIV) “to proclaim the...

An important insight to remember about the favor of God: Favor has a lot more to do with purpose than it does pleasure! Jesus had the favor of God. He was nailed to a cross for our sins where we could be saved.  Luke 2:52 (NKJV) “And Jesus increased in wisdom and...

1 Samuel 16:18 (NKJV)  “Then one of the servants answered and said, “Look, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, a mighty man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a handsome person; and the LORD is with him.”  David, first...

Exodus 33:17 (ESV) “And the LORD said to Moses, “This very thing that you have spoken I will do, for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name.” What a relationship Moses had with God that the very thing Moses spoke, God wanted to give to him.  God...

Proverbs 8:35 (KJV) “For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favor of the LORD.” “Finding me” means finding wisdom and when we find wisdom and apply it we have an abundant life that can only come from God. That abundant life also leads to the favor of the...

Psalms 119:58 (KJV) “I entreated thy favor with my whole heart: be merciful unto me according to thy word.” If the favor of God is when God takes the natural and does the supernatural in a person, place, or thing, it can be little or big but it’s always to bring Honor...

Psalms 119:58 (KJV) “I entreated thy favor with my whole heart: be merciful unto me according to thy word.” If the favor of God is when God takes the natural and does the supernatural in a person, place, or thing, it can be little or big but it’s always to bring Honor...

Proverbs 16:15 (ESV) “In the light of a king’s face, there is life, and his favor is like the clouds that bring the spring rain.” Proverbs 16:15-16 (TLB) “Many favors are showered on those who please the King. How much better is wisdom than gold and understanding than...

Psalms 106:4 (KJV) “Remember me, O LORD, with the favor that thou bearest unto thy people: O visit me with thy salvation” Psalm 106:1-5 (TLB) “Hallelujah! Thank you, Lord! How good you are! Your love for us continues on forever. Who can ever list the glorious miracles...