Welcome to The Missing Peace...
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my name is Jason Bradley
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and our primary host is
Dr. Nadine Joseph Collins
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a native of Saint Lucia
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she is devoted to making
your prayer life go "Wow!"
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Dr. Nadine is an
author and presenter
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who is going to share
some important insights
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into improving your prayer
life but before she begins,
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let's invite
the Lord to join us.
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"Dear Heavenly Father,
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we thank you for the
opportunity to worship you...
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to praise you and
to enlighten others
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on to how...
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as to... how to strengthen
their prayer life, Father,
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we ask that you would
be with our conversation...
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lead, guide and direct us
in Jesus' name we pray, amen. "
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"Amen. "
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So, what are we
going to discuss today?
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Today we're going to be
talking about: Praying for Favor
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because favor is
generally, you know,
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referred to as getting approval
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and acceptance of
some special benefits
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and, you know,
blessings from others
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so as we speak about making
our prayer lives go "wow!"
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as we speak about having
that effective prayer life,
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it will be very useful
for us to know how "favor... "
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receiving special blessings,
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gifts and getting
that approval or acceptance
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could really benefit
us in our prayer life.
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There's usually
a close association
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also with mercy and grace
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when we talk about
things like "favor" and so on
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so we can receive favor from
God and man... that's the thing.
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Okay, break that down for us.
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Because we could
get special gifts...
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we could get acceptance
or approval from people
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but we can also
get that from God
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and so, that's really
where we want to go today
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because generally
God's favor is extended
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as a response to prayer.
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Okay.
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Sometimes they
extend it by His prerogative
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meaning, He does it
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and we cannot say why
He did it or how He does it
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and that's a good
thing about God too
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because as human
beings sometimes...
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if we have criteria on
how we want to bless people,
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we have criteria on
what is acceptable for them
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in our circles
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but with Him, we cannot trace
some of the things that He does
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it's like, if we had a choice
and we could have controlled God
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we would be
like, "You know what...
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don't bless this person
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because they're not
doing it the right way
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or they're not doing this
or they're not doing that... "
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but His prerogative... He uses
His own prerogative sometimes
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to give favor
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but it's also, thankfully,
given as a response to prayer
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and I remember growing up,
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I didn't like the
last name "Joseph... "
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Really?
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Because it was very common,
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it's like, one of the
most common surnames at home...
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Okay.
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So, you go through the Directory
the Telephone Directory...
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and a lot of people would
actually have the last name
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"Joseph... " it and
about three other common...
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really, really common ones
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That's probably like
"Smith" here in America.
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So, it was something I really...
I really honestly didn't like it
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however, when I
was in Court I remember
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that... in fact, I
think it was before then
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but it really
became that reality for me,
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I think it happened before
then, but when I realized...
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when I studied Joseph's
life... that's Jacob's son...
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and I realized
that Joseph had favor...
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everywhere that he
went he had favor...
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and I saw, "Hey, I'm going to
begin to embrace that surname,
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I'm going to begin to take the
blessing attached to that name
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because I'm looking at his life
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and the blessings that
he had... and I'm saying,
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"If I take that name and I
personalize his experiences
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and stuff like that, I
thought, 'Hey, I'm going to...
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I'm going to claim the
Joseph blessing on my life. '"
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Ah ha...
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Now, the time I did that,
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I didn't even think
about the "pit experience"
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I didn't think about
the "prison experience"
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I didn't think
about his brothers' deed,
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all I looked at was
the blessing aspect of it
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and usually, sometimes,
we look at people's lives
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and people get jealous
of other people's blessing,
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they don't know the
"behind the scenes stories. "
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That is an excellent point,
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people don't see the struggle
that they're going through,
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they just see the success
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with that... but they
don't see the struggle.
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Yeah... and so I
took that blessing...
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I'm like, "I'm taking
the blessing of his name"
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and I didn't look
at the "struggles part"
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but anyway, three
years ago, I coined a phrase
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and I said that, "Fame is
fickle and popularity is poor
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but the favor of God is sure"
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because that's
when I made up my mind
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that above anything else in
this life, I want God's favor
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because I began to look at favor
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as something that
could really bless my life
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and so, as we go
through the Bible,
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we could examine
some of the stories
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where we see people
receiving God's favor
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whether it was through them
requesting it through prayer
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or by God's own
divine prerogative...
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and I hope we have time
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so I can share some
of my personal stories
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there are way too many stories
about God's favor in my life
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to share in one program
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but I just hope we
can actually put in
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at least one or
two of them there
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but favor is
important in our prayer lives
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because like I said, it's often
extended as a result of prayer
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right, so when we look at Jabez,
for example, in 1st Chronicles 9
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he had a prayer...
9 to 10 actually...
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he had a prayer... and the
Lord granted him His request...
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he got the favor
that he asked God for,
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then we look at Hezekiah,
in 2nd Kings 20 and verse 3,
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he told God something and
some people look at this prayer,
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and they're like, "This man
is 'bigging up' himself... "
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like, he's puffing
himself up before God...
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but really, he said to
the Lord, "Remember, O Lord,
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how I have walked
before you faithfully
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and wholeheartedly with devotion
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and have done what is
good in your eyes... "
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and then he began to cry...
the Bible says, he wept bitterly
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but he was really
making a plea to God
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because Hezekiah
was only 39 years old...
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Hmmm...
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Hezekiah has only
reigned as king for 14 years
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and here a prophet
comes to him and says,
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"Hey, you are really
sick, you're going to die,
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you need to set
your house in order... "
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and so, Hezekiah took
that pronouncement on his life
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and then looked back at
what he had done in his life
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in that... trying
to please God and so...
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and he went to God and
he began to pray to God
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about the
things that he has done
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so, what really he did there...
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we know for sure
that he knew the Bible,
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he knew the
promises in the Bible
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because as we
read through his story
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he was able to pray back
many of these promises to God
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and even Ellen White
encourages us to do that,
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that's why the Word of God is
so important in our prayer lives
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because as we use the Word
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we are able to take these
promises that we talk about,
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we're talking
about praying in faith
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and we are able to
claim these promises,
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we are able to
pray them back to God
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and Hezekiah did just that,
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his mind was
filled with Scriptures
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so, as he prayed, these promises
were just coming in his mind
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and he also knew that
God had made certain promises
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to the children of Israel,
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He had promised them
long life in Deuteronomy 4
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so, there Hezekiah is saying,
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"Lord, you promised
long life to my people...
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but look at me... I'm only 39...
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I can't die right now... "
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and so, he made his plea to God
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and the Bible says that as
the prophet was walking out,
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Isaiah was
walking out of that place,
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the Spirit of
the Lord said to him,
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"Go back... go back
and answer this guy...
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tell him that you...
God has heard his prayers
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God has seen his tears... "
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and remember we
spoke about tears...
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tears being a language
also that God understands
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because the Holy Spirit could
translate our tears to prayers,
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so, God heard it,
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God said, "I have seen your
tears... I will heal you... "
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Hmmm...
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And so he got the favor that
he had actually asked God for
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and the Lord
extended his life and so on
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but there are cases
where favor is not just given
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because of prayer,
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but because of
God's own prerogative...
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He uses His own
measuring stick...
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He makes His own decisions,
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you know there's a
text that talks about
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God blessing the
just and the unjust...
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Hmmm... hmmm...
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And so, that's His prerogative,
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"I will choose to
bless who I want to bless
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and I will choose to
curse who I want to curse... "
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because it's His
divine prerogative,
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nobody can tell him who
to bless or who to curse,
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at the end of the day,
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7.5 billion children in
the world are all His children
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and He will choose to bless who
He wants to bless and so on...
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I like that verse in Revelation
where it says something about
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how God can open a
door that no man...
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or God can open
doors that no man can shut
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and He can close
doors that no man can open.
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Exactly... and that's
really important in our lives
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because I remember,
when I wanted to study
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and I didn't have the funds
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and one of my close
friends was also a mentor,
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he said to me, "Nadine, I
want you to remember one thing,
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an entire
Committee could be for you
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and if this is not
God's will for you,
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you are not going to get the
assistance you're looking for"
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but he said, "An entire
Committee could be against you
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and this is what
God wants for you
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and they will have to
work in your favor... "
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so, sometimes
we have to remember
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that as we are
praying for favor and so on,
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we have to remember
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that God is in
control of all things
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and sometimes people...
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and that's one of the
things we'll be mentioning later
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but if we
brought it up anyhow...
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that God is going to
use even your enemies
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to bless you.
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Hmmm... yeah...
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He's going to use your
enemies to work for you
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because you are going to
have favor in their eyes,
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they have no choice... really...
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The Egyptians gave
the Israelites gifts
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as they were leaving...
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Yes... because...
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because they had
God's favor on their lives,
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so, we see sometimes
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that God gives that
favor in His prerogative
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and when we look at,
for example, Abraham...
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the Bible says, "Abraham found
favor in the eyes of the Lord"
00:10:17.48\00:10:20.72
because remember
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when God gave him
the instructions to leave
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He said, "Go from your country
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and your kindred and
your father's house...
00:10:27.26\00:10:29.09
to a land that I show you... "
00:10:29.12\00:10:30.66
so, here we see that God
is giving plain instructions
00:10:30.73\00:10:33.26
to somebody, right,
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"And I will make
you a great nation
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and I will bless you
and make your name great
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so that you will be a blessing,
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I will bless
those who bless you,
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I will curse
those who curse you,
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and all of the families of
the earth will be blessed. "
00:10:44.77\00:10:48.21
So, here Abraham
comes from a family,
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his entire family is
living here let's say,
00:10:51.21\00:10:53.21
God says, "I want you to go...
00:10:53.25\00:10:55.28
I already chose
where I want you to go,
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and I have already put blessings
in that place for you... "
00:10:57.25\00:10:59.99
so favor is
already waiting for him,
00:11:00.02\00:11:02.26
but the irony is
that divine favor...
00:11:02.29\00:11:04.39
even though it
rested on Abraham,
00:11:04.43\00:11:06.46
none of the other family
members at the time had it
00:11:06.49\00:11:10.30
because his father died
there in Haran where they were
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you see, so he had that favor
00:11:13.90\00:11:16.00
and God blessed
him, Genesis 12:1 to 3
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"Abraham was blessed and
favored because he was chosen. "
00:11:18.61\00:11:22.88
So here we see God's
divine prerogative for sure,
00:11:22.91\00:11:25.98
"I am doing what I want to do,
I chose you out of your family"
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so he had favor
because he was chosen
00:11:29.28\00:11:31.82
and that favor was
repeated in his life
00:11:31.85\00:11:34.69
because we saw
that in Genesis 12...
00:11:34.72\00:11:37.46
when he went down to
Egypt, he had favor with Pharaoh
00:11:37.53\00:11:40.70
then, we saw in Genesis 14,
00:11:40.73\00:11:43.47
where he fought
against the forces
00:11:43.50\00:11:45.67
that captured
nephew... his nephew, Lot,
00:11:45.73\00:11:47.60
you remember when that happened
00:11:47.64\00:11:48.97
but Abraham was given
favor again... and victory,
00:11:49.00\00:11:51.71
so favor not only was with
him when God pronounced it,
00:11:51.74\00:11:55.84
favor went before
him, favor followed him
00:11:55.88\00:11:57.88
because God chose him,
00:11:57.91\00:11:59.71
then we look at Isaac...
00:11:59.78\00:12:01.52
Isaac... divine favor
also rested on his son, Isaac
00:12:01.55\00:12:04.75
but look his brother,
Ishmael, the Bible says,
00:12:04.79\00:12:07.56
that same favor
didn't rest on Ishmael
00:12:07.59\00:12:09.72
even though Isaac had it
00:12:09.76\00:12:11.33
and Isaac was so blessed
00:12:11.39\00:12:12.89
that during one of the
worst famines of his day,
00:12:12.93\00:12:15.13
we read that...
in like, Genesis 6
00:12:15.16\00:12:17.17
26... sorry... one of
the worst famines of his day
00:12:17.20\00:12:20.17
he received, the
Bible says, a hundredfold...
00:12:20.20\00:12:23.57
now that's some favor...
00:12:23.61\00:12:26.44
Absolutely...
00:12:26.47\00:12:27.81
Because everybody
around you is suffering
00:12:27.84\00:12:29.18
and you are just prospering,
00:12:29.21\00:12:31.25
he was prospering so much
00:12:31.28\00:12:33.28
that the king had
to ask him to leave,
00:12:33.31\00:12:35.55
not because the
king didn't like him,
00:12:35.58\00:12:37.82
actually, the king liked him
00:12:37.85\00:12:39.35
but because it was causing
00:12:39.39\00:12:40.86
problems with
other people in the area
00:12:40.89\00:12:42.72
they were
beginning to be affected
00:12:42.76\00:12:44.53
because of Isaac's prosperity
00:12:44.59\00:12:46.49
and the king asked
him to leave and so on
00:12:46.56\00:12:48.93
but later on, actually
the king went back to him...
00:12:48.96\00:12:51.40
but the point is that,
favor was resting on Isaac
00:12:51.43\00:12:53.84
one thing I
could probably say is
00:12:53.90\00:12:56.94
that when the king went
back to him, the king said,
00:12:56.97\00:12:59.27
initially he
said, "You need to leave
00:12:59.31\00:13:01.54
because, you know, it's going
to cause some problems... "
00:13:01.58\00:13:04.11
but he told everybody around,
00:13:04.15\00:13:05.48
"Do not touch
anything that belongs to Isaac"
00:13:05.51\00:13:07.95
later on, they
actually went to Isaac
00:13:07.98\00:13:10.09
and made a treaty with
Isaac because they realized that
00:13:10.12\00:13:12.42
his blessings would probably
be a blessing to them as well
00:13:12.45\00:13:14.96
so God's divine favor
was really resting there
00:13:15.02\00:13:17.93
that he had favor with the king
00:13:17.96\00:13:19.69
and that is so
important, I remember
00:13:19.73\00:13:22.30
I worked in a
particular Organization
00:13:22.33\00:13:24.80
and the Managing
Director's secretary,
00:13:24.83\00:13:27.40
one day, she said to me,
00:13:27.44\00:13:28.77
"You know, every Monday morning
that we have Board Meeting,
00:13:28.80\00:13:31.51
your name is being mentioned
about how you work... "
00:13:31.57\00:13:34.44
and I saw it happening
repeatedly throughout my life
00:13:34.48\00:13:37.18
where God would give me favor
with my bosses where I worked.
00:13:37.21\00:13:41.22
I remember when I was looking
00:13:41.25\00:13:42.92
for the job
that I just mentioned
00:13:42.95\00:13:45.15
about them, I had another job
00:13:45.22\00:13:47.36
and I had even forgotten I
had even applied for a job,
00:13:47.39\00:13:50.06
when I got the call,
I was wondering like,
00:13:50.09\00:13:51.79
what they were talking about,
00:13:51.83\00:13:53.19
but when I had the interview,
00:13:53.23\00:13:54.56
that morning I got
to my workplace late
00:13:54.60\00:13:57.67
and I decided that I
needed to be honest with my boss
00:13:57.70\00:14:00.30
to let her know about that
job and I mentioned to her,
00:14:00.34\00:14:02.90
"I just came from an interview
00:14:02.94\00:14:04.27
that's why I'm
almost two hours late... "
00:14:04.31\00:14:05.77
and instead of
being upset with me,
00:14:05.81\00:14:07.54
she asked me, "How
was the interview?"
00:14:07.58\00:14:09.28
And I told her how it went.
00:14:09.31\00:14:11.01
She said, "Do you
think you'll get the job?"
00:14:11.05\00:14:12.65
I said, "Yes, I
believe so... " and so on...
00:14:12.71\00:14:14.35
and so she said to me,
"You'll get the job... "
00:14:14.38\00:14:16.02
you know what? She
gave me her blessing
00:14:16.08\00:14:17.79
and everything like that
00:14:17.82\00:14:19.15
because God had
given me favor in her eyes
00:14:19.19\00:14:21.62
you see, and so,
God does that sometimes
00:14:21.66\00:14:24.09
we see Isaac here having
clear favor from the king
00:14:24.13\00:14:27.33
that he would spare the
life of Isaac and his family
00:14:27.36\00:14:30.53
even though
Isaac was prospering.
00:14:30.57\00:14:32.53
Then we look at Jacob,
00:14:32.57\00:14:34.44
God favored
Jacob instead of Esau
00:14:34.47\00:14:36.30
and for the life of me, I
studied that text for a while
00:14:36.37\00:14:39.87
when He said in
Malachi 1:2 to 3,
00:14:39.91\00:14:42.74
"Yet I loved Jacob
and Esau I hated... "
00:14:42.78\00:14:45.01
it doesn't mean
that he hated Esau
00:14:45.05\00:14:46.78
in the way we talk about "hated"
00:14:46.82\00:14:48.48
but the thing is, He favored
Jacob over his brother, Esau
00:14:48.52\00:14:51.99
and we don't know why...
00:14:52.02\00:14:53.62
Jacob was the one
who came out second,
00:14:53.66\00:14:56.02
we talk about as a
second child, right,
00:14:56.06\00:14:58.23
even though they were twins
00:14:58.26\00:14:59.59
but God says, "I love
Jacob... I have chosen Jacob"
00:14:59.63\00:15:02.76
that's who I want
to rest my favor on
00:15:02.80\00:15:05.17
and it doesn't
matter what anyone says
00:15:05.20\00:15:07.54
I have chosen him...
00:15:07.57\00:15:09.17
and so, this is where we see
again, God's divine prerogative
00:15:09.20\00:15:12.64
in choosing or in favoring
00:15:12.67\00:15:14.88
who He wanted to favor,
00:15:14.91\00:15:17.05
He favored one
brother over another
00:15:17.08\00:15:18.85
and we have no idea why
00:15:18.88\00:15:20.82
so, we see favor still resting
on Jacob later in his life
00:15:20.85\00:15:24.55
even though he
tricked the brother
00:15:24.59\00:15:26.35
and his Uncle Laban had a
mis... let's say "tricked" him,
00:15:26.39\00:15:30.53
Jacob left
Isaac's house empty-handed
00:15:30.56\00:15:34.10
you remember he had to run away
00:15:34.13\00:15:35.63
because the mom had to tell him,
00:15:35.66\00:15:37.07
"You know, you have
to pack up and leave"
00:15:37.10\00:15:38.43
so, he ran empty-handed
00:15:38.47\00:15:41.10
but he came back one of
the richest men of his day
00:15:41.14\00:15:44.27
and that's
because God chose Jacob.
00:15:44.31\00:15:47.14
And that's
another thing, I think,
00:15:47.18\00:15:49.34
that's important to bring out is
00:15:49.38\00:15:51.48
that with God on your
side, no matter where you are...
00:15:51.51\00:15:56.22
there are a lot of
people that might be
00:15:56.25\00:15:59.02
at home watching and saying,
00:15:59.05\00:16:00.69
"Well, you know,
I've made some mistakes"
00:16:00.72\00:16:02.69
or "I haven't always
made the best decisions... "
00:16:02.72\00:16:06.16
if you accept
Christ into your life,
00:16:06.19\00:16:09.53
where you are right now
doesn't define where you'll be
00:16:09.56\00:16:13.30
in the future...
00:16:13.34\00:16:14.94
just like, we just
talked about in Revelation,
00:16:15.00\00:16:17.21
God can open doors
that no man can shut.
00:16:17.24\00:16:20.08
Exactly, and also, of course,
00:16:20.11\00:16:22.11
as we had
mentioned in another program
00:16:22.14\00:16:23.78
about Jeremiah 29:11,
00:16:23.81\00:16:25.31
God's great
expected end for His children
00:16:25.35\00:16:28.12
is always going to be the same
00:16:28.15\00:16:29.72
regardless of where we
are in our life right now.
00:16:29.75\00:16:32.62
There is nothing that
will ever happen in our life
00:16:32.65\00:16:35.52
that will change
the promise that God has
00:16:35.56\00:16:37.86
on each of our
lives in Jeremiah 29:11.
00:16:37.89\00:16:40.06
He will do whatever it takes
as long as we work with Him,
00:16:40.10\00:16:43.40
He's going to get
us right back on track
00:16:43.43\00:16:45.30
and all of the
things that distracted us...
00:16:45.33\00:16:47.17
that detracted us from our...
00:16:47.20\00:16:48.94
where we think
we should have been
00:16:48.97\00:16:50.61
or anything that seemed
to be a stall or hindrance...
00:16:50.64\00:16:54.18
all of these things
He's going to use again
00:16:54.21\00:16:56.61
for His own glory
00:16:56.64\00:16:58.11
so at the end of the day
00:16:58.15\00:16:59.65
anything that we are going
through even right now in life
00:16:59.68\00:17:02.72
it doesn't matter
where our Viewers are
00:17:02.75\00:17:04.89
where we are in
our lives right now
00:17:04.92\00:17:07.19
as long as we
give ourselves to Him,
00:17:07.22\00:17:09.32
He is going to use us
00:17:09.39\00:17:10.99
and that great
expected end will be fulfilled
00:17:11.03\00:17:13.70
because His plans for
us are always great plans.
00:17:13.76\00:17:15.86
Yes.
00:17:15.90\00:17:17.23
Then we look at the life
of Mary the mother of Jesus,
00:17:17.27\00:17:19.63
of course, she had favor
00:17:19.67\00:17:21.20
because of all the women
there were... God favored her,
00:17:21.24\00:17:24.44
in fact in Luke 1:30 it says,
00:17:24.47\00:17:26.41
"She found favour with God and
would bear the Christ child. "
00:17:26.47\00:17:30.91
So, He chose her...
that was his choice...
00:17:30.95\00:17:34.22
we don't know the names
of the other women around
00:17:34.25\00:17:36.82
but he chose Mary...
00:17:36.85\00:17:38.19
and that was by His own doing...
00:17:38.22\00:17:40.42
That's a huge favor
and a huge responsibility.
00:17:40.46\00:17:43.63
Yes, exactly, and even
Jesus had favor, Luke 2:52 says,
00:17:43.66\00:17:48.06
"And Jesus increased
in wisdom and stature,
00:17:48.10\00:17:50.37
and in favour
with God and man. "
00:17:50.40\00:17:52.07
So, at the end of the day,
we saw Him go into the Temple,
00:17:52.10\00:17:55.64
He was probably under-age
00:17:55.67\00:17:57.34
but he was
probably accepted there
00:17:57.37\00:17:59.37
and so, we still
see favor in His life
00:17:59.41\00:18:01.44
and then, we could
also get favor from man
00:18:01.51\00:18:03.51
as I mentioned earlier,
00:18:03.55\00:18:04.88
I gave the examples of
my own personal stories...
00:18:04.91\00:18:06.98
we look at the story
of Joseph, for example,
00:18:07.02\00:18:09.42
Joseph found
favor in the workplace.
00:18:09.45\00:18:11.35
That's again, Jacob's
son we are talking about
00:18:11.39\00:18:13.56
because he was noticed...
00:18:13.59\00:18:15.72
he was noticed
for what he was doing
00:18:15.76\00:18:17.89
and he found
favor with his boss,
00:18:17.93\00:18:20.16
and sometimes, we are on the job
00:18:20.20\00:18:22.33
and we are thinking...
we're looking for more money...
00:18:22.36\00:18:25.20
I prefer favor
than to get more money
00:18:25.23\00:18:27.80
because you could get more money
on the job and you're miserable,
00:18:27.84\00:18:30.64
you are stressed out, you
know, that kind of a thing
00:18:30.71\00:18:33.98
but if you have God's favor,
00:18:34.01\00:18:35.38
it means that the decisions
that are going to be made
00:18:35.44\00:18:38.01
would be decisions that
would benefit you holistically,
00:18:38.05\00:18:40.58
your health and even
take care of your finances
00:18:40.62\00:18:43.15
because sometimes, I mean,
00:18:43.18\00:18:44.75
when I was out in the
Corporate Society and so on,
00:18:44.79\00:18:47.92
when I'm looking for a job,
00:18:47.96\00:18:49.89
it wasn't always
about the big salary,
00:18:49.92\00:18:51.79
it was about the
perks I get, the benefits...
00:18:51.83\00:18:55.10
health insurance...
educational assistance...
00:18:55.16\00:18:58.40
things like that,
00:18:58.43\00:18:59.77
so when you have God's favor,
as we saw there in Joseph,
00:18:59.80\00:19:03.20
it put him in a
position, of course,
00:19:03.24\00:19:05.07
later on to be
promoted and so on
00:19:05.11\00:19:06.84
because he was
noticed for what he was doing
00:19:06.88\00:19:08.81
so he had favor with Potiphar.
00:19:08.84\00:19:11.55
And it's nothing like walking
00:19:11.58\00:19:13.21
in God's purpose
and plan for your life,
00:19:13.25\00:19:16.72
when you're doing something
00:19:16.75\00:19:18.39
that is within His
purpose and plan for your life,
00:19:18.42\00:19:22.16
you're
fulfilled... you're happy.
00:19:22.22\00:19:25.13
Exactly, and you know favor
rested on Joseph so much...
00:19:25.16\00:19:28.66
that's Jacob's son
we're talking about
00:19:28.70\00:19:30.23
because we know that
there are different Josephs,
00:19:30.27\00:19:31.83
favor had rested on
this young man so much
00:19:31.87\00:19:34.24
but remember the Potiphar
or the Pharaoh who promoted him
00:19:34.44\00:19:39.24
didn't know him,
you remember that...
00:19:39.27\00:19:42.01
because whomever
was there at the time
00:19:42.04\00:19:44.18
when he had been
thrown into prison...
00:19:44.21\00:19:46.31
and so it was not the
same person who was there
00:19:46.35\00:19:48.12
when the report was
about this young man
00:19:48.15\00:19:49.88
and that's because the
favor of God rested upon him
00:19:49.92\00:19:52.92
so even though he was unknown,
yet Joseph was given such favor
00:19:52.95\00:19:56.89
that Pharaoh handed him
control of the entire land...
00:19:56.93\00:19:59.39
you see, so, he had
favor with the Pharaoh,
00:19:59.43\00:20:04.17
but ultimately, I believe,
favor comes from God and so on
00:20:04.23\00:20:09.37
so Joseph enjoyed
the favor of Potiphar
00:20:09.40\00:20:11.57
and he, of course,
wisely administered the estate,
00:20:11.61\00:20:15.64
he took care of
things and everything...
00:20:15.68\00:20:17.25
then we look at Esther,
00:20:17.28\00:20:18.61
another story where
we see her getting favor,
00:20:18.65\00:20:20.65
the Bible says, "Esther had
favor with all who saw her. "
00:20:20.68\00:20:23.75
That's in Esther 2:15 to 16
00:20:23.79\00:20:25.92
so when she went out there,
00:20:25.95\00:20:28.02
she didn't just have favor,
she had favor with the king,
00:20:28.06\00:20:30.56
but she also had favor
with everyone who saw her,
00:20:30.63\00:20:33.26
the king had...
00:20:33.29\00:20:34.63
the Bible talks about
Esther's favor with the king
00:20:34.66\00:20:37.27
in Esther 5 verse 2,
"And when the king saw Esther
00:20:37.30\00:20:39.73
standing in the court,
she won favor in his sight. "
00:20:39.80\00:20:42.20
And when we
look at, for example,
00:20:42.24\00:20:45.17
her having favor
with everyone who saw her
00:20:45.21\00:20:47.41
the Bible says, "When the
turn came for Esther to go... "
00:20:47.44\00:20:51.75
because remember, all of
the young ladies had to go
00:20:51.78\00:20:53.62
before everybody else,
00:20:53.65\00:20:55.02
she asked for
nothing except that
00:20:55.05\00:20:56.99
just for her to be... to
see the women and so on...
00:20:57.02\00:21:00.39
and now Esther was winning favor
00:21:00.42\00:21:01.99
in the eyes of all who saw her.
00:21:02.02\00:21:03.53
So, she had favor
in the eyes of people,
00:21:03.56\00:21:06.43
she had favor in
the eyes of the king.
00:21:06.46\00:21:08.26
Hmmm... hmmm...
00:21:08.33\00:21:09.66
Then we see Daniel,
He found favor with God
00:21:09.70\00:21:12.43
and the Bible says,
"compassion with man"
00:21:12.50\00:21:15.44
when we look at Daniel 1 verse 9
00:21:15.47\00:21:17.31
"And God gave Daniel favor
00:21:17.34\00:21:19.31
and compassion in the sight
of the chief of the eunuchs. "
00:21:19.34\00:21:22.54
So, he had favor...
then we look at Moses...
00:21:22.58\00:21:25.11
and we are looking
at all of these people
00:21:25.15\00:21:27.62
because we want to
see... and as we have seen...
00:21:27.65\00:21:30.05
favor with
God... favor with man...
00:21:30.09\00:21:33.15
favor by God's prerogative and
also asking for favor in prayer
00:21:33.22\00:21:36.62
so, we look at
the different ways
00:21:36.66\00:21:38.43
we can actually get that
favor in our prayer lives
00:21:38.46\00:21:41.40
and so, Moses
found favor with God,
00:21:41.46\00:21:43.57
the Bible says,
"Favor rested on Moses
00:21:43.60\00:21:45.63
to such an extent...
00:21:45.67\00:21:47.04
that is why Pharaoh's
daughter actually took a baby
00:21:47.07\00:21:50.54
that she didn't
know anything about...
00:21:50.57\00:21:52.91
a baby that
should have been dead...
00:21:52.97\00:21:55.24
and so, if they were
killing all of the babies...
00:21:55.28\00:21:58.11
her father or
somebody would have said,
00:21:58.15\00:21:59.98
something like,
00:22:00.02\00:22:01.35
"This mother might
have put this boy there
00:22:01.38\00:22:02.72
because she wants him saved... "
00:22:02.75\00:22:04.29
but instead of them killing him,
00:22:04.32\00:22:05.89
she saves that baby and raises
him up like her own child,
00:22:05.92\00:22:09.56
because favor
was resting on him...
00:22:09.59\00:22:12.89
and so, we see
Moses having that favor
00:22:12.93\00:22:16.16
and what I like about it,
there's a text in the Bible...
00:22:16.20\00:22:19.77
in Exodus 33:17... it says,
"And the Lord said to Moses,
00:22:19.80\00:22:23.34
'This very things that
you have spoken I will do,
00:22:23.37\00:22:26.21
for you have
found favor in my sight,
00:22:26.24\00:22:28.81
and I know you by name. '"
00:22:28.84\00:22:31.58
Oh, my goodness! "I
know you by name... "
00:22:31.61\00:22:34.55
Out of all the
people in the world...
00:22:34.58\00:22:36.92
Oh my goodness,
could you believe that?
00:22:36.95\00:22:39.25
God knew his name...
00:22:39.29\00:22:40.62
you know, there's
this song that says,
00:22:40.66\00:22:42.06
"God knows my name... "
00:22:42.09\00:22:43.43
you know, God knew his name...
00:22:43.46\00:22:46.29
and how many of
us can really say,
00:22:46.33\00:22:47.70
"God knows my name... "
00:22:47.73\00:22:49.06
I think of Him
visiting Elijah in the cave,
00:22:49.10\00:22:51.90
and now, I'm
thinking of him telling Moses,
00:22:51.93\00:22:54.47
"I know your name so,
I will give you favor...
00:22:54.50\00:22:57.01
I will answer
because I know your name. "
00:22:57.04\00:22:58.37
I want God to know my name...
00:22:58.41\00:22:59.97
you understand...
because if God knows your name
00:23:00.01\00:23:03.21
it means, you guys are
really, really, really close...
00:23:03.24\00:23:06.08
you know what I
mean... Jason: Yes, yes...
00:23:06.11\00:23:08.25
Yeah, I like that...
so, he has that there...
00:23:08.28\00:23:10.39
and of course, Noah
found favor in God's eyes,
00:23:10.42\00:23:13.05
Job found favor in
God's eyes remember...
00:23:13.09\00:23:15.56
you know, in Job
10:12... it says,
00:23:15.62\00:23:18.23
"You have granted
me life and favor... "
00:23:18.26\00:23:20.10
that is Job telling to God,
00:23:20.13\00:23:21.46
"You have granted
me life and favor,
00:23:21.50\00:23:23.26
and Your care has
preserved my spirit. "
00:23:23.30\00:23:25.13
Because even in the midst
of all Job had gone through,
00:23:25.17\00:23:28.40
he realized that the
favor of God rested on him
00:23:28.44\00:23:31.37
because God spent His
life and in the end...
00:23:31.41\00:23:34.28
even though he
said that in Job 10
00:23:34.31\00:23:36.01
just imagine in Job 10
he is saying that to God
00:23:36.04\00:23:38.61
in the midst of losing
things but in the end...
00:23:38.65\00:23:41.18
his latter, the
Bible says, was greater
00:23:41.22\00:23:43.99
and because he
was so faithful and...
00:23:44.02\00:23:47.02
Ruth found favor
in the eyes of Boaz...
00:23:47.06\00:23:49.72
we know we saw that
00:23:49.76\00:23:51.09
because of how she
favored her mother-in-law
00:23:51.13\00:23:53.46
and so on... so there we see
00:23:53.50\00:23:55.56
that we could
find favor with God
00:23:55.60\00:23:57.90
but we can also
find favor with man
00:23:57.93\00:24:00.20
and God can put it in
the heart of man like I said
00:24:00.24\00:24:05.21
because as we have
already established,
00:24:05.24\00:24:07.54
nothing good comes from us...
00:24:07.58\00:24:09.31
so, even the very
people who favor us...
00:24:09.34\00:24:11.58
it is God placing in
their heart to favor us...
00:24:11.61\00:24:15.02
it's not
something coming from them,
00:24:15.05\00:24:17.09
it's not like,
because they're so good
00:24:17.15\00:24:18.85
they're favoring us
as God's children...
00:24:18.89\00:24:20.66
it is God
impressing upon their hearts
00:24:20.69\00:24:22.42
and they have no choice
but to favor God's children...
00:24:22.46\00:24:25.53
And it's one... one
thing I want to mention is that
00:24:25.56\00:24:28.50
even when we're going
through trials and tribulations,
00:24:28.53\00:24:31.47
it's important
that we still praise God
00:24:31.50\00:24:34.40
because God is still
good and God is still God...
00:24:34.44\00:24:37.21
so, just because we're
going through something...
00:24:37.27\00:24:40.68
as Job went through a
lot... I can't even imagine
00:24:40.71\00:24:44.05
all that Job went through
00:24:44.08\00:24:47.08
and how I would
have responded to that...
00:24:47.12\00:24:49.55
but even when you're
going through things like that,
00:24:49.58\00:24:53.42
you have to give
God the praise...
00:24:53.46\00:24:55.99
because there
is still a blessing
00:24:56.02\00:24:57.99
at the end of
the tunnel, you see,
00:24:58.03\00:24:59.96
see how He blessed Job
at the end of that story...
00:25:00.00\00:25:02.06
Yeah, that's the thing
about it you see because
00:25:02.10\00:25:04.13
if we are in a
relationship with God,
00:25:04.17\00:25:07.74
over time, of
course, you will trust God
00:25:07.77\00:25:10.41
because He had your
best interest at heart...
00:25:10.44\00:25:12.67
but that's why
when we spoke about...
00:25:12.71\00:25:14.78
in our earlier programs about
establishing that relationship
00:25:14.81\00:25:18.25
because if you
have that relationship,
00:25:18.28\00:25:20.68
you know that person loves you,
you know that you can trust Him
00:25:20.72\00:25:24.35
it would be much easier for us
to rest every other thing there
00:25:24.39\00:25:27.96
so, everything
really boils down...
00:25:27.99\00:25:29.86
that's why we started with
things like communication...
00:25:29.92\00:25:32.36
because it builds the platform
upon which we can actually
00:25:32.39\00:25:34.80
develop a well prayer life...
00:25:34.83\00:25:36.26
so, you know, few
things... you know...
00:25:36.30\00:25:38.70
because I know we're
winding down our time...
00:25:38.73\00:25:41.20
is that,
"Diligence brings favor. "
00:25:41.24\00:25:43.67
One of my favorite
texts is, Proverbs 22:29
00:25:43.71\00:25:47.38
it says, "Seest thou a
man diligent in his business?
00:25:47.44\00:25:50.45
he shall stand before
kings; and not mean men. "
00:25:50.48\00:25:53.31
So, if you are
diligent in what you're doing,
00:25:53.35\00:25:56.08
like Joseph was, you
will get noticed by your boss.
00:25:56.12\00:25:58.85
You see, so
diligence brings favor
00:25:58.92\00:26:01.69
because I saw this
nice message, it says,
00:26:01.72\00:26:04.86
"God will put you
where He wants you
00:26:04.89\00:26:06.93
even if no one thinks
you deserve the position. "
00:26:06.96\00:26:09.56
And I can testify to
that because I can tell you
00:26:09.60\00:26:12.13
that the majority of
jobs that I have had...
00:26:12.20\00:26:14.70
on paper... I didn't
qualify for these jobs
00:26:14.74\00:26:17.24
but God put me in these jobs
00:26:17.27\00:26:19.04
because He knew that He
would give me the capacity
00:26:19.07\00:26:21.01
and the skills set and
everything to do these jobs
00:26:21.04\00:26:22.94
so He can put you where He wants
00:26:23.01\00:26:24.61
even when nobody
thinks... that's favor...
00:26:24.65\00:26:26.61
you see... another thing is that
00:26:26.65\00:26:29.35
"Obedience brings favor. "
00:26:29.38\00:26:30.89
So, diligence brings
favor, obedience brings favor
00:26:30.92\00:26:34.62
because the more we please God,
00:26:34.66\00:26:36.46
the more we'll
be favored by Him.
00:26:36.49\00:26:38.89
You see, in 1st
Peter 3:12 it says,
00:26:38.93\00:26:41.26
"For the eyes of the
Lord are over the righteous,
00:26:41.30\00:26:43.73
and his ears are
open unto their prayers:
00:26:43.77\00:26:46.74
but the face of the Lord is
against them that do evil. "
00:26:46.80\00:26:49.77
So, obedience brings favor.
00:26:49.80\00:26:51.57
Righteous living
also brings favor.
00:26:51.61\00:26:54.14
In Psalm 84:11 the Bible says,
00:26:54.18\00:26:56.54
"For the Lord God
is a sun and a shield;
00:26:56.58\00:26:59.41
the Lord
bestows favor and honor.
00:26:59.45\00:27:01.22
No good thing will He withhold
from those who walk uprightly. "
00:27:01.25\00:27:04.62
And so, by praying
we can obtain favor
00:27:04.65\00:27:08.32
as we saw with
Hezekiah and so on
00:27:08.36\00:27:10.43
so our take-away
points today are,
00:27:11.03\00:27:12.36
"Our petitions are
more likely to be granted
00:27:12.39\00:27:14.46
if we ask God for favor... "
00:27:14.50\00:27:16.03
we'll receive life as we saw Him
extending the life of Hezekiah
00:27:16.06\00:27:20.30
and our enemies
will not triumph over us,
00:27:20.34\00:27:22.30
He will give us the victory... "
00:27:22.34\00:27:23.67
so, let's say a prayer,
00:27:23.71\00:27:25.14
"Heavenly Father, may
our favor be our portion
00:27:25.17\00:27:27.74
and may we continue to
increase in wisdom we pray...
00:27:27.78\00:27:30.05
in the name of Jesus, amen. "
00:27:30.08\00:27:31.41
"Amen. "
00:27:31.45\00:27:32.78
Thank you so much for that
insight you provided on favor.
00:27:32.81\00:27:35.25
We pray that you were
blessed by today's program
00:27:35.28\00:27:39.09
make prayer a deliberate
practice in your daily life
00:27:39.12\00:27:42.82
and watch your
prayer life explode...
00:27:42.86\00:27:45.76
if you are seeking God's favor,
00:27:45.79\00:27:48.53
you have to get
to know Him first...
00:27:48.56\00:27:50.80
establish a
relationship with Him
00:27:50.83\00:27:53.54
pray... and join us next time
00:27:53.57\00:27:56.20
when Dr. Nadine
shares more information
00:27:56.24\00:27:59.04
to supply the missing peace.
00:27:59.07\00:28:01.14