THE GIFT….THE FAVOR
LUKE 1:26 - 45
…….WHAT DID GOD SAY HE WOULD DO?
HE SAID THAT HE WOULD GIVE THE WORLD….YOU AND I….A SAVIOR.
SOMEONE THAT WOULD BE A GIFT TO US….
THE GIFT OF SALVATION…TO BE SAVED FROM GOD WRATH.
A GIFT CAN MEAN MANY THINGS….
THE PROBLEM IS….WHEN WE ARE FAVORED BY GOD….WE TEND TO OVER ANALIZE THE GIFT.
JUST LIKE MARY DID IN VERSE 29: …”CONFUSED & DISTURBED…MARY TRIED TO THINK OF WHAT THE ANGEL COULD MEAN.”
MARY STARTING THINKING….”WAIT A MINUTE….FOR ONE THING…WHAT DID I DO TO GET A GIFT FROM GOD…..AND WHATS THE CATCH?”
SO MANY TIMES….WE ARE THINKING THAT WE ARE UN-DESERVING OF GODS FAVOR….
WE GET SO WRAPPED UP INTO THE TECHNICAL ASPECT OF THINGS THAT WE MISS OUT….
WE JUST LET IT PASS US BY….
THERE’S A STORY OF A MAN THAT WAS IN A HURRY TO GET TO WHERE HE WAS GOING…HE DECIDED TO TAKE A SHORT CUT.
ON THE WAY THERE HE HAD A BLOW OUT……AFTER GETTING HIS CAR UNDER CONTROL….HE SAFELY PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE….WALKED BEHIND THE CAR…OPENED THE TRUNK AND GOT OUT THE JACK….
NOW…IT STARTED TO RAIN……SO THERE HE IS…A FLAT TIRE….RAIN POURING DOWN AND HE NOTICES A SIGN…ON A GATE….RIGHT NEXT TO HIM ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD…..
IT SAYS…INSANE ASYLUM……HE’S THINKING….”OH GREAT”….“I’M STOPPED IN FRONT OF THE NUT HOUSE…THAT WHERE I BELONG FOR TRYING TO TAKE A SHORT CUT AND NOT STAYING ON THE MAIN ROAD.”
JUST AS HE’S ABOUT TO PUT THE SPARE TIRE ON…HE KICKS THAT HUB-CAP THAT HAS THE LUG NUTS IN IT……THE LUG NUTS GO FLYING INTO THE AIR AND THEY LAND IN A GUTTER DITCH IN FRONT OF THE INSANE ASYLUM….
AS THIS GUY IS CURSING…SHAKING HIS FIST IN THE AIR….YELLING SCREAMING AND DOING WHATEVER ELSE HE CAN DO…..
HE NOTICES A PERSON ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE OF THE INSANE AYSLUM….STARRING AT HIM….NOW THE GUY IS GETTING THE WILLIES….
HE CANT PUT ON THE SPARE….AND A SOME GUY IS GIVING HIM A CREAPY LOOK….
ALL OF THE SUDDEN…THE GUY IN THE INSANE ASYLUM…SPEAKS UP…
HE SAYS…”WHAT ARE YOU SO WORRIED ABOUT?”
THE GUY SAYS…”YOU SAW….I LOST ALL OF MY LUG NUTS…NOW I CAN’T PUT ON THE SPARE…”
THE OTHER GUY SAYS….“YES YOU CAN…..YOU’VE GOT 3 OTHER TIRES…EACH WITH 4 LUG NUTS…..TAKE ONE LUG NUT FROM EACH TIRE …AND NOW YOU HAVE 3 LUG NUTS ON ALL 4 TIRES….NOW YOU CAN DRIVE IT UNTIL YOU GET TO AN AUTO PARTS STORE AND BUY MORE LUG NUTS…”
NOW THE OTHER GUY IS THINKING….”MAN, THAT’S A GREAT IDEA….WHY DIDN’T I THINK OF THAT…BY THE WAY…HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH THAT SO FAST….”
THE INMATE IN THE INSANE ASYLUM SAYS….”EASY….IT’S COMMON SENSE…I USED IT…PLUS…I MAY BE CRAZY…BUT I’M NOT STUPID.?
ARE WE BEING…FOR A LACK OF A BETTER WORD…“TOO STUPID” IN IN THE WORLD TO RECOGNIZE…GODS BLESSINGS….HIS FAVOR…EVEN HIS WILL…?
GOD WANTS US TO KNOW THAT WE HAVE BEEN BLESSED…..
YOU WERE BLESSED OVER 2-THOUSAND YEARS AGO….IN ADVANCE….
GOD GAVE US A CONNECTION WITH HIM…JESUS….
AND BECAUSE OF THAT CONNECTION…YOU ARE HIGHLY FAVORED BY GOD…..
JUST LIKE MARY WAS…..WHAT DID SHE DO THAT WAS SO SPECIAL….
SHE HAD TWO THINGS WORKING FOR HER….SHE WAS A DESCENDENT OF ABRAHAM…KING DAVID…AND SHE BELIVED THE PROMISES OF GOD….
JUST LIKE YOU…….SHE HAD THE DNA OF GREATNESS IN HER BLOOD….FLOWING THROUGH HER…..
AND SO DO YOU…..
BUT WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE FAVORED?
LOOK AT PSALM 5:12.…..DAVID SAYS
ANOTHER TRANSLATION SAYS ….“FOR YOU BLESS THE GODLY, O LORD…YOU SURROUND THEM WITH YOUR SHIELD OF LOVE.”
DID YOU HEAR THAT? LET ME READ IT AGAIN….……”FOR SURELY O LORD, YOU BLESS THE RIGTEOUS…YOU SURROUND THEM WITH YOUR FAVOR AS A SHIELD.”
GODS FAVOR…THAT’S A SHIELD OF PROTECTION….THAT’S ANOTHER ONE OF HIS MANY GIFTS TO US…
WE ARE PROTECTED FROM THINGS THAT DRIVE THAT DRIVE OTHER PEOPLE CRAZY…..
AND BECAUSE OF THAT SHIELD….WE DON’T HAVE TO BE AFRAID OF THINGS NOT WORKING OUT….
NOW, NOT EVERYTHING WILL GO AS WE LIKE THEM TO GO…AND THAT’S BECAUSE IT’S NOT WHAT GOD HAS FOR US AT THAT TIME.
HE KNOWS WHAT’S BEST…AND HE DOES THINGS FOR OUR GOOD….SO WE CAN DO HIS GOOD…HIS WILL….
FAVOR MEANS THAT WHEN YOU WALK INTO A MEETING…GODS FAVOR IS UPON YOU…PEOPLE WILL WANT TO HEAR YOUR IDEAS…
A HOME LOAN THAT YOU HAVE BEEN PRAYING FOR…IS ABOUT TO BREAK THROUGH….THE SELLAR MAY HAVE COME BACK WITH A OFFER LESS…THAN WHAT YOU EXPECTED….
THAT PROMOTION YOU WANT…COULD COME ABOUT TOMORROW..
YOU CHANGE JOBS….FOR THE BETTER….
YOU FINALLY GET INTO A RELATIONSHIP…THAT IS BASED ON A GOOD CHRISTIAN FOUNDATION…..
A PARKING SPOT IN THE FRONT OF THE MALL OPENED UP….AND YOU DIDN’T HAVE TO DRIVE AROUND IN CIRCLES TO GET IT….
ERIC GREW SOME HAIR……
THAT’S NOT ONLY FAVOR….THAT’S A MIRACLE…..
FAVOR MAY COME JUST LIKE MARY’S….IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE FOR HER TO BE PREGNANT……BUT BECAUSE OF GODS FAVOR….SHE BECAME PREGNANT…..
REMEMBER PSALM 5:12……”FOR SURELY O LORD, YOU BLESS THE RIGTEOUS…YOU SURROUND THEM WITH YOUR FAVOR AS WITH A SHIELD.”
YOU NEED TO GO AROUND EVERY DAY….OPERATING IN THE TRUST AND CONFIDENCE KNOWING THAT GODS FAVOR IS ON US…
THAT HE IS IN CONTROL OF IT ALL…..NO MATTER WHAT SITUATION WE ARE FACING….
HOW DO YOU TREAT A COLD?
BY ATTAKING THE VIRUS THAT HAS CAUSED THE DISCOMFORT….
THE DEVIL KNOWS THAT YOU ARE IN GODS FAVOR…..
HE KNOWS THAT THE ONLY WAY TO BRING DOWN GODS SHIELD….HIS FAVOR…IS TO PLACE A VIRUS INSIDE YOU…
SO HE STARTS FILLING YOUR HEAD WITH LIES…DOUBT….DECIET….
HE WILL DO EVERYTHING HE CAN…TO TEAR DOWN THAT SHIELD OF GODS LOVE….HIS FAVOR….
SOMETIMES THAT VIRUS THE DEVIL LAID IN YOU CAN LAST A DAY…SOMETIMES..IT CAN LAST FOR WEEKS…OR MONTHS….
BUT IT’S ALL UP TO YOU…ON HOW LONG IT HANGS AROUND….
IT WON’T LAST FOREVER…BUT GODS LOVE WILL…YOUR LIFE WILL….HIS FAVOR WILL….
WE DON’T WORK FOR THE FBI…TO WHERE EVERYTHING IS ON A NEED TO KNOW BASIS WITH GOD….
HE GAVE YOU THE ANSWER TO IT ALL…MANY YEARS AGO…BEFORE YOU WERE BORN….
THE BIBLE SAYS IN MATTHEW 18:19 - 20.…“IF TWO OF YOU AGREE HERE ON EARTH CONCERNING ANYTHING YOU ASK, MY FATHER IN HEAVENWILL DO IT FOR YOU. FOR WHERE TWO OR THREE GATHER TOGETHER AS MY FOLLOWERS, I AM THERE AMONG THEM.”
WHERE ARE WE? (ON EARTH)
ARE WE ASKING THE SAME THING IN THE NAME OF JESUS?
IS HE NOT HERE WITH US RIGHT NOW?
SO WHY DON’T YOU GET INTO AGREEMENT WITH ME SO IT CAN BE DONE….
JESUS SAID IT WOIULD HAPPEN….
WHY DO YOU GET A GIFT LIKE THIS…?
I BELIEVE IT’S BECAUSE YOU ACCEPTED THE FIRST GIFT….
HIS SON JESUS CHRIST, AS YOUR SAVIOR.
SEE….A GIFT CAN’T BE GIVEN…UNLESS IT’S ACCEPTED….
HAVE YOU ACCEPTED?
HAS IT BEEN TUGGING ON YOUR HEART…MAYBE FOR A WHILE THAT YOU NEED TO CHANGE YOUR LIFE..YOU’RE WAY OF THINKING?
GET ON BOARD….COME TO THE CROSS AND BE SAVED….ESCAPE THE WRATH OF GOD AND RUN TO THE SAVIOR…..
YOU WILL NOT ONLY FIND A JOY, A PIECE….SOMEONE TO GET YOU THROUGH THE TOUGH TIMES….BUT ETERNAL LIFE IN HEAVEN…..
I WANT YOU TO CLOSE YOU EYES AND RAISE YOUR HANDS…IF YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS MEANS…
KEEP YOUR HAND RAISED IF YOU WELCOME JESUS…TO TAKE CONTROL OVER YOUR LIFE….
PUT DOWN YOUR HANDS DOWN IF YOU KNOW THAT YOU ARE TRUSTING IN THE LORD TO POUR HIS FAVOR DOWN UPON YOU…
KEEP YOUR HANDS DOWN…IF YOU KNOW THAT CHRIST IS YOUR LORD AND SAVIOR AND THAT ALL GOOD THINGS COME FROM GOD….
THAT HE HAS RAISED HIS SHIELD OF LOVE….AND FAVOR OVER YOU.
KEEP YOUR HANDS RAISED IF YOU HAVE NOT TRULY EXPERIENCED THAT LOVE…FAVOR…PROTECTION AND SHIELD FROM GOD…THAT FAVOR….
KEEP YOUR HANDS RAISED IF YOU HAVE NOT ACCEPTED OR WANT TO REDEDICATE YOUR LIFE TO CHRIST…..
(PRAY)
