Tag:

Favor

Grace Found

by TerryLema

Exodus 33 is perhaps my most favorite chapter in the Old Testament. I love the interaction between Moses and Jehovah God. The people had sinned. God has said they could still have the Promised Land, but He would not go with them. He’d send an angel and they’d get the victory, but His Presence would be absent.  That’s not going to cut it for Moses.  He pretty much tells God that if God doesn’t go, he’s not going either.

God had acknowledged His favor of Moses, and Moses begins his exchange with God based on that favor. “You have said, ‘I know you by name, and you have also found grace in My sight.’ Now therefore, I pray, if I have found grace in Your sight, show me now Your way, that I may know You and that I may find grace in Your sight.” [Ex 33:12-13 NKJV]

Think about that.  Moses found grace in God’s sight. Because of that, Moses requests one thing—that he might know this God in whom He had found favor. Moses asks to know God’s way so that he might continue to find grace with God.

We, too, have found grace with God. The New Testament is full of references to the grace (favor) in which we now stand. Paul made it clear in Romans 5:1-2: “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.”

So, based on God’s favor, what are our requests? Are we, like Moses, asking to know God’s way in order that we might continue to find favor with Him?  Or are we hoping to take advantage of God’s favor to satisfy our own agendas?

For the record, God’s response to Moses’ request … “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” [v14]

Is that not what we all want?

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Wondrous Grace

by TerryLema

“God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary…. The angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus.’” [Luke 1:26-32]

“You have found favor with God.”  The word favor is charis in the Greek. It is usually translated as grace.

Mary found grace in the sight of the LORD, just as so many before her had … people like Noah and Abraham, Moses and David. Grace. God’s good favor.

Grace is an attribute of God. In God grace and mercy are one, but as they reach us, they are seen as two. Mercy is God’s goodness confronting human misery and guilt (He doesn’t give us what we deserve—judgment). Grace is His goodness directed toward human debt and demerit (He gives us what we don’t deserve—salvation, redemption, love).

John 1:20 tells us that “…grace and truth came by Jesus Christ”

 Grace didn’t suddenly come into existence when Jesus Christ was born on earth. Grace, God’s good favor, has existed for all time in the heart of God. It is as boundless, as eternal, as He is. Everyone who has ever come to God has come though His Divine Favor/Grace, whether in the Old Testament or in the New.

The wonder of Mary finding favor/grace with God is that she is going to give birth to the very means by which grace is going to come to all mankind.

That included Mary. That includes us!  What a wonder!

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In the Morning!

by TerryLema

How delightful that Psalm 4, which speaks of our prayers in the night, is followed by Psalm 5, our prayers in the morning!  “In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice. In the morning I plead my case to you and watch expectantly.” [vs 3 HCSB]

The early morning hours are often when I hear God’s voice best. They are also times when I am comfortable, with little or no pain. I stay snuggled in bed, trying to stall having to rise and face the day. I am like David in that I “watch” or “wait” expectantly for God to speak to me.

If you read Psalm 5 today, you will find three things that should thrill your soul and make you want to shout in praise.  They are abundant love (vs 7), blessing (vs 12a), and favor (vs 12b).

Abundant Love (Multitude of Mercies as some render it). “I enter your house by the abundance of your faithful love.” God’s love, His mercies, are more than can be numbered. That is exactly what keeps us day to day. His mercies are great, they renew every morning. His love is too much to even comprehend.

We see His abundant love, multitude of mercies, in the enormous sacrifice made by our LORD and Savior so that we might one day have entrance into the very presence of God Almighty.

Blessing. “For You Lord bless the righteous one .…” In Scripture blessing usually connotes preference, happiness, God’s approval. It is difficult to define, but it is so wonderful to experience that security found in the “blessings” of our LORD. Blessings come to the righteous not because they are morally excellent, but because Christ Jesus, the sinless One, took our sin upon Himself so that “we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” [2 Corinthians 5:21]

Favor. “You surround him with favor like a shield.” Favor means goodwill, delight, acceptance. Might we say, “Grace?” It is all because of God’s Amazing Grace!

Thank you, LORD. Today our praise focuses on Your Abundant Love for us that brings us into Your presence. We thank you for your blessings and favor to us. Amen

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God’s Favor …

by TerryLema

Yesterday was our last day in 2 Chronicles 7:14, a call to God’s people for repentance and turning back to Him. It is not always easy to admit we need to humble ourselves, pray and seek His Face and turn from our wicked ways, but it has a glorious result if we do.

“Sing to Yahweh, you His faithful ones, and praise His holy name. For His anger lasts only a moment, but His favor, a lifetime. Weeping may spend the night, but there is joy in the morning.” [Psalm 30:4-5: HCSB]

If we spend our nights weeping before Him in godly sorrow for our sins (both individually and corporately), a new dawn breaks – that dawn brings joy and God’s favor.

God promises that His anger is only momentary, and we know it is designed to bring renewal and restoration not punishment. When we respond correctly to His anger with godly sorrow and repentance, joy abounds. Then His favor descends.

God’s favor. Grace. I live in God’s grace. I must. It is the only thing that gives me strength for each day. I know that on my own, without the grace of God each day, I will not survive this world with its temptations and allure. Without God’s grace each day, my old sin nature will rise and dominate. Without God’s grace each day, I will not have either the desire or the power to live for Him.

But I do not worry that God will take His grace from me. I am promised that His favor, His grace, will be with me for a lifetime. It will be there on the other side of those nights of weeping and sorrow, abounding with joy, ready to envelope me in His love.

Oh LORD, how GRACIOUS and COMPASSIONATE Your LOVE is to us! Amen.

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